Bell, who had planned on becoming a doctor and only fell into acting after taking class to overcome
her shyness, landed the part of Mac after making an indelible impression on executive producer Don
Bellisario. After a stint as a Navy lieutenant who meets with an untimely demise, in the finale of the
1995 season of "JAG," the actress was resurrected as a regular on the series - after its move to CBS from NBC - in the role of Mac, where she managed to impress the CBS audience as well. Bell
spoke with OnSat soon after she began shooting for the new season.
 
Catherine Bell and OnSat. 

OnSat: Tell me about the character (Marine Major Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie) you play on "JAG".

Catherine Bell: I'm a JAG lawyer and... it's a great part for me because I get to be a tough, feisty,
kick boxing and intelligent lawyer, but then I get to have a soft feminine side too. So it's a fully
rounded woman.

OnSat: The show is a great combination of a legal drama and a action/adventure show.

CB: Exactly. Yeah, it's great. In one episode we get to do this intense courtroom drama, and in the
next episode we're out chasing bad guys and hanging off of aircraft carriers.

OnSat: The show often goes after hard hitting issues, such as women in the military.

CB: Yeah, we do a ot of that. In fact we just finished an episode that is somewhat similar to the Kelly
Flynn situation. It's got a bit of a nicer resolution, but yeah, we grab stuff right from the front page.

OnSat: Has the show given you a new or different perspective on women in the military?

CB: Well, a bit. I didn't know a lot about the military before I started "JAG." It made me definitely
think about that a lot more. It's a very tough world for a woman to live in, and I have so much more
respect for the women in the military now because it really is a man's world. I think it's great that
women are now flying fighter jets and are out there doing all the stuff the guys do.

OnSat: How does Mac handle the fact that she is in the minority?
 
CB: She's got a really neat perspective because she doesn't think that women should be treated any
differently than men; they should be given the same chance. It shouldn't have anything to do with
whether you're a man or a woman. Back to the [adultery episode], it's not about whether she's a
woman or not. It's about: Did she have an affair with a person that she wasn't supposed to? Was she
really wrong or is she being singled out because she's a woman? A lot of men end up having affairs in the military and get a little slap on the hand or get transferred to another location, and when the
women do it, it's like a huge court-martial. A total double standard.

OnSat: How much is the character of Mac like you?

CB: Well, this season I'm bringing a lot more of myself to Mac. Last season it was my first series and
I was new to the show. The show had already been established, and I had never really done a
military character before. I had this image of her that she's (mocking a macho voice) a Marine, she's
tough. Yes, she can kick ass and stuff (laughs), so don't mess with her. But, I'm bringing more of the
real me into Mac which is more fun and playful. I'm not taking myself as seriously.

OnSat: Had Mac been too serious in the past?

CB: Yes. I think in the beginning she was, which worked well for the character because she was the
new person in an office that was primarily Navy and she was one of the very few Marines. She was
the new kid, so she was a little more realistic for someone in that situation.