WITH AN EYE ON ... : Alexandra Powers at work: a fundamentalist one night and a killer another

Alexandra Powers is living an actor’s dream this week, playing characters at opposite ends of the spectrum. In addition to her new “L.A. Law” role as an attorney who happens to bea Christian fundamentalist, she plays a philandering murderer in the NBC miniseries “A Matter of Justice.”

Critics have expressed concern that her “L.A. Law” role might turn the character Jane Halliday into a “towering inferno of goodness.” But Powers, who says she has a strong personal but indefinable belief in God, says such concerns are unfounded.

“She’s not Bible-thumping and only talks about God when it’s appropriate,” Powers says. “She’s just very strong in her beliefs and at peace with herself. She doesn’t have to be defensive or angry or nervous. She knows what she wants for her life. End of story.”

Not really. Powers--quick to note that Halliday is just a character and she’s an actress--says she knows as much about the storylines for Halliday’s character as viewers do.

“Television is so uncontrollable,” says Powers, who has a film background (“Dead Poets Society” and “Rising Sun”). “I don’t want her to lose her virginity, and I hope she’ll manage to stay true to her message. I’d hate to see her change her beliefs or her mind. But with television, you never know what’s going to happen with your character.”

Powers does know, however, what will happen to Dusty, the character she plays in “A Matter of Justice,” her favorite role to date.

“It was more fun (than playing Halliday) and very emotional,” she says, adding that both roles defy those she believes women have been relegated to in film and television.

“Jane (Halliday) is a virgin who is not a victim,” she says. “And that’s pretty new, because it seems that women who are sexually very powerful and manipulative are portrayed as strong, and women who are virginal are weak and innocent. It’s generally pretty black and white.”

Powers is busy more ways than one: She married theatrical actor Barry Sherman three months ago. “It was what people call love at first sight,” she says with a laugh. “I saw him in a play in New York and I definitely knew I wanted to be with him. It became a very complicated story and wasn’t easy, but it all worked out.”

Struggling with conflicting schedules hasn’t been easy, either. An average day on the set of “A Matter of Justice,” was 16 hours.

“When I was finished shooting, I wanted to spend time with my husband,” she says. “You have eight hours a day left to sleep and have a personal life. You end up giving up sleep . . . at least I did. I only slept about four hours each night.”

Powers says she’s not often recognized by fans, since her hair is actually very short. But to her surprise, people know her from her voice. Just don’t expect her to recite the Scriptures.

“A Matter of Justice” airs Sunday and Monday at 9 p.m. on NBC. “L.A. Law” airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. on NBC.