Laura Saltman can dish it out. Whether she’s interviewing the stars for Access Hollywood, posting celebrity news on her blog A Dish of Salt, or discovering the next big thing in entertainment, Laura Saltman isn’t afraid to ask the juicy questions. And she does it all with a smile on her face and a light in her eyes. She’s bright, she’s funny, she’s passionate, and she really cares about the people she interviews.

Blast recently chatted with Access Hollywood’s celebrity reporter about rising stars, Glee, American Idol and her beloved dogs (a black lab and a beagle/spaniel mix). What do you ask someone who asks really cool people questions for a living? Well, you start with the really cool people.

BLAST: What is your favorite interview you’ve ever done?

LAURA SALTMAN: My favorite was with Hugh Jackman on the day it was announced he was People’s Sexiest Man Alive. I love Hugh Jackman. He gave a fantastic interview, and I think he’s drop dead gorgeous. But there was this controversy, with people at work saying "Hugh Jackman’s not the sexiest man alive!" So I came up with the 10 reasons why I love Hugh Jackman and why he should be the sexiest man alive. I had it framed, printed on nice paper, and I brought it to him at the interview. He absolutely went nuts for it, he thought it was the greatest thing ever. He was reading the whole thing and he couldn’t believe that I went through all this trouble! He told me he was going to put it in his man room, which is his version of the man cave in the basement. And I really believe that that is hanging on his wall in Australia right now.

BLAST: What were some of the things you put on the list?

LS: He man-scapes. The fact that he is still married and loves his wife. His masculinity, even though he’s played a gay man on Broadway. And I think one of the reasons was his chest. And because he’s a great interview and he always knows the right answer to give. He’s the best, such a sweetheart.

BLAST: What was your worst interview?

LS: My worst interview was Daniel Craig, which is ironic, since they’re currently starring on Broadway together. It was for the movie "Defiance." But he’s Bond, right? You’re going in, thinking he’s going to be suave, charismatic, sophisticated, so cool. I’d never interviewed him before and never met him, and I was expecting him to be Bond, and he was not Bond. He was just charmless. He was very matter-of-fact, and I could not get him to warm up to me. Of course I thought it was me! But then I asked other people about it, and they all said the same thing, that he’s just not the person you expect him to be. He’s a very serious actor, and he doesn’t play into all the Hollywood stuff. He just wants to be an actor, and that’s all. But he’s Bond! It surprised me.

BLAST: What’s it like interviewing someone who’s on a reality show, as opposed to someone who’s born and bred famous?

LS: To me it’s better because people who are on reality shows don’t have the agents, the managers, the publicists breathing down their neck, telling them every single word to say. It changes to much, they’re just being real. I would so much rather interview somebody who’s just being who they are than someone who’s already calculated what they’re going to say to me. I don’t like stuff like that. I would rather interview someone from American Idol, or one of the Bachelors, or even the celebrities from Dancing with the Stars, who have been knocked down a few pegs and are now doing the show trying to come back. I’d rather interview them because they’re less guarded than celebrities.

BLAST: Do publicists get in your way a lot? Are there a lot of canned responses?

LS: It’s become a bigger problem in our industry as the tabloids have taken over. You have to walk a fine line. I have to think, "If I were a celeb, would I want someone asking me that? What would I say back?" Some take it better than others. I’d rather have someone say to me "No comment" than just walk away. With Twitter, people are now getting ahead of the story. Like Jessica Simpson. There was a story about when she broke up with Tony Romo, and she went on Twitter and said "I’m doing ok, don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine." So instead of the paparazzi hounding her to get the first response from her, she just went on Twitter and said how she was feeling. It took the paparazzi out of the picture.

BLAST: What’s it like to interview a rising star? I noticed you interviewed Lea Michele from Glee recently. What’s it like to interview someone like that, where you know that this is their first big break?

