TV

Dual role

Grace Park plays a robot who's all too human on sci-fi hit "Battlestar Galactica," back for a second season.

It's challenging enough for an actor to create a living, breathing character out of some words on a page. When the character is a robot that thinks it's human, well, you know Grace Park has her work cut out for her. The 25-year-old actress plays hotshot space pilot Sharon "Boomer" Valerii on the Sci Fi Channel's hit series "Battlestar Galactica" (Fridays, 10 p.m. ET), which kicks off its second season this week. In the critically praised show, most humans have been killed by a race of robots known as Cylons, and the last remnants of humanity are fleeing across space in search of their ancestral home, Earth. Park plays a Cylon who looks human. We spoke with the Canadian actress from "Galactica's" set in British Columbia:

What's it like playing someone who's clueless about her own identity?
It's hard. You're not sure how much she knows, how much she's hiding. ... In real life, when you see people in denial, it's like "Wow!" -- and your heart just goes out to them.

Is Boomer's human-ness what makes her so appealing?
There is no human Boomer. I think people want there to be. There is so much sympathy for her. Everyone is empathizing with [her].

How'd a niche cable show get such great reviews?
I think the show is about war, and there are elements of war throughout our lives. And the show is honest, the darker side of honest. I think we also touch on subjects people don't like: prisoners of war, torture, sexual abuse, church and state, how much spirituality will affect the daily course of power.

Those real-life parallels were drawn in an earlier sci-fi hit, "Star Trek." Who intrigues you more: Kirk or Spock?
Kirk. I feel he was a man of values and principles. He tried to step into things with courage and grace and nobility.

To continue the theme, "Star Trek" or "Star Wars?"
"Wars." It's so bad-a--, the writing is so brilliant, and the moviemaking is beautifully paced.

The biggest change in modern sci-fi shows?
There's a balance between the male and female characters.

As someone who handles plenty of weaponry on the show, what's the best weapon a woman has?
Her self-worth. If any person can come fully into their own, they will embrace all their gifts and shine so bright, whether it's embracing their intelligence, femininity or power.

Lewis Beale