Tennille Read – SurrealEstate

By starrymag | September 3, 2021

By: Maggie Stankiewicz

 

 

Q) How was your “SurrealEstate” character Megan Donovan originally described to you?

 

A) I remember that in the breakdown I received from casting it said that her defining feature is her intelligence. She believes that everything can be explained by nature and science, but the supernatural events that she experiences in her house explode her understanding of her whole world. It also mentioned that she and Luke (Tim Rozon) have “a thing.” I have a background in science, and come from a pragmatic family, so I felt a certain affinity towards Megan right from the beginning.

 

Q) Was there anything you added to the character that wasn’t in the initial breakdown?

 

A) I wanted her to have a kind of softness that would contrast with her sharper skepticism and knowingness. I think somewhere underneath Megan’s intelligence is a wanting to seek the truth and hold it close because the unknown scares her so much – it’s out of her control. Early on in preproduction I had conversations with the talented people in hair and wardrobe and we found a look for her that brought out a kind of sweet and vulnerable side.

Then, in episode 6, Megan mentions her Trinidadian heritage and that was something the writers drew from me being half Trinidadian. It’s a choice they made that still makes me smile. I’ve had