Currently in its fourth season on Lifetime TV is the top-rated drama series 'Army Wives,' which follows the lives of four (what else?) Army wives and their families.

In playing Lt. Colonel Joan Burton, actress Wendy Davis has had the experience of being on a series that tells military stories from a female perspective. And for the Maryland native, whose television credits include 'Commander in Chief,' 'Cold Case,' and 'Grey's Anatomy,' it's refreshing and enlightening.

Black Voices caught up with the Howard University alum as she shared her experiences working on the series.

Tell us about your character you play on 'Army Wives.'

Wendy Davis: Well, I play Lt. Colonel Joan Burden, and she is a soldier, she's a mother and she's a wife. These three things are very challenging to put together in one person. She's constantly dealing with the pull of her career and her family. She's always in the middle, and that's what makes her interesting and fun to play.

With the show in its fourth season, has your character grown?

WD: Absolutely. When I was hired Joan was intended to be a B character because the story follows the five military spouses who are not in the Army. So initially Joan was just supposed to deal with Roland and his storylines. When they shot the pilot, they realized they had a woman who was a soldier and that may be interesting to another population of women. After the pilot, they fell into something and they developed Joan's character because Lifetime is a network about women. They decided to develop Joan. That's how Joan became her own character so to speak -- an A-character. I've discovered more about her.

This isn't just any role. It's something people can relate to. How has that affected your life?

WD: I love the fact that I, Wendy Davis, get to tell this story, because this is the story that's never been told before, the story of the female soldier. Ever. A lot of women are juggling career and family. Joan is an exaggerated version of that. When she is deployed, it's not the normal stakes as when mom goes to work. Mom may not come back, she can be injured, she can come back not the same person. In the history of American drama, generally the story focuses on the man, they follow him into battle, with his family. ... So this is actually groundbreaking and I'm so excited I get to share these stories and hopefully I do these women justice.

On the show you can't be as glamorous as you are right now.

WD: Right. It's very minimal makeup, almost no makeup. It's like hair in a bun, no makeup. Wearing a green box, not designed to accentuate the feminine body. The military uniform, ACUs, has a very specific form and function. You're not supposed to be able to differentiate the different body types. That's so they don't see, "Hey, that's a girl, let's get her!"

How's working with the cast? Are you the best of friends, or after work does everyone go their separate ways?

WD: We're very much like family. I'd say we get along better than most. After four years, we don't have teams, we don't have sides. We basically have two sides: the group with kids and the group without kids. (laughs) The group without kids do things at twelve o'clock at night on a Friday. The group with kids do things on a Saturday morning at 10. But I respect everyone there. It's great.

When you are on break, what do you want to do to get more exposure outside of the show?

WD: I have a bucket list, and here it is for anyone who's listening. I would like to do a movie with Denzel Washington. I would like to do a Western or a period piece. There's a great book called 'The Hemmings of Monticello,' and it's about the Hemmings family on Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. This family was a very powerful, closely knit family. There's a character, Elizabeth Hemmings, the mother of Sally Hemmings, who was the woman who had several children with him and was the mistress of Monticello for 50 years. It's a very interesting story. Did I say Denzel? (laughs) Not because I have a crush on Denzel but because I think he's one of the greatest actors of our time. I'd love to have an opportunity to work with him and experience that kind of talent and power up close and personal.

Do you go out and audition for films or do they come to you?

WD: Absolutely. There are a couple projects in the works, one in particular I'm excited about. It's a documentary about the military. I've never done such a big voice-over project, which will be wonderful. It's another way to pay homage to military families.

What else keeps you grounded besides being a parent?

WD: That's about it, because when you're at work and you're being totally catered to and then you come home and you can't get your 6-year-old to pick up their shorts off the floor that pretty much puts things in perspective. I have a pretty normal life.

One of the things I've heard is that you teach an acting class.

WD: Yes. I teach a class in Charleston, which is where we shoot, because there are so many talented actors in the Southeast who don't have the opportunity to work with a professional level acting coach. I owned an acting school in Los Angeles called the Los Angeles Actors Center before I got 'Army Wives.' It's a grassroots thing, I just love being around artists and those who are really eager to learn the craft, and pass it on to them.

'Army Wives' airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT