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Jordan
Hinson:
Teen Trapped
in “Eureka”
by Lynn B
 She’s
a very cute, 15-year-old blonde. Jordan Hinson, who plays rebellious teen
daughter Zoe on the Sci Fi Channel’s supernatural dramady “Eureka”
is on a break from shooting up in Vancouver so she phoned us from her
L.A. home to chat. Jordan got her break starring in “Go Figure”,
a popular Disney Channel film about skaters. She’s off the ice in
“Eureka” and gets to “sass” back to her very hunky
town sheriff dad (played by Colin Ferguson) each week as they struggle
to adjust to a futuristic, secret town full of super smart science whizzes
who tend to make everyone in town a part of their experiments.
Jordan gave us the scoop on getting to choose her own cool show wardrobe,
her fave TV shows, summer reading, plans for doing more feature films
and what’s next on “Eureka”.
AGW: Did you do commercials in Texas before coming out to L.A.?
Jordan: When I first started, I had done a couple of local commercials
in El Paso, Texas. I did theater and all that stuff. A casting director
there told us I should try pilot season once and I was like “why
not?” So we came to L.A. and tried it out. The first one was a big,
big practice for me. You aren’t used to all the criticism and competition.
AGW: Did you learn to figure skate for “Go Figure” or did
you already know how?
Jordan: I didn’t know how before that actually. I was training for
a month before it every day. It was intense. I haven’t done it a
lot lately. Every time I go to the ice rink, little girls [recognize me
and] rush over and trample me. But they are sweet. I can’t seem
to skate when I go. I’ll just have to go to a different country
and skate.
AGW: How did you hear about and get the part on “Eureka” ?
Jordan: It was a normal audition. I hadn’t read the script yet but
had heard a lot about it and it sounded like such a cool concept; this
small town that was created by the government. That was intense. The audition
went really well and there were callbacks and network testing. There is
so much. You get used to the girls who look you up and down and you’re
like I’m not trying to steal your role. I just want it just as bad
as you do’.
AGW: Would you ever want to go live in a town like Eureka because of what
you could learn?
Jordan: I wouldn’t like to live in Eureka. The people are crazy
and there’s always a risk of something happening. I’d be the
fish out of water like Zoe and I don’t think I could handle that.
I like my normalcy in L.A. [like L.A. is normal].
AGW: Is Zoe getting less rebellious as the show goes along or will she
and dad still have an edge?
Jordan: I think she’s always going to have that little edge but
she’s going to start adapting to the town more. I think she’ll
start trying to focus on her school and become a little more normal. But
that’s hard when there are ten-year-olds in her grade (kids in Eureka
are sons and daughters of super smart scientists).
AGW: That might put a cramp in your dating style.
Jordan: Exactly. She’ll meet some older ones though.
AGW: Do you consider yourself a rebellious teen in some ways like your
character Zoe?
Jordan: I really don’t. I’m not like Zoe which is why it’s
so fun to play her. You’re just going totally against who you are.
It’s really fun. I have my moments but I’m not crazy.
AGW: Do the producers and writers let you make suggestions for Zoe’s
character?
Jordan: The are really good about that and let me have a lot of input.
Especially when there’s a line and you’re like ‘a 15-year-old
wouldn’t really say that’. One time it was saying ‘cup
of Joe’ or something (for coffee). We changed it to ‘latte’.
They’re good about that. I’m their advisor on cool 15-year-old
lingo I guess.
AGW: Zoe wears some really interesting clothes on the show. Do you like
the wardrobe?
Jordan: I get to pick the wardrobe. I don’t get to keep them. But
I go shopping for them. It was really exciting. Usually, teens are dressed
up by older people.
AGW: Would you like to live in a house like SARAH (Zoe and her dad live
in an ultra-modern “smart” house that does everything for
them and talks).
Jordan: I would love to live in that house! I would probably make her
a little less clingy. I think she thinks she’s the woman in the
house.
AGW: How fun was it to play Puck in that wacky school play Shakespeare
production episode?
