While odds are fairly good that you already know that actress Tamala Jones can be seen every Monday night at 10PM on the hit ABC series CASTLE, here are five things you might not know about her.
From her youth spent recreating scenes from her favorite childhood movie (“I wanted to be Coco and would redo the whole opening of Fame in my backyard almost everyday”) Tamala Jones always knew she wanted to be an actress but it took two of her high school classmates for really inspiring her to pursue her dreams. Explained Jones, “I went to school with Lark Voorhies [SAVED BY THE BELL’s Lisa Turtle] and Jaleel White (FAMILY MATTERS’ Urkel), both of whom who were so amazing and sweet, and while I always knew I was going to be an actress those two really put the fire under my feet to make me go ahead and do it.”
Despite her current flair for the dramatic that currently finds her playing Medical Examiner Lanie Parish on the hit ABC series CASTLE, Jones’ first love is comedy. “Comedy is just so much more fun. You get to play, laugh all day and meet really interesting people like Chris Rock, Bernie Mac, D.L. Hughley and Tracy Morgan,” explained Jones during a recent one-on-one with the TV Addict. “That said, I like to throw in a drama here and there just to let you know I can. I love drama, but things get a little dark at times and I’m a really silly and goofy person.”
What’s the one thing actress Tamala Jones relishes most about her walk on the more dramatic side? Turns out, playing the a character responsible for specifying clinically what exactly has happened to Castle and Beckett’s murder-of-the-week has made Jones a better actress. “It’s a lot of medical jargon that I have to do research for on my own, but it has made me a stronger as an actress and more focused,” said Jones. “With comedy you don’t really have to be focused, you can just go in there, do you thing, it’s simple and fun. With CASTLE you really have to do your homework and I think that every actor should have a role where you homework.”
Are you one of the millions of passionate “Caskett” shippers anxiously waiting for Beckett and Castle to acknowledge their feelings for one another? Jones has a little unsolicited advice for you: Don’t hold your breath! “The thing about Andrew [CASTLE creator Andrew Marlowe] is that he knows that if Castle and Beckett were to hook up anytime soon that would kill of the heat,” admitted Jones. “Which I love because I agree with him. If you hook them up too fast you’re going to kill that spice, and we need that. That spice is Castle and Beckett!”
When asked to choose her favorite thing about CASTLE, outside of her own character of course, Jones was quick to shine the spotlight on Castle’s daughter Alexis [Molly C. Quinn]. “I think Andrew’s focus on Alexis is brilliant because there are so many young girls that watch the show because of her,” explained Jones. “Young girls can relate to what she’s going through and to see her work through her problems and come out with solutions can really be an encouragement.” 
New episodes of CASTLE airs Mondays at 10PM on ABC (CTV in Canada) and stars Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn, Jon Huertas, Tamala Jones, Seamus Dever and Penny Johnson. Catch up with past episodes you may have missed for free online at clicktowatch.tv.