Exclusive Interview: Tiffany Hines on Nikita Character, Show Dynamic

In anticipation for tonight's series premiere of Nikita, we spoke to star Shane West earlier in the week.

Now, we sit down with Tiffany Hines and ask her about her character of Jaden, as well as other show details...

What should we look forward to on Nikita?
It’s a lot of twists and turns and cliffhangers. One of the things that drew me to the project originally is the writing is just so good. It always keeps you guessing, and you never know what will happen. The cool thing about the story is it’s focused on Nikita, but it also focuses the storyline between the character Jaden, Thom, and Alex and the dynamic between these recruits that are being trained in Division by this corrupt government. There’s a lot of action, sexy co-stars. You’ve got eye-candy, action, and amazing storylines that will keep everyone hooked.

Tell us about Jaden.
She’s one of the recruits training in Division. For those people don’t know the backstory of the Nikita franchise, what Division does is they find kids and pull them off of the streets. They may have problems like drug addiction or problems with the law and they end up in prison. Instead of going to prison, a lot of them are on death row, and instead of leaving them in the system, they give them a second chance at life. Jaden is one of the people who’s been given a second chance and has had a really rough upbringing.

She’s very hard and very ok with the idea of being an assassin. She has no moral qualms about it whatsoever. This is like breathing to her. She actually has heard the stories of Nikita and how Nikita is a legend around Division and she would like to be the next Nikita. Lyndsy Fonseca’s character comes in and she’s a natural at everything. Those two character bristles because Alex is stealing some of Jaden’s attention.

Can you relate to Jaden, taking away the assassin aspect of her character?
[Laughs] I’m a complete bitch. No, when Jaden sets her mind to something, she goes for it, and I would say I’m very similar to her in that sense. Once I decide I want something, I’ll work hard for it. I’ve been lucky with my upbringing, and I’ve known love in a way that Jaden has never really known love. She would love to have love, and she shows that in a way that other people might see as hostility.

Who would love Nikita?
I know that The CW is known for shows that draw in females, so I'm sure we’ll have a female demographic. I think people who generally don’t watch The CW would watch it. It’s got that 24, The Bourne Supremacy feel to it. Anyone who’s an action junky would really really love it.