SPOILER ALERT: If you haven’t completed season one, this article does contain spoilers!
‘Orphan Black‘ the buzzed-about BBC America show about a woman who realizes she is several women, or rather clones, became an instant cult favorite this spring when the first season debuted. Actress Tatiana Maslany portrays all of the different clones including con artist Sarah, soccer mom Alison, biology student Cosima and Helena, a major threat in season one, who was a religious nut gunning down the other clones, thinking that she was the original and the others were created by Satan. Admirably, Maslany embodies each character differently, giving them different accents and personae.
She recently gave an interview where she reflected on the first season and her various characters, as well as looking ahead to season two. Here are some highlights:
In regard to the clones each being trademarked (and are clones in the first place), she remarked:
There’s something about that idea of ownership over your body that I feel is quite resonant to women. It’s so interesting that it’s in the context of clones, but it’s all women dealing with this idea of, “Do I own my body? Is my body mine? Who am I if I don’t own my body? Who am I if somebody else has decided all this stuff?” I think Sarah is a fiercely rebellious person, so anybody putting her in a box is when she’ll lose her sh–. Cosima is fascinated with this concept because of the science of it and because of the way that she can break things down and understand them better. Alison bought into it. It’s cool that they all deal with it very differently.
On Sarah, who is seeking her missing daughter Kira:
Yeah, I think [she’s] claiming something for herself, re-claiming her life. That all involves Kira and Felix (Jordan Gavaris) and whatever Mrs. S’ (Maria Doyle Kennedy) deal is.
On Cosima, who seems to be dying from the same illness another clone Katja had:
I’m scared for her. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’d be really sad to lose her if that happened… It’s that panic that could set in for all of them: “Who’s the next one to go?” They’re kind of — not dispensable — but they’re mortal.
On Alison, who signed her life away:
I think Alison is f—ed. [Laughs] I think she f—ed up big time. My favorite thing for Alison is the denial that she lives in consistently. It’s her favorite place to live. She’d rather pretend everything is perfect, and nothing can be less perfect than her life is right now. This is literally the worst thing that can happen to her, that she signed her life away and she thinks everything is good. Obviously it’s not going to be, and we’re going to see her lose her sh–, I’m sure.
On the now deceased Helena:
I loved her so much. She’s such a ferocious, feral creature, so it’s really fun to key into those things. I had a huge soft spot for her because I felt that so much of her was misguided and she just didn’t know any better and that’s why she was the way she was.
On Rachel, the “Proclone” who works for the people that created them all:
She scares me so much because she’s so different from any of the other clones and very different from me. All those things that she moves with — the entitlement and the status and money or whatever has given her this power — is really interesting territory for me to delve into. I’m just really excited about her backstory and where she’s come from.
In regard to season two, specifically the idea that even more clones will be added to the mix, she delved into a bit of her method of preparation:
I mean, it’s a clone show, so it’s probably going to happen. But I don’t know any specifics, which is frustrating because I’d love to get going on them a little bit. But I really just trust the guys to come up with whatever they come up with. It’s always going to be great. They’re as interested in stretching the form and stretching the characterization, so I think they’ll really go for it, whatever it is.
They’re all really challenging in different ways. Rachel, by the end, was quite scary to bring out because I had established all of the others and knew them so well. So, to bring someone new in was scary. They’re all a challenge though. Whether it’s a dialect thing or a physicality thing or a life experience, there’s always something different about them that I really need to work at that’s not me, and then there are pieces of them that are me, which gives me a [way] in.
There you have it! Is that enough to tide you over until next April, when the show returns? Any predictions?
In the meanwhile, Maslany will appear in a storyline on NBC’s ‘Parks and Recreation’ this fall, portraying a love interest for Tom.
If you’d like to read her full interview, in which she addresses her Emmy snub, head over to TVGuide.com.
