Interview: Yvonne Strahovski Talks "Killer Elite," Final Season of "Chuck," and Nerd Fanbase

If you're late to the Yvonne Strahovski bandwagon, you'll have to fight the Nerd Herd for a seat. Those are the fans who know Strahovski as Sarah Walker, the bombshell secret agent who falls for a dork-turned-spy on Chuck. With the show's final season premiering October 21 on NBC, many men are wondering where they can get their next fix of the 29 year-old Australian beauty. The answer: in Gary McKendry's feature film Killer Elite, opposite Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert DeNiro. Strahovski took some time to talk to us about her experience playing the girl-next-door, Chuck's loyal fanbase, her new movie and what's in store for her once the series ends.
Complex: Killer Elite's Anne is a country girl who isn't as involved in the action as your character Sarah is on Chuck. What drew you to her?
Yvonne Strahovski: I like the fact that I got to change it up, that I wasn't doing all the action stuff that I usually do. It was nice playing that normal girl. I could relate a lot to her tomboyishness. I'm a bit of a tomboy myself. I was very much in my element. We shot in the Australian countryside, which is one of the things I miss most about Australia. I was slightly jealous that I didn't get to be a part of the action stuff, but I like that I got to change it up.

Well, you did get to shoot a rifle.
That rifle was as action-y as I got. [Laughs.]

What was it like working with Robert DeNiro on this film? 
I was very, very excited when I found out he was joining the cast. His first day of work was with me when we shot that scene. I knew I was going to be super excited about it, so I wanted to meet him the day before, which I ended up doing. It was nice because I got over the initial nerves. On the day, I couldn't wipe the grin off. It was so amazing to be with somebody so legendary and watch him work.
You did a bit of improv with Jason Statham during your scenes with him in Killer Elite. Is that something you prefer doing?
I think a lot of actors do that in scenes to keep it fresh. If you're feeling something in the moment, then you go ahead and do it in the scene. It kind of adds an element of spontaneity to the scene. It all depends on how much leeway you have. Some writers will not like you to veer away from the script, but on Killer Elite we got to play around with the scene, which is always nice. I love being able to improvise.

How do you feel about being embraced by the nerd community?
I feel very fortunate. It seems like they are the most loyal people out there. We've been really, really lucky to have such a loyal following on Chuck and I feel comfortable knowing I have that fan base still who I know will be loyal and follow me to the next project. All of us on Chuck, those fans will follow us wherever we go. It feels like the show has survived because of them rallying for us. We hit the jackpot with a fanbase that's so passionate for our show and for us as actors.