The most mysterious character on “The Good Wife” is slinky investigator Kalinda Sharma (Archie Panjabi) — but a close second may be FBI Special Agent Lana Delaney (Jill Flint), who’s been playing cat and mouse — not to mention footsie — with Kalinda since Season 1.
Kalinda’s had a slew of female flames in impossibly tight clothes (Kelli Giddish’s Sophia; Jordana Spiro’s Jenna; Lili Taylor’s Donna), but her chemistry with Lana has always been particularly charged.
And now, the Fed wants more from her on-again/off-again lover — like feelings.
For the 411 on Lana, The Post called Flint on the New Mexico set of NBC’s “The Night Shift,” where she’s a regular as Dr. Jordan Alexander.
How was Lana written back in Season 1?
In my first scene, Kalinda, as usual, came to me for information. I looked at her and said something like, “Well, see you around.” There was something slightly flirtatious about what Lana said and when I was in the audition I asked, “Have these two ever slept together? Is there something between them?” Maybe that’s what got me the job [laughs].
Up until the current season, what they said to each other has been fairly neutral, or work-related — unlike their body language. How much of that sexual tension was in the scripts?
What’s interesting with the show as a whole is what’s not on the page. Archie and I work a lot with what’s between the lines. Everything between us is a look, a touch, a small moment. This season you see Archie take her hair down for the first time, which is very symbolic of what’s happening between them. This was a big deal.
Could it be Lana’s influence? She’s been opening up more.
Information used to be a sexual currency between them. Lana had a little bit more feelings for Kalinda, but she had her own barriers and issues. Now you really do see for the first time a shift where Kalinda is working from my bed, her hair is down — it’s an entirely different thing. There they are, sipping their wine in their matching satin outfits [laughs]. I don’t want to speak for Archie but I think it’s been a lot of fun for her as well, because you hardly ever see Kalinda’s vulnerable side, if at all.
You once said you didn’t picture Lana and Kalinda in a romantic relationship, that it’s “not who they are as people.” But now it looks like a possibility.
It did take me by surprise. But it’s good, characters have to evolve. Archie and I sat down and talked it all through. I love the challenge. I love being Lana. I do not wear pencil skirts or paint my nails in real life, so it’s just fun to step into her shoes.
Have you made up a back story for her?
To me she’s a hardworking woman and it’s taken her a while to come out with her sexuality. She’s very protective of herself, of her feelings, of her private life. She doesn’t put down roots. She has an understanding with Kalinda, which is why they’re able to have the relationship they have. But I think Lana fell first.
What’s the deal with that white card Kalinda was meant to put in Lana’s purse?
I think that’s going to be revealed, just not yet. I would prefer not to talk about the card [laugh].
Let’s talk about the car then — as in, Lana’s badass convertible.
Oh my gosh, I love that car! It’s so much fun to drive.
But seriously, what kind of FBI agent drives something like that?
A naughty one.