Mira Furlan is experiencing the normal US culture shock to Britain, "I wanted to go and buy something last night, and then realised that the shops here shut at six!" However she is keen to point out that being a native of the former Yugoslavia she's well aware of the odd differences between to two continents. Honored by her country with two Yugoslav Oscars for best actress she moved to America to work in TV. Indeed in Babylon 5 she speaks with her native accent. "Keeping my accent was not a decision forced upon me. Peter Jurasik (who plays Ambassador Londo Mollari) does do a special accent for the show, but it's not a big deal. Billy (Bill Mumy who plays Delenn's assistant Mr Lennier) and I drop in Minbari words where we can to make the audience realise that English may not be the language of the universe." However she has no plans to release a Minbari language tape.

Mira has to ask me where the UK is in terms of plot, American and Canadian audiences have already seen the fourth series, which is now being shown on Channel 4. To add to the confusion for actors and fans alike the final episode is already in the can even though there's to be a fifth series. "B5 has always been on the edge. This looked to be the final series so we packed two years of plot into one series. Before the cast knew as much as the fans. Now I must not give away any secrets - orders of Joe (the show's creator Michael J. Straczynski)."

As with all long running SF series cast members can be dwarfed by over enthusiastic fans. "I try not to let them treat me as the character, but as a human who plays a role. It can be very frustrating sometimes. Once a fan asked me, 'are you as serious in real life', it's a common mistake. People get confused between the actor and the character. You have to try to break that spell. I try to show that I am a normal human being. American fans tend to be the worst for this."

With the Pathfinder mission still in the news it seemed appropriate to ask her if she thinks there's life on other planets. "I've been watching the Pathfinder mission to see if Mars looks the same as it does in the series! It seems logical that we are not the only lifeforms in the universe. Did you know that NASA has a B5 club (as well Star Trek club) which inspires their work! I hear NASA are saying that the concept of station as big as Babylon 5 will be possible in the not too distant future."

Whatever Pathfinder finds, Mira's future looks good she's just completed a B5 prequel film and will be filming the final series of B5 in the next few weeks. And she hopes to move into films once the series ends. "Babylon 5 has been extremely good to me, but as a actor I want to play as many parts as possible." She would consider a B5 computer game however. "Claudia has already been involved in some and said it was good fun. I like the idea of acting a new medium."

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