Jeri Ryan Dishes on Her Mysterious New Role on Syfy’s Helix

Finally, help, in the form of scifi veteran Jeri Ryan, is coming for those belaboured scientists in Syfy’s Helix.

Or is it?

ScreenSpy chatted with the Star Trek Voyager and Body of Proof alum earlier this week about her mysterious new role on the critically acclaimed show.

Ryan comes on board this Friday Feb. 14 as Doctor Constance Sutton of Ilaria, the corporation overseeing operations at the now out-of-control Arctic Biosystems. However don’t sigh with relief just yet, as Ryan previews “Help is not help.” where her character is concerned.

Beneath the guise of corporate benevolence both Ilaria and Sutton will surprise fans.

“She’s kind of a ball buster! I think that’s the best way to describe her, which I love,” laughs Ryan.  “She’s very much in the corporate world and very much looking out for the best interests of Ilaria, but as you’ll find out, there’s a bit more of a personal issue at stake for her as well.”

Constance Sutton assesses the situation. (Photo by: Philippe Bosse/Syfy)

What will Sutton’s presence mean for Hatake (Hiroshi Hatake) and Daniel (Meegwun Fairbrother) as well as Farragut (Billy Campbell) and his team? Ryan dishes that both groups will very quickly learn that her presence at the arctic research station spells trouble for all.

“She’s certainly driven. She has an agenda. Hatake has gone off the rails. He’s supposed to be finding them a virus and a cure and he’s screwed up. Instead he’s messing around and doing his own thing and that’s not ok. So she’s there to fix it, and whatever she has to do to make that happen is what has to happen.”

In addition to Sutton’s firm hand, fans can expect other “surprises” where her character is concerned.  (We’re not going to spoil you on that front.) Ryan admitted that some of Sutton’s more eyebrow-raising characteristics surprised even her.

“They were really secretive [about my character]. I was asking what the hell am I, and who am I, and they were ‘you’ll have to wait. It’s really cool.’ Come on!” she laughs. “They’re holding their cards very close to the vest.”

As Helix fans know, gore in many forms, is a staple of the show. Perhaps surprisingly, it was a factor that actually attracted Ryan to the role.

“Oh I love the gore! Are you kidding me? More gore! I love it! The goo and the guts and all of it. I love it. I observed autopsies when I worked on Body of Proof. I loved the science of it. I loved all of it. ”

Ryan admits that steering clear of scifi was a “conscious decision” post Voyager.  “One of my concerns when I signed on to Voyager in the beginning was that Star Trek was kind of notorious for its actors getting pigeonholed and not being able to break out and do other things. And so that was a big concern of mine, which thank God, turned out to be completely unfounded. I’ve been very lucky. More recently it’s because I go where the interesting roles are, and this is the first one that really caught my interest.”

Catch Jeri Ryan’s Constance Sutton making her unique presence felt this Friday February 14 on Syfy’s Helix.

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