It's "Training Day" with Actress Katrina Law

American actress Katrina Law can’t sit still. With her numerous television roles, her work with non-profit pet organization Kitt Crusaders and her unique band Soundboard Fiction, Law juggles so many varied projects that it’s a wonder she can keep them all straight. Yet not only does Law partake in acting, giving back and making music every year, but she thrives with all three, switching seamlessly from one act to another. From her breakout time on Spartacus to her most well-known role on Arrow, Katrina Law’s career has continuously grown over the past decade—and the inspired star has a lot to say about her most recent role in Training Day, her distinct band and her pop culture loves.

Currently, Law can be found on the CBS Thursday night drama Training Day, starring the recently deceased Bill Paxton. The series is based on the 2001 Academy Award-winning film with Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke, and it premiered midseason on February 2nd. Set fifteen years after the original movie’s conclusion—and the death of Denzel Washington’s Detective Alonzo Harris—this sequel series follows Detective Frank Roarke [Paxton], a cop who is perhaps too similar to Alonzo Harris for the LAPD’s liking.

Katrina Law plays Rebecca Lee, a detective in the SIS division of the LAPD with a tumultuous past. Though the initial conflict within the series centers on Paxton’s Frank Roarke and Justin Cornwell’s Officer Kyle Craig, within the most recent episodes, Rebecca Lee has come into her own. Explains Law, "[Rebecca] was kidnapped and sold into human trafficking when she was younger. As the series goes on, you’re going to see the outcome of that and how it affected her life and the decisions she makes." In addition to her detailed backstory, Detective Rebecca Lee has one more defining characteristic: loyalty. "She is extremely loyal to Frank," Law says with a laugh. "She is ride or die for her unit, and she definitely doesn’t see the world in black and white."

Whether right and wrong—actions and reactions—should be viewed in black and white or in shades of gray is the underlying theme of Training Day. According to Law, "[The show] delves into police work and whether or not there’s a line that can’t be crossed. It’s [about] what is necessary force and what is unjustifiable force." It’s a timely topic; in an age where the police are constantly scrutinized and cases of police brutality (or is it necessary action?) are fiercely debated, Training Day is unapologetic in its examination. States Law, "I think this show is very relevant. It’s going to have people questioning whether or not they side with our characters or if they think we’ve gone too far."

Law has undergone extensive physical training to prepare for her role in Training Day. From learning how to ride a horse to handling a gun as a police officer would, Law has been thoroughly briefed in the dos and don’ts of being a cop. While this is her first main cast role as an officer, this isn’t Law’s first dive into physical training and stunts—no, she gained her strong athleticism from Spartacus and Arrow. "For Spartacus, we had a four-week gladiator boot camp where they had us working out anywhere from 8–10 hours a day," Law says. One of her first major television roles, Law played slave-turned-fighter Mira in Spartacus: Blood and Sand and Spartacus: Vengeance. "Within the first three days [of training], I couldn’t walk. It was pretty intense because we were doing weight-lifting, flipping tires, knife work, bow and arrow work... it was craziness. It was a lot of fun, but by the end of it you’re just like ‘Oh my god.’"

That bow and arrow training, in particular, came in handy for Law’s most well-known role to date: playing Nyssa al Ghul on CW’s flagship superhero drama Arrow. Nyssa is the daughter of villain Ra’s al Ghul, a member of the infamous League of Assassins. According to Katrina Law, playing the complicated heir to the Demon is one of her favorite roles of all time. "I think one of the best things about Nyssa is that nobody [in the DC Comics world] really knew who she was compared to Talia al Ghul, her sister. There wasn’t a completely written bible about who she was and how she was supposed to be, so there’s a lot of artistic freedom for myself, the writers, the costumes, the designers and the makeup artist... We got to give Nyssa her own accent, sexuality, backstory, and storyline that wasn’t in the comics." It’s the kind of creative, collaborative role actors dream of—perhaps that’s why the bow and arrow-slinging Nyssa has been so beloved by fans since the character’s initial appearance in season 2.

Though the artistic freedom in playing Nyssa is unique, what keeps Law coming back for more is the depth and strength of the character. "I’m honored that I get to play one of the few strong female characters that are on television right now," Law admits. "It’s beautiful to watch because I feel like it’s the beginning of a trend where people are starting to desire and crave [strong women]. They write for more females that are stronger, and women have their own storylines outside of men."

So what is the future of Nyssa al Ghul on Arrow? As long as Training Day is on CBS, Katrina Law’s time for a surprise appearance is limited, but don’t count her out just yet. While there are currently no plans to bring Nyssa back in season 5—or the recently announced season 6—Law would return in a heartbeat. "They’ve cast Nyssa’s sister Talia al Ghul [Lexa Doig]. My inner nerd is exploding for a scene with the two of us together," confesses Law. "I’m hoping that the writers make my wish come true and write something for that. [The writers] have treated Nyssa with respect throughout her entire story, and I love that."

When not flourishing in front of the camera, Law is making her mark in the music world through band Soundboard Fiction. With twangs of country and rock-n-roll combining to form a unique sound, Soundboard Fiction isn’t a mainstream radio band. The group, of which Law is the lead singer, has been performing together for about ten years and recently released their third album. While Soundboard Fiction isn’t the ever-popular pop or electronic music filling the airwaves today, Law isn’t concerned about appealing to the masses. Says Law, "We just do what we want, and if we like it, we like it. If we don’t, we don’t play it anymore. It’s more freeing because there’s a lot of pressure [in the industry], but at the end of the day, you can only do you. Hopefully, that’s good enough." Currently, music videos for the Soundboard Fiction songs "Ghost Town" and "Wash Me in the Water" are available on Youtube; the band has plans to produce a video for the song "Wasteland" in the upcoming months.

Though Law has a multitude of projects on her plate, she still makes time for her latest pop culture obsessions—namely, television. "I feel like, as an actor, I try to watch as much television as possible," Law confesses. "I have my stationary bike and my stairmaster planted in front of the television so it feels like I’m doing something productive at the same time." When we asked what Law’s current bingeable shows were, her excitement came through in her bright laugh. "Dude! Okay, Divorce is my favorite right now. I absolutely love it. I just finished watching Dancing with the Stars. I love The Voice. I love The Good Place. And of course The Flash and Supergirl—I love Supergirl because I love that little girls have a strong female character to look up to... And I love Pitch a lot, but I think I’m just a sucker for baseball and strong female characters."

If one thing is crystal clear, it’s that Law gravitates towards playing strong female characters—likely because she herself is a strong person. Whether she’s making music for herself and no one else or kicking butt on Arrow and Training Day, Katrina Law is a down-to-earth, positive pillar of strength. Nyssa al Ghul may begin the CW staple as a villain, but Law is a superhero who can accomplish so much in the blink of an eye. 

For Related Articles Try:

Interview with Actor Jonathan Bennett

Interview with "Scorpions" Bassist Ralph Rieckermann

Actress Melora Hardin: Queen of the TV Screen