Virginia Gardner, Rhenzy Feliz, Gregg Sulkin, Allegra Acosta & Ariela Barer – Runaways

By starrymag | December 16, 2018

By: Taylor Gates

 

 

Virginia Gardner

 

Q) Will you find out who your real father is this season?

 

A) I can’t answer that! I can say that it’s explored, but that’s all I can say.

 

Q) What can you tease about Karolina and Jonah’s relationship in season two?

 

A) It’s heavily explored. I will say that it’s a whole arc. You definitely get a beginning, middle and end to that story this season. It’s a really, really good one.

 

Q) How does Karolina feel about him going into Season Two?

 

A) I think Karolina doesn’t really know where he stands–if he was testing her, if he’s good, if he’s bad, what his relationship is to my mom and where I come from. This season Karolina goes into it wanting to get answers out of Jonah (Julian McMahon) and wanting to learn from him what she can.

 

Q) Can you tease a little bit about Karolina and Nico’s relationship?

 

A) I think in Season One as a character Karolina is afraid to embrace her powers and embrace who she is on a personal level as well. This season, she stops caring about what other people think and she doesn’t care if she’s labeled a freak for having superpowers–she embraces them. On top of that, the relationship is explored so much more than it was last year also.

 

Q) That’s more of a controversial topic, right?

 

A) I guess so. Yeah, it is. But I also think that’s what makes our show so special. The response to that on our show has been overwhelmingly positive. It’s been amazing.

 

Q) Can you talk a little bit about that? This fanbase is so involved and so vocal. What has the response from the LGBTQ+ community been?

 

A) The response has been amazing. I was at Miami Comic Con a few months ago and I had a few girls come up to me and tell me they explored who they were and their relationships because of the show and they felt safe to do that. I think that even as a comic book to have superheroes people can actually relate to is really important. And not just because we’re young teenagers and we’re diverse as well, but also because we have a comic book that people can look up to from when they’re young. It was so amazing.

 

Q) Will we see more of the powers that Karolina and some of the other characters have in season two?

 

A) Yeah. I’ve been saying Season Two almost feels like a different show. It has [creators] Josh [Schwartz] and Steph’s [Savage] flair of teenage angst and there’s relationship drama and it’s emotional and fun, but also it’s a battle almost every episode and it’s so much more action than we had last year. Now, it’s like really a superhero show.

 

Q) I’m sure you’re well aware of the shipping frenzy surrounding the show. Did you start shipping anyone in Season Two?

 

A) Definitely Gert (Ariela Barer) and Chase (Gregg Sulkin). I really thought that Alex (Rhenzy Feliz) and Nico were cute together also, but obviously I shipped Nico and Karolina more.

 

Q) I know for season two the comic book is sort of a jumping off point. Did you use it as a study guide?

 

A) Yeah, I think it’s sort of a guideline. We introduce characters from the comic book into the show. It was really exciting to be able to introduce characters fans are going to flip out over once they see it. I think this year we definitely take liberties with it and go our own direction, but there’s some really awesome stuff coming that is from the comics.

 

Q) Going off the theme of chosen family and the relationships, do you think this show does a good job being relatable, especially to LGBTQ+ people?

 

A) Definitely. I think what makes our show so special is that so many people are able to relate to our characters and also that we are young superheroes, we’re teenagers and we don’t know how to use our powers right off the bat. We’re learning, we’re growing and there’s a lot of group practice scenes where we’re honing in on our powers. I think that makes it more relatable where we’re not these perfect superheroes. We’re all flawed in our own ways and we’re figuring it out.

 

Q) Since you have this new hiding spot, are you figuring out who’s the leader, who’s the mother, etc.? Is there sort of an ebb and flow of your own family that you’re creating?

 

A) Absolutely. And there’s a push/pull because we all want to go back to our families at some point and go back to somewhere that’s more comfortable. This is a beautiful mansion, but there are cobwebs and we all miss our cozy Brentwood homes for sure. And this season there’s a lot of power dynamic shifts trying to find out our new roles in this family we’ve created for ourselves.

 

Q) The big difference between season one and season two is that you’re actual runaways now. What’s been the biggest shift in your character?

