Karen Cliche (7/02 Adventure Inc.)
Excerpt from OMDC 7/02: Karen Cliche | Adventure Inc | Pics on Michael Biehn.co.uk
Production in Ontario: ADVENTURE INC.
UAC Productions Inc., Bright Films Limited and GTV in association with Fireworks Entertainment, Tribune Entertainment and M6 for Chum Television, Tribune Producers: Wendy Grean, Tony Thatcher Executive Producers: Jay Firestone, Adam Haight, Gale Anne Hurd Directors/Writers: Various Production Manager: Lynn Mallay Director of Photography: Malcolm Cross Music/Composer: Various Production Designer: Jacques Bradette Key Cast: Michael Biehn, Karen Cliche, Jesse Nilsson Shooting Dates: July-October 2002
© OMDC
Excerpt from Playback Online 7/8/02: Karen Cliche
Tribune and Fireworks embark on Adventure Inc.
By Mark Dillon July 8, 2002
Although this summer will not match the year 2000′s production frenzy, shooting in Ontario is warming up with the arrival of the sunny season. On the series front, Toronto’s Fireworks Entertainment, L.A.’s Tribune Entertainment, France’s M6 and Germany’s Tele-Munchen started rolling in early June at Toronto’s Cinespace Studios on Adventure Inc., a new one-hour action drama. Previous collaborations between Fireworks and Tribune include Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda and Mutant X. Adventure Inc. stars Michael Biehn (The Art of War, The Terminator) as a legendary explorer who heads up a team of thrill-seekers in Beauport, NC who take on any challenge that comes their way. Their various missions take them around the world, with future episodes to be shot in Marseilles, France, and the U.K. Cast also includes Quebec’s Karen Cliche (Galidor) and Jesse Nilsson (The Skulls). Fireworks founder and CanWest Entertainment chairman and CEO Jay Firestone is executive producing with Fireworks president and COO Adam Haight; Gale Ann Hurd (The Terminator, The Hulk) is exec producing for Tribune. Wendy Grean (Company Man, Picture Claire) is producer. Season one will shoot through November. According to Fireworks, the syndicated show, with the first of 22 eps airing in October, has been sold to more than 125 markets throughout the U.S. Global Television is the Canadian broadcaster. Budget is rumored to be $40 million.
© Playback Online
Excerpt from Hollywood Reporter 7/16/02: Karen Cliche
Jesse Nilson (Odyssey Channel's "University") has been cast in the upcoming syndicated series "Adventure Inc."
Article from: Hollywood Reporter | July 16, 2002
Jesse Nilsson (Odyssey Channel's "University") has been cast in the upcoming syndicated series "Adventure Inc." opposite Michael Biehn. Karen Cliche also has been cast in the show from Tribune Entertainment and Fireworks Entertainment, which is set to launch in the fall.
© Hollywood Reporter
Excerpt from TV Zone 9/02: Karen Cliche, on Michael Biehn.co.uk & SciFi and TV Talk
Adventure Inc - Ship Wrecked TV Zone Special
#47 Sep 2002
"Mackenzie, or 'Mac' is played by an actress from Montreal named Karen Cliche [pronounced Kleesh], who is just fantastic," notes Biehn. "Mac is someone who grew up around the world as an army brat and at a very young age became interested in being a soldier. Of the three of us, she's the muscle. Although there are times when Judson has to get himself out of tight spots, when it comes to somebody really taking care of business it's Mac. I liken the character to the one Demi Moore played in the movie GI Jane. Mac became the first woman to graduate as a Navy SEAL but was then told she couldn't go into combat with her fellow male officers. She was granted a transfer and fought for a while alongside the Israeli army. Mac recently retired from the military and she hooked up with my character.
"I'll admit I was slightly nervous when I first came up to Toronto to start filming the show and saw Karen involved in all the on-screen action stuff that I'd normally be doing. Well, I needn't have worried. Karen is a beautiful actress but, man, can he hold her own when it comes to the kick-ass stuff. She can be one of the guys when she has to. Having always been the one running out in front of the woman and carrying the big bazooka or machine gun, it's kind of nice to let a woman take charge of some of that for a change," chuckles the actor. "So I really enjoy working with Karen."
© TV Zone
Excerpt from Coming Attractions 9/27/02: Karen Cliche
Adventure Inc.
