Hollywood Jesus recently had a chance to catch up with Siobhan Fallon, a twenty-year television and movie veteran, and co-star in the new-to-DVD movie, New In Town, to talk about faith, life in show business, and what's on the horizon for her in 2009.

HJ: How did you break into show business? What's it like having sustained a nearly twenty-year career in television and cinema? I got my MFA in Acting from Catholic University and I struggled in NY for a while until I wrote a one-woman show and from that got on Saturday Night Live. I feel very fortunate to have worked for twenty years and it's sort of shocking to think it's been that long.

HJ: What are some of your favorite roles? What do they have in common? The role I played in New In Town was one of my all time favorites. I also love small comedic roles in Men In Black, Forrest Gump, and Baby Mama.

HJ: Switching gears a bit, I've been told that you are Catholic. Is that correct? How has your faith impacted your career and the roles you've chosen to play? I am Catholic and my faith has been a great influence in how I choose roles. It hasn't helped me monetarily, but it acts as a good compass.

HJ: You're from New York, right? So how did you prepare to play a secretary in New Ulm, Minnesota? I am from a small town in upstate New York, which is very much like the town in the movie; so I was very familiar with the characters' way of life: bringing tapioca to newcomers, an all-for-one attitude, and a love of small-town news... more frequently referred to as gossip.

HJ: You sort of stir the pot: you're in the middle of social connections, you help run the plant and you're the one-person welcome wagon. What's it like knowing that you're the catalyst for what really happens in the plot? I think Blanche is just a strong character with a great sense of humor who isn't satisfied unless she's right in the thick of things; and I love that.

HJ: How would you compare Blanche's approach to sharing her faith to yours? What are the pros and cons of being Blanche? She is very outspoken about her faith because it's what makes her tick. The writer portrayed her with dignity and humor. I loved playing a Christian woman that was respectful and not a mockery.

HJ: The scene where everyone is singing Christmas carols seems to be a renaissance, a conversion experience of sorts, for Renee Zellweger's character, Lucy Hill. What went into setting that scene up that we might not see at first glance? Were those carols specifically chosen? They were all carols that specifically contained references to the Christian faith. The scene was shot in the middle of the night when it was minus 56 degrees, so thinking about it makes me shiver. I love "O Come, All Ye Faithful" and I think it was carefully chosen. I adore this scene; it reminds me of It's a Wonderful Life.

HJ: Moving forward in 2009, what are your plans? What sorts of roles are you looking for? I have written a one-woman show called The Salty Sea PTA, which is based on my two-year stint on my kid's school's PTA; I play about ten different loony characters. I am doing it at the Two River Theatre in Red Bank, NJ in June and I just heard great news that I got a hilarious part in a big movie... but the money is being negotiated, so I wouldn't dare mention it so I don't end up with two cents!

HJ: My last standard question: What book, movie, television show, or music album has moved you lately or impacted your faith? If you have a few, please share! I loved The Soloist. The story is true and if everyone behaved the way the journalist in this movie treated the troubled street musician, the world would be a better place. I am a big fan of Robert Downey, Jr. and Jamie Foxx and I love Susannah Grant's writing.

HJ: Thanks for taking a moment to spend with us. Have a great summer! Thank you!

Click the play button below for more about tapioca from Siobhan Fallon!