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She just wanted to be an actress.
By providing the voice of one of the soldiers in Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (which opens tomorrow), Gilpin gets to help save the planet.
"The only way I could play a character like Jane Proudfoot is through the magic of computers. I'm hardly the typecasting directors and producers think of when it comes to strong, physical females," says Gilpin.
"I would kill for Jane Proudfoot's body, but it's never going to happen. She looks awesome. I think she's a great role model for young women. She is an equal with all the men on the mission."
Based on the popular Japanese video game, Final Fantasy tells of a mission to save Earth from an alien force that is draining the planet of its resources.
Gilpin, who plays producer Roz Doyle on TV's Frasier, says she discovered just how popular Final Fantasy is with video game buffs.
"For my 32-year-old brother and my 16- and 18-year-old cousins, The Spirits Within is the first thing I've done that they are genuinely interested in.
"That says something about the immense popularity of the Final Fantasy games."
Gilpin, who has played the man-hungry Roz since Frasier debuted in 1993, says her contract expires next season.
"They know they can renew me forever. Frasier is the best job in the world. It's a group of really great friends doing a little play together each week and getting paid handsomely for their efforts."
Gilpin is not about to reveal her salary, but she is aware star Kelsey Grammer has just negotiated a $1.6-million per episode contract for two more seasons.
"It couldn't happen to a more deserving person. Kelsey is not only a great actor, he's an incredible person and a tremendous leader.
"People in the industry love Kelsey, which is why we can get such great guest stars."
Gilpin says she is open to any storyline the Frasier writers choose to throw at her character, including another pregnancy if they so choose.
"Being informed that Roz was going to be pregnant for a season was nearly as weird as how that happened," recalls Gilpin.
"I was at home watching the Diane Keaton movie Baby Boom on TV. I thought it was such an alien concept for a career woman to have to restructure her life to cope with an unplanned pregnancy.
"I was literally wondering what I would do under such a circumstance when the phone rang and I got the news Roz was going to get pregnant.
"I though I was in some weird parallel universe or something."
Gilpin is married to artist Christian Vincent.
"I'd love to be a mom someday, but I've only been married two years and Vincent and I are still enjoying each other."
It seems some fans of Frasier would like to see Roz and Frasier enjoy each other.
"It's mostly female fans, but they really do want Frasier and Roz to get together. I think that is sweet in a weird sort of way.
"Men, on the other hand, really don't want to see Roz and Frasier have an affair. I think they feel Roz is a little too aggressive for poor Frasier."
Gilpin was not the first choice to play Roz.
Lisa Kudrow played Roz in the pilot for Frasier.
"Lisa and I became really good friends during the casting process because we were up against each other.
"When Lisa got the role, we went out together to celebrate, which made it a bit weird and bittersweet when I got a call to say it hadn't worked out for Lisa and would I come in to replace her.
"I'm so happy for her that Friends came along so soon afterwards."
(More on: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within)