LS: It’s cool because you can see it in their eyes. You can see how excited they are for the interview. I was one of the first people on the set of Glee, and I could just see it—they had this glint in their eyes, they were so excited for Access Hollywood to be there. The great thing about Lea is that now that the show is so successful—I’ve seen her seven or eight times since the first interview—she still has that gleam in her eye. Lea, to me, is still excited, and I think she’s going to be a huge star.

BLAST: Any other young celebrities we should keep our eyes on?

LS: Today I interviewed Victoria Justice. She has a Nickelodeon show coming out called Victorious. It’s kind of like Fame, High School Musical, Glee… and she is drop-dead gorgeous. She was on Zoey 101, but she wasn’t the lead. Nickelodeon is really pushing her to be their next big star. She looks just like Nina Dobrev from The Vampire Diaries, so we actually talked about how people mistake them for each other. If the show does well, I think she’ll actually end up being a pretty big star.

BLAST: What’s your absolute favorite thing to report on?

LS: American Idol. I love it. I’ve been covering it since the very first season. I was interviewing some of the contestants from last season and Alexis Grace said to me that all the people from the last eight seasons of American Idol all know each other, and they all hang out. And I said it was so nice that they all stayed together, and she said, "Yeah we’re like a family, but we feel that you’re part of our Idol family too, because you’ve always been around and everybody knows you." She just made my day! I feel like I’m part of the American Idol family, and I would be devastated to not be a part of it anymore.

BLAST: Speaking of things we love, you interviewing Katee Sackhoff from Battlestar Galactica. What’s she like?

LS: She’s awesome! She’s one of my most favorite interviews. She is like a ball of energy, and she’s funny! You don’t expect that, because she’s Starbuck, right? You expect drama. I told her when she walked in, "I feel like you could totally kick my ass." I told her she could do a sitcom she’s so funny. Every time I asked a question she came up with this hilarious joke about it. I absolutely loved her. I surprised her by bringing in some of our fanboys who work at Access Hollywood, and she could not have been nicer to them. You can tell that she really loves the attention, and all these guys adore her. She’s great. Absolutely loved her.

BLAST: What first made you want to be an entertainment reporter?

LS: I was obsessed with celebrities. I just wanted to know everything about them. I was such a huge fan of movies and TV, and I was fascinated by the process of making TV shows. I’ve always said that I don’t want to be a star, I just want to interview them. It started when I was a little girl, because my parents put a TV in my room since the age of 7. My parents would make me go to bed at 9 o’clock, and there were certain shows that I wanted to watch, so I’d take the TV and I’d put it under my bed and watch it upside down, so they wouldn’t see the light. I’d hang over the edge of my bed and watch "Dallas" upside down! I’ve always wanted to do this.

BLAST: And now you have a great reputation as a no-holds-barred interviewer, and everyone takes you very seriously.

LS: It does get me in trouble though. (laughs)

BLAST: Do you have any words of advice for young people who want to do your job?

LS: Everyone told me I was never going to be what I wanted to be, it was too difficult, but I was still determined. If someone tells me no, I do the opposite, I prove them wrong. Now it seems like it’s a lot easier to get into because there’s so much media involved with celebrities and entertainment. Obviously you’ve got to go to school, but as soon as you’re out of school, you’ve got to get on these internet sites and become a writer. You don’t even have to live in LA now, as you know, to do this. You just have to meet the right people, get out there, start writing stuff, and learn as much as you can, meet as many people as you can. A lot of people that I’ve met have helped me meet someone else. So never say no to any job in entertainment, because you never know who can be your first stepping stone.

This Access Hollywood reporter knows how to do a good interview, no matter what side of the table she’s on. You can follow Laura Saltman on Twitter, or check out her blog.

Instead of going through withdrawal, fans of “Battlestar Galactica” can breathe a sigh of relief. The Sci Fi Channel has given the green light to both “Caprica,” a prequel to the four-season space war phenomenon, and “Battlestar Galactica: The Plan,” a two-hour TV movie set to air in the fall.

The spin-off series “Caprica” premieres with a two-hour pilot, available on DVD and digital download since April. The pilot will be re-released along with the 18-episode first season of “Caprica,” scheduled for broadcast in early 2010.