Jordan: That was fun but it was all a one day shoot and I didn’t
eat anything the whole day. That costume was way too tight. They had this
weird thing that they would lift me up by [above the audience] and I would
hang onto these bars for dear life. But that was me doing it.
AGW: Colin [Ferguson] is pretty hot for a dad. Is it fun to work with
him?
Jordan: Colin is the epitome of fun. He’s so laid back. He was under
so much pressure when we were filming. When there is a problem in a line
you don’t like, he always works to make it better for you. He’s
one of those really genuine people.
AGW: Are you more attracted to the smart guys who might be more nerdish
or a party guy who barely studies but is hot?
Jordan: I think both. I don’t go for a certain type. Just cool with
a good personality.
AGW: Will we ever see Zoe’s mom on the show?
Jordan: I hope so. There has been talk about the second season maybe,
the mom coming in. That would shake things up a lot.
AGW: What TV shows do you like to watch?
Jordan: My favorite show is “24”. Oh, you don’t know
how obsessed I am with that show! I have a shirt that says “I love
Jack Bauer”. I love “Curb Your Enthusiasm”. I like “The
Office” and “My Name is Earl”. But “24”
is so much fun.
AGW: What do you like to do on a date?
Jordan: I think maybe a concert, just hanging out at a concert would be
fun.
AGW: Do you have a boyfriend now?
Jordan: Don’t have a boyfriend now.
AGW: Hear that cute guys? What music do you listen to?
Jordan: I have so much on my I-Pod. I’m into indie music. I listen
to “Sons and Daughters”. “Mates of State”. I like
Johnny Cash too. I like so many artists.
AGW: Who is an actor you would most love to work with someday?
Jordan: I really want to work with Johnny Depp; those people who are truly
brilliant in every way.
AGW: Are you doing a feature film soon?
Jordan: I’ve really been wanting to do one lately. I did my first
feature film last October, a horror film called The Good Mother.
It was an amazing experience, so dramatic that, when you go home, you
aren’t really yourself.
AGW: Are you reading any books this summer?
Jordan: I love reading. My favorite book that I’m re-reading is
called “Airborne”. I don’t know how to describe how
brilliant it is. It’s about airships in the 1930’s, about
this cabin boy and this girl and they go on an adventure and find these
mystical creatures. It’s amazing.
AGW: Are you schooled on the set or a regular school?
Jordan: I’m home schooled now. But I’m schooled on the set
when I go there. It’s kind of funny. You’re sitting in the
trailer for three hours but it’s something you have to do. One teacher.
I am a sophomore and I started early.
AGW: When would you shoot more episodes?
Jordan: Not until February.
AGW: Who is the big jokester on the set?
Jordan: Colin. Oh my God. Him and Ed Quinn are crazy. They’re crazy
but awesome too. I think they always play pranks. That’s why it
was such a light, fun set.
AGW: What does everybody do in their off time? Do you all hang out at
all?
Jordan: I’ve run into a few people at ADR (looping dialogue after
shooting). I see Salli (Richardson-Whitfield) all the time. I saw Ed Quinn
once. I talk to Neil who plays Fargo. We talk on IM all day. They are
all so amazing.
AGW: What do you do for fun?
Jordan: Lately, I’ve just been trying to hang out with my friends
as much as possible. I’m trying to work on my music. I write songs
and I’m writing a screenplay right now. It’s that kind of
thing.
AGW: What do you do really well and what are you really bad at?
Jordan: I’m a really good writer and good at English. Bad? Well,
I can’t play any instruments really well. I used to play guitar
a lot more. I’m trying but right now I can’t really. I’m
also pretty bad at math.
AGW: Any message to teens who want an acting career?
Jordan: You can’t let anyone get in your way and you can’t
let the things that some people say force you out of it. You just have
to keep on doing it. That’s the biggest thing I’ve learned.
It’s constant competition and endless criticism and it’s so
hard and overwhelming but, once you get past that and see the light, it’s
this amazing thing and you can’t let it go.
pictures on
this page courtesy of and copyright The Sci Fi Channel, 2006
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