Janina Gavankar opens up about video games, acting and co-stars

Janina Gavankar has changed Hollywood. She has proven that you can be a beautiful and remarkable Hollywood actress while being a video game enthusiast and proud female geek, all at the same time.

Gavankar has been busy this past year working on a new hit show and adding her voice to video games, some of which she was already a fan of before the chance presented itself to work on as a voice actress, but even with all of this success, Gavankar remains humble, fun and is thankful for her devoted fans.


Image courtesy of INFphoto.com

Gavankar is currently starring in NBC’s The Mysteries of Laura, which has been picked up for a full season order. She is working alongside Debra Messing, Josh Lucas and Max Jenkins on the show, which is a hit with fans. “It has been great; we just got a full season order, which is almost impossible. It is tough to get anything on the air and it is even more impossible for the pilot to get picked up, but we did it! It’s all because people actually tune in and love the show,” said Gavankar.

Along with working on The Mysteries of Laura, Gavankar is known for her many additional roles including time on the popular FX show The League. Gavankar plays the “Shiva” which is the character in which the league’s fantasy football trophy has been named after. Playing the Shiva carries some responsibility; fans often come up to Gavankar and ask her to bless them or ask her to sign their own fantasy football trophy. This show has connected with fans and has become a cult hit. Gavankar couldn’t be happier.

Even though Gavankar hasn’t been featured on this season of The League she did open up about one of her co-stars on the show Jason Mantzoukas, who plays Rafi. “He has figured out how to make himself look crazy and odd but he is actually one very handsome person. I found an old black and white headshot of him and he is so handsome in his photo. He is one of the smartest people I have ever met and that is something no one would ever realize about him. He is charmingly brilliant,” explained Gavankar.

It seems that any show Gavankar is apart of, be it True Blood, The League or The Mysteries of Laura, she brings her own personality and beauty to each role. She takes the time to really connect with her fans and is appreciative of all of her success in TV and in video games. She is a proud gamer herself, even giving her Laura co-stars advice on what video games to play.

Now Gavankar is looking ahead to 2015. She plans to launch of her own passion project, AltFound.com, which is a site that strives to find the alternative in the mainstream. “You can sign up now to be one of the first people to know about it. It is basically a website for grown geeks who are not childish or nostalgic, we all have grown and have diverse interests,” explained Gavankar.

Along with working on this site, Gavankar is featured in Far Cry 4. For her, this is a dream come true. “I play Amita in the game and I cannot believe that this happened to me. It is an incredible video game; it’s badass. If you have a gamer friend on your Christmas list this is the game for him/her. I think I would say that even if I weren’t in the game,” said Gavankar.

Chelsea Lewis from TheCelebrityCafe.com was able to speak with Gavankar and discuss everything from her time on shows like Arrow and The League, to what it is like working on The Mysteries of Laura. The entire interview is below.

C: How are things going on The Mysteries of Laura? What has the reaction been like from fans watching the show?

J: It has been great; we just got a full season order, which is almost impossible. It is tough to get anything on the air and it is even more impossible for the pilot to get picked up, but we did it! It’s all because people actually tune in and loves the show. I just love it, I’m so grateful.

C: What is it like working along side Josh Lucas and Debra Messing?

J: It’s seems like I’m always on an ensemble show it’s crazy. It’s great we have a ton of fun on set. Max (Jenkins) and I are ridiculous together and we just decided that we are going to do this type of melody for the It’s Get Better fundraiser and Christmas concert and in between takes we are trying to figure out what to do for it. We just have so much fun working together.

Max recently just got an Xbox One and I have been telling him which games he has to start playing in order to stay my friend. Games like Portal, Bioshock…

C: Two questions you probably have been asked a lot what was it like working on the set of True Blood and did you enjoy how the show wrapped up its final season?

J: True Blood was lightning in a bottle, I was able to work with some of the smartest writers, directors and actors in the business, that I will ever work with. Everyone was in one place. When I joined the show it was the biggest show on television and I didn’t do that, everyone was all in place when I joined the show. It was a dream come true.

It is hard because everyone I liked made it and my heart was broken that it was over. I think that anyone that is overly critical about the show is just sad that it had to come to an end. You can’t make everyone happy. Also anyone who is sitting and watching the show while being involved in their devices and tweeting instead of focusing on the show isn’t as emotional invested. If you like something in the moment you aren’t also tweeting about it.

C: Switching to the hit FX show The League, how often do fans come up to you because of this show in particular…do you have a fantasy football team yourself?

J: I love it. I showed up in season one, all the boys plus Katy, I have such a big girl crush on her, and they are such a well oiled machine, I feel like a foreign. I don’t know how I can add to this equation, I will never out funny anyone that is for sure. So you guys can hit a home run. They are such as assholes to each other but they do it with love.

Jason Mantzoukas, who plays Rafi, he is a clown and it is his job to be a clown. He has figured out how to make himself look crazy and odd but he is actually one very handsome person. I found an old black and white headshot of him and he is so handsome in his photo. He is one of the smartest people I have ever met and that is something no one would ever realize he is charmingly brilliant.

C: Do you get recognized often?

J: People don’t really recognize me; I don’t walk around like I’m someone you know. It takes a while before people realize that I’m an actor and once they realize that I’m Shiva. People asking me to bless them. It’s hilarious and it makes me laugh so much. I can’t take it too seriously but I have signed people trophies.

C: You are known for having roles on many popular shows including The L Word, The League and Arrow. What was it like working within the D.C. world and being a part of the Arrow cast?

J: ‘Arrow’ called me and they asked me if I wanted to do the show. I had met Steven (Amell) at Comic Con before, he had just done ‘Hung’ and I had just done ‘True Blood’. We were two actors who had just spent some serious years doing very sexy stuff on very sexy shows and then I was brought in to be his romantic arch for his character on ‘Arrow.’ By the time we actually got down to filming the down and dirty scene, we had to do it the CW style, and it didn’t feel right being two HBO kids. The CW version is they kiss, they get on the bed and then they pan away. We get along really really well on set. Many of my friends have been feature on Arrow it’s funny how that worked out.

Collin Donnell, who played Tommy Merlin, just guested on the Last Mysteries of Laura. This has become the show that all of my friends end up on!

C: Anything else you would like to add?

J: Two things, one I am launching a website early next year AltFound.com you can sign up now to be one of the first people to know about it. It is basically a website for grown geek who is not childish or nostalgic, we have grown and have diverse interests.

And I am in Far Cry 4, which is making its way onto the game of the year list. I play Amita in the game and I cannot believe that this happened to me. It is an incredible video game, it is badass. If you have a gamer friend on your Christmas list this is the game for him/her. I think I would say that even if I weren’t in the game. It’s great

WordPress › Error

There has been a critical error on your website.

Learn more about debugging in WordPress.