In 2006, Kristy appeared on the hit series “Dancing with the Stars.” Her new film, THE CLOSER, is due for release on later this year. She has finished up work on WHAT IF… with Kevin Sorbo.

Kristy spoke to us briefly about her career thus far.

Jonathan Stryker: You have been acting since 1979. How did you get your start?
Kristy Swanson: Well, like most people, I began doing commercials. I was nine years old at the time, and it was something that my parents did not want me to do. But, I really wanted to do it. I begged and begged, pleaded and pleaded. So, they relented and my career sort of took off as a result.

JS: Did you know that you wanted to become an actress at that time, or did you just decide that you wanted to do commercials?
KS: I wanted to do commercials because it looked fun. I didn't know what stardom was, I didn't know what fame was, and I certainly wasn't doing it for the money. I really just saw people on television and I thought to myself that I could do that and that it looked fun. I would involve myself in various activities in the community. I did a lot of plays and musicals, pretty much anything that I could get my hands on.

JS: What were some of your earliest memories of going to the movies?
KS: I remember seeing STAR WARS in the theater, and GREASE. My parents took me to see ICE CASTLES. Robby Benson was my favorite actor.

JS: He worked at NYU for a while, teaching acting. My sister works there, too, and knew him.
KS: No kidding! That’s great.

JS: You know, we forget, but movies played for months at a time during those years.
KS: Yeah, they did, didn't they? Another movie that I was a huge fan of was THE OUTSIDERS. I was in the business at that point, but that was a movie that I loved a lot.

JS: Oh, wow. I remember my sister had it on videodisc and she would bring her friends over to watch it in our basement.
KS: That must have been fun.

JS: How did you come to work with Wes Craven on DEADLY FRIEND?
KS: At the time, I didn't know who Wes Craven was. I auditioned when I was 15, and when we shot it I was 16. I met the producer, who introduced me to Wes. I loved Wes, he was such a great person to work for. We got along great.

JS: V.C. Andrews wrote a series of novels during the 1980’s that were very popular at the time. Were you a fan of her work?
KS: No, I hadn’t read her books at the time. I knew that most girls had read FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC when we shot the film. It was bog for young girls. I had come from a reading background that included Judy Blume when I was younger, but when I received the script of FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC, I was only familiar with the story from having read the script. V.C. Andrews did a cameo when we shot the movie, this was right after DEADLY FRIEND opened, and about a month and a half later, on my birthday, she died. That was very sad. She never got to see the finished film. But, she was a very nice lady. I have good memories of her.

JS: What were you memories of Louise Fletcher?
KS: Oh, wow. Louise Fletcher was a great role model for me. I was 16 and she was very supportive. She is the polar opposite of the roles that she plays. She always seems to play evil people, but she is the nicest person in the universe.

JS: Had you seen ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST at the time?
KS: No, but I knew that she was this big Oscar-winning actress.

JS: Were there plans to make BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER into a television series when you made the film?
KS: No. We just did it as a movie and Joss Whedon, the creator of the show, went out and made a deal to turn it into a TV series. That was great, because I was very, very excited to hear they had optioned it as a series. At that time, there were no strong young females dominating prime time on television. There were no Nancy Drew-ish characters, so I thought that it was great that they made this into a series.

JS: I caught the tail end of BAD TO THE BONE years ago on cable. I've always wanted to see the beginning of it! How did that film come to you?
KS: Well, it was originally called MY SISTER’S KEEPER. It was an ABC movie of the week, I read the script, and I really thought that I could do a lot with this character. I thought that I could age from 17 to around 30 fairly easily, and I just thought that it would be really great for me.

JS: Do you like the horror and science fiction genres in general?
KS: No, I can’t say that I am partial to them in general. But, when it comes to acting, I wouldn’t turn down a role in them if I really like what they had to offer. If I read a script and it feels right for me, then I will go for it. I love acting, that’s my passion, and if it’s a comedy, or a romantic comedy, I want to do it. Doesn’t matter what genre. Like LIVING DEATH was fun to do because it was over the top.

JS: Who are some of the people in the business you admire?
KS: I have always wanted to work with Patrick Dempsey. I think that he’s a phenomenal actor. Most people don't really seem to appreciate his work, and even there was a time during a couple of years when he was going through a dry spell and didn't have much going on. But, now he's on “Grey’s Anatomy,” and he's doing a great. I am really happy and glad to see that. And another actor I like is Matt Dillon. I loved him in THE OUTSIDERS and would love to work with him. And Faye Dunaway! God, BONNIE AND CLYDE, CHINATOWN, NETWORK, EYES OF LAURA MARS…She’s great, I would love to do any role with her!

JS: What are your new projects?
KS: My latest film is called THE CLOSER which is scheduled for 2009, and I just wrapped on WHAT IF… with Kevin Sorbo.

JS: Thank you for your time, Kristy.
KS: Thanks!