Maggie Grace is on a roll with sci-fi/fantasy roles

PASADENA — Maggie Grace hasn’t slept in days because of work on an upcoming film, but she’s happy to discuss her new sci-fi action-thriller, “Lockout.”

In the film, Grace plays the president’s daughter, who finds herself in the middle of a prison riot in space. Only a disgraced cop (Guy Pearce) can save her.

“Lockout” joins a growing list of sci-fi/fantasy jobs for Grace that includes “Lost,” “The Fog” and “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Parts 1 and 2.” It’s no coincidence she’s been drawn to such projects, as she’s a big fan of the genre.

She liked how “Lockout” has traditional sci-fi elements along with a sense of humor.

“The film is a throwback in a good way,” Grace says. “It’s a return to action movies more like they were in the late ’80s and early ’90s. They didn’t take themselves too seriously.

“This is a fun romp, and it’s definitely an action/sci-fi movie. But for me, more than anything else, there’s this fun, sexually charged adversarial relationship between myself and the character played by Guy Pearce.”

“Lockout” gave Grace the opportunity to do a lot more stunt training, especially the wire work needed to make it look like she is suspended in space. She was so excited about the physical parts of the role that she did extra training.

Being part of “Lost” and the “Twilight” franchise gets Grace a lot of attention. But it’s another of her film credits that gets her the most comments in airports.

“I will always have someone come up to me, who thinks they are saying this to me for the first time ever, and tell me, ‘Don’t get into a taxi with a stranger,’ ” Grace says.

The line is from “Taken,” the 2008 film in which she played the kidnapped daughter of a former spy (Liam Neeson). The film was such a hit that a sequel is being made.

And, no, Grace’s character doesn’t get grabbed again. She laughs and says that would be kind of ridiculous. This time she helps save someone else who’s been taken.