“Caprica” takes place in the same universe, 58 years before the events of “Battlestar Galactica.” Though it is a prequel, it is self-contained. Viewers can enjoy and understand the show with no prior knowledge of “Battlestar Galactica.” And unlike “BSG,” “Caprica” is less about the space battles and more about family drama and political intrigue. The series takes place on the planet Caprica, a world just a few technological leaps and bounds ahead of our own. To give the show a retro feel, much of the costume and set design is based on 1950′s styles.

Welcome to a civilization drunk on its own success, dizzy with the possibilities of unlimited technology, and darkened by ethnic and class prejudice. “Caprica” tells the story of two families who lose their daughters in a terrorist attack, and go to extreme measures to get them back. It stars Eric Stoltz as Daniel Graystone, a technological entrepreneur who develops artificial intelligence in order to clone his dead daughter, and Esai Morales as Joseph Adama (father of “BSG”s William Adama), a lawyer who wrestles with the moral implications of bringing his own daughter back to life as a robot.

Are the two resurrected daughters the first Cylons? Is this where the war in Battlestar Galactica all began? Producer Ron Moore isn’t telling yet. But he has stated that he wants to reach a larger demographic than “BSG”s science fiction cult following. The show is essentially a family drama, taking place entirely Earth-bound (or Caprica-bound, if you will). Moore hopes that the lack of spaceships and military action will appeal to female viewers.

Can’t wait a whole year for “Caprica”? The Sci Fi Channel has you covered. “The Plan,” a two-hour movie directed by Edward James Olmos (star of “Battlestar Galactica”) is set to air in the fall. Written by “BSG” veteran Jane Espenson, “The Plan” retells the story of “BSG” from the point of view of the Cylons. “The Cylons were created by man. They rebelled. They evolved. There are many copies. And they have a plan.” Get it? “The Plan” stars many of “BSG”s series regulars, including Tricia Helfer, Grace Park, Michael Hogan, Aaron Douglas, and Olmos himself. Like “Battlestar Galactica: Razor,” “The Plan” takes place during the events of the television series, and fills in the gaps left open by the human-centric original plot.

Miss watching “BSG” every Friday night? Frak your nostalgia. Catch “Battlestar Galactica: The Plan” on the Sci Fi Channel in November, and “Caprica” in 2010.

So I caught up on “Dollhouse” a few days ago (as my Twitter followers can attest, thanks to my wild exclamations and general giddiness) and I’m gladder than ever that it was renewed. In fact, here are nine reasons why it’s a great thing that “Dollhouse” is coming back for round two:

1. The Joss Whedon Method, otherwise known as “Buffy” season two. For all the cheese and not-as-good-ness of “BtVS” season one, season two was amazing. Season two introduced Spike, Angelus, Oz, et cetera and was just better all-around in terms of plot complexity, character development, acting, and so on. I expect the same story development to happen in “Dollhouse.”

2. The premise of “Dollhouse” is saturated with potential. This show has the scaffolding in place to explore issues just as deeply (and perhaps even more thoroughly) as “Battlestar Galactica.” The concepts of self, self vs. body, informed consent, identity, death, perception… all of these are fascinating topics that “Dollhouse” season one touched on and upon which season two will hopefully expand.

3. Speaking of “Battlestar Galactica” “" and I hate to say it “" it’s over. Yeah, there’s “The Plan” coming as well as “Caprica” (which looks to be tackling some of the same issues as “Dollhouse”), but for now, the space where deliciously layered and complex Sci-Fi used to be on my TV is currently empty. Even emptier, now that “Terminator: TSCC” is canceled. “Dollhouse” fills the void and I think the last five or so episodes proved that it can be equally as thrilling.

