Actress becomes face of new sci-fi show ‘Caprica’

February 4, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

“There’s no character that’s ever been written like that before. There’s been strong female characters, but no 16-year-old girls. I could have not asked for a better role.”

Alessandra Torresani

Actress

By RICK BENTLEY

Fresno (Calif.) Bee

Science-fiction television has a tradition of creating breakout female characters who combine brains, brawn and beauty.

“Star Trek” did it with Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) on “Voyager.” We’ve seen Major Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) on “Stargate SG-1”; Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) on “Dr. Who”; and Number Six (Tricia Helfer) on the updated “Battlestar Galactica.”

Now, Alessandra Torresani, who plays Zoe Graystone on the new Syfy Channel series “Caprica” (9 p.m. Fridays), is poised to join that group.

The actress, with her angelic face, plays multiple roles in the “Battlestar Galactica” prequel, including avatar, cyborg and a few characters that will be revealed over the coming weeks.

“Caprica” is set 58 years before events of “Battlestar Galactica” and focuses on the lives, loves and losses of the Graystone and Adama families.

There’s no one more excited about the potential star power this role will bring Torresani than Torresani.

“It’s an honor to be the face of this show. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to be a breakout star,” says the 22-year-old California native.

If nothing else, that Torresani is at the center of the provocative advertising for the series is enough to get her attention. Billboards, print advertising and bus-stop posters feature the seemingly naked Torresani holding a blood-red apple. A 10-story version of the poster hangs from a hotel exterior in Los Angeles.

The nudity and apple depict how her “Caprica” character is the Eve to a new race of cybernetic beings who eventually will become the Cylons. It’s the Cylon revolt that set the original “Battlestar Galactica” in motion.

The actress never expected to get this kind of attention through a sci-fi program and had always thought it would take a role on a show such as “Gossip Girl” or “90210” to spark her career. She didn’t even know there was a remake of “Battlestar Galactica.”

“I thought it was still a ’70s TV show. I really didn’t want to do sci-fi but decided to go in for the audition,” Torresani says. “There’s no character that’s ever been written like that before. There’s been strong female characters, but no 16-year-old girls. I could have not asked for a better role.”

Had Torresani’s parents, who both work in the tech industry, had their way, their math-whiz daughter would have attended MIT. It takes only a few minutes with the confident Torresani to know that once she makes up her mind about something, nothing could change it.

She describes herself as an overachiever. At the same time, she was leaping ahead years in math classes, Torresani became a national tap champion and a black belt in tae kwon do. She started acting at 8 with appearances on “Popular,” “Even Stevens,” “JAG,” “Arrested Development” and “Bones.”