Lindell Locks It Up
Soap Opera Weekly: Is it true you almost passed on the audition for DAYS?
Heather Lindell: I didn’t think I was going to be able to fit it in. Not because I didn’t WANT to audition, but I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to make it. I had too much going on that day. I was a theater major at UCLA and I had my musical theater performance, my final for my major, the same day. It was basically to say goodbye and to thank my family, my friends and my teachers for supporting me. When I got the call to audition for DAYS that day, I wasn’t even going to go on it. I said, ‘You know what. This is my final. I’ve been working on it for four years. I don’t think I can make it.’ DAYS [rescheduled the audition for] early in the morning. Then, I went to my final.
Weekly: And you screentested the same day, didn’t you?
Lindell: Yes, they called me in the car, while I was on the way to my final to see if I could be back there by 3 for a screen test. I said, “No! I can’t.” I ended up being an hour and a half late for my screen test, because I was going from Westwood to Burbank on a Friday afternoon at 3:30. It was crazy. Thankfully, I had my parents in the car with me. They were at my final performance. I was reading and studying my lines over and over again, while my mom was driving. That took some of the pressure off.
Weekly: When did you find out you got the job?
Lindell: Two days later. I took my general education final at UCLA at 8 in the morning and went to work at DAYS at 3 p.m. the same day. As it turned out, it all worked out perfectly. It’s almost creepy, like someone is watching me, creepy. It worked out too perfectly.
Weekly: How have you been enjoying Jan, so far?
Lindell: Everything is so funny. I’ve been in different disguises, like that dinosaur costume, which keeps things interesting. And the things that Mr. Reilly (head writer James Reilly) puts in there for me to say… I had a line to Shawn that went, “I just gave you a tongue bath fit for a prince. Do you think the virgin Belle can perform like this?” In my old lady makeup, mind you. Also, in my old lady makeup, I’ve gotten to say, “Hold on to your pocket rocket, Shawn, because I have a big surprise for you.”
Weekly: Do you have any friends or family that watch DAYS?
Lindell: My Aunt Sheree is a HUGE DAYS fan. She has been for years. She was very excited for me when I got the job. Now the rest of my family have become fans, too. Everybody is anxious to come to the set.
Weekly:Did your aunt fill you in on all the characters?
Lindell: She definitely did. At first I wasn’t sure who I was cast as. I didn’t even get a breakdown for my character. All I was told was that she was “a bitch and with attitude.” I’ve realized from the way they’re writing Jan, that it’s a lot more than that. My Aunt Sheree filled me in on her history.
Weekly: On-screen, Jan has one interest: Shawn. What are some of your interests offscreen?
Lindell: I love to take dance class. I’m going today [after work], if I can make it by 1:30. I took ballet at school. I love dancing. It’s good for my soul. I sing as well. My mom just taught me how to knit, too. She’s is a huge knitter, and she crochets. She just taught me how to cast on and do the first ten stitches. I haven’t made anything, yet, but I will. I have SO much down time at DAYS, and I’m used to being super busy.
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