Randi Naughton: Alright, if you didn’t see the first two hours of 24‘s season premiere last night then you don’t know Jack!
John Pertzborn: Forget about Jack, if you didn’t see 24 last night, then you don’t know Renee! As in FBI Agent Renee Walker, the latest character on the hit FOX TV series. Then again, maybe you do know her. She’s from St. Louis. A big shout out to Crossroads High and the central west end from Annie Wersching. She’s joining us this morning. Thanks for coming in!
Annie Wersching: Thank you for having me!
John Pertzborn: It was a late night last night. We had the invite right there at the Tivoli.
Annie Wersching: (joking) How’d you get that?
John Pertzborn: Your mom sent it to me.
Randi Naughton: You’re still wondering that aren’t you? (laughs) All right, you were on one of the biggest shows on television, one of the most anticipated returns. And now it’s like all blown up for you.
Annie Wersching: Yes, I can’t even really believe it. Last night was a bit of a whirlwind, but it’s very exciting. I was very happy to be here with all my friends and family and watching it with everyone.
John Pertzborn: I was wondering who was having more fun? Your family and friends and people from the Shaw neighborhood who used to go to your moms Surprise florist shop on 39th Street. Or you? Because you were right, front and center.
Annie Wersching: Um it was a toss-up.
Randi Naughton: And I know John has kind of followed your career as you’ve gone along, and then you landed the role on 24. And you remembered John going into the flower shop when you were a younger girl, right?
Annie Wersching: Oh yeah, definitely.
Randi Naughton: We need some secrets, girl! Come on, share!
Annie Wersching: Uh I gotta keep that on the down low.
John Pertzborn: Yeah, client confidentiality, Randi. Yeah, you’re mom used to help me out in quite a few pinches with flowers. And then all of a sudden I lost track, moved out of the neighborhood. Fifteen years later I get a call and you’re on 24! How did you do that?!
Annie Wersching: I moved to LA about seven years ago and just started auditioning for things and working my way up.
Randi Naughton: So what things can we see on 24 this year? Cause I don’t know if it can get any better, it’s a huge show.
Annie Wersching: Gosh, they changed a lot of things up this year. It takes place in Washington DC and [there is] a female President as everyone saw last night, no CTU… Jack and I go to work.
John Pertzborn: What do you mean by that? (laughter) Are we going to see something in season 8? Her lips are sealed! Season 7 first of all, cause of the writers strike, that was completed like a year ago, right?
Annie Wersching: Yes. I started my first day of filming for this season was September 7th of 2007. And they finally finished the 24th episode in December just a few weeks ago.
John Pertzborn: Wow.
Randi Naughton: And you being from St. Louis, are you going to be able to have any influences in the script? Maybe infuse a couple of shout-outs here and there?
Annie Wersching: Totally (laughs).
Randi Naughton: Really? What can we look for?
John Pertzborn: A couple of news anchors become terrorists or something…
Annie Wersching: No (laughs)
Randi Naughton: You’re like “I just show up to work and do what they tell me,” right?
John Pertzborn: Now interestingly, there are other St. Louisans who work on the production.
Annie Wersching: Yes, there’s quite a few. And there was another, Nina Myers [actress Sarah Clarke] was from St. Louis.
John Pertzborn: Charlotte Peters granddaughter [Marci Michelle].
Annie Wersching: Yes, she does all of the off-camera. Any time you’re doing a scene with someone on the phone. She’s actually reading the lines off camera.
Randi Naughton: She’s the other person on the phone, huh?
Annie Wersching: Yeah.
John Pertzborn: How cool is that?
Annie Wersching: Very cool.
John Pertzborn: Well we’ve gotta run right now, but wanted to let you know, if you missed it last night, you can see it on the FOX website. We’ll link you there at MyFOXSTL.com and also check out the blog section, there was a special St. Louis presentation before 24 last night and I shot it with my little camera. So it’s right there in the blog section.
Randi Naughton: He takes that thing everywhere. Thanks for coming in! We’ll see you in Hollywood.
Annie Wersching: Thank you so much.
John Pertzborn: Continued success, Annie. Annie Wersching.
Annie Wersching: Thank you.