Amanda Foreman on "Felicity"

(CNN) – Amanda Foreman plays a character named Meghan in a Warner Brothers television show called "Felicity." When "Felicity" debuted, it was considered one of the brightest new shows of the television season. The show is about college life in the big city.

Chat Moderator: Welcome to the Showbiz chat room, Amanda Foreman.

Amanda Foreman: Hi!

Question from Yup: Do you shoot "Felicity" in a studio, or on the campus of New York University?

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Amanda Foreman: We shoot in Los Angeles, on sound stages in Culver City. We go to New York -- usually once or twice a year -- to shoot exteriors.

Question from Sally: Will "the box" be back this season?

Amanda Foreman: "The box" has been absent this year, so far, but I've been told that it will be coming back.

Question from AlexCain: Are you Internet-savvy? Do you ever go online to get feedback on your character, or perhaps the show in general?

Amanda Foreman: No, I am completely Internet-challenged! I have a computer, but it's not hooked up. It was a gift.

I'm interested to see what people have to say about my character. But I'm also afraid I'd see something that would hurt my feelings, or that I would feel the need to change what was I was doing in order to please a particular viewer and not be true to myself. So, I'm of two minds about it.

Question from Bee: How do you feel about the ongoing use of "docuventary"?

Amanda Foreman: I think it's a great device because, first of all, it's much faster to shoot video scenes than to shoot scenes on film, so it saves time and money. It also can work to speed up the process of giving information to the audience by allowing characters to talk right to the camera about what they're feeling, instead of having to illustrate how they're feeling with complicated scenes.

Question from Sniglet: What happened to the skull necklace Sean gave Meghan?

Amanda Foreman: That is a really good question, and when I'm done with this chat, I'm going to ask the wardrobe department about that. I'd actually forgotten. Thanks for reminding me!

Question from Jeffrey: How long does it take to go from reading a script to shooting?

Amanda Foreman: On this particular show, the writers have been very painstaking in their process, so the scripts have been coming out pretty much the day before we start filming them. Normally, like last year, we were getting them about a week in advance.

Question from Celia: How do you feel about the direction the show is taking this year?

Amanda Foreman: I like it, because it's becoming more of an ensemble show, so it's fun for me to get to do a little bit more character exploration with Meghan. I think it's important that television shows be emotional, and also fun sometimes, and I think the show was lacking a little bit of fun last year.

Question from Sare: How tall are you, because on the show you look pretty tall, but on CNN, you looked quite petite. Is it true the Felicity actresses are all so tiny they have to stand on boxes to do scenes with the male co-stars?

Amanda Foreman: I am 5'5", and I do look tall on the show, because I generally wear extremely high platform shoes and boots. And, no, the actresses don't have to stand on boxes, but we are all generally pretty short, or about my height -- except Tangi Miller's very tall.

Question from Bee: Do you think Meghan has lost too much of her edginess? Is she becoming too mainstream?

Question from Sally: Is Meghan's "humanization" going to continue?

Amanda Foreman: I think the second question answers the first, in a way. I don't think she's losing too much of her edginess, because all the writers are doing with the character is making her more human. All people have a lot of different facets to their personality, and Meghan is showing some new ones this season. But she is still -- and you'll see that there's a lot of edginess still left to be explored.

Question from Christy: Did you help contribute to your new look?

Question from Sally: Do you get input into what direction your character should go in?

Amanda Foreman: In terms of the look, the only thing that's different about this look is just less makeup. First and second season, I would spend about an hour in the makeup chair every morning, and this year, we've got it down to about a half- hour.

I think the character, like any college student -- maybe the Goth thing -- she's growing out of it a bit. I think people tend to do that. There's less makeup because it's less of an influence on her life.

Question from Jane: Are you still in a band? Do you have any gigs coming up?

Amanda Foreman: Yes, I am still in a band. The band is called Teen Machine. We just had our record release party on Saturday night at the Viper Room. I don't know when we'll be playing again. We have a CD out on Popsquad Records.

