Elisabeth Rosen

Elisabeth Rosen
PerformerCAP
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Portrays:	Lt. Kolibri
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Related Media
		@ BW Media
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IMDb profile

Elisabeth Rosen is a Canadian genre actress who portrayed Lieutenant Kolibri in Caprica's "The Dirteaters".

Rosen is best known for her roles as Jennifer Haley in Stargate SG-1 seasons four and five, and as Madeleine in Cult of Chucky (2017).

Early Life and Career Inspiration

Rosen's ambition to perform was ignited at a very young age. At three years old, she was visiting her aunt, Beverley Rosen Simons, a playwright who lived next door to the producers of McCabe & Mrs. Miller. She woke up to see Alec Guinness starring in David Lean's Oliver Twist on television and immediately knew "this is what I'm going to do with my life." She also cited Sirs Laurence Olivier and Patrick Stewart as inspirations.

Notable Roles

Stargate SG-1

Rosen portrayed Jennifer Haley in seasons four and five of Stargate SG-1.

Her casting process for Jennifer Haley was distinctive. She was invited to audition for Paul Weber, the casting director, and received ten pages of script—significantly more than the three pages given to other actresses auditioning. Rosen felt the script evoked the energy of A Few Good Men, particularly the "underdog" conviction of Tom Cruise's character, which she adopted for her audition. Despite her strong audition, it took the casting team ten days to decide, as Rosen, at 5 ft 3 inches tall, was the shortest person they had ever considered for the show, raising concerns about integrating her into shot compositions. However, both director Peter DeLuise and actor Richard Dean Anderson strongly advocated for her, with Anderson stating they chose her because she was "so smart" and demonstrated "conviction."

The script for Jennifer Haley's character was specifically modified to address Rosen's height; a plot point about Haley decking an upperclassman off-screen was added to give her character an "edge" and "justify" her presence in the show. Rosen noted that this specific scene inspired young women who were being bullied to stand up for themselves.

Rosen characterized Jennifer Haley as a "remarkable genius" with an IQ over 180. She described Haley as an orphan who joined the military out of necessity, considering her mind her "only treasure." Rosen viewed Haley as a "futurist," whose advanced mathematical equations and ideas were so cutting-edge they touched upon concepts like AI and UFO technology, putting her on par with historical figures such as Nikola Tesla or Howard Hughes. She often felt misunderstood by others, communicating in what Rosen described as the "language of mathematics at the harmonic level" when others spoke "English."

Rosen provided details on key scenes and her interactions with the cast:

• "Just who the hell do you think you are?" scene: This was the very first scene Rosen filmed for Stargate. Director Peter DeLuise jokingly called her a "rebel" for struggling with the military salute. Rosen approached the scene by channeling an "underdog" mentality, convinced that Haley was right and unwilling to be pushed around, drawing inspiration from Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs.
• Gate Room Scene: Rosen aimed to convey a sense of genuine "enchantment" and awe when Jennifer Haley first saw the Stargate, aspiring to make the audience feel as if they were experiencing it for the first time, likening it to "walk[ing] into the wardrobe of Narnia."
• Working with Light Beings: For scenes involving unseen energy beings (referred to as "fairy lights" that could attack), Rosen relied heavily on her imagination and understanding of "light technology and nanotechnology."
• Proving Ground Episode: In this episode, Jennifer Haley was not a test subject but an "inside person" or "plant" secretly evaluating the other cadets. A writer for Stargate, whom Rosen had met, specifically wrote her back into this episode. Rosen sought to portray Haley's growth and her acceptance by the Stargate team in this appearance.

Rosen spoke highly of her colleagues on Stargate:

• Amanda Tapping (Samantha Carter): Rosen described Tapping as a "phenomenal," "beautiful," "kind," "down to earth" individual who works exceptionally hard. Tapping reportedly studied quantum theory to accurately portray her character's scientific explanations and handled "huge, huge amounts of dialogue."
• Richard Dean Anderson (Jack O'Neill): She found him "amazing."
• Michael Shanks (Daniel Jackson): Rosen had previously worked with Shanks.
• Christopher Judge (Teal'c): Rosen found him "lovely," "full of good energy," and "very focused," noting the absence of ego on set and that he made everyone feel welcome.
• Peter DeLuise (Director): She praised DeLuise as a "good director" who was "so caring about his scripts" and characters.
• Other Cadets (Courtenay J. Stevens as Elliot, Grace Park as Satterfield, David Kopp as Grogan): Rosen noted they were all "focused," learned quickly, and performed like authentic cadets with correct posture. She recalled Grace Park's ambition to secure a TV series, a dream realized with roles in the Re-imagined Series and the rebooted Hawaii Five-0

The typical filming schedule for a Stargate episode was seven to eight days of shooting, with 12 to 14-hour days. Rosen described the production as a "well-oiled machine," characterized by efficient planning that minimized location changes within a single day. Despite challenges such as filming near a train station and under flight paths that affected audio, the cast maintained professionalism. The production was highly "continuity conscious" and provided firearms training for the actors.