Adventure Inc. is a new syndicated television show that will debut the week of 30 September 2002. The show stars Michael Biehn as Judson Cross, Karen Cliche [pronounced Kleesh] as Mackenzie Previn, and Jesse Nilsson as Gabriel Patterson. When adventure calls...no place is too far, no risk is too high, and no task is too difficult for Adventure Inc. Legendary explorer Judson Cross enjoys a worldwide reputation of leading a highly talented team willing to take extraordinary risks and go to any length for the sheer pursuit of adventure. Their methods may be unorthodox, but wherever their mission takes them, Cross and his crew always get the job done. (Tribune Entertainment). The first episode is Bride of the Sun. The Adventure Inc. team comes up against Judson Cross’ old partner in an attempt to retrieve an ancient Mayan altar that is linked to an old legend. Visit Adventure Inc. websites at http://www.adventureinc.net/ and http://www.adventure-inc.com/uac/index.html.
© Coming Attractions
Excerpt from Adventure Inc.net 9/30/02: Karen Cliche
“ADVENTURE INC.” THE EXCITING NEW ACTION HOUR STARRING POPULAR SCI-FI/THRILLER FILM STAR MICHAEL BIEHN PREMIERES IN NATIONAL SYNDICATION THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 30
Los Angeles, CA, September 30, 2002
- “Adventure Inc.,” the eagerly anticipated new weekly first-run action/adventure series from Tribune Entertainment and Fireworks Entertainment will premiere in national syndication the week of September 30.
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Mackenzie Previn, portrayed by Karen Cliche (pronounced Kleesh), is a stunningly beautiful, but tenacious and headstrong, young woman who can handle any assignment Cross throws at her. Set in the fictional town of Beau Harbor, North Carolina, “Adventure Inc.” operates from headquarters on board the Vast Explorer, an expedition yacht equipped with a lab, diving center, submersible dock and powerful engines.
© Adventure Inc.
Excerpts from Adventure Inc. 9/30/02: Karen Cliche
Archived Development Updates from Gale Anne Hurd
09/30/02
We are finishing up our first week of production on Episode 3, "Beyond The Missing Link," directed by David Wu (the highly anticipated upcoming Hallmark mini-series, "Snow Queen" is one of his credits). David is giving the episode a spectacular look, with tremendous production values added by our cinematographer, Malcolm Cross and our Production Designer, Jacques Bradette. The stunts and action sequences are amazing, and the dramatic moments convincingly portrayed by our terrific cast.
More About the Cast
Our extraordinary cast is headed by Michael Biehn ("Aliens," "The Terminator," The Abyss," "The Rock," "The Art of War") who plays Judson Cross. Newcomer and stunningly beautiful Karen Cliche (pronounced 'Kleesh') plays the sexy female lead, Mackenzie Previn. Our younger team member, Gabe Patterson, is played by Jesse Nilsson, who is certainly destined to be a teen/young adult heart-throb.
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Our two co-leads are Karen Cliche (pronounced 'kleesh', who plays Mackenzie Previn) and Jesse Nilsson (Gabriel Patterson). Karen and Jesse are both stars on the rise, as I'm sure you'll agree after you watch the first episode. It's rare to find the combination they both possess of tremendous acting talent, great action skills and terrific comic timing. Not only that, but they're both gorgeous. In fact, in my humble opinion, I think we have perhaps the best looking cast on television.
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Michael Biehn, Karen Cliche and Jesse Nilsson are enjoying themselves and look terrific in their new environment. What a tremendous opportunity we have to showcase their talent in such historic settings!
© Adventure Inc.
Excerpt from Starlog 11/02: Karen Cliche
Adventure Inc - Serial Adventurer
Starlog #304 Nov 2002
"And then there's Mackenzie. [She's like] Demi Moore in G.I. Jane--one of the first women Navy SEALS. Mackenzie really worked her way up, became a SEAL and then became frustrated because she never saw any action. So she quit and joined the Israeli army. She's really a tough fighting machine. She's the brawn of the three of us. Gabe is the youth; I'm the experience. Karen is doing the character that I usually play in all my movies." So, if you think about it, Biehn is really playing opposite himself. "That's exactly what it is," he chuckles. "When I first got the role, I was very concerned because of the 'woman with a gun, tough woman' aspect, especially when the woman is very pretty. It never works for me. They did that kind of thing well in La Femme Nikita, but usually women with guns, women fighting, women beating up men, I just don't buy it. And I've never bought it.