4. The all-star cast… and Eliza Dushku. It’s the general consensus that Eliza Dushku’s charisma shines through just a little too much when playing Echo in all her incarnations. She’s the weak link, acting-wise. But there are other actors on this show “" the impeccable Olivia Williams, Harry Lennix, Fran Kranz (who has somehow managed to make the amoral and at-first disgusting Topher one of the highlights of the show), Enver Gjokaj (the best actor of all the Dolls for certain), Dichen Lachmann, Reed Diamond (if he comes back), and of course the brilliant Alan Tudyk (please come back!). Not to mention Tahmoh Penikett’s pecs. The supporting cast is, quite frankly, outstanding.

5. Longevity. The “Dollhouse” premise has the potential to tell a wealth of different stories, and not simply because the Dolls can be programmed for anything. Consider this: the show has already established links between the Dollhouse and the corporate world, government, the National Security Agency, and rich people in general. The possibility for in-depth conspiracy storylines with just one of those connections is tenfold… all together? The potential is limitless. Remember that episode with the fake documentary subjects talking about the urban legend of the Dollhouse? Exploration into that could prove fascinating.

6. It’s been said the Dollhouse does not want to go the route of “Battlestar Galactica” and the local news approach of “Is your neighbor the twelfth Cylon? Tune in tonight at eleven… or will you make it until then?” when it comes to sleeper Dolls, like Miracle Laurie’s Mellie/November. But that isn’t the only way to use the idea of the Secret Doll. The concept of being sent to the “Attic” or that a character we come to know might either become a doll, be a doll already, or even a client adds another aspect of “who are you really?” to each character introduced.

7. Dollhouse (and Mutant Enemy) have proved to have serious cojones when it comes to subject matter. The idea of Dolls is already icky enough and yet the show has fearlessly confronted the issues of prostitution, exploitation, slavery, rape, and murder. Yes, there are viewers who are simply too freaked out to watch, but the idea of a network show dealing with some hardcore, difficult issues in prime-time is absolutely unthinkable and incredibly bold. It speaks to the fearless storytelling we have come to expect from Joss Whedon and he hasn’t even had to kill a character yet.

8. Alan Tudyk. Or, more specifically, Alan Tudyk as (spoiler!) Alpha. Joss Whedon has a cadre of amazing actors who willingly follow him from project to project. This says a few things: one, that there is a guaranteed set of amazing guest stars, and two, there will be great actors for great villains. Alpha is a character who could only be good if performed by a great actor and I doubt that anyone disagrees that Tudyk is brilliant. With a Whedon show, not only are we pretty well assured of exciting villains but we are more importantly assured of quality actors to portray them.

9. “Dollhouse: The Musical!” Whedon has proved, with “BtVS’s” “Once More With Feeling” and the fantastic “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” that just about any kind of storyline is ripe for both comedy and music. The episode of “Dollhouse” where everyone accidentally loses their inhibitions thanks to some drug or another reminded those watching just why Whedon is so revered; the guy can make almost anything funny. And the cast showed that levity is possible even in such a dark world. Plus, how amazing would another musical episode be?

We’ve got the frakking 411 from Universal on the release of several Battlestar Galactica DVD and Blu-ray sets, including a $350 complete series collection on Blu-ray that does everything but fly you away into outer space.

They’ll all be released on July 28.

The science fiction epic that not only bridged generations but brought a whole new generation into the genre is over, but season 4.5 on DVD and Blu-ray will have 13 hours of extras including three extended episodes of the series finale that were never aired. There will also be deleted scenes and behind the scenes fun. Finally, there are commentary tracks and podcast-able interviews with executive producers Ronald D. Moore and David Eick.

Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series is a ridiculous 20 disk Blu-ray or 25 disk DVD set with every episode and just about every bonus feature you can think of.

Season 4.5 bonus features on Blu-ray only:

• U-CONTROL: Universal’s exclusive signature feature puts viewers one click away from going deeper into the making of the film without ever leaving the movie.
• THE ORACLE: An interactive guide including ships and characters.
• BATTLESTAR ACTUAL: A glossary of all the unique Battlestar Galactica terms.
• WHAT THE FRAK HAPPENED TO YOU? Explore the history and connections of your favorite characters through video clips and relevant facts.
• BD-LIVE: Access the BD-Live Center through your Internet-connected player to get even more content, watch the latest trailers, and more!
• BATTLESTAR GALACTICA ULTIMATE BATTLE: Players can battle their friends as Colonials or Cylons using strategy and luck to achieve victory.
• MY SCENES: Pick your favorite scenes from the film to create your own video montage.
• THE MUSICIANS BEHIND DAYBREAK: Composer Bear McCreary interviews and explains how many unique musicians have contributed the show and specifically the series finale, Daybreak.

