Guardians, your role is loosely based on Lynndie England, of the Abu Ghraib prison-torture scandal. How did you mentally prepare to empathize with such an off-putting character?
I had to separate myself from the monster that everyone sees her as and see the human being for who she is. I mean, I could go on the message boards and see everyone call Lynndie England the ugliest whore who ever walked the face of the planet, but that’s not going to do me any good.

What draws you to the roles you choose, and to this one in particular?
[With Guardian], I think it’s really relevant and so beautifully written, and it really says something about the world we’re living in. I just thought it would’ve been a huge mistake on my part if I let this one go. I look for things that are different, things that I personally haven’t seen before—characters with flaws and characters that have something to say.

Your lesbian-heartbreaker role on The L Word has been groundbreaking, yet you won’t discuss your own sexuality. Why?
Because I’ve seen up front how, when people make their personal lives public, it can turn into a nightmare for them. So I just am not interested. My personal life is not the point. Who cares, really?