"But then I met Karen, and I swear to God, she really turned me around," Biehn says. "She comes from a military family herself. She's very pretty, very sexy, very tough, very much a tomboy, kind of a brawler and kind of loud. She has this obnoxious laugh. And when she fights, she's always concerned with how tough she looks, not what her hair looks like. Same thing when she gets a weapon. She just wants to shoot and shoot. The more the audience sees of Karen, the more they're going to like her character. I like her character a lot."
© Starlog
Excerpt from Chum Limited 11/19/02: Karen Cliche
SPACE: The Imagination Station Press Releases: Adventure Inc.
November 19, 2002 --
Adventure Inc., the new weekly action/adventure series, premieres on SPACE: The Imagination Station on December 2, and airs every Monday at 9pm ET / 6pm PT.
© CHUM
Excerpt from Ask Men 12/02: Karen Cliche
Karen Cliche: Sexy, Smart and Sultry
why is she famous?
Sexy Karen Cliche has starred alongside Hollywood heavy hitters such as Natasha Henstridge, Stephen Dorff, Peter Gallagher, and she currently stars as Mackenzie Previn in the hit TV series Adventure Inc.
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After working with Francis Ford Coppola and appearing with everyone from Stephen Dorff and Natasha Henstridge to Stephen Baldwin and Peter Gallagher on a wide range of projects, Cliche now finds herself under the tutelage of Gale Anne Hurd in Adventure Inc., the latest weekly action-hour show from Tribune Entertainment and Fireworks Entertainment. Fireworks' previous works include Armageddon, The Terminator, T2, The Abyss, and the upcoming feature, The Hulk. In her latest role as Mackenzie Previn, Karen is accumulating fans every time she walks onto the set. Hailing from Montreal -- a city known as much for hockey as it is for its good times and great-looking women -- Cliche's character combines the toughness of hockey with her down-to-earth persona and sexy physique, making her an immediate favorite with audiences. We were fortunate enough to sit down with Karen to chat about what's going on in her life...
Q: Karen, I can see how you fell into modeling, but when did you decide to get into acting?
I always wanted to act, it was something I did in school, but then something happened when I hit college. I thought it was too ambitious to go into acting, so fear kicked in and I went into psychology. But then my modeling agency started an acting department, so I just went for it. I was lucky to have that outlet.
Q: How important is it to get involved with acting in school?
Well, I was not trained in the traditional sense, but growing up, you become inhibited about acting. Things like improv make you a better actor -- you become less shy and more open to ideas.
Q: You studied psychology; how useful is that?
I have never played a psychopath (laughs), but I did a year in college so I did not get into it too much... but acting is psychology so it does help.
Q: You've worked with a bunch of different people, are you at all star struck?
Nothing intimidates me. People are people so I do not have that separation. I grew up knowing that I would be an actor -- I hope that is not arrogant -- but I knew that they were people like me... of course, if Al Pacino was on the set, then yes, I would be a bit nervous!
¿ Quick fact ?
Karen Cliche was born July 22, 1976, in Quebec, Canada, where it's rumored that some of the most beautiful women reside.
Q: Tell us about Adventure Inc.
It is loosely based on the story of Barry Clifford, really well known with [fans of] the Discovery Channel and National Geographic. He spent years diving for fun, searching for treasure; he has found plenty of sunken pirate ships. His name got around and this has been in the making for 10 years. Every episode is about some adventure somewhere; we have bad guys trying to sabotage us, we kick some butt, and everybody is happy (laughs).
Q: You mention 10 years, is that the typical Hollywood pace?
Well, I am surprised to see that it took so long, oftentimes it is a matter of who you want in there and who you want to work on it. You have to be at the right place at the right time.
Q: You mentioned Al Pacino; besides him, who do you look up to?
Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep... Anyone who is talented and takes risks is great in my eyes.
Q: What do you want people to think of when they hear the name Karen Cliche?
Well, I want people to know that I am really down-to-earth; I do not take myself too seriously. I think I am a big loser sometimes (laughs)! I have a horrible laugh... but if they think that I am a good actor and a nice person, that's even better.
