When the Sci Fi Channel announced in 2003 that it was remaking the 1978 Lorne Greene series Battlestar Galactica into a modern mini-series, nostalgic fanboys across the internet voiced their disapproval with this blasphemous tinkering. But lo and behold: It was really good…. good enough, in fact, to be renewed as an ongoing series. Since then, the new Battlestar Galactica has been winning over stalwarts with its sharp writing, cool visual style, and an effective cast. Getting a lot of fan attention is Tricia Helfer who plays “Number 6,” a Cylon android who may or may not be totally evil—though she is unquestionably the show’s designated “hot” Cylon, regularly seducing the hapless human, Dr. Gaius Baltar (James Callis). We asked her to reveal Number 6’s true intentions for the human race, and how dangerous it can be to revamp a “classic” science fiction TV series.

So what the heck is Number 6?

Number 6 is a humanoid Cylon—the Cylons have improved themselves over the last 40 years. Basically, I think my job was to disguise myself, as I was designed to, and confuse the humans so I could get access into their defense network. I did that by having an affair with the scientist (Baltar), and going in and changing the programs, which allowed our ships to come in. Number 6 is definitely intelligent. I think a lot of people overlook that and they just look toward her more seductive side, but there are a lot more facets to Number 6 than what we’ve seen yet.

Number 6 seems to keep viewers wondering what her true agenda is…

I think that’s what keeps it interesting. We didn’t want to just have a “robot chick.” I think that’s been done before, and it’s very one-dimensional. We wanted to keep people guessing: Is she going to help the humans? Is she is not? How much human emotion does she feel? I always wanted to get people feeling some sympathy for her, and then all of a sudden ripping the rug out from underneath them and shocking them. That’s what the goal is.

So how do you prepare to play a mysterious humanoid Cylon?

I don’t look at her as being evil—I look at her as just being who she is and she doesn’t know any different. If you look at her as evil, then you’re going to play her that way. And she’s more than that. Edward James Olmos asked me to watch Blade Runner, which I had never seen. I already had my own ideas of the direction I wanted to go with character, but I saw it the night before we started filming, and I went: “That’s the idea of what I want!” with the replicants. And that’s really kind of what I followed and tried to stay true to.

Do the writers let you know your character’s story arc for the season or do they keep you in the dark?

I don’t know anything. I’ve been asked many times what Number 6 is thinking, and I really have to go episode by episode because I’m not given anything. I spoke with (writer/producer) Ron Moore about it—I said, “I’ve got to know something. I don’t want to play something one way in this episode, then you have an idea of something else later on.” And he said, “I don’t know yet. I’m making it up as I go along.” He has a main story arc, and he has some ideas, but he hadn’t really decided a lot of the Cylon characteristics and the Cylon story. My character has been known from the start as a Cylon, unlike the Boomer character who’s a sleeper agent so she has her own made-up history in her mind that she can play off of. But Number 6 is a Cylon to the core, and he hasn’t decided all of that yet. So I just have to put my faith in him and go into it blindly and just play it episode by episode.

How has the new show differentiated itself from the original series?

It’s quite a drastically different show from the original, and it has more to do with society. You have the original if that’s what you want to watch. If we just tried to redo that one, it wouldn’t necessarily work in today’s world because society is darker now. There’s a war going on now, you’re exposed to more in the news, you see death and destruction all the time. There’s more violence on shows, more sexuality on shows, so people are more attune to it. And I think if you strayed away from all that, it might seem too camp nowadays.

Did you know what you were getting into with the Battlestar Galactica fandom for the previous series?

I wasn’t fully aware of it. I grew up without a television and was kind of sheltered in that way, not really exposed to a lot of film and television. But I learned very quickly how passionate people were about the original series, and that was one of our worries in the beginning with the mini-series. I mean, “Wow, are we going to have people boycott this?” And we did! We had a lot of people boycott it, but then some heard that the mini-series was really great, and then they kind of changed their tune and decided to watch it—and have now become fans of the series. You’re always going to have some who refuse to watch it, and some who don’t like it, but then you may gain some new fans as well who aren’t typical science fiction fans.

Have you had any direct contact with fans of the show?

Not too much yet, because since the show started airing I’ve been working on another project (Mem-o-re with Dennis Hopper), so I’ve been immersed in another film and haven’t been out there too much. But I’m going to start doing a couple of conventions this year. I have one in London at the end of April, so that’s when I’ll get a little more direct contact, I think.

Do you fear or look forward to eventually becoming an action figure?

I think that’s great! I would love to have a little action figure of myself—how fun! But I think the key for me is to do other projects as well. I do fear getting stuck in one mold and not being able to move beyond that. As an actor, what’s the most fun is being able to play vastly different roles. I hope Battlestar goes as long as it can go; I don’t see the harm in becoming an action figure and being so well known as that character, if I have some other things to keep it in balance.