 

A) Karoline in Season One is very eager to please people and is very concerned with her image and how she’s portrayed to other people. For all the characters this season when you’re living in this kind of condition all that kind of goes out the window. You’re focused on surviving. It becomes grittier. You’re less concerned with what others think. We’re really exploring who we are and what we can do on our own for the first time.

 

Q) Has there been a favorite episode in Season Two that you’re most excited for fans to see?

 

A) There are two. One of them is one of the few that has no action in it but is very, very sweet and touching and heartwarming. That I think sets our show apart from other superhero shows as well–we do have these genuinely touching moments where it’s funny and the show gets to breathe before you get into action. And then we have a battle episode that was a six-day all-night shoot in downtown LA that was epic. I’ve seen part of it and it looks so, so amazing. So that’s gonna be fun.

 

Q) You’ve said it’s more action-packed, so that means there’s more fighting then?

 

A) Yes, we had fight rehearsals, huge stunt episodes. I get to fly so much more than I did last year, which is so fun. Yeah, we go so much deeper into all that action stuff. It’s exciting.

 

Q) Going back to the Nico/Karolina stuff, can you tease some obstacles that their relationship is going to face this season?

 

A) I can say that it starts out where we…Poor Alex is sleeping below us and our bedroom is the one right above his. Poor Alex. I stole his girl. It’s a lot more intimately explored this season and it has a full arc also. It’s not a perfect relationship. We’re super in love and we’re all happy, but then it falls and it’s finding itself again. There is a little bit of a love triangle that’s introduced also, so there are some exciting changes happening in that dynamic.

 

Q) Since you’re runaways and you’re hiding, will we get to see you go to any exotic places?

 

A) I say LA is almost like a character since it’s such a huge part of our show. Last year we saw Brentwood and beautiful mansions and sort of a glamorized version of LA and this year because we’re on the run we’re on the streets of Hollywood and in downtown LA and it feels grittier. This [abandoned house] is in Griffith Park so we actually shot up there with the skyline that’s so beautiful. You definitely get a different taste of LA this season.

 

Q) Have you had any contact with fans outside of Comic-Con or Twitter from young people saying how they relate to your character?

 

A) I’ve gotten the most at Miami Comic-Con as I said of women coming up to me and seeing that response. It was as life-changing as I hoped that it could be for people. The only thing I was surprised by was people having pillowcases with me and Lyrica [Okano]’s faces and I was like, “I don’t know how I feel about the pillowcase.” [laughs] But everything else has been so sweet and fantastic.

 

Rhenzy Feliz

 

Q) How does being a runaway change Alex’s mindset and personality?

 

A) He no longer has the luxuries he once had. He can no longer do the things he did from a comfortable place. It’s kind of done, especially in the beginning, from a form of survival. Now, they’re on the run from the police. They’re wanted. Everything they do needs to be shrouded in secrecy, so it’s very lucky they find an underground mansion they can live in. But that’s what changes, they can no longer do anything out in the open. You can’t go to school for this or look through your parents’ things and get this. You have to kind of do everything from the shadows now and that changes all of his actions I think.

 

Q) Nico is not going to end up with Alex. How are you dealing with that this season?

 

A) It’s a struggle. Because now you live with them. You live with the two people who are off having a merry time. I feel like he has a lot occupying his mind now. Where is his next meal coming from? What clothes is he going to put on his back? And overall, getting justice for the things with his parents. I feel like he has enough to occupy his mind, but it may get a little awkward sometimes for sure.

 

Q) I feel like there’s a lot of growing up your character has to do this season. Is there any particular way you’ve been preparing for that? Any real experiences you’re bringing in this space to connect with your character?

 

A) I’m older than my character. I’m twenty years old and Alex is sixteen or seventeen-ish, so I’ve had a bit more life experience in those four years, but I can’t say I’ve been through the experience that my parents have turned out to be murderers and everything that I thought about them once isn’t true anymore. In a way, the things they’ve been through and come across have kind of forced them to grow up for some characters more than others. He’s been through a lot and he’s going to go through even more. I think they all do – they all have to grow up in the second season. It’s going to shape them and change them forever. Who they were in the first season is not going to be who they are in the second. It’s exciting to watch that arc and journey. Since that night they opened those library doors and went down the stairs, their lives have never been the same and I think that’s even more apparent in the second season.

