From Nanny To Nurse

Introductions are in order for actress Taylor Schilling, because before last week, she had never been on tv.

In fact, the stage trained actress only had been in one movie
before landing her starring role on "Mercy". It was a small, independent drama with Meryl Streep called "Dark Matter".

"It feels like a moment where the preparation meets the right character and the right opportunity," Schilling said recently, about her role as Nurse Veronica Callahan.

Despite being a tv newcomer, the rookie's impressed her more seasoned co-star.

"I think she's going to be the next Julia Roberts," said co-star James Tupper, who plays her love interest, Dr. Chris Sands. "She can light up a room like nobody else."

But as recently as last spring, this budding star was making ends meet as a nanny in New York.

"People think that's like, hilarious," Schilling laughed, "And you know, it's like when you're auditioning, you have to figure out a way to feed yourself!"

And it turns out Schilling's nanny skills came in handy.

"I can't think of a better way to prepare for playing an icu nurse than putting kids to bed, thwarting playground crises and cleaning up kid puke," she joked.

Schilling may even do double duty on the set.

"Taylor's also offered to all of our crew members to bring their children to set," co-star Michelle Trachtenberg said, tongue firmly in cheek.

And Schilling didn't miss a beat.

"On my free time," Schilling laughed, "I'll just take care of them."

If nothing else, the actress had a unique reason for leaving her nanny job.

"I don't think (her former employers) quite believed me," she recalled. "I think they thought I was going to come back to work like next week."

But thanks to the role of Veronica Callahan, there's no turning back.