Q: You have a great laugh... anyway, how hard is it to be respected as an actor when you are good-looking?
Very hard. But it's like that everywhere, not just acting. People are surprised to see that you can act. But just because you are in the attractive group (laughs), that doesn't mean you cannot have anything else going for you. I mean, you want to be treated like a normal person.
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Q: You come across as though you were raised like a boy, any truth to that?
Well, that is true, my father raised me like a boy... I happen to swear and stuff to the crew, I have a foul mouth but it is meant in a nice way, I guess I am not very girly...
Q: Gee, I wonder what profanities you will use to thank us (laughs). It's all good, so long as you shave your legs, you can curse like a sailor (laughs).
Oh I don't shave my legs, just kidding... actually, sometimes I may go a week, but I am naturally blonde...
Q: Too much information (laughs). Actually, after that last comment, no one will ever think of you as just a sexy, hot woman... did you say a "natural blonde"? All righty, let's focus. We will leave all of this out...
I do not care, you can leave it (laughs).
¿ Quick fact ?
Karen stands nice and tall at a towering 5'9". Still, she decided that she wanted to be an actress as opposed to a model.
Q: You've traveled a bit to Hong Kong and obviously L.A.; tell us about some of the places you've been to.
Oh my God, I loved Germany, Italy and Australia as well. The people are just great. I love Europe -- both the UK and France.
Q: What would you do if you were a man for a day?
I would probably... hmm... I don't know... I would probably hang out in the park and check out girls... isn't that what you do?
Q: What is the one thing about you that would shock our readers?
I burp really well, [but] not on command... there are some things I can't say... one thing I have done is, I have really long toes, so I once smoked a cigarette with my toes for a pitcher of beer...
Q: You sure you want us to print that?
Oh yeah... go for it.
Q: All right, what about giving us one thing that we can keep to ourselves, you know, off the record?
(laughs) Okay, come closer...
Ooh, is it getting hot in here? Thanks so much for your time, Karen, you truly are beautiful in all the ways that matter...
©Ask Men
Excerpt from Starlog 3/03: Karen Cliche, on Adventure-Inc.net
Great Adventuress
In the syndicated action series Adventure Inc., actress Karen Cliche plays Mackenzie Previn, a beautiful soldier of fortune whose job takes her to locations around the world. Real life isn't all that different. Production of the show kicked off in spring 2002 in Toronto, and has since moved on to the United Kingdom and the south of France. Cliche is enjoying the ride. "It was in the original breakdown. They told us that we would be going [to all these different places]," she explains. "I was like, This is going to be really cool. I love to travel, always have. I get itchy if I stay in one place for too long."
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It wasn't until Cliche was in her early 20s that acting became her passion, eventually leading to the role of Mackenzie, a part almost predestined for this road scholar.
Mystery Woman
On Adventure Inc., Cliche's character is a rogue independent contractor who signs on to crew with legendary explorer Judson Cross, played by genre favorite Michael (Terminator) Biehn. Together, the team - which also includes tech wizard Gabriel Patterson (Jesse Nilsson) - criss-crosses the globe searching for treasures both ancient and modern.
Cliche (pronounced Kleesh) admits that the role sort of fell into her lap. "It all fell under the usual process of auditioning," she says. "The breakdown came in and my agent told me to take a look at it, and I really liked it. I auditioned and related to the casting agent. The next thing I know, they flew me in for a screen test and I got the part. It was like, OK, you've got the part. Now you're moving to Toronto. It all happened in a week, and it was such a surprise."
The actress describes her character as being a little hardcore, with a mysterious and slightly sketchy background that is sure to provide a few future surprises. "No one really knows exactly where Mackenzie comes from, and she doesn't like to talk about her background," Cliche explains. "She joined Judson's crew about five or six years prior to the show's beginning. He still doesn't know much about her, but he has come to trust her. She's just sort of a gung-ho type of a girl, straight-up and a little tough, and she has had a lot of military training in her past.
"She has a passion just like Judson and Gabe, a passion for discovering unknown things and mysteries. She's someone who needs things to change a lot in her life. She can't remain just stagnant. She gets bored too easily."
