Sonya Walger: From Lost to FlashForward - IGN (2024)

Sonya Walger's periodic guest appearances on Lost as the love of Desmond's life, Penny, managed to have plenty of impact, as Walger and Henry Ian Cusick put a ton of heart and soul into their characters'love story – leading into Season 4's "The Constant", an incredible episode given a ton of emotional weight thanks to the investment the audience had in Desmond and Penny's love story.
Walger will be seen as a series regular this fall on a new ABC series, FlashForward, which follows what happens when the entire world's populace blacks out for two minutes and seventeen seconds – during which they see visions of their own future.

I recently spoke to Walger about FlashForward, which also stars Lost's Dominic Monaghan. We also discussed her work as Penny and the possibility of seeing her again before Lost ends its run this coming year.


IGN TV: FlashForward has a pretty bold concept. What was your reaction to it initially?

Sonya Walger: Oh, I flipped for it. I thought it was just such an outstanding piece of writing. I rang my agents immediately and was like, "How do we make this happen? What do I have to do? I'll audition for anyone you need me to audition for. I will jump through any hoops. I just want to play this part."

IGN: How would you describe your character?

Walger: Olivia is a strong, complicated woman who's a working mother. She's a trauma surgeon and a loving wife. She's devoted to her work and trying to make time for her kid. Olivia's plate is full long before the flash forward happens I think.

Sonya Walger: From Lost to FlashForward - IGN (1)
IGN: [FlashForward Executive Producer] David Goyer has said he plays things pretty close to the vest as far as not telling you guys what's going to happen. Do you try to get him or the other writers to reveal anything?

Walger: Not really, unless I really need it – unless I feel like I can't play the scene without a particular piece of information. But otherwise, I'm very happy just to go with what I have. There's enough on the page – the scripts are so well written. There's plenty to play, without needing to pry more secrets out of them.

IGN: Now that you've filmed a few episodes, has it been interesting to see how they've begun to lay out these puzzle pieces, aiming towards the place we saw you in in your flash forward?

Walger: It's wonderful. It's so exciting. So exciting watching the show spread out in such unexpected ways. The ripple effect of these premonitions and where they take us is really wonderful.

IGN: You've said you really don't know what role you may or may not play in Lost this year. It being the final season, are you hoping to be able to give Penny some kind of closure?

Walger: Oh, I'd love to! I'd absolutely love to but I would fully understand if they can't work it out. So either way…


Continue on to Page 2 to see what Walger has to say about "The Constant" and Lost fans' reaction to Desmond & Penny.

IGN: I wanted to ask you about the Lost episode, "The Constant." I know I'm not alone in thinking that's one of the very best episodes of the show. When you were filming it, did you know it was something special?

Walger: Oh, it was such a great script. It really was. And Jack Bender directed it so beautifully. But I had no idea that it would turn out as well as it did and no idea it would turn out to be an episode that people responded to so warmly. I'm delighted and honored to have an episode that gets singled out.

IGN: With Desmond and Penny, there aren't that many scenes featuring the two of you throughout the entire course of the series, and yet I think many fans would say that's among their favorite relationships on Lost. I assume that has to be very gratifying.

Walger: Sure! It's lovely. It's lovely to think that people are invested in that way in our characters. Because you say, it's not like we had a lot of screen time, but it's been fun!

IGN: On FlashForward, have you had any scenes with Dominic yet?

Walger: No, not yet.

Sonya Walger: From Lost to FlashForward - IGN (2)
IGN: On Lost, you were involved in another very memorable moment – Charlie's death – but I assume you didn't even shoot anything with Dominic [Monaghan] since Penny was only on the video screen.

Walger: No, I met him for the first time on FlashForward!

IGN: I assume that's another case where you hear from Lost fans about how meaningful that "Not Penny's boat" scene is to them.

Walger: Yeah, I've heard that a lot – about how important and seminal that scene was. It was lovely to meet him, but it was just like meeting any other actor. It was a nice introduction! [Laughs]

IGN: Having originally signed on just for a single episode guest appearance on Lost, has it been a strange ride, entering into this world with such a rabid fanbase and such a dense mythology? I'm guessing you are asked questions you would have no way of knowing the answer to.

Walger: Yeah, sure, but honestly it's been fine. I've been quite protected from the whole Lost phenomenon, because I'm not one of the core cast. So I haven't had to do the press junkets that they have. If I deal with questions, it's just from someone in the street, and it's always lovely to have people want to come up and talk about the work. So I've been pretty protected from the whole thing.

IGN: Are you getting prepared for the fact that FlashForward is likely to be one of those show that will have fans asking so many specific questions?

Walger: Listen, if we have an 18th of the success that Lost has, it will be a lovely thing. I won't complain! It will be great.


FlashForward premieres Thursday, September 24th on ABC.
Sonya Walger: From Lost to FlashForward - IGN (2024)

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