Tracy Spiridakos felt it necessary to prepare thoroughly for her starring role in the television adaptation of Anna Pigeon.
With a goal of authentically portraying her park ranger character, inspired by Nevada Barr’s crime novels, the 38-year-old actress eagerly dove into studying “survival tactics” for the new series.
“First on my list was learning how to ride a horse,” Spiridakos shared exclusively with E! correspondent Will Marfuggi during the show’s Los Angeles premiere on August 5. “That was definitely the most challenging part.”
Despite her background in camping trips during childhood, which imparted some “basic” wilderness tips, Spiridakos found that her role as Detective Hailey Upton on Chicago P.D. wasn’t quite the same as stepping into Anna’s shoes in this setting.
“Actually, I had to set aside certain habits picked up from playing a Chicago cop for so many years,” Spiridakos remarked. “The ease I had with kicking down a door had to be toned down. Anna isn’t quite as adept or frequent in doing that, so releasing some of that cop training was crucial for me.”