Cliche maintains that she and Mackenzie have more in common than their love of world travel. "We're not too distinct from each other," she insists. "I add a lot of stuff that I would do in my own life to the character, and it ends up fitting pretty well. I'm opinionated and not afraid to say what I think, or to confront injustices or go for what I want. I don't go around shooting machine guns in real life, but apart from that, we have quite a bit in common in terms of just the need for adventure and exploration."
She also recognizes and willingly conveys some of her weaknesses to Mackenzie. "You meet so many people in your life and they seem to be so hardcore," Cliche says. "But they're usually the ones who are the most afraid and weak and sensitive. I'm a bit that way too, and I don't always want to expose my vulnerability. I think Mackenzie feels that same way, so she hides behind that toughness. She's not just some superhero."
Although she's the lone female cast member, Cliche represents the majority of the Adventure Inc. team's muscle, "which is really cool," she exclaims. "There aren't that many roles that let women be that way, especially in a circle of men. They're usually the underdog who latches onto the strength of the men. But we're all strong characters and we all have our own strong points. Judson represents the very humane, nice guy. Gabe portrays the intellectual guy who knows a lot about computers and technology. Mackenzie's the one who's going to want to take it on. She's much more fearless than the guys. It's a nice balance, because we all bring something to the table that makes for a great team."
Fortune Hunter
Despite her tough exterior, it's highly unlikely that Cliche will ever be mistaken for one of the boys. Loyal viewers of Adventure Inc. are regularly rewarded with the sight of Cliche sporting some very sexy swimwear. And the actress is happy to do her part in keeping ratings on the rise, as long as things are kept in check. "A lot of sucking in goes on when we do those scenes," she laughs. "But it's pretty relevant. It's not like I go running around with high heels and a bikini shooting an M-16. That would be a little ridiculous. But at times, like when we're relaxing on the boat, it seems natural. I mean, after all, we go to many different locations on our boat. It's sunny, so why not a little eye candy for the audience? It's cool. It's never done in a degrading way."
She's grateful, though, that the producers of Adventure Inc. have given her the opportunity to portray a character other than a damsel in distress. "More and more these days, you're seeing movies and TV shows where the women are strong and can handle themselves and go one-on-one with the men," Cliche comments. "But, unfortunately, there are still writers and producers who are afraid to make a girl too tough."
Early on, it wasn't the producers who doubted whether Cliche's character would work, but Biehn, who feared audiences wouldn't buy her tough-girl-with-a-gun image. After meeting Cliche, however, the star soon had a change of heart. Cliche recalls discussing the situation with Biehn, and remains touched by his vote of confidence. "He's really a sweet one in complimenting me that way," she says. "His opinion means so much to me, to everyone on the show. I did a movie called Riders just before I started Adventure Inc., and I learned how to shoot guns and stuff like that. But Michael has done so many action films, and he can do all sorts of neat tricks with the guns. He would let me know if I was holding a weapon properly. His approval means a lot."
With a tough series to shoot, Cliche was prepared for Adventure Inc.'s more grueling aspects. "I had done a demo for a potential movie," she recounts. "That was about 14 months ago, and I prepared for it with two months of training. I did about eight hours a day of tae kwon do and aiki-do. I didn't know how to make a proper fist when I first started, but by the end it was just great. Ihad no idea that I was going to be doing Adventure Inc. They were pretty surprised when they found out that I knew how to get away with it. Every day, I practice as I go along. I learn different things all the time from the different stunt teams."
And she performs many of her own stunts - as long as they're not potentially life-threatening. "In terms of stunts like jumping over a cliff, I don't do those," she laughs. "But I do my own fights. If they take a wide master, though, they will use my stunt double. We both rehearse the fight and know it really well. Michael, Jesse and I do many of our own stunts. We do all of our own fighting and rock climbing. In Toronto, we did some episodes that required scuba diving. We have a big studio tank there. I had done a little diving in the Caribbean on vacation, and of course Michael had done it extensively for The Abyss. So we were pretty comfortable with the whole thing."
As a child, "I was always kind of a tomboy," she grins. "I was never a girly girl who grew her nails and stuff like that. I learned that later on. My sister Marie-Pierre and I were raised, because of my father, to be a little bit like boys. To stand up for ourselves and be strong and do the same amount of work as a guy does. And I'm really thankful for that, because if I hadn't had that upbringing, I would never have gotten the part of Mackenzie. It wouldn't make sense. It wouldn't sell. I bring many of my own ways to the table. So if that comes across, great."
