Pop Culturalist Chats with Ingrid Rogers

Ingrid Rogers discovered she wanted to be an artist after seeing first-hand the impact storytelling has on an audience. She dedicated her life to her craft and built an illustrious career, featuring credits in All My Children, Carlito’s Way, Murder in the First, and Two and a Half Men. Currently, she’s starring in the gritty crime drama, Bosch, airing exclusively on Amazon Prime. Her character, the former ex-wife to lead Detective Jerry Edgar, is one that Ingrid immediately found relatable. Pop Culturalist spoke with Ingrid about the role, the challenges of joining an established series, and why the show has struck a chord with audiences.

Bosch Questions

PC: Tell us about Bosch, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Ingrid: My character’s name is Latonya Edgar. She’s Jerry Edgar’s ex-wife and the mother of his two children. I love their relationship because there’s a lot being said without a lot of words. As an actress, I’m attracted to relationship pieces. I love when there’s a lot going on underneath the surface even though it may not be in the dialogue. It’s beautifully crafted by the writers.

PC: How did you prepare to step into her shoes?
Ingrid: That’s a good question! I do have personal experience of being divorced, though I’m happily married now, and also co-parenting with someone who’s not my current husband. So I understood that aspect of the character. What I didn’t understand was what it’s like to be married to a cop. I did some research on that. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity—which has been amazing—to go out to the Beverly Hills Police Department in California and get first-hand knowledge. I have a friend who’s part of the force and I got to talk to him about what it’s like being in a relationship with a cop. For instance, I learned that when a cop says they’ll be home at a certain time, you can never rely on that.

PC: Were you nervous about joining a show that’s had a few seasons already under its belt?

Ingrid: Yes! I joined in season three and it’s always challenging to come into a very established family. But, they were super welcoming. There’s no ego on that set. Everyone from Titus and Jamie to the crew, the executives, and the EPs were so welcoming, encouraging, and supportive. It really sets the bar high for every project I work on in the future. [laughs] It was really wonderful.

PC: The show has already been greenlit for season five. What do you think it is about Bosch that’s really resonated with audiences?
Ingrid: It’s so well done. In my opinion, the way that it’s shot in that film noir style is beautiful. The cinematographers are incredible on this show. Plus, you factor in Michael Connelly and the success of the book series, and it’s so captivating. The writers translate the book into a series in such a compelling way that you want to keep watching. And a platform like Amazon is so appealing to audiences because they can binge-watch the entire season all at once. It’s like “give me more and more,” and then ten hours have gone by! [laughs] There are so many elements and the acting is so on point. It’s gritty, it’s believable, and you feel like you’re in Los Angeles working on a case.

PC: If you could write a storyline for your character next season, what would it be and why?
Ingrid: That’s a good one! I want to continue the exploration of being an ex-wife of a cop. But it’d be interesting to see what arises if they start dating outside of that relationship. How will that affect their dynamic or does that bring them closer together?

Career Questions

PC: When did you first realize you wanted to pursue a career in acting?
Ingrid: I realized I wanted to pursue a career in acting during high school. I grew up in Toronto, and in grade twelve, my theatre class and our teacher wrote a play based on a magazine article about apartheid. At the time, I wasn’t thinking of it from an actor’s perspective, but I loved telling a story that made audiences think and inspired them to make a change.

PC: Do you have a dream role or someone you’d love to collaborate with in the future?
Ingrid: Idris Elba [laughs] I didn’t even have to skip a beat on that one! As far as a dream role, you know how Idris plays Luther, I’d love to play a female version of that. She’d be a badass woman in a capacity like that. I like the aspect of detectives and the idea of putting a bad guy away, but also a character who’s fighting their own demons.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Ingrid: The Voice

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Ingrid: I like Anna Faris movies. I think she’s super funny and talented.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Ingrid: My favorite play is Betrayal. My favorite musical is In the Heights.

PC: Favorite social media platform?
Ingrid: Instagram

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Ingrid: Kings of Leon

PC: Last show you binge-watched?
Ingrid: The Crown

PC: Hidden talent?
Ingrid: I can only wink my right eye.

Make sure to follow Ingrid on Twitter and Instagram, and binge-watch Bosch on Amazon Prime.