 

Q) What’s the most challenging part for you as an actor filming season one versus season two?

 

A) I think it’s just stamina. We get thirteen episodes this season and after ten last season, I was dying. You’re just tired and exhausted. To have three more on top of it, I don’t know how some people do twenty-two episode seasons. That’s insane to me because it takes a lot of energy. In terms of that, just the stamina, getting your sleep and getting up every day with your lines memorized ready to go having done your work the night before. It never got to the point where I thought it was too much or overwhelming, so I was happy about that.

 

Q) Where do you think the show deviates from the comics? Particularly with this season.

 

A) We do bring a lot of characters in that were in the comic books and that was great. The hostel is in the comic books so we get to incorporate a lot of what happened, especially towards the middle and end. There are definitely things that we’re adding as well that kind of elevate the story on a larger scale.

 

Q) What did you do to prepare for the fights this season? Did you take taekwondo?

 

A) No, I like to think I’m a pretty athletic person naturally. I’ve taken Brazilian jiu-jitsu for years. Especially in middle school, I’d do it three or four times a week. Now, I do nothing. I sit and read my script and then show up to work and it’s okay. Actually, I maybe should be doing more. The other day I was crouching behind a car. I was running, running, running and then I crouch and I had a swollen knee for like a week. Maybe I should be doing more. So, thank you. I’ll take that into consideration. [laughs]

 

Q) Alex gets to sort of explore his roots in a different way and explore a different black culture in Los Angeles. Can you talk a little bit about that?

 

A) I think for him he’s grown up in this rich, Brentwood lifestyle for his entire life. For him to get to see the other side of how people live, it’s the same world, the same city. You drive ten minutes and you’re in a different part of town. To see it up close and personal and that they’re still people, they’re still people living lives who just aren’t as fortunate and privileged to grow up the way you did is humbling for him to see. I think it adds even more to that disdain he has for his parents. That’s going to drive him through the second season – that thirst for justice that we saw in the first season.

 

Q) Do you have a new love interest?

 

A) He meets someone along the way. I don’t know how much I’m allowed to say about it, but he meets someone and that changes the way he thinks about things and changes his priorities, so you’ll see how that unfolds.

 

Q) How do you think the theme of chosen families helps relatability for LGBTQ+ viewers and other ethnicities?

 

A) We go through a lot of struggles and we go through a lot of pain, and since we found out our parents are murdering people, there’s that betrayal aspect that sort of kicks in. Everything I thought is no longer true. Every group that doesn’t feel completely accepted or included can see there are people out there that are going to be there for you. People you find and love and keep–those people are your family. As long as you keep putting love into the world, it’s going to come back to you.

 

Q) I love that this is a true ensemble cast. Do any new duos emerge that we didn’t get to explore as much in season one?

 

A) There are some characters that are introduced in the season that do have some pairings with some other characters in the story. I can’t say which ones, but there are pairings that come in and do make new duos. From the characters we’ve already seen, there’s definitely going to be butting heads when you live with six teenagers in one underground mansion. There’s always going to be chaos and a struggle between two groups of people.

 

Gregg Sulkin

 

Q) How does being a runaway affect Chase’s mindset?

 

A) I think that it affects all of our mindsets, but I do think that for Chase, in particular, he’s dealing with a lot because he finds out some information about his family and is torn about where he’s going to go, what he’s going to do, and where his loyalties lie. He’s been with his family for sixteen to seventeen years and the runaways have only been his sort of friends for a few weeks. He obviously finds out information that makes him never want to go back, but at the same time, blood is thicker than water. There is a sense of, “I love my parents. I don’t know what to do.”

 

Q) Do you think that arc is spread out over the season or is it more intense in the beginning?

 

A) I think when it comes to TV everything is spread out because we have very talented writers whose job is to stretch everything out, but we go through ups and downs throughout the season. I think for my character I probably have the biggest arc of the season. Biggest is the wrong word, but maybe the most unexpected or most interesting.

 

Q) Can you tease a bit about Gertie and Chase this season and how that relationship is going to develop?

