In the 80s, she played Dee Dee McCall alongside Fred Dryer in Rick Hunter*. Meeting during the Monte-Carlo Television Festival.
How has Dee Dee McCall changed your life?
Stepfanie Kramer: It brought me success, notoriety and financial stability. But the most difficult thing was to no longer be anonymous. I was sometimes followed by very strange fans. One day, I was at a friend’s house, the police called me to tell me not to go home. I also sometimes had to live with armed men in front of my house.
Is that why you left the series before the end?
No, I had decided to take the next step in my life, get married and have a child. I ended up raising my daughter alone and she became my priority. I’m not judging anyone, but I didn’t want to tell him: “Mom is going to work for a week, here is the nice nanny who will take care of you!” At the time, however, I was offered my own series with a lot of money at stake.
Do you think this role has changed the vision of women in the series?
Women tell me that they have become doctors, lawyers or politicians by seeing this character of a strong woman, with responsibilities, aware of her value.
You have directed episodes of the series yourself…
The team did everything to help me. Fred (Dryer, editor’s note) was very friendly, it was no problem to direct him. To stage yourself, you have to compartmentalize your brain. My understudy is there and we see what happens. Today, I write projects. There is a romantic comedy, a horror film and a fantasy series. We are looking for producers.
Turn in an episode of NCIS this year, was it different from Rick Hunter ?
NCIS, it is a choral series, whereas in Rick Hunter, there were only two of us in the main roles. It was a lot more work. But the acting job has not changed. Except that in this episode of NCIS, I was playing a hologram. I couldn’t look the other actors in the eye. It was weird…
*On DVD at Éléphant Films: season 1 volume 1, available; season 1 volume 2, out August 30.
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