Question from NYStudent: When is the next planned filming in New York?

Amanda Foreman: I don't know. I actually am not sure if we're going back there this year or not. The budget has been cut, and that was one of the first things they discussed dropping.

Question from Yup: I think Meghan rocks. I’m happy to see more of you on the show. What's up with your character and Sean?

Amanda Foreman: Sean and Meghan are gonna stay together for a while, and we go through some interesting experiences together, which is all I can really say right now.

Question from Celia: Who is the clown on the set?

Amanda Foreman: The great thing about this cast is that everybody is funny, and I guess if I had to say who's really the biggest clown, it would probably have to be Greg Grunberg. He's really hilarious. But I have to say that Robert Patrick Benedict is also hilarious -- as is Keri.

Question from JennOK: What attracts your character the most to Sean?

Amanda Foreman: Probably the fact that he doesn't let me get away with pulling any crap. He calls me on everything, and I think that's probably what makes him different from other guys I've dated.

Question from Sniglet: Is Finn (the neighbor across the hall) going to be involved in any future episodes?

Amanda Foreman: Yes, he will be. That's all I can say.

Question from Bee: Who is most like his or her character? Who is most different?

Amanda Foreman: That's hard to say. I would say everybody is a little bit like their character, but I'm probably the least like my character.

Question from Sally: Are there any more special episodes, like the "Twilight Zone" one, planned?

Amanda Foreman: Not that I know of. I wish they would do something like that again, because I thought that was really special.

Question from Sally: Do you get recognized out in the streets of Los Angeles? How do fans react to you?

Amanda Foreman: I don't think I get recognized very often. My boyfriend always tells me people are looking at me and talking about the show, but I never pick up on it. I guess I get recognized, but I'm not generally aware of it. People don't come up and say anything.

Chat Moderator: How will this season be different than the past two seasons?

Amanda Foreman: They're trying to give this season a little bit more of an ensemble feeling, and I think they're trying to – maybe -- lighten up the tone of the show.

Question from Sally: Do you foresee the show lasting after graduation?

Amanda Foreman: I really have no idea. I don't know. It's hard to say.

Ratings and so many things play a part with whether a show stays on the air. I'm not savvy enough to make a prediction like that.

Chat Moderator: If you were not in entertainment, what would you be doing right now?

Amanda Foreman: Well, I've always been interested in writing. I don't know if that would be considered being in entertainment, but that's what I would do. I can't see myself doing any job that didn't involve creativity.

Question from JennOK: Who picks out your clothes – you, in conjunction with a stylist?

Amanda Foreman: Linda Serajin is the costume designer for the show, and she goes shopping at different stores around Los Angeles and Hollywood and chooses clothes for me, which she then brings back here for me to try on. I definitely have a say about which clothes we keep and which we take back, but it's basically her thing. She's very good at her job.

Chat Moderator: What should people get from watching "Felicity"? Is there a message to the show?

Amanda Foreman: I think the character of Felicity is always striving to be true to herself, and if there's a message, that might be it -- that young girls try to be true to who they are, no matter what obstacles they come up against.

Question from Sniglet: Will Meghan be casting any more spells?

Amanda Foreman: I hope so.

Question from Celia: It was great to see you all today, but for us devoted "Felicity" fans, where were the two Scotts?

Amanda Foreman: I wish I knew! I'm not sure. Maybe I should call them and tell them to get their butts down here!

Chat Moderator: Are you working on any other projects at the moment?

Amanda Foreman: No. I don't have time right now.

Chat Moderator: Do you have any final thoughts for us?

Amanda Foreman: I'd like to thank everybody for watching and supporting the show. It's really great. I certainly appreciate it, and I know everybody in the cast does, too.

Chat Moderator: Thank you for joining us today, Amanda Foreman.

Amanda Foreman: Thanks.

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