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Jennifer Carpenter, Dexter's complicated love interest, interview excerpts

By April MacIntyre Dec 19, 2011, 21:10 GMT

09/18/2011 - Jennifer Carpenter - 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards - Arrivals - Nokia Theatre L.A. Live - Los Angeles, CA, USA © Andrew Evans / PR Photos

"Dexter" star Jennifer Carpenter plays Dex's sister Deb, and was recently also Dexter's real life wife, married to show star Michael C. Hall.

Now her character is dealing with love issues on the series, a bit creepy considering they were raised as siblings.

Jennifer Carpenter stars as Debra Morgan on Showtime's hit show Dexter, which just wrapped its sixth season Sunday night.

Carpenter, 32, was interviewed by Parade.com on the success of Dexter, her relationship with co-star Michael C. Hall [the two recently finalized their divorce after separating a year ago], and the one show she'd love to be a guest star on.

On playing Dexter's smart aleck sister...
JC:"I love playing her because I learn a lot from her. She sort of acts without thinking, which is a luxury that I don't really have. I like that she is always operating from her gut. I really admire her. She's good at her job and she's relentless about making sure her personal life is in tact. She does a lot of work on herself as a woman, as a friend, as a sister, and as an aunt."

On her relationship with co-star [and ex-husband] Michael C. Hall...
JC: "It's sacred for an actor to keep their personal life personal. I would like to reassure all Dexter fans that the show is and always has been paramount. We've always done a nice job of protecting it and each other. We play important roles in each other's lives and always will. Our friendship is true and strong and always will be as far as I'm concerned."

On the serial killer with a heart of gold...
JC: "I think people might be attracted to the character Dexter because they get to exercise some of their own demons through him and live vicariously through him. I think it tests audiences in a way that a lot of other shows haven't until now. Audiences enjoy being in the know. They get to be in the head of the serial killer and the other characters are in the dark. It's interesting television. It makes you gauge where your moral center is and sometimes it surprises you that you lean so far from one side to the other."

On the big screen vs. the small screen...
JC: "I never thought that I would be so attracted to television, but I don't think gigs like Dexter come along too often. I love that there's a beginning, middle and end to a film and you can craft what the whole journey is going to look like. And then I always love the whole open-endedness of television. I feel like I hear a lot of actors say this — but I know why — you just want to work with really great people. I just want to be with great teachers. If that means I'm in a horror film with good teachers, I'll do another horror film. But I would love to branch out and do more comedy or just more straight dramas."