Interview with Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight Star Carrie Reichenbach (Kamen Rider Siren)

Carrie 1 Interview with Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight Star Carrie Reichenbach (Kamen Rider Siren)

Nerdsociety recently had the opportunity to interview one of the talented stars of Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight, Carrie Reichenbach. Carrie plays Kase/Kamen Rider Siren on the popular CW4Kids series. Kamen Rider airs every Sat morning on The CW4Kids:

NERDSociety (NS): Carrie, tell our readers a little about yourself. How did you get involved in acting ?

Carrie Reichenbach (CR): I started thinking about acting in high school, but I was involved in a lot of activities and cheerleading so I didn’t have a chance to check it out. Then I went to college…but I was still cheerleading and there was no way to do that and acting. Not to mention, I was already pretty deep into my major! After graduation, I moved to Houston and realized it was kind of a now or never moment and so I did theatre and a little film and tv there, realized I loved acting, and moved to LA.

NS: How did you get the role of Kase/Kamen Rider Siren ? Do you have any martial arts style training ?

CR: My first audition for the role of Kase was with the casting directors, Don Pemrick and Dean Fronk, and I learned a lot about the show from that audition. For example, I didn’t know the target demographic encompassed such a young age – I couldn’t tell that at all from the audition material – so it was kind of funny to find that out in the room. But Don was great and then I had a couple more callbacks, the last of which was a chemistry read with Stephen Lunsford and Matt Mullins – lots of fun! From the first time I met them, I knew they were such a great duo for the show. They are so different from each other and yet both have such charismatic essences that work wonderfully together. I have no martial arts training – thank goodness for our BRILLIANT action unit!!

NS: Is it cool playing such a strong female character ? Do you think more young girls will become fans of the show due to Siren ? Personally, I think a strong female Kamen Rider was the last piece of the puzzle for this awesome show.

CR: I agree with you! I think adding a female Rider to the show creates a great dynamic. All of the male Riders, whether “good” or “bad”, are such resilient characters – they’re strong, they commit to their decisions and loyalties, they’re not afraid to speak their minds to help solve a problem…I could go on and on! Adding a female Rider who approaches things in a similar clear-cut, effective manner is a perfect balance. Kase fits right in with the guys and they all treat each other the same, regardless of gender. I think Kase’s relationship with the other Riders builds on what’s already been established with Maya and it’s wonderful for young girls to see in a tv show. It was a blast playing such a strong character – Kase’s no-nonsense demeanor is pretty different from mine, so I’d listen to really intense music on my way to set to help tap into that aspect of my personality. I’m sure I must have looked hilarious to anyone who might have driven by and seen me rocking out to Eminem.

NS: We interviewed a few of your fellow castmates and they are terrific. What are they like to work with ?

CR: Nightmares. Totally kidding – more like dream team! I worked with Stephen Lunsford and Matt Mullins the most. Stephen is so freaking funny – especially when he uses one of his many accents – that sometimes I thought I would rip my pants from laughing so hard (the fact that my pants were snug should bear no diminishing weight on how witty he is). He has such a open heart and is also a fantastic actor – he gives so much to each scene and that makes working with him really exciting. Matt is such a giving person, you don’t have to know him long before you realize how much he cares about others and that is so wonderful to be around – that plus his killer skills in acting and martial arts add up to the perfect person to play Len. Working with him was a joy, especially when he would completely stun me in a scene with an awesome choice AND when he would completely stun me during breaks with his awesome comebacks! 🙂 And although we didn’t work together much, William O’Leary is awesome. He’s actually one of my acting coaches (even before I got cast as Kase!) and is incredibly knowledgeable about acting and gives such compelling performances. It’s a thrill to watch him, even when he’s kind of scaring me as Xaviax. 🙂 He’s a wonderful, extremely talented man.

NS: What impressed you most about Steve Wang? He has an incredible vision in keeping the show fairly intense for a kids series.

CR: There’s so much to say about Steve Wang!! As to what impressed me most about him, I’m gonna have to go with a tie between his consideration for everyone and his astonishing creativity. I never saw Steve behave with anything but patience and utmost respect towards others, which is marvelous considering everything he is responsible for. Steve is so engaged with everyone around him and you know he genuinely cares for you. He always kept an upbeat, enthusiastic attitude on set and it really helped everyone to thrive. And as for his creativity – have you seen his work?!?! The stuff he thinks of literally blows my mind! The creatures he’s developed in all sorts of projects and the passion and art he poured into KRDK are awe-inspiring.

Carrie 2 Interview with Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight Star Carrie Reichenbach (Kamen Rider Siren)

NS: I noticed you were on the very popular sitcom Two and a Half Men. How was that experience ? How was it working with Charlie Sheen and the rest of the cast ?

CR: It was some of the most fun I’ve ever had! The show films in front of a live audience, which is the closest thing to theatre I’ve done in a long time and it gives you such wonderful energy. The cast of Two and a Half Men are at the top of their games – it’s absolutely breathtaking to watch them rehearse. And the adjustments given by the director, writers and producers are so effective at increasing the comedic value – I felt so lucky to watch and learn from their process, and to be a part of it for two episodes. They are a phenomenally gifted group and I loved getting to work with them.

NS: I saw that you have an official website. What’s the web address ? How can readers contact you and follow your career ?

CR: Check it out! It’s www.carriereichenbach.com and I try to keep it pretty up-to-date with what I’m doing. I also have a page on facebook, but I can’t ever figure out the link to it. 🙁 Luckily, I have a weird last name so I’m easy to find!

NS: Do you have any current projects you’d like to share with the readers of nerdsociety.com ?

CR: I’m working on a comedic web-series called Waxing Platonic. It’s been a blast – it’s got a fun cast and some really funny, clever writing! It should be released soon and I’ll definitely post on my website when it’s up.

NS: Finally, what’s the best part of working on Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight ?

CR: Aside from the amazing experience that was actual production, I think the best part about working on KRDK has been the reaction the show’s gotten from children I know. One of my best friends from high school has a very young son who is amazed that I have superpowers and can’t wait for me to come back to Texas to show him my skills (he may be somewhat disappointed in my attempt!). My friend has tried to explain that it’s my character and not really me, but he’s a little young to be bothered with details like that. 🙂 And a lovely pair of twins I know want to be Siren for Halloween – how cool is that? They are totally digging the fact that a girl is so powerful. I feel blessed to have played a really fun role in a fantastic show.

NS: Thanks for your time.

CR: It was my pleasure. Have a wonderful day!

pixel Interview with Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight Star Carrie Reichenbach (Kamen Rider Siren)

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