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Phantom Lady
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As for Adventure Inc., although it has elements of both fantasy and action, the actress considers it principally a drama. "It's just so great," Karen Cliche says. "Sometimes we don't get as much done because we just laugh. Michael is hilarious; he's one of those people who just cracks me up. And Jessie and I have a brother-and-sister relationship. We push each other around and bug each other all the time. But we're all very close. It's a really great gift to be given."
© Starlog
Excerpt from Femme Fatales 5/03: Karen Cliche, on Karen Cliche.com
Deep Blue She
The syndicated Adventure, Inc. was inspired by the real-life exploits of explorer-author Barry Clifford who, among other things, discovered the sunken remains of a treasure-laden pirate ship off the coast of Cape Cod in 1984. But Clifford's adventures didn't have the supernatural ingredients encountered by the series' explorer Judson Cross, played by Michael Biehn, who runs into avenging spirits, reincarnated lovers and other inexplicable obstacles. Cross skippers his high-tech converted Coast Gueard icebreaker, The Vast Explorer (a nod to Jacques Cousteau's vessel the Calypso), in search of lost relics. The other two components of Cross' crew are Gabriel Patterson (Jesse Nilsson), the son of a wealthy family who is intent on setting out on his own, and MacKenzie Previn, a beautiful, dark-haired woman with a secret past.
....
Snagging the role of MacKenzie on Adventure, Inc. was a breeze for Cliche, who sent in an audition tape, received a
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all three countries to fulfill the investment criteria. For the first season, the show spent five months shooting in Toronto, moved to England to film four episodes and then finally relocated to Marseilles on the French Riviera for six more. But there is more to MacKenzie Previn than good looks. This chick can take care of herself in a fight. "She's a girl whose past is kind of questionable," says Cliche. "No one knows where she really comes from. She doesn't reveal too much. She's had military training and was in the Special Forces. She'll stand up to defend herself and anybody else who she cares about. She's not afraid to do it. She's part of a team, along with Judson and Gabe. We travel around, and we explore and we search for things out of pure pleasure. Our company, of course, is called Adventure, Inc., and we're hired to find certain things and every episode deals with a bad guy who's trying to get away from us in different places around the world. She loves life like that, she's an adventuress, she's a tough cookie."
Cliche admits that the role isn't too far from Karen. "So much of Karen is in MacKenzie," she says. "I'm an army brat--my father was a sergeant--and I grew up with that whole tomboyish childhood. I'm also tough and sarcastic. I identify with her a lot, and I bring a lot of myself into her onscreen. It's fun to sort of play yourself. I don't really kick people around in my real life, but I get paid to do it onscreen."
Perhaps the best-kept secret about Adventure, Inc. is the show's Indiana Jones-esque supernatural content, as the writers quietly introduce the paranormal into each script. For instance, in "Bride of the Sun," a Mayan legend comes to life and reunites two lovers. A ghostly army unit returns for vengeance in "Memento Mori." And while searching for the lost icon of St. Nicholas, Judson and Gabe find themselves in a remote Russian village shrouded by a mystical fog. "What's interesting about the way that we deal with the whole supernatural thing is that we have a relic that has some supernatural power or other strange events," Cliche says. "We just finished an episode with vampires, but the show always ends in a way so you can ask yourself, Was it or wasn't it real? That's what happens in real life all the time. We're still questioning, Are there UFOs? Are there aliens? So the show leaves you questioning things, which is what we deal with in real life all the time."
As luck would have it, bikinis, tight-fitting jeans or shorts are often the outfit du jour for MacKenzie. There is no doubt that Cliche is the show's sex symbol. "Whether I'm in the desert or on Fifth Avenue, I've always got a change of clothes," she laughs. "She's really fashion conscious. She's tough, but she has a wardrobe and look that supports that. She couldn't be a tart in a short skirt and high heels because that's not who she is anyway. She'll dress up like that when it's appropriate, but also because she's always....
