Playing Lilly never boring

Before signing on to star as the lead detective in the CBS missing-persons drama Cold Case, Kathryn Morris was courted by Steven Spielberg and Rod Lurie.

She played every male's fantasy in The Mind of the Married Man and in John Woo's Paycheck.

Now, seven years into playing Cold Case's Lilly Rush, Morris, who turns 41 this week, says she's more content than ever.

Question: Spielberg sought you out after seeing your performance in Lurie's political thriller The Contender.

He later cast you in Minority Report and AI.

How did being pursued by Spielberg like that feel?

Answer: You think it's a joke when your agent calls you, and then all of a sudden you're in front of him.

It's like getting sprinkled with fairy dust.

After 10 years in the business, there you are sitting in front of him, and he's got your picture and resume on his desk.

I remember he said that he thought I was a very versatile actress, and that's why we were having this meeting.

He asked me about how I had come up with my character in The Contender, and about my past experience and acting.

It felt like he was bringing me into his club.

Q: You have been playing Lilly on Cold Case for several years now.

How do you keep a procedural series fresh? What do you still enjoy about playing her?

A: Lilly has evolved from being this little beat cop to this hungry cold case detective to a person who has expanded her sole capacity.

Not just with the suspects or the victims.

She has really evolved into a person that is as real to me as a relative of mine.

It's a pretty cool thing to have for this many years.

Q: Have you ever felt a little restless or maybe wanted to try something new?

A: I'm in talks for a couple of great independent films concurrent with Cold Case, but the show is having its best season ever if you ask me.

To me, when actors get restless on series, I find them to be a little on the lazy side.

I'm still looking to be a better actor, and I'm grateful every day.

Q: Before Cold Case, you had a juicy role in Mind of the Married Man.

Could you see doing comedy again?

A: Ha, that show really [ticked] some women off, didn't it?

Q: Well, yes.

A: It became a little controversial, and I loved being part of the controversy.

Playing the press secretary to the mayor, being this fantasy of a smart, bossy woman who can roll in lingerie and have sex while talking politics in bed . . .

I loved it.

It was just so much fun, but again, I'm really happy on Cold Case now.

It's like doing a mini movie every week on our show.

Q: It sounds like you maybe miss the sexy part of that role.

A: I'm actually a real girly girl, even though Lilly is in suits 24/7.

I'm a girl that wants to climb in a van with 10 other girls and camp out in chenille to go see Sex and the City.

That's a whole other side of myself.

I even have a new fashion venture that's in the early stages of design.

The other day we had this chill in the air and I walked over to the camera crew and said, "Boys, there's good news: It's chilly enough for cute boot weather!" 

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