Roswell, New Mexico: Jamie Clayton Teases Her Character's Arrival in "Say It Ain't So"

Mysteries are a way of life on The CW's Roswell, New Mexico. Given that the town is the 'home' of [...]

By Nicole Drum - May 4, 2020 04:55 pm EDT

Mysteries are a way of life on The CW's Roswell, New Mexico. Given that the town is the "home" of the infamous UFO incident, that there are secrets to be learned and mysteries to solve is no big surprise, but even with some really big developments already under its belt this season -- Max and Rosa's resurrections to be specific -- the series still has a lot left to unfold. Among them is an uptick in mysterious disappearances, including that of former sheriff's deputy Jenna Cameron (Riley Voelkel) and it's those disappearances that brings an outsider to Roswell in Monday night's "Say It Ain't So", FBI Agent Grace Powell, played by Sense8 star Jamie Clayton.

roswell new mexico jamie clayton interview 2 — (Photo: The CW)

As was announced last fall, Clayton's character arrives in Roswell to investigate the disappearances, but ends up finding more than she bargains for. The official casting description noted that "when someone she loves goes missing, she discovers that the town is home to more buried secrets than she bargained for." ComicBook.com recently sat down with Clayton to chat about her character and give fans a little idea of what to expect in Monday night's episode.

Read on for our chat with Clayton about Roswell, New Mexico.

Roswell, New Mexico airs Mondays at 9/8c on The CW. "Say It Aint So" debuts May 4th.

The outsider

ComicBook.com: Tell us about your character, Grace.

Jamie Clayton: So Grace Powell, she comes to Roswell and it's just sort of... Well, not sort of. She comes specifically to start looking into these abductions that are going on. The Bureau sends her there to make an appearance, because they have some of the hire ups who don't necessarily really know what's going on, are forced to send someone to the town and so she's there poking her nose, theoretically, where it doesn't belong.

On building trust with Max

She's not only person looking into disappearances. Now that we know that Max is also trying to find out some stuff that's been going on specifically pertaining to Jenna, who very much last time we saw her, appears to have been abducted. While I haven't seen the episode, I have seen photos from the episode and it appears that Grace becomes specifically a part of that. We see her with Max. What can you tell us about Grace's involvement in that search?

I don't know about with Jenna specifically. But as an outsider, you know the people in the town like Liz and Max, they're not too keen on outsiders coming in and asking loads of questions. And so Grace has to use some techniques, opening up a bit about herself to Max to gain his trust so that she can get some... Because they're not really sharing much information with her in order for her investigation to actually go anywhere. So she definitely opens up to Max, which are the photos that you saw the photos of Nathan and I together. I love those pictures. They're so good. So she definitely opens up to Max and, as with most characters who come in, you find out a bit about Grace's backstory as she opens up to Max to try to show some vulnerability to get him to trust her.

How Grace's backstory influences her

And speaking of that, I know when they initially put out the casting that you were going to be on Roswell, one of the things that they noted was that someone Grace loves has gone missing as well, and that she discovers that Roswell is full of secrets. How do you feel that Grace's personal backstory influences her work in this situation?

I think we see when a character has a personal involvement in something, it heightens the state. From a writing standpoint it makes so much sense because it makes the audience sympathize with a character when they have a personal stake as opposed to just Grace coming in from out of town and just like, "What's this? Who's that? Where are you going? What are you doing?" You find out more about what she has going on in her past that makes her want to come specifically to help with these abductions. You find that out in her conversations with Max and Liz, which were some really special scenes that I got to film, which I really love. Some iconic stuff, like at the Crashdown Cafe and really fun, cool stuff that I was geeking out over.

What to expect in "Say It Ain't So"

What should fans expect in Monday's episode?

I think that they should definitely be prepared to watch with an open mind for this outsider Grace, who's going to be coming into town, kicking up dust, asking questions. Keep an open mind. I hope that they're going to love her as much as I do, that they're going to root for her in achieving the goal that she was sent to Roswell to achieve. How's that?

What it was like working on Roswell, New Mexico

Were you a fan of the original Roswell series?

Honestly, I haven't seen it and then I started watching it and I'm such a big fan of Shiri Appleby. I'm obsessed with her. So yeah, it's super cool. It has such a tight place in the television history landscape. Yeah.

What was it getting to work on the current iteration of Roswell?

Oh my God, honestly it came at such a wonderful time in my life. Like Grace, I had a lot of personal stuff going on and the environment that Carina [Adly McKenzie, showrunner] and the producers have created. The credit goes to them I think, specifically, but then it's spreads throughout the entire cast. The environment that they have created is so welcoming and so kind, which in this day and age of Hollywood and all of the bad things that we hear, we never get to hear about actors getting to go to work and being taken care of and being protected and being treated really well.

From the minute that I showed up and had my first fitting, everyone in costumes was so on top of their game and everyone in hair and makeup, just every single PA, every camera guy, even the guys in crafty, everyone was so kind and so nice. And I cannot compliment Nathan and Jeanine enough as just fellow actors to. For them to be the two name leads on the show and for them to be so kind and so patient and so welcoming.

It's not easy to come on as a guest star and into an environment that is so well established and to not be nervous. I was nervous. It's like going over to a person's house that you've never been to before. And it's like, "Can I touch this?" And they were so, so, so nice and so patient and we had a scene outdoors. A lot of stuff they film outdoors. It's cold, and it's windy there. And I forgot some lines and they were just like, "Take your time. We get it." And it was one of the best jobs I've ever had, really. Truly.

On dealing with quarantine and creating a "new normal"

How are you surviving quarantine?

I'm good. I've been self isolating since March 14th and I'm good. I'm good. My friends are good. I'm good. Not my friends in New York, but my friends in LA, we're all taking it day by day. We're good. Thank you so much.

You doing anything interesting to help pass the time?

At the advisement of my therapist, I came up with a really basic schedule about five weeks ago and I've been following just a very basic schedule. And as the time has passed, I've incorporated a couple more things into it. I've just been taking long walks and I have a beauty day. Fridays are my beauty day. So I'm going to do a pedicure today. Yes, I've just been taking it day by day one thing at a time. Simple goals to achieve so that I feel I've accomplished something.

That's super good advice. I wish I had thought of that earlier.

Yeah, it helped because I was freaking out and my therapist was like, "You need to come up with a new normal. So come up with a new way to live every day." And I was like, "Okay," so that's that.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.