Cult of Chucky

Rosen played Madeleine in the 2017 horror film Cult of Chucky, being personally chosen for the role by series creator Don Mancini. Although initially considered for the character of Claire, Rosen felt a strong connection to Madeleine, seeing her as a "wonderful, sweet and haunted" character from a fairytale who possessed a unique adoration for Chucky. Her aim was to portray Madeleine in a way that resonated with and was loved by fans of the franchise, highlighting Madeleine's deep care for Chucky.

Filming took place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, during January and February, amidst minus 40-degree weather, although most of her scenes were shot indoors. Rosen praised the positive atmosphere on set, crediting the costume, hair, and makeup departments for their work. She particularly highlighted her experience working with Tony Gardner and his team of puppeteers responsible for animating Chucky, describing it as "one of the best experiences" of her career. She noted that observing the various Chucky dolls (at least five were utilized) come to life "only enhances Chucky's magic." Rosen adopted a "zen" approach when working with the animated doll.

Her character's death scene in the film was unexpected, involving an arm being inserted into her throat, prompting Rosen to humorously remark that she was "lucky [she had] no gag reflex." The motivation behind Madeleine's death was deliberately left ambiguous for audience interpretation. Rosen suggested several possibilities, including compassion from Chucky, manipulation by other characters, or Madeleine's self-sacrifice driven by guilt as a mother.

Other Roles and Experience

• The Rescuers: Stories of Courage: Two Families: Rosen identified her role in this true story, produced by Barbra Streisand, as the part that most profoundly impacted her. She played a young Jewish woman hidden in circus trucks during World War II, working alongside Tim Matheson and Daryl Hannah.
• Murder in a Small Town: She portrayed the only daughter of Gene Wilder in this project. Wilder reportedly told her, "you are my child," and the production even paid off another actress to cast Rosen in the role. She also worked with cinematographer Bruce Surtees, from whom she gained significant insight into lighting and composition, noting his five-hour effort to light a 30-second scene.
• The X-Files: Rosen worked on The X-Files, noting its similar high level of "conscientious" attention to continuity as Stargate.

Acting Philosophy and Personal Interests

Rosen believes that every acting role inherently changes her. She stresses the critical role of the cinematographer and production designer in shot composition, viewing "every piece is a painting." She prefers to allow the director and cinematographer to position her within a scene, believing this best serves their storytelling vision. Her approach to roles involves deeply understanding the underlying concept, which she believes enables the audience to follow the narrative and makes the fictional world feel more real. She also suggests that engaging with science fiction shows, such as Stargate, can intellectually benefit viewers by encouraging them to open their minds to new possibilities.

Beyond her acting career, Rosen prioritizes personal well-being and development:

• Walking and Meditation: She enjoys long walks globally and incorporates meditation and "energy work" into her routine to maintain her energy and remain grounded, especially while working. She values creating "space" in her life, which she believes fosters more energy and enhances her receptiveness to a director's instructions. She also studies martial arts and finds walking to be an effective grounding practice.
• AI: Rosen is "very pro AI" and expressed interest in working on projects that integrate AI characters, drawing inspiration from films like I, Robot. She envisions AI as a potential aid for individuals in developing conceptual ideas.
• Chocolate: She has made "incredible chocolate" that she brought to the set of Cult of Chucky to assist the cast and crew during cold weather filming.

Directors and Future Aspirations

Rosen holds a deep admiration for various directors and has expressed her aspirations to collaborate with them:

• Denis Villeneuve: A strong admirer of his work, particularly Dune, she has expressed a desire to be part of that cinematic universe.
• Ridley Scott: Describes him as "phenomenal" and "brilliant." She suggested that if a prequel to Blade Runner were made based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?—which features the "Rosen Association" that creates androids and a character named Rachel Rosen—she believes she should play the character.
• Steven Spielberg: Considers him "amazing" and expressed her love for Jurassic Park.
• Christopher Nolan: Believes it would be "incredible" to meet him.
• Matt Reeves: Views him as a "juxtaposition to all these filmmakers," commending his grounded, dystopian approach to The Batman, which she felt made the character relatable and the world seem "almost real." She admired his portrayal of the Joker as disfigured from birth, never embraced by society.
• David Goyer: Rosen stated she is "taken by" his Blade universe and hopes to see Wesley Snipes return to the role.
• Sam Esmail: A fan of his work, particularly Mr. Robot, and hopes he might be involved if Stargate were rebooted.
• French Directors: Given her French descent and admiration for French cinema's nuanced exploration of human emotion, she aspires to work with more French directors and in French. She lists Jean-Pierre Melville, Louis Malle, Truffaut, Luc Besson, Jean-Luc Goddard, and Claire Denis among her favorite French directors.

She also mentioned that "many people" had suggested her for the role of Princess Irulan in Dune, a character she herself loves and finds brilliant.

External Links

• Elisabeth Rosen article at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.