TV Hot Spot: News

Moonlight: Interview with Shannyn Sossamon!

Post by: Sal


Source: IF Magazine

MOONLIGHT is returning for new episode on CBS on December 14th and we’re whetting your appetite for your favorite vampires here at iF MAGAZINE.

We’re continuing our chats with the cast of MOONLIGHT and getting these fresh, new interviews out where all Mick St. John fans can get at them.

This week we have the second half of our interview with actress Shannyn Sossamon who plays Mick’s sire Coraline. The actress fills us in some things coming up for the last episodes of the show before the holidays and also reveals her thoughts on where new episodes could take audiences that they haven’t been before.

iF MAGAZINE: Do you enjoy having an open dialogue with the writers in terms of developing your character?

SHANNYN SOSSAMON: Yeah it is better. It’s really nice that they are listening and that they at least hear us out. They do what they want ultimately, but for the most part we are all usually on the same page. Everyone’s input is listened to and it makes it really nice.

iF: Has anyone discussed post writers strike where the storylines may be going?

SOSSAMON: No, I actually don’t think anyone has had that discussion yet. We’re about to shoot twelve right now. Twelve is amazing and it brings the audience back in time to the history of my family and then gets into a little of where Josef is from. We’re going to shoot that and then no one dies and it’s pretty open ended. Beyond that, there were four more episodes purchased, and those aren’t written yet. So once we finish twelve, we’re done because of the strike. Then when we come back and we have the four, and then we wait to get really picked up!

iF: Well, MOONLIGHT has a strong fan base and the ratings have been good so I have a feeling that your show will be back. .

SOSSAMON: Aww good! I love Alex [O’Loughlin] and Sophia [Myles] so much and I love everyone on the show including [Producer] Joel [Silver] is just a neat man and I adore him. It feels like a family on set. The make-up and hair people, the creative teams behind the show, the cinematographer Marvin; everyone has really held this show up. They’ve believed in it every day and they won’t let it go. No matter what kind of drama is going on, and all of the times that some shows would’ve stopped trying; no one on MOONLIGHT has stopped trying, especially Alex he’s just great.

iF: You, Sophia and Alex, do you ever rehearse outside of hours because the chemistry really seems dead on when you watch it, so I was wondering if extra time is put in to help create that?.

SOSSAMON: I think it's just luck or Joel having really good instincts. He hand picked everybody, and we had all worked with Joel before and I think that’s probably what it is; it’s luck and Joel having good instincts about who would have good chemistry on screen. At the end of the day, we must just have good chemistry naturally. When we’re off we have great conversations and we laugh at the same things, and we just have great normal human chemistry. There are never awkward moments and we’re just natural with each other. Joel has done this for so long, he must just know who goes well with each other.

iF: In terms of Coraline from vampire to human are we going to get the full back story of how she did that?

SOSSAMON: Oh yeah, you’ll get the whole thing in twelve and it makes sense. Not only does it make sense, but also they came up with a really great way to explain it. It’s not fun when you’re playing the role when you don’t know how the heck she did it, and now that I do it’s cool; at the time I didn’t know how my character had changed.

iF: You obviously can't approach Coraline and play her just as evil, so what’s the trick to finding the reality of this character?

SOSSAMON: In this episode I get to be a vampire so I didn’t have to be Morgan, I got to be Coraline. In episode ten I got stabbed and was in the hospital and I escaped and no one knew where she was. Now, I just get to play Coraline for twelve and I’m excited about that because I want to get to know her and have the audiences get to know her. It’s not me having to act out the crazy love, or the crazy love elements; it’s just absolutely real. I think a lot of her history is going to come out. When she’s not playing to Mick and she’s put that to rest for a moment, I think she’s got more depth and is much more intense and fierce. We’ve really never seen her when she’s not playing to Mick and to their deranged love. Who was he before she met him, was she always doing this with men? I think Corlaine was always in love with Mick, in a way that is not healthy, and that’s a deep connection that will always be there. Now she’s going to have to learn how to handle things not working out. Whenever he stands next to her, I think it’s for her not to have him going along with her plans. He tests her.

iF: What did you think about playing Morgan and then having her turn out to be Coraline right away in her first episode in the present?

SOSSAMON: I begged for them to do a different ending. I thought it would be more interesting where in the end of the show Beth says, "Don’t thank me thank Morgan" and my character shoots her a really weird look. I thought it would be great to end on that look because from that it’s so obvious that I’m Coraline. Why would I be looking at her in that way if I weren’t Coraline? But, then I had to sit down and do the whole Victoria’s Secret commercial and it was shot really fast, but it turned out fine.
iF: What would you think if in the future they did episodes just featuring the different vampires for an episode instead of Mick?

SOSSAMON: I think if they took some more risks with the characters that people would love it, but there is always a procedural element of something that has to be figured out in every episode. I think Mick will always be a part of the stories even if it is more Josef heavy or Coraline heavy or Beth heavy. So far, they’ve stuck to that, but I think it would be a great idea. I bet Alex would like it too, so he could at least have a little bit of a break. They could really make it interesting and make it more dramatic. I certainly think the audience of this show isn’t watching each week to see what the procedural for the week is going to be. I think they watch it for the drama. They love Mick and Beth and the tension between them, and I think they’re responding well to Coraline. Even if people hate her, people need to be rooting for something to happen. I think even if they are reacting against Mick and Coraline, then I’m doing my job and they should root against it.

iF: So moving away from MOONLIGHT, WRISTCUTTERS A LOVE STORY is in theatres now and you have a few other films coming as well?

SOSSAMON: ONE MISSED CALL is coming out in January and LIFE IS HOT IN CRACKTOWN might be going to Sundance. THE HEAVY is in editing right now and it’s a police drama thriller. LIFE IS HOT IN CRACKTOWN is almost like a play in the sense that it’s little storyline and very simple sets with a very disturbing subject matter; it’s about poverty and struggling to survive in little pockets in a big city and it’s an ensemble piece. Of course, ONE MISSED CALL is a remake of the Asian horror film.


Take Care,

Sal