By Christy Slewinski
New York Daily News Service
At first glance, it’s easy to see why some fans have a problem separating Neve Campbell from her TV counterpart, Julia Salinger. Both are quiet, reserved and seemingly shy. And, obviously, both are strikingly beautiful.
But Julia is the one who suffers much Angst–teen and otherwise–each Wednesday night at 8 on Fox’s Party of Five. And Campbell, at a mature 22, could probably teach Julia–who has suffered from the loss of her parents and last season’s teen pregnancy, which ended in miscarriage–a thing or two about growing up.
This season, the show’s third, Campbell expects Julia’s growing pains to be even more evident.
“I think they’re hoping to have some changes in her, and have her realize maybe she didn’t have it all together like she thought she did,” says the actress.
“This year is really going to be about her coming into her own, and finding confidence in herself again. And trying to define what her version of love can be.”
Campbell says that while growing up in Canada, she had her share of tribulations. She says she was the least popular kid in school. Really. (“They even had a song about me, and how ugly I was,” she insists.”) She found solace in dance and theater. At 15, she made her professional acting debut in the Toronto premiere of “Phantom of the Opera.”
“When I look back on it now, I’m so glad that the one thing that I had in my life was my belief that everything in life is a learning experience, whether it be positive or negative,” Campbell says. “If you can see it as a learning experience, you can turn any negative into a positive.”
As for her own version of love, Campbell has found that, too.
The actress married fellow Canadian actor Jeff Colt after wrapping the show’s first season. The two had dated for five years, and successfully sustained the relationship long-distance when she moved to Los Angeles to do “Party.”
Currently, Campbell is in the process of buying a house, and further developing her career. Afraid of being pigeonholed by “Party,” she has been actively pursuing film roles.
Earlier this year she co-starred in “The Craft” playing a teen witch. Next up is her headlining role in “Scream” a psychological horror flick by Wes (“Nightmare on Elm Street”) Craven. Courtney ox, Drew Barrymore and David Arquette co-star in the film, which is due out at Christmas.
Campbell also recently inked a deal that will allow her to executive-produce a telefilm, and which will also, she hopes, move her closer to her goal of directing.
For now, though, she’s still best known by her fans as Julia. And Campbell has managed to find the silver lining in that, too.
“I’m just lucky that I play a semi-kind character,” she says with a laugh. “Because I can’t imagine playing some evil character, and walking down the street and meeting those people who don’t differentiate.”