© Femme Fatales
Excerpt from Philippine Daily Inquirer 8/29/03: Karen Cliche
Taking a chance
Nestor U. Torre
Succinctly titled "Adventure Inc.," the new show is telecast every Saturday at 10 p.m. It details the exploits of legendary explorer Judson Cross (Michael Biehn) and his crew, Makenzie Previn (Karen Cliché) and Gabriel Patterson (Jesse Nilson). (An aside: Any actress whose family name is Cliché and doesn't get it changed to a screen name less likely to be kidded about must be very confident about her abilities, have a lot on the ball, and love her folks a lot!)
© Philippine Daily Inquirer
Excerpt from SciFi Talk 11/9/03: Karen Cliche
Tony Tellado: This French-Canadian actress is known more for playing Mackenzie Previn in the hit series Adventure Inc. with actor Michael Biehn.
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Tony (laughing): Hey, I'm really happy for you that, to be serious for a second here, that you got this gig. Especially after Adventure Inc., unfortunately didn't make it.
Karen: Yeah. Oh no, it was such great news when they, as you know, it's the same producers behind it.
Tony: Right, right.
Karen: And when we found out that Adventure Inc. wasn't coming back for sure, they asked me to do this. And I was like, wow. I mean, I was so honored, you know?
Tony: Sure, sure.
Karen: I said wow, that's a really, really cool thing. So, thank you. Yeah, it was great.
Tony: But I am sad about one thing, though.
Karen: Jesse?
Tony: Yeah.
Karen: Yeah, it's awful.
Tony: Yeah. That, yeah, definitely, yeah, that was tough.
Karen: It is. And I actually just brought his mum -- I keep in touch with his parents.
Tony: Oh, wow.
Karen: And I brought his mum on the set, actually just two days ago, of Mutant X.
Tony: Oh, that's nice.
Karen: Because, you know, Bill Cooker was one of our directors and he had done some Adventure Inc. as well.
Tony: Yeah.
Karen: And there was a couple other people, so it was just, you know. Yeah, it happens every so often, you just think about it, you're just like, God, it's so unreal!
Tony: Yeah, isn't it? Wow. It's hard to -- when I heard about it, I was like, Get out! I couldn't believe it.
Karen: Oh, yeah, oh yeah. I know, and I can't believe it's gonna go on six months, now.
Tony: Wow, is it really?
Karen: Mmm.
Tony: And you did get a chance to work with Michael Biehn, who I think is a great actor.
Karen: Oh, yeah, he is so great. He's still one of my really good friends, too.
Tony: Oh, that's cool. That's cool.
Karen: Yeah.
Tony: For him it was a kind of reunion because one of the executive producers of the series was Gail-Anne Hurd, of course, so they both kind of broke in together in a small little movie called The Terminator.
Karen (laughing): Yeah. That little old thing.
Tony: So, did he ever talk about the old days at all on the set?
Karen: Oh, yeah! No, he is so great like that, he has stories, of course, you know, he has got a lot of stories about his kind of shady past, which is really quite entertaining. No, he talks a lot about those old days. But you know what? Always in such a modest, in such a humble way.
Tony: Hm.
Karen: But you know, he did some big stuff.
Tony: Yes, he did.
Karen: And you know, he never goes, "Yeah, and you know, when I did THE TERMINATOR, and I..."
You know? He just, every story he has, sometimes he doesn't mention the movie it was. He's a really funny guy.
Tony: Not only that, he did The Abyss.
Karen: Yeah!
Tony: And that particular, that was actually not what you would call a good character. He was going through, like, pressure sickness.
Karen: Yeah.
Tony: And to be able to pull that off successfully...
Karen: Yeah.
Tony: ...is, you know, really a nice job that he did on that too. So, yeah, you worked with some good people on that show, no question.
Karen: Yeah. He's actually off to Russia right now. He's going to film a movie in Russia.
Tony: Oh, wow! Good for him, that's great! That's awesome.
Karen: Yeah, yeah. So, all is good on his part. He just had a baby, too!
Tony: Oh, that's nice!
Karen: A fourth little baby.
Tony: Oh, wow!
Karen: Busy guy.
Tony (laughing): Another little Terminator hunter.
Karen (laughing): Exactly.
Tony: That's great, well, boy or girl?
Karen: A little boy.
Tony: Well, that's great!
Karen: Another boy. Just boys, he has. I guess he's all testosterone, huh? [laughs]
Tony: I'll tell ya, I don't know what it is.
