'I Talked To Tony Robbins And A Dominatrix': 'Billions' Matriarch Maggie Siff On Complexities Of Wendy Rhoades

(CBS Local)--Maggie Siff has played prominent roles on some of the most iconic shows of the past 10 years.

Siff made a name for herself thanks to roles in "Sons of Anarchy", "Mad Men" and now "Billions." Wendy Rhoades is one of the most fascinating characters on the Showtime hit series and that is one of the many reasons Siff loves playing this character.

"I knew that Paul [Giamatti] and Damian [Lewis] were attached to it and that was really exciting to me," said Siff in an interview with CBS Local. "The character...she is so complicated. She has this home life, she has this work life, and has this marriage that looks like one thing on the surface, but is something underneath the surface. She is super multidimensional and exists in many spheres. That felt different to me."

During her time playing Rhoades, Siff has been approached by several women about how the character speaks to them. Siff believes Wendy has had an impact on the culture because she is authentic and unafraid in the male-dominated world of finance.

"A lot of women come up to me and say I love the way she bosses all those men around," said Siff. "They really relate to this woman who quietly walks in and pulls a lot of strings. She has a family, but there is nothing in the telling of story that's about Wendy being in conflict with the fact that she's a mom and being super powerful and having a job. She is very unapologetic about who she is, the power she wields, and the influence she has."

Siff admits she is about four or five episodes behind as "Billions" gets ready to return this Sunday night on Showtime. The preparation of this role was unlike anything she had encountered in her career previously.

"I think everybody has a different approach. I like to read things and watch things and meet people " said Siff. "When we first started working on this, I met with people who do things that kind of vaguely resemble this. I talked to Tony Robbins, who was a big inspiration for the role. I talked to some dominatrices. I had to diversify. It's a conglomeration of a lot of different things and your own instinct and imagination."

Watch Billions Sunday at 9pm EST on Showtime or Showtime Anytime.