Nikita

After Nikita’s Maggie Q revealed some rather, uh, interesting personal info at the Television Critics Association press tour on Saturday afternoon (Underoos? Really, Maggie?), she headed to the Langham Huntington Hotel for a star-studded cocktail reception. The kick-ass CW celeb was joined by Nikita costar Lyndsy Fonseca, as well as Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, and Ian Somerhalder from The Vampire Diaries.

Using all the super spy techniques we’ve learned from watching Nikita eppies over and over again, we were able to track down the rogue assassin, tackle her to the floor, and force her to spill the deets. OK, so that’s not really how it went down, but we were able to pull Maggie aside for an exclusive interview. And you’ll never believe what she told us! (Warning: Spoilers Ahead!)

Was the cast as shocked by Thom’s death as the fans?
"Yeah. I think the cast was. I knew it was coming."

How early on did you know?
"I have a very close relationship with the creator, and so we have to discuss certain things from time to time. What’s nice is that for Ashton Holmes, the actor, is that it was always the plan, from the beginning of the season. So it’s not like, 'We don’t like your acting, you suck, no one likes you.'"

Did you know when you signed on?
“I didn’t know it was always the plan, but I knew before the script came out.”

Did he?
“He had to. They had to inform him the episode before, so he could make a plan for his life.”

How did the cast react? Was there a pall on the set that day?
“Everybody was kind of taken aback for a second. But I think for me, I can’t speak for anybody else — I knew they were shocked — but it was one of those things where the sacrifice and what it did for the other characters really was a great push, in a different direction. And for that reason, I thought that was great. It was a good death.”

It certainly adds jeopardy to the show. If the main characters aren’t always in mortal danger, then Division doesn't come off as all that bad.
“Thank you. I’ve always been pushing, and one of the things I’ve been adamant about is, ‘Listen, Division is hell.’ And we’ve got to create this sense of hell for the viewers. Otherwise, what is it about with Nikita? What is she fighting? What has she been through? And there are times that it looks like a day spa, and it pisses me off.”

Meanwhile, I’m jealous of her apartment. This gorgeous loft, with a rack of beautiful gowns.
“She has the greatest apartment ever. That apartment in New York would be $30 million. We are actually — funny that you mention that — going to reveal this season how she got there. Where it came from, what the layer is about.”

When in the season do you reveal that?
“Towards the end, but not too far. Maybe in about five or six episodes.”

Is that an important part of the back story?
“You do start unraveling how well-planned Nikita is and how she’s been well-planned-out from day one. It’s kind of fascinating actually, how she’s put her life together.”

Do you think Michael suspects Alex?
“Yes. I think that when you work at that level you’ve seen it all, although I don’t think they’ve ever seen this, because they’ve never had an agent go rogue and never been able to not catch someone without killing them. So they’ve never had somebody with the ability to plant someone in Division and do the things that Nikita has accomplished. And so, I don’t think — for so long, there’s no way they could have been expecting that. But I think as things start to unravel and tighten up, Michael’s always watching Nikita and her moves. Michael knows her well. And he was very close to her at one point. So there’s really no way, at some point, for him to not start questioning certain things. He’s putting the puzzle pieces together, and that’s getting scary.”

Even if he suspected Nikita would plant someone, how would he know it’s Alex? You guys are so careful.
“We are so careful. And that’s where you’re going to see it all come together in a few episodes. Where he’s on the trail of something, but he doesn’t know what. But certain things will be revealed to him soon.”

Are there any big surprises coming in this latter half of the season?
“There is a huge surprise. Huge. Coming up in episode 116. So we come back, we’ll be on episode 12. So four episodes later … there’s going to be a big game-changer. People are going to be shocked.”

As big as Thom’s death?
“Yes. Definitely. Not as sad as Thom’s death, but as big, if not bigger. Much bigger.”

Have you had any indication from the CW as to what they’re feeling about renewing the show?
“Not yet. We certainly know what we want to do, as the writers and creators in Season 2.”

But are you extending your leases in Toronto?
“That’s the thing. Everything is last-minute. And we’ve got these landlords who say, ‘We need to know.’ And I’m like, ‘Really? That makes two of us.’ But apparently we’re going to find out next month. That’s the deadline. We’re doing really well internationally, which is really exciting. The numbers are good, and so we’re happy.”

You may not have time to travel now, but are there places you go internationally that you’re now recognized for Nikita as much as you were for your films?
“I have a facialist in Toronto who’s Russian, and she was in Moscow, and she said it’s all people are talking about — they’re freaking out. And I was in the airport, and there were two flights to South America that were leaving, and I was going on a flight back to Toronto. And I literally got mobbed. I had heard that in Brazil and in Chile that it was popular, but wow! Holy crap! I was freaking out.”