© Excerpt from SciFi Talk
Excerpt from TV Zone 3/04 Issue 173: Karen Cliche, on Karencliche.com
Let's Get Physical!
Cliche had already been a regular on four series when she was hired for Adventure Inc. "I had such a blast working with Michael Biehn and Jesse Nilsson, who sadly passed away last April," says the actress. "My character of Mackenzie was very physical, not only as far as the actual fights, but also when it came ot climbing up the side of a mountain, scuba-diving, driving boats, backpacking, etc. It was different from my work on Mutant X in that there was less exposition. With Adventure Inc we knew pretty much from the get-go what was happening. This allowed us to get one much more quickly with the adventures, which of course is what our audience tuned in to see. I had the chance to do some things I'd never done before in my life, and that's great for a gal like me who really loves a challenge."
© TV Zone
Excerpt from Dreamwatch 7/04: Karen Cliche
Guiding Light
Prior to joining Mutant X, Cliche made a big impact on US and Canadian TV viewers in the fantasy-action series Adventure, Inc. The show followed the exploits of explorer and treasure hunter Judson Cross (Terminator's Michael Biehn) and his assistants Gabriel Patterson (the late Jesse Nilsson) and Makenzie 'Mac' Previn (Cliche). "Adventure Inc. was one of the best experiences of my life," says Cliche. "Michael, Jessie and I had so much fun. the show did very well in every market we were in, but we just couldn't sell it to enough countries to get a second season. It's worked out well for me, though. Adventure, Inc. is a fond memory, but it's been nice to move on to Mutant X."
© Dreamwatch Magazine
Excerpt from Starlog 9/04, on Karen Cliche.com
Light Show
by Douglas Snauffer
Not everything is accomplished with green screens and CGI, though. When it comes to doing stunts, Cliche is often front and center. She picked up plenty of experience throwing punches on Adventure, Inc., and feels confident when she has to abandon her powers and take somebody on with her fists. "I love it," she enthuses. "I've been doing [big fight scenes] for two years now; it has been a pretty big part of my job. There's always the risk of breaking somebody's nose, which is kind of scary, but it's fun. In one of my first fights on Adventure, Inc., I didn't break the guy's nose, but I definitely gave him a nosebleed. But give me a break, of all the fights I've done, and one little nosebleed. Come on! I bought the guy a bottle of Jack Daniels and he forgave me."
....
"....But I've been fortunate with my past experiences and all the shows that I've been on. I've formed some wonderful friendships. I just visited [Adventure, Inc. co-star] Michael Biehn when I was in L.A. I went to his house and saw his new baby. I enjoy being close to the people I work with."
She's still feeling the loss of her Adventure, Inc. castmate Jesse Nilsson, who died in April 2003 of heart failure brought on by pneumonia. "That was such a shock," Cliche says. "Our producer called and told me the news. I phoned Jesse's parents right away. I've actually become very close to his family, and I go see them once in a while. Jesse's Mom came to the set of Mutant X. It's so tragic, and I feel horrible for his close friends.
"I knew Jesse a year, that's it, but in that time we became very, very close," Karen Cliche says. "We went to Europe together, and he and I were like brother and sister. We fought like brother and sister, we had fun like brother and sister. I helped him pick up girls in France because I speak French. It's so sad, but he's fondly remembered."
© Starlog
Excerpt from Slice of Sci-Fi 8/7/07: Karen Cliche
Slice of SciFi Interview With Flash Gordon's Karen Cliche
Posted by Sam on Tuesday, 7 Aug 2007
She recently starred in the TV series “Adventure Inc.” as Mackenzie Previn alongside Michael Biehn.
© Slice of Scifi
Excerpt from The TV Addict 8/7/07: Karen Cliche
TheTVaddict.com Interview: FLASH GORDON’S Karen Cliche
By: Amrie Cunningham (My Take on TV)
You’ve worked with a lot of people - who have been your favorites? Who would you work with again?
I really had a great time on Adventure, Inc. with Michael Biehn. He’s a blast, I love him to death. On Youngblades, Bruce Boxleitner, he was absolutely great, so I would work with him in a second. And of course, every other actor that I’ve worked with has been fantastic. Anyone who I can have fun with and we can laugh and joke around, and be professional and work great. I’ll snap that up in a second.
© TV Addict