Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with Stacey Oristano who plays Mindy Collette on the show that everyone should be watching…Friday Night Lights fans.

Her role on Friday Night Lights grew in Season 3 and she recently finished playing the leading role in the musical, Violet at Addison’s Water Tower Theatre in Texas. Stacey was more than happy to take a few moments out of her day to talk Friday Night Lights, musicals, and more.

How did you spend Superbowl Sunday?
I was in Dallas working on a show and then my dad is a huge football fan so he had a huge Superbowl party. It was a lot of fun!

So talking Friday Night Lights, you were only supposed to be in one episode?
Yeah, they kind of kept me around. There was never any talk about it, they just kept calling to see if I was available. Lucky for me, I was. For the 3rd season, they told me they needed me for the entire 5 months.

What is your favorite part about playing Mindy Collette on Friday Night Lights?
She is not really the bad girl but she is definitely loud and a little trashy sometimes. It is kind of fun to be loose and that carefree.

Did you have any doubts, any hesitation playing an exotic dancer?
I didn’t. I knew that because it was NBC and we had to be fairly clean, it was okay to explore that side.

What do you think about Billy & Mindy’s relationship? Are they in love or in convenience?
I really think they are in love. A lot of people say that it happened too fast and why didn’t it happen before. It is just pure bliss.

If you weren’t playing Mindy, which character would you love to play?
I would want to be Tim Riggins. He is the bad boy who gets to do whatever he wants. There is really a no holds bar when it comes to Tim Riggins.

What is an average day of filming Friday Night Lights?
There are some days that I would shoot for 2 hours but there were some days where we were shooting 18 – 20 hours. Especially filming football days, it was really crazy. The last episode we shot, Oh my gosh…I was in that wedding dress for 20 hours. I was ready to get out of it.

From season 3, what has been your favorite moment?
Every time that I get to do a scene with Taylor Kitsch it is so much fun. He is absolutely hysterical. He makes me laugh the entire day.

When the show gets picked up for a season 4, where would you like to see your character go?
I can’t give away what happens at the end of this season, for the people who haven’t seen it yet and are watching it on NBC. But definitely Mindy and Billy should figure out their life together.

How is juggling filming Friday Night Lights and Theatre?
Filming season 2 was a little difficult because I was in a play. So I was on a plane or driving from one city to the next every day. Usually, I will try to keep it really separate since I know I have the rest of the year that we are not filming. I am still trying to find the balance between being on stage and being on film because the two are very different.

What has been your favorite theatre role so far?
I think that my favorite show that I was in was a play called Urinetown at the Water Tower Theatre. Also, I got to play Sally Bowles in Cabaret and that was a role I had wanted to do since I was 7 years old.

What is your dream Broadway role?
There is a musical, Sunday in the Park With George. I would want o do any Broadway musical. I would be very happy.

What was the best part about studying at London’s prestigious Rose Bruford College?
My professors were also working in the West End so I learned from people who were in the trenches. Being immersed in that cultured was so amazing in itself.

What is your favorite and least favorite part about living in NY?
I am so in love with the city. You can do anything at any time of the day. But the winters in NY. Oh God. It is such a pain.

Random Questions

Favorite Food: Sandwiches
Favorite Ice Cream: Mint Chocolate Chip
Favorite Author/Book: Lamb by Christopher Moore
Favorite Move: Princess Bride
Favorite TV Shows: Lost and anything on HBO and Showtime
If I Were Going Through Your iPod, What Would I Find: Every Billy Joel album ever made, Bob Dylan, Broadway shows, etc…
Last Broadway Show You’ve Seen: In The Heights, it is so good!

This or That
Pepsi or Coke: Diet Coke
Romance or Comedy: Comedy always
Noise or Silence: I think I like noise.
Burger King or McDonalds: Burger King burger with McDonalds fries
Sunrise or Sunset: Sunset, I am not really a morning person
Tattoos or Piercings: I have so many of both. Well, I have 2 tattoos but I want a lot.