Blu-ray and DVD features:

• EVOLUTION OF A CUE: Composer, Bear McCreary takes us step by step through his process of creating the music of Battlestar Galactica.
• What the Frak is Going On With Battlestar Galactica?: A recap of Battlestar Galactica’s first three thrilling seasons “" in only eight minutes!
• “¦AND THEY HAVE A PLAN: What do they mean every episode when the opening sequence on the Cylons states “And They Have A Plan?” All will be revealed in the upcoming movie The Plan.
• THE JOURNEY ENDS: THE ARRIVAL: Battlestar Galactica has traveled full circle. The journey has concluded never to be revisited. But how did we arrive at the end?
• A LOOK BACK
  • SO SAY WE ALL: Executive Producer Ron Moore and the cast and crew reveal their personal insights on Battlestar Galactica.
  • MANIFESTO DESTINY: It all began with this manifesto. Why was it written and what was the response?
  • BATTLE-STYLE GALACTICA: Those behind the camera delve into their approach to visual style of Battlestar Galactica.
  • MARTYR TO A CAUSE: As the only actor to appear in both the original and reimagined series, Richard Hatch offers his unique perspective on Battlestar Galactica.
  • THE SINS OF THE FORGIVEN: Insights on the curious religious aspects of Battlestar Galactica.
  • BATTLESTAR REVELATIONS: Firsthand accounts from those on the Battlestar for the past five years.
  • AUDIO COMMENTARIES BY RONALD D. MOORE, DAVID EICK, AND EDWARD JAMES OLMOS
• Moore’s Podcast Commentaries
• Eick’s Video Blogs
• DELETED SCENES

The Battlestar Galactica saga began on one devastating day, when the human population of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol was annihilated in a series of surprise attacks by their own creation”"the Cylons, a race of sentient robotic clones. The few survivors huddled together on space ships, facing almost certain death at the hands of their ruthless enemies. In Battlestar Galactica: Season 4.5, Commander William Adama (Emmy Award-winner Edward James Olmos), the hawkish military leader of the last surviving battleship, searches for a habitable planet as the murderous Cylons follow relentlessly. As mysterious premonitions help Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell) the President of the Twelve Colonies, guide the ship to the fabled Thirteenth Colony, Earth, treacherous double agents, Cylon spies and internal dissent plague the Galactica. The ship’s crew and passengers battle for their lives”"and the survival of the human race”"armed with only cunning and determination against the military might of the Cylon Empire.

Rekha Sharma, who plays Tory Foster on the SciFi Channel’s “Battlestar Galactica,” did not always want to be an actress. Born in Vancouver, Canada, to Indian parents born in Fiji, she leaned more towards the musical punk side of her creative mind after developing a love of music.

With the sounds of David Bowie and Bauhaus providing the soundtrack for her adolescent romps through Canadian forests, it was clear a future of tours and gigs was where Sharma was headed. But as her teenage years began, a love of acting began to manifest itself. 

“I was going through life after graduating from high school trying to figure out all my shit,” Sharma said. Upon graduating, she enrolled in the Emily Carr Institute of Design, inspired by the likes of Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso. In a continued youthful attempt to find her career path, she also earned a Holistic Counselor Certification from the West Coast College of Massage Therapy soon after.

It was then that Sharma decided to devote herself to the pursuit of acting as a career choice. She knew the odds were stacked against her as an Indian woman in a predominantly white industry.  

