She played Captain Liberty on Fox’s The Tick and used her good looks to seduce a doctor on ER. Now actress Liz Vassey is adding crime-solving to her list of skills as she joins the cast of the award-winning drama CSI, playing sassy DNA-lab technician Wendy Simms.
MF: What’s it like being on a top-ranked show like CSI?
Liz Vassey: It’s an amazing opportunity. You think, "Oh, my God, I can’t believe all the people that have been on the show." The cast is so incredibly sweet. It’s such a high-rated show, I thought it would be a very pressurized environment, but it’s entirely the opposite. It’s the calmest atmosphere and a joy.
MF: On the show, you work with a lot of male police officers and detectives. What do you think it is about a uniform that turns on so many women?
LV: Hmmm. [Laughs] Wow! It’s got to be the polyester blend. It’s just so sexy. [Laughs] Really, for me, I think the sexiest thing about men in uniform is that they’ve experienced a world that I haven’t except through movies and books. They’ve seen things that I can’t even imagine. The real-life stories that I hear are so James Bond-you know, it’s this world I’ll never get to experience. That, plus the fact that they’re making such a huge difference in the world.
MF: You’ve described your character as a very "jeans-and-T-shirt type of girl." What do you wear that makes you feel sexy?
LV: I know the right answer would be nothing! [Laughs] But that’s not the case. I have a thing for men’s boxer briefs and a tank top. If I’m wearing them, I’m a happy gal. I have this old worn-out, skintight T-shirt that I love. That’s sexy.
MF: What is your biggest turn-on and biggest turnoff?
LV: My biggest turn-on has to be brains, intelligence. Turno-I would have to say insincerity. I mean that as far as work, too. I’ve been acting professionally since I was 15 years old, and after a while, you get really tired of people telling you one thing and then doing another. So I really enjoy people that are absolutely sincere-because this business is chock-full of guys that aren’t.
MF: Favorite body part on a guy?
LV: Right off the bat, forearms. The forearm is incredibly sexy . . . I like it! [Laughs]
MF: You’ve been on several TV shows in which you’ve had to dress in character. With Halloween coming up, what would you say is the sexiest costume for women?
LV: Not Catwoman. And honestly, not Wonder Woman. We’re all a little tired of both of those. I think that anything funny is sexy, because when women try too hard to wear over-the-top sexy outfits, it tends to be just the opposite.
MF: Last question: trick or treat?
LV: I think you’d have to be crazy not to say treat. [Laughs] Not necessarily the edible variety, but, you know, a treat’s a treat, man. I would definitely say treat; it’s always been a favorite of mine. [Laughs]
