In May of 2010, viewers witnessed the end of two of television's biggest and most influential dramas of the decade, 24 and Lost. 24 offered fans non-stop action and suspense, while Lost challenged fans to put the pieces of the ultimate drama puzzle together (knowing we never would find those missing pieces).

With both series now gone forever, fans were in great need of something to get us excited all over again and NBC rose to the occasion with their action/sci-fi drama series The Event.

The series offers fans the best of both worlds - action and an ongoing mystery (which will hopefully not keep us asking questions that will never get answered!). I think many of us were hooked before the series started with that taunting line -- What is the Event?

From Third Watch and The Division to ER and most recently, The Event, Lisa Vidal has made herself at home in our living rooms for years and we have loved every minute of it. Lisa's latest role as First Lady Christina Martinez on the hit series finds this incredibly talented leading lady in a different type of role than anything we've seen her in to date.

Get to know more about this charming actress as we chat with her about getting started in the acting business, her favorite television shows and her latest role in NBC's addictive series The Event.

Q: Did you always know you wanted to become an actor?

Lisa: "I either wanted to be a doctor or an actor. When I was very young, my aunt took me to see Barbara Streisand in Funny Girl and I absolutely fell in love with that movie and at that point I wanted to be an actor.

I wanted to sing and act and dance and everything else."

Q: Through your career, have there been any roles you turned down that you wish you hadn't?

Lisa: "There was one role in a Nicolas Cage movie. It was that movie where they go to Las Vegas and get thrashed and do a lot of crazy things. I guess at that point in my life, I was really bent on playing characters that were role models that weren't negative because I feel like there have been so many negative portrayals of Latinos and drugs and crime. I'm kind of sorry I didn't do that role because today I understand that it's more about playing the character in their story."

Q: You've starred in several successful TV series, which one is nearest and dearest to your heart?

Lisa: "I would have to say the character I played on Third Watch. I loved that show and I loved that character. That character was written for me. She captured a great balance in a woman who is intelligent, takes charge, smart, but can be really vulnerable and insecure. I really enjoyed playing her."

Q: Currently, you star in The Event, did TPTB fill the cast in on what the event actually is yet?

Lisa: "They have not. Only a few people on the show know what the event is because it's pertinent to their character and they are a part of it. Whoever was not directly connected was not allowed to know at the beginning, which was kind of cool because there was a lot of mystery to the whole thing for many of us. And then there were some of us who tried to crack them. They were literally forbidden to say. They're very secretive about the storylines to make sure nothing gets spoiled."

Q: With information this big, how do they ensure you don't reveal information about upcoming episodes?

Lisa: "We all have to sign something saying we're not going to give story plots away. We can't even say who's coming on the show. That's the big things the shows do, but they also put it out there that we're a family -- the cast, crew, producers, and writers, everybody is a family and we protect the family and it only helps our show to move forward. As an actor, you don't want to ruin that, you want to be a part of it. They really put this feel-good kind of feeling, so we all feel like we have something we're creating with each other."

Q: That being said, what can you tell us about what's coming up on The Event?

Lisa: "There are a lot of twists and turns that you don't expect. Not everything seems to be what it is, so there's a lot of surprise and more mystery with the detainees. It's really exciting; it's getting even deeper and more intense in the characters and the plot."

Q: Will we see more of your character?

Lisa: "Yes you are they're really giving me some great stuff. The first few episodes were really setting up what was going on, who these people were and what the plot was. Now we're going to get more into the characters themselves."

Q: Do you watch any TV shows on a regular basis?

Lisa: "I am hooked on Dexter; it's one of my favorite shows."

Q: Do you use Twitter or Facebook to keep in touch with your fans?

Lisa: "I use Facebook. I'm not on Twitter yet -- I'm trying to avoid it to tell you the truth. It's one more thing to worry about."

Q: Anything to say to the fans?

Lisa: "Thank you so much for being hooked on our show and the loyalty, interest and excitement. Please keep spreading the word so we can get more people hooked on the show."