Jamie Gray Hyder Talks 'Graceland', HBO vs. Basic Cable, More (EXCLUSIVE)

After her breakout role as the werewolf Danielle on seasons five and six of HBO's True Blood, Jamie Gray Hyder has seen her stock rise considerably. She's secured a role on one of USA Network's top dramas, Graceland. And it's not a throwaway role either, as Hyder portrays one of the more complex new characters the show has introduced in Season 2. The Hollywood Reporter described her character as "sexy and formidable," and they're really not far off. As Lucia Solano, Hyder plays a sort of watchdog role to her brother Carlito (Erik Valdez), who runs the lucrative and dangerous Solano cartel in the United States. However, Lucia is someone with an innate desire to live a normal life, attending grad school and attempting to extricate herself from the tiresome bonds of her family's criminal enterprise. Yet Carlito's recklessness threatens to cost the family everything their father has built.

I had the pleasure of talking with Hyder about the role, the complexity of the character, and what we can expect going forward, both for Lucia and the Solano family.

Credit: USA Network

So how did this project come on your radar?

I auditioned for it like I have anything else, and you can kind of tell when you're an actor that there's certain material that you click with right away. When I read for Lucia, I felt it right away, and I had a good grasp of who she was. It was important for me not to make her into a caricature.

What kind of preparation did you do for the role?

I had about four days between the day that I got the role and the day I flew out to start shooting, so I watched the full first season of the show, and got prepared. I got into the mindset, so when I look into a character I get into their skin. With Lucia, it was about exploring the balance between doing what's right for her and doing what's right for her family. That's the conflict I found interesting.

That's sort of what I like about the character too. She reminds me of a Michael Corleone-type character who's drawn into this illicit criminal enterprise by her family. I mean, that's what drew me in, but what drew you into the character? What's most interesting about her to you?

I think it's that. That no matter how hard she tries to be independent and live life the way she wants, she can't help but come back to help her family. It's not what she wants but it's what she has to do. She has to keep coming back to her brother to protect her father, because she doesn't want them to pay for Carlito's mistakes. She's stuck having to do things she doesn't always agree with doing.

Credit: Jamie Gray Hyder's Twitter (@JGHyder)

What was your biggest challenge in playing Lucia?

I think, initially, we see her as a very strong, no-nonsense character; and as the season progresses, you start to see her soften. You start to see her tender, more emotional side. And showing that transition is a challenge, since she starts somewhere and ends up in a completely different place as a character.

What is your favorite part about playing Lucia?

The unpredictability associated with the character. She's constantly in the craziest situations, and you never know how she ends up there, or how she's going to get out. And I think that not knowing what she's going to go through each week while we were filming, for me, was a very exciting part in playing the character.

Naturally, basic cable has more restrictions than a premium cable channel like HBO. Is it easier or more difficult to play a role on basic cable vs. something like True Blood, where practically anything goes?

I think that you prepare the same way, and you approach the characters the same way. I think when doing premium cable, there are always certain questions and certain scenarios that you have to be prepared to face eventually -- potentially. But I think it's just as important to be aware of those options. You realize, "Where could this possibly go on each network?" And on HBO, it can go a lot further, in a lot of cases. So you just have to be ready when things do take that turn. You have to be prepared to figure out what you're comfortable with and what you want to do. You know, it's a very personal thing. So you definitely are presented with some difficult questions on premium cable. But as far as performance goes, they both require the same amount of integrity and preparation, and I think that's the important part.

Credit: Jamie Gray Hyder's Twitter (@JGHyder)

It's impressive how convincing you and Erik Valdez are as siblings. How do you get your chemistry down together? Do you spend time together off set? Or is it more of a natural chemistry?

I think it's both. Erik and I definitely have great natural chemistry. And while we were shooting in Florida, Erik and I were always in the same hotel together. So we would eat all of our meals together, and spend free time together, and we really have developed a relationship that is much like being brother and sister to one another. We often give each other crap [laughs] and, you know, we have a great rapport. And that has made playing this role opposite Erik so much easier and so much more enjoyable. We do spend time together offset, and we do have a lot of fun together.

What are you most looking forward to audiences getting to see this season?

I think more of what they've seen so far, really pushing the envelope on these different plotlines, and pushing the envelope on societal issues. I think that while we're challenging the actors on this show, and we're really pushing the envelope with the plotlines, we're really challenging the audience as well to come on this ride with us. So I think the audience can expect more of this rollercoaster, and continued tension. And I think they're going to really be hooked, more so than they already are, as these plotlines continue to twist and turn.

Lastly, does the Solano cartel become more integral or is it a situation where everybody has their own issues that tie together?

You know, I do think everything is related. We will see more of the Solano family as the season progresses. You'll get to meet our father. You'll get to go home with us. You're going to see a lot more of our family, both the family dynamic and the criminal organization.

That sounds great. Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me today.

Of course! Thank you so much for having me.

And congratulations on the series, it really is great.

Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy the rest of it.

Graceland airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on USA Network.