Karine Vanasse – Revenge

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

A) I was developing a movie that I was coproducing and it is shooting right now. So, during the hiatus we were mostly doing casting and things like that. I was using my time for that project mostly. I’m really excited to be back for “Revenge” and I was trying to do my best to give the film as much time as possible.

Q) What can you share about the film you have been working on?

A) I am not starring in it. I have a really small cameo as a real estate agent. I’m wearing sunglasses so people probably won’t even recognize me. I’m mostly producing it and that is great because I wanted to produce before I was acting. I wanted to experience the process of really being behind the director and with the producing team. When we bought the rights to this book five years ago with my writing partner, of course I didn’t know I would be on “Revenge” while the film was shooting it in Montreal. I’m really excited about it. It takes so long before a movie gets made. It’s crazy! But there is so much energy that gets directed towards it that you are just so proud of it, proud of the director, proud of the crew and proud of the actors. I think that because I am not acting in it, I can really focus on production and observe things. It’s been very refreshing for me to get to do that.

Q) You have such a great wardrobe on “Revenge.” How does that add to the dynamic of your character, Margaux?

A) It’s interesting when you portray your character and see your fashion style being influenced by their fashion style. The costume designer on the show is great! There are so many characters on “Revenge,” yet they all have their differences. I certainly feel that Margaux has her own style. She is European and she comes from that aesthetic. This season she’ll be wearing dresses because in the world of “Revenge” you have to wear dresses. Also, last year there were statement necklaces and earrings. This season is sometimes wearing pants. I just love how Jill [Ohanneson] applies structure and something a little edgy, but always very classic. She plays with those two directions very well with Margaux. I am already a big fan of heels. I run in them and everything. So, wearing heels on this set all the time is not a problem for me. I’m just really happy they give you so much. I had a scene where I was playing tennis and I was wearing sneakers on set. I was just like, “This doesn’t feel like I’m on the right show now. Where are my heels?” I just wear heels all the time on the set so it was very strange to be wearing sneakers.

Q) We have seen a connection between Margaux and Daniel Grayson. What is their dynamic like this season?

A) It is very interesting to me to see both Margaux and Daniel (Josh Bowman) come from the same type of family, having very powerful fathers. We don’t know Margaux’s mother, but she certainly has a very manipulative and secretive father. I think they both have try to sort of explore different avenues to move away from those family traits. But now they are really trying, both of them, to find independence and their own sense of power. I think in their mind it is for the best of them, but I am not sure that it is. We’ll see this season. In my mind, they are business partners, friends and can really rely on each other (at least she thinks she can). It’s interesting to feel that they have a dynamic now that is tainted by the dynamic that they probably had over the years. It was really directly addressed, but you can sort of feel that there is always this tension between them. Is it attraction because they share the same history? I think we’ll discover more about that this season.

Q) With Margaux’s relationship with Jack, how does it feel having fans rooting against the two of you as a couple where as on “Pan Am” fans rooted for Collette and Dean?

A) I had to be reminded at the beginning that that was the kind of reaction they were trying to get from fans. Margaux was there in the relationship to sort of remind the audience that they were rooting for Emily and Jack. Sometimes the fans would react on Twitter saying, “No! Go away!” They weren’t telling Margaux to go away. They were just saying they wanted Emily and Jack together. I’ve never really played that kind of character before. I’m usually the sweet little girl that viewers are touched by because they care for her and want to take care of her. In Margaux’s case, that is not the case. She is there for other reasons and you need characters like that on the show. The writers were there at the beginning of last season to tell me, “Don’t panic! That’s what we want to create as a reaction from the fans. You’re doing exactly what we wanted!” I think it was interesting for Margaux to explore that relationship storywise because it shows that she is not only evil. She doesn’t want to do bad. She wanted to prove herself to her father and at the same time she wanted to maybe create a new life for herself and explore that side of her where she was attracted to Jack and attracted to this kind of life. I think she was trying to convince herself that maybe it was her destiny to be a business woman, but not to create the same mistakes as her father and maybe have a more stable family and a more stable relationship. It’s starting to be a little different for her, but at least she tried. I think it is realistic that sometimes when you come from a certain type of family that whatever you background is at a certain point you try to run away from it to prove that you can be something else. I think that is what Margaux was trying to do last season, but as soon as her father came back into the picture that was it. She goes back to her roots and trying to prove herself in this other world of power.

Q) On the romantic front, is there anyone you can tease that Margaux will be involved romantically with this season?

A) I don’t know yet. The writers are very secretive about what they have in mind for each of our characters. So, I don’t know. I’m expecting to be surprised after episode 4.10 about who Margaux could eventually encounter. I haven’t had any revelations yet so I am in the same position as you right now about that.

Q) Will we get to see you work more this season with the devastatingly wicked Madeleine Stowe?

A) It’s so great to have scenes with her! I’m so happy that this season I get to share more scenes with her. I couldn’t be more thrilled! I think the position Margaux is in when she has a scene with Victoria is that she admires her, but at the same time she knows she should be aware of her and maybe even scared of her! But she definitely respects her and admires her. Those scenes are always fun. I love working with Madeleine!

Q) Getting back to fashion, what are some of your quick go-to fashion tips?

A) I think what I discovered over the years (and I think I wasn’t really focusing on that at the beginning) is that as soon as you have a great haircut, everything is good. I think that as soon as you dare to go with a bold (not that crazy, but a statement) haircut something that you will carry for a few months it sends you automatically in a fashion direction. If you have short hair it sends you in a fashion direction. Certainly, because I’ve had to change my hair so much for characters, it pushed me in new directions fashion wise. Sometimes you have great reflexes and you might have good intuition about fashion, but a great new haircut can be a great support and be very surprising that takes you in new places. A good haircut is the first step.

Q) Is there anything else you would like to tease fans about the upcoming season of “Revenge?”

A) I think when I first started working on this new season of “Revenge” we kind of all realized the tables have turned. Victoria is now seeking revenge on Emily. I think that is one of the greatest twists the show could have had because now all the perspective has changed. It’s mixing things in a very interesting way. The fact that David Clarke is back…Where has the man been for so long? Where has he been hiding? Was he kept prisoner? When he learns about Emily will he learn early in the season or will she reveal herself only later? What is her reaction to her learning he is David Clarke? It’s a very emotional season. So, I’m sure the fans will be thrilled!