Being a fangirl is a lifelong commitment for actress Katee Sackhoff. In an interview with Jenna Wrenn from the Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast, Sackhoff notes that her upbringing with playing pretend greatly influenced her love of acting. Her interest in science fiction influenced her to become an actress in franchises like Battlestar Galactica and Star Wars.

Katee Sackhoff’s Fangirl History

As a young girl, Sackhoff demonstrated her acting potential by creating and portraying characters on her own.

“When I was little, I was really passionate about play and make believe; (they were) huge aspects of my childhood,” Sackhoff said. “I could get lost for hours in our yard playing by myself and creating fantasy worlds.”

Sackhoff’s dad introduced her to science fiction films when she was around 9-10 years old, particularly finding inspiration from Bruce Willis. As Sackhoff grew as a young actress, she decided that she wanted to go into the genre that she and her dad both love.

 “The moment in my career where I had the luxury of choice, I leaned into things that my father would want to watch,” Sackhoff said. “His tastes are my tastes.”

Although she is now a professional actress, Sackhoff finds that she still has those fangirl moments. When she was filming Battlestar Galactica, she found that just being in the presence of the set was enough to get her excited.

“I wasn’t a fan of Battlestar and I didn’t know the original series, but just the fact that you’re sitting in a spaceship and this make-believe that I get to do? It just blows my mind,” Sackhoff said.

As a sci-fi actress, Sackhoff now has the opportunity to meet fans from around the world at conventions. She enjoys meeting and talking with them about their common interests or whatever the fan wants to talk about. Sackhoff has the opportunity to be that role model for other future science fiction aspiring actors.

About “Portrait of a Fangirl” 

“Portrait of a Fangirl” is a series from the team at Temple of Geek. Initially a web series, it has expanded into a podcast, now in its second season. You can watch and listen both here and on our YouTube channel. Hosted by Jenna Wrenn, the project focuses on telling the stories of women who have found inspiration, growth, and power through fandom.