Why Michelle Borth is on a roll

MANILA, Philippines - The Hawaii Five-0 character, Catherine Rollins, is on a roll when the cop procedural series opens its third season on Jan. 8, 2013 at 10 p.m. on AXN. Catherine’s presence will spice up the professional and personal lives of Steve McGarrett (played by Alex O’Loughlin). As an online article puts it, things will “get even hotter” in Hawaii, where the chasing scenes and crime-solving take place. That means viewers will see more of Michelle Borth as she reprises the role of Catherine, McGarrett’s love interest. 

“It’s amazing,” offers Michelle in a phone interview with Southeast Asian writers. “I feel like I got a promotion which doesn’t really happen in acting. You don’t get genuinely promoted to anything. For me, it’s a wonderful, wonderful feeling to be brought on to a show that is really successful. It’s a great experience to be asked to come on as a full-time cast member. I’ll be getting more dialogues. It’s a little bit of a witty banter (between Catherine and McGarrett) and she’s a little sarcastic and dry with his humor. As the season develops, maybe you’ll understand why McGarrett is dating Catherine.” By discovering new things about Catherine’s persona, Michelle adds, fans will be surprised to know that she is “kinda like him  in a female body.”

The idea of Michelle coming onboard Hawaii Five-0 set for the second time will allow fans to get to know Catherine more.

“Obviously, the storyline will focus on the four (McGarrett, Chin Ho, Danny Williams and Kono) because they are the main four,” says Michelle. “I hope they will give my character a little back story (so fans will) learn more about her. There’s going to be a little bit of conflict between Catherine and McGarrett’s mother, Doris. She kinda comes in and stirs up a whole bunch of stuff. Catherine gets involved. Then, she has to lie to McGarrett. There’s a discourse. It might fracture the relationship.”

Catherine is coming from the scenario where she and McGarrett are on a special operation looking for the latter’s mother. She will discover the whereabouts of his mother and the “shady things” Doris has gotten into. “I’m holding a huge secret about Doris from McGarrett. It’s gonna come out eventually,” Michelle says.

The latest season will see Catherine and McGarrett go on an adventure alone. Michelle looks forward to doing more fight scenes, which she and Alex work hard on in between tapings. “It’s kinda fun for me,” she says, “jumping off a balcony” and learning the fight moves.

These add to what the followers of Hawaii Five-0 think of Catherine as someone who is “tough and smart. You got to see her like a really powerful, smart woman. And now you get to see her in action. Unlike before, you just saw her sitting in the intelligence center. You didn’t see her in action or in combat,” Michelle says.

How is Michelle similar to her onscreen alter-ego Catherine and vice versa?

“She didn’t have a lot of female friends,” the actress says of Catherine. “Maybe she could get along with men a lot better. I really enjoy working on this set, particularly. It’s a testosterone set. For me, it’s a great environment. I really get along with men. I like to hang out with the boys. That proves that I can be one of them. Catherine being in the navy is kinda similar to that.”

It’s not surprising that Michelle enjoys every working day on the Hawaii Five-0 set.

“I think I have a relationship with everyone in a different way. I’m obviously very close to (Alex) because of the nature of our onscreen relationship. So we’ve developed an awesome relationship. And we’re open to each other. He’s a great person who listens. I can talk to him about personal stuff.”

As for the relationship between Catherine and McGarrett, Michelle has this to say: “The status of their relationship for the opening of season three is kinda like an ongoing joke because we both refuse to say that we’re boyfriend and girlfriend. In the opening of season three, we’re friends and I’m saying that with quotes.”

This so-called “friendship” will definitely tickle the fans’ imagination and bring a detour to the action-packed path of Hawaii Five-0.