Kristian Bruun – Orphan Black

By: Paige Zinaman

Q) What are some of the newest projects you have coming?

A) I’ve got a couple different films coming out. I don’t know when they will be released one is sort of doing the submissions for film festivals right now called The Go Getters. It’s a dirty comedy with heart. It’s about a bunch of people who are down and out trying to find their way through the world. It’s a really funny and ridiculous film that I’m really excited to get out there. I have another film called Red Rover that I’m the lead of which I’m really excited about and it’s in post-production now. It’s kind of a dark romantic comedy about a guy who wants to leave planet Earth and be on the first mission to Mars (hence the name Red Rover) and along the way he meets someone who makes him want to stay on Earth. So, it’s kind of a fun, romantic lead which is a departure for me and I’m looking forward to that. And I have a couple web based projects coming out, one is a sci-fi sort of space web series that’s a lot of fun. It’s about mankind’s first foray into space beyond the known universe so it’s kind of a science forward um sci-fi show that’s a lot of fun. And I just shot a pilot for Nerdist actually, which we are going to see if we want to go ahead with that so it’s been busy. I’ve been lucky.

Q) How is working on a web series different than working on “Orphan Black?”

A) First of all, the budgets are less so you have to be a little more creative about how you build the world you’re working in. With sci-fi stuff, you know you need things to look solid, you need them to look real and with a smaller budget it’s a little harder to do that. But for the web series the sets were so well built and we had a great studio that we worked in that you can sort of repeat spaces a little bit and angle things differently and move walls around and it’s a very economic way of working on something, but also making it look bigger than it is real and functional. And Heat Fix, which is the name of the web series, they did a great job of that. But there’s also freedom in the writing to…As an actor playing a role to have a little more hands on the scripts a bit or a little more control of the character because everybody is there out of their own free will you don’t have a lot of money and you’re not making a lot of money. So, everyone is collaborative. Not to say that “Orphan Black” wasn’t. In fact, “Orphan Black” is a TV show that has from day one has been more collaborative as an actor than any other show that I’ve been on, which is kind of what I think is one of their strengths on something that is so fantastic about “Orphan” that it’s a real team effort to get these shows out. But you certainly feel that way when you’re working on web based projects and it’s a lot of fun to sorta bring your knowledge and know-how and have people trust their projects with your opinions.

Q) Now that “Orphan Black” has ended, is there a moment throughout the past five seasons that stands out to you as your favorite moment?

A) [laughs] I mean I would be remiss if I didn’t mention twerking on the bed with Alison (Tatiana Maslany) in our underwear and all the money. I mean, that was just an insane scene to film and it was something on my bucket list that I didn’t know was on my bucket list, you know rolling around on a bed full of money. If you ever get the chance to do it, I honestly recommend it. I mean it doesn’t have to be twenties, it can be ones. Get a stack of ones and just try it out it’s ridiculously fun so that is definitely one. The accidental Leekie (Matt Frewer) death was a lot of fun. There’s so many, so many it’s hard to choose. Pretty much all of episode three which comes out tomorrow is one of my favorites the whole things is basically a look at Donnie and Alison. Without giving anything away it’s one of those stereotypical madness in the suburbs episodes. We seem to have one every year where the world of the show comes to Bailey Downs and well shit hits the fan.

Q) Can you describe season five in three words?

A) Three words. Ooh. umm. Dark, Dangerous and Family. Those are three words that really go well with this season. I mean, I think that could go for any season, but this one more than any other one.

Q) How did you feel when you first read the script for Season Five knowing that this will be the final trip?

A) I think every time a script came into my mailbox I had more trepidation than usual reading it. Usually no matter where I was I would stop everything and read the latest episode, this season was a little bit different. I would kind of wait a little bit longer so I would be in the right head space, be in the right moment to read through and really relish reading these last episodes – especially the last episode of the whole series. So, yeah, it was different this season than other seasons. It was with the same amount of excitement, but also with a tinge of sadness knowing that it will come to an end.

Q) Working on such an iconic series, what is something you’ve learned that you will apply to new projects?

A) I think the show has given me a certain amount of confidence in working with writers, directors and producers. Like I was saying about how collaborative the show was and is that I think before I was on set I was always walking around on eggshells making sure I wasn’t getting in anyone’s way or spoke out of turn or said anything to anybody I was much more shy. I think the show has given me a lot of confidence as an actor because the producers, writers, show runners and directors trusted us completely like one hundred percent with everything we did which is such a nice feeling and a welcoming feeling that I think going forward I’ll always carry that with me. Just being able to politely suggest something for my character or how I would desire to play something it’s given me a quiet confidence on how I go about my business now.

Q) In the last episode, we saw Donnie get brought into whatever plan Helena had. Where can we expect to see Donnie in upcoming episodes?

A) Well, things are going to take us back to the suburbs pretty quickly, right away in episode three. As much as I think we wanted to see Donnie and Helena continue their adventures together they’re going to be a part for a bit and focus on the aftermath of Alison being taken by Neolution.

Q) Can you tease how Rachel taking over will affect Donnie and Alison’s marriage if it affects it at all?

A) First of all, Rachel’s taking over things affects everything. She’s a very complex and dangerous clone. She’s a clone that I think doesn’t see herself as a clone. She sees herself. She sees herself as above the other sisters. In terms of Donnie and Alison, all they ever want is safety for their family. All they want is to go back to the way things were before all this madness started occurring. Whether they know it or not, at this point things will never change. Things will never go back to normal. But the one thing they can fight for and head towards is safety for their children, for their future, for their relationship. And Rachel stands between the two of them in terms of all of that. She’s really, truly one of the big bads of this show because of that she gets into everybody’s life and tries to control it.

Q) Do you think the fans will be satisfied or have closure to all their favorite characters come series end?

A) I think it’s going to come at a price as it’s not an easy place to get to. I think there is a lot of closure throughout the season, but it comes with a heavy price and there will be some heartbreak along the way and it’s going to be very difficultly won and sometimes not won at all. I think the show closes beautifully and wonderfully, but like I said it doesn’t come easy and it comes at a price.

Q) Is there anything you’d like to say to the Clone Club?

A) Oh My God! Thank you! A thousand times over Thank you. Clone Club has been—the reason this show kept being made for five seasons. They really helped spread the word online they were so vocal and fast to pick up on the show and really get behind it from day one that they grew the show for us. They were like the perfect little marketers, they so amazing. Every event that we’ve done, at any Comic Con, at any press screening they are always there and always so thrilled to meet us and so supportive and so happy that I can’t say thank you enough to them. They’ve given us the opportunity to keep telling the story for five seasons and we couldn’t ask for better fans. They are so, first of all, incredibly talented all the artwork they send us or post online is like brilliant. Then, on top of that they get together and meet in Manhattan, they meet in Toronto, they meet in Brazil, etc. They group together and hang out and they cosplay. They really have found each other in this weird online community that just keeps growing and growing. So, without them there is no “Orphan Black.” So, like I said, thank you a thousand times over. It has been an absolute pleasure to work on this show. It’s been a dream job and all future jobs will be measured against it and probably will never stack up to it because it has been just an absolute delight for five years. Thank you.