She trained at Ivana Chubbuck Acting Studio, and later the Lyric School of Acting. She acted in roles on the cult classic series “The Lone Gunmen” (2001), and “Dark Angel” (2002), along with parts in well-known series such as “The Twilight Zone” (2002) and “John Doe” (2003). Pretty soon she had secured the part of Dr. Harden on the series “Smallville” (2006).

Her auditions and unique career choices got her noticed, because soon she was filming on the sets of the major motion pictures “The Core” (2003), and “The Chronicles of Riddick” (2004), then on Showtime’s “The L Word (2004). Finally, she landed her a role on the award-winning show “Battlestar Galactica” (2006).

“Battlestar Galactica” is a re-imagining of the original 1978 television series of the same name. It follows the last remaining human refugees who fled their home world after a nuclear disaster.

On the show, Sharma’s character Tory is an aid to the president, played by actress Mary McDonnell. In this season of the show, plot twists involving Sharma’s character have garnered mixed reactions from fans.

Sharma said she often finds herself defending her character’s actions, after she was revealed to be a Cylon, part of the race of robots and human-looking cyborgs who launched the apocalyptic nuclear attack. In the story, the Cylons’ ultimate goal is to pursue the last of humanity and wipe them out.

“I think even Tory the Cylon is still human,” she said. “If you look at all the characters on the show, they’ve been starved, hunted, homeless, dying, imprisoned and after all that, they’re still living together in space. Sometimes what is seen as evil under one circumstance, will seem the most humane thing to do in another.”

In terms of filming, Sharma said it’s Tory’s on-screen romance that cause her more stress than her character’s moral dilemmas. 

“Love scenes are extremely anxiety-filled,” she admits, “especially being half-dressed in front of the film crew. But, hopefully our hard work shows through on screen.”

The recent strike by the Writers Guild of America left shows like “Battlestar” at a stand-still. Many actors and crew members in the industry were left without work. Sharma used the break to work on other projects and to spend some time at home in Vancouver. She recalled an awkward dinner with other Battlestar Galactica cast members where no one was even sure if the show would even return.

She also began to focus more on humanitarian work. “I was lucky to grow up with such loving parents,” she said, “whom showed me how to be humble, so I can help those in need.” She supports various charities, including helping victims of 2005 Hurricane Katrina, and victims of the 2006 tsunami in Southeast Asia. She has even supported, through donations of time and money, womens’ shelters across Vancouver. In the past she has given free acting lessons to youth in Vancouver.

As Battlestar Galactica draws to its finale, Sharma is keeping herself busy with a role in “Traveling”, a film in post-production starring Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart due out in the fall. Although Sharma acknowledges an off-screen romance, when asked about a significant other she would not reveal any details. She said her significant other has kept her grounded and her newly-acquired and much larger sci-fi fan base is making her focus more intensely on the quality of her performances. 

Looking ahead, Sharma said she is taking her acting career one role at a time.

Sierra announced today that anticipated space combat game Battlestar Galactica will hit stores Oct. 23 and come to Xbox Live Arcade on Oct. 24.

“Leading up to the launch of the game, fans of the series can also watch Razor Flashbacks on www.scifi.com/battlestar that will whet their appetites for the upcoming SCI FI Channel special two-hour Battlestar Galactica episode: Razor. Razor, which will serve as a backdrop for the events of season four of Battlestar Galactica,” the company said in a statement today.

Game features:

• Single-Player Campaign — Pilot various ships and complete 10 memorable missions from the TV series.
• Multiplayer Game Mode — Play online in this relentless space-based action shooter in Domination, Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch modes. (8 players on Xbox LIVE Arcade and 16 players on Windows PC)
• Legendary Spaceships — Fly 4 Human and 4 Cylon ships from the Viper II to the Cylon Raider, each with unique weapon capabilities.
• Special Weapons — Coordinate attacks with an arsenal of destructive weapons including the missiles, guns and more.
• Defensive Maneuvers — Avoid annihilation with the barrel roll, flip turn and other aerial moves.

The game is rated E-10+ and will be available for $19.99. The Xbox Live Arcade version of the game will cost 800 Microsoft points.