Exclusive: We Talk with Friday Night Light’s Stacey Oristano

Stacey Oristano

Fans of Friday Night Lights know Stacey Oristano as Mindy, stripper with a heart of gold and wife of Billy Riggins, a role she has embraced with enthusiasm on the critically acclaimed series. When we spoke with Stacey, word had just leaked that a two-year renewal was in the works between DirecTV and NBC, a deal that has since been made, officially extending Friday Night Lights to five seasons. Stacey was excited about the prospect of the show continuing, although she was not sure whether Mindy would return.

Landing her role on Friday Night Lights was almost a happy accident for Stacey. She wasn’t excited about reading for the part of a stripper, having just finished playing a hooker on The Chappelle Show, but when she saw the creative team that had been assembled, she couldn’t resist. The fact that the her friend Derek Phillips had already been cast as Billy Riggins was also appealing.

“We were friends even before I got cast on the show, so I was talking to him about it. Then they sent me the breakdown for who this character was, and I thought, ‘Whatever. I am not going to play Adrianne Palicki’s sister and be a stripper.’ But I really just wanted to read for the show because I thought maybe they’d bring me on for something tiny later. But they called and said that they wanted me to do the part!”

“The show is shot so differently, that, you know, we’re given freedom to improvise and feel our way through a scene. So the first day we were on set, [Derek] was with me and sort of guided me through it, otherwise I would have been a little freaked out. And now in season 3, he and I have our storyline together, I couldn’t be happier. I go to set and I get to work with one of my best friends.”

So what’s up with that relationship, anyway?

“I know Mindy and Billy are ridiculous and out there and funny, but I hope that people get that they really do crazy love each other. I hope that shows. She and Lila have some moments of bonding as they deal with being involved with the Riggins boys.”

Stacey Oristano

As Stacey noted, the cast is encouraged to improvise, to bring even more realism to the already gritty, sometimes raw writing. Improvisation in comedies is not unusual, but for a drama it’s almost unheard of to allow that kind of creative license. Stacey relishes the chance to workout those acting muscles as well as watch her fellow cast members do the same.

“I’ve been trained in improv, but I’ve never had the opportunity to do it this intensely with one character before. It’s really helped us, as a whole cast, get really comfortable with each other. It’s part of the show’s magic that everyone has that much trust with each other. Sometimes I go to set just to watch [Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler] work because I’m mesmerized by how talented they are. They are SO real. It’s crazy!”

Still, as a classically trained Shakespearean actor (she studied theater in London), there are times when Stacey is playing a scene in the strip club and she just wants to shout, “I am a classically-trained Shakespearean actress! But I will never complain. I love my show.” As we noted, to much laughter, the next step after stripper-with-a-heart-of-gold is Oscar winner!

With her role in the next season of Friday Night Lights still unknown, Stacey is participating in pilot season in Los Angeles for the first time this spring. With her enthusiasm for acting and skill for getting to the heart of her character, we’re sure we’ll be seeing Stacey on screen for years to come. And perhaps that Oscar will be finding its way to her mantlepiece soon as well.

You can listen to our full interview with Stacey on Nice Girls Radio.