 

A) For sure. I think it’s one of those issues where being in love as a teenager is hard enough. I’ve been there, I’ve done it. I think when you’re on the run and in a relationship, it’s not something that most can relate to, but it’s something that’s an added pressure. Relationships and hormones and emotions are all over the place anyway so when two people find themselves where their living situations are hard and their current life situations are hard, it’s not great for a relationship. Luckily, their relationship and love for each other is strong so you’re going to see them really try to overcome obstacles together, but it might not always be possible.

 

Q) Will Chase secretly try and keep in contact with his family?

 

A) I think Chase will always battle whether he wants to go back to what he knows and what is right. I think that will be a lot of Season Two.

 

Q) There seems to be a lot of tension with the relationship dynamics. How do those relationships butt heads in season two?

 

A) I think Chase and Alex will always butt heads. [laughs] But it’s funny because Rhenzy is a close buddy of mind off set – my brother in many ways. It’s always fun disliking someone on camera when you love them a lot off camera, so we had a good time with that. Also, if the runaways are going to stay together and achieve what they want to achieve, teamwork does have to happen. They’re going to have to put their tension aside and work together which isn’t always easy.

 

With Chase and Karolina, I think Chase just accepted the fact that she doesn’t love boys and they became close friends. I think Chase does have a soft spot and cares for Karolina as a person. I think the reason why they kissed the first season from Chase’s point of view is that she was beautiful and he was into her. I think Karolina has always liked Chase, but just physically not been attracted to him so to speak. Chase and Gertie’s situation is a rollercoaster. The Chase, Gert and Molly dynamic is very interesting, too. Everything knows what it’s like to date someone and then trust in their best friend or family member and so I think Chase and Molly (Allegra Acosta) develop a beautiful bond over Season Two where Molly is Chase’s help. She becomes the little sister that Chase never had, which is a beautiful and nice dynamic. And then Chase becomes the big brother Molly never had either.

 

Q) What’s it been like being one of the primaries of a Marvel show?

 

A) I’ve been doing this since I was twelve years old and I don’t think people realize that it comes with a lot of pressure. People always say they want to act and they don’t realize when they leave set it comes with them outside of the set. For me, I’ve been doing this for a minute and there are eyeballs always watching. To come to set and do what you love is one thing and then carrying the pressure of a Marvel is another. The whole thing’s a business and it’s how capable are you as an individual to deal with the fun press side of stuff to also deal with the negative comments. Your performance is always being judged and the character as an individual. For me, personally, I have two very, very supportive parents and come from a very grounded family so for me it always has been fun, but it’s definitely for some people not always easy. That’s the real honest answer.

 

Q) How did you spend your off-season this year?

 

A) I did a movie and then as soon as we finish here we go to New York for Comic-Con and then I go off and do another movie. I haven’t had a real, honest holiday in ten months or a year. But this is so fun for me. This is always what I dreamed of. I remember sitting outside when I moved with my mom. My mom would always pray that I would work here. About a month ago they came here and I brought them on set. It’s a very special moment and I would like people to know that if I can do it, they can do it. I know many people come to LA and try to get on a show. I was one of those kids. If I can do it, I promise you can do it, too.

 

Allegra Acosta

 

Q) You have your family relationship with your sister and now your friendship’s deepening with Chase. Can you tease that?

 

A) Yes, Molly’s kind of becoming the ally between Gert and Chase in that relationship. She’s helping them out and finding out she’s more mature and wise than she thought. She realizes she gives good advice. She’s also having a lot of character interactions with Nico–a ying and yang with her. It’s phenomenal how it develops throughout the story and how their powers come in, how their emotions come in. They help each other with a lot of things. I have a scene with Rhenzi this season which is so cool because I never get scenes with Rhenzi. I also have a great scene with Karolina. A lot of character development with Molly and relationships, too.

 

Q) She also has a burgeoning vigilante arc this season. Can you talk about how motivates her to do that?

 

A) In episode three she wants to become a vigilante because she can’t take it anymore! She can’t take being strapped down and not becoming a superhero because she’s more advanced in that realm. She’s a natural-born superhero and natural-born saver. She really wants to save everyone out of the kindness of her heart. She’s very pure in that way. Even though that gets her into trouble, she sneaks off in episode three and tries to find someone to fight off and help someone. I can’t wait until you guys see the little mask they have me in. It’s actually really cute.

 

Q) I love your scenes with Gert especially. I think that dynamic is so amazing. Can you talk a little bit about working with Ariela? Did you guys hit it off right away?

 

A) Ariela was the first person I met on set. Even in Season One with screentests we kind of bonded when we walked around that little lot and become instant sisters. The one thing we had to do was, I’m the older sister in real life and she’s the younger sister in real life so it was role-reversal. It was really cool having someone looking after me like I look after my little sister in that way. Just to be able to play that on screen and joke around and mess around and push each other in the way that sisters do makes it really real for viewers to see it. I’m very happy that you guys like it because we really love each other in real life.

 

Q) Molly learned about how her parents died and how she got her powers. Will we learn any more about what’s going on with them, and will that cause any fracture between her and her adoptive sister?

 

A) I think Season Two focuses a lot on the kids’ storylines and the separation of being away from the parents, but it doesn’t stop Molly from being curious about her past and you kind of see her fighting with that curiosity a bit. They do explore more about her heritage and her realm all around episode five I believe. For Molly, it’s really fun to learn more about herself. She’s learning that she’s stronger than she thinks. Being an adopted kid, running away, she’s more street-smart than everyone else. More agile. She knows her way around things. And speaking about the powers, you get to see a few more Easter eggs in Season Two about where she got her powers or if she’s naturally born with them. That’s the big thing, hopefully, Season Three will reveal! The merge, man. The merge would be awesome.

 

Q) Season Two has the theme of characters discovering new things about themselves. Where do you think your character fits in there?

 

A) My character fits in that they continue to use Molly’s season one storyline in that she’s growing up and having the curiosity of her family, and she’s searching for someone to look like her. I think it’s really interesting because in everyday media you’re searching for someone to look like you so it’s a very relatable, universal theme on a day-to-day basis. It’s really fun because you see this little girl who’s really struggling to be herself and become this superhero vigilante but is getting in this barrier of protection from her other family because they don’t want to let her go. This happens in general with parents and their kids. You don’t want to see your baby grow up too fast because you want to keep them with you. But Molly, in this case, you have to let her be free. You have to let her fly. You have to see her open her eyes because she’s ready to be this superhero. It’s really fun to see all the action sequences and characters portrayals. It’s really fun.

 

Q) All the other kids have this pull to return to their parents and lives, but Molly doesn’t really have that considering PRIDE killed her parents. Is that isolating for her that they all have this draw that she doesn’t?

 

A) I think Molly’s isolated in general in a subtle way, like a lot of people don’t even notice it, but she is kind of isolated. She has a different element from the other kids. Her parents died, she has a superpower, she’s younger, she’s striving for so much more. They are all focusing on their relationships and what they have to do as an adult. Molly is still focused on being a kid and having to take on these adult things. It’s very different. They’re trying to be adults and Molly’s trying to be a kid. And in being a kid and being herself she’s exceeding in more things that they don’t even know yet. You see them like, “Wow. We need Molly more than we know. We needed that leadership.” Not even leadership, but that youthfulness. That message that we can be kids and still rule the world.

 

Q) As a young Latina, what’s the feedback that you’re getting from kids?

 

A) They say “thank you” all the time. It’s very humbling and gratifying. You come home from work and you’re like, “Oh my god. Am I doing this?” And you are! It’s so exciting how people are like, “I’m gonna be an actor now.” I want it to come to the point where people are proud of their heritage and culture and sexuality. Back when I was little, I didn’t have that. The way we were represented was so weird and negative. Now, especially with African American and Asian and Latinx culture, we want to be those people that shine a light on it. Even with different sexualities. We want to shine a positive light on that and be like, “Wow. I’m proud of who I am. I want to be that.”

 

Q) That’s what’s so great about the show. At its core, it’s a show about outcasts who come together.

 

A) Yeah, we’re the outsiders, and it’s so cool to see how that relates to people. On a day-to-day basis, society makes you feel outcasted, but now that you’re here in this new generation of kids who want to learn and know more about acceptance is really fun. And to come home and watch a show that talks about how being an outcast is kind of the best thing ever makes you feel okay and secure. That’s why I love this show.

 

Q) Are there any characters from the Marvel universe as a whole that you would love to have on your show?

 

A) I would love to have Wolverine to come back just so I could beat him up because that happens in the comic books. [Laughs] I would also love to see Spider-Man. We need another kid. Or Victor Mancha. But if we’re talking about the movies, I would love to see some X-Men characters. I would love to see Mystique. I want to see another shapeshifter somewhere. That would be really cool.

 

Ariela Barer

 

Q) How does being a runaway affect Gert’s mindset and personality?

 

A) It’s very interesting because she’s an activist, a social justice warrior, but she also comes from a very privileged background and lifestyle. She grew up in Brentwood and went to private school. She knows intellectually about all the injustice in the world, but now for the very first time, she’s living it, meeting the people this affects, and witnessing socioeconomic oppression in a way I haven’t even experienced. I’ve been lucky enough to have never been homeless. You never know what any day’s going to bring because the people who end up in these circumstances just like us, and it’s kind of nice to explore that this season. You also have her personal relationship and her anxiety, there’s a looming danger of not knowing where your next meal is coming from, but there are also sociopathic murderers chasing you every single day. You know, just teenage stuff. The basics. [laughs]

 

Q) How do you think the theme of chosen families helps relatability?

 

A) That’s very much the reality for a lot of minority groups and a lot of young girls. I can only speak for myself and my own experiences, but that is definitely something I have found to be true. It is a nice thing. And also the theme of the once-trusted authority figures not being there for you and in a further way being dangerous to you is a very sad reality for a lot of people. It’s nice to explore that through fantasy and not let it feel so bleak because we ultimately come out triumphant. I don’t know how the show’s going to end, but I have a dinosaur, and Karolina glows [laughs], so we’re using the parts of us that are antagonized in the world and making that the superpower of the show. The rainbow alien–I mean, come on, it’s perfect. So, that’s the nice thing about the chosen family and using these once perceived weaknesses as strengths and not making the show feel hopeless. I don’t think that’s very fun. I don’t like watching things that make me think there’s no point. I like feeling like I can do something about this.

 

Q) You touched on a little bit about how the season delves into Gert’s anxiety. Can you talk a little bit about how you dealt with that as an actor and why it was so important that you tackled that subject?

 

It was important to me because–I don’t want to cite any statistic because I will get it wrong off the top of my head–but when you do read the numbers of how mental illness is affecting minorities right now and a lot of young women, it’s really upsetting and scary. I was even talking to one of our writers about this, how Gert didn’t have anxiety in the original comics but she does now because she’s a feminist and being a feminist right now is different than being a feminist is 2002. The stakes are higher, it’s a little scarier and a lot of young women and feminists are experiencing anxiety and depression and mental illnesses. We want to put it out into the world and destigmatize it and give a voice to this thing that has been antagonized and has a lot of stigma around it.  A lot of young girls are afraid to speak up because you’re told that you’re crazy and it’s your hormones, it’s your period, whatever, but no, it’s real.

 

It’s nice to get messages from people saying they feel less alone. Even on this set, people have come to me privately to talk about their experience with anxiety as they read the script and they talk about how this episode mirrors what they went through. It’s not just online, it’s in real life. I hope people are watching this and feel seen. I can’t represent everyone’s experience with anxiety because it manifests itself in different ways for everyone, but it’s as authentic and personal as it can be. I talked very specifically to [creators] Josh and Stephanie about this because they have their versions, the writers have their versions, and I have my versions. It’s about melting it into one cohesive, real thing.

 

Q) How is Gert going to be dealing with Molly realizing that her parents died saving her? And the runaways having their own family unit in their underground mansion–how are they sort of interacting with one another?

 

A) It is very interesting just their personalities in general and how they deal with conflict. Of course, having mental illness and anxiety is going to warp your perception in the world, so I think Gert lives a little more in fear than Molly because Molly is so young and curious and excited about things. She’s a little more willing to put herself in danger for justice in ways Gert isn’t completely comfortable with yet. Molly is growing into this amazing young woman and Gert has to be there for her but Gert also has to watch for herself and think rationally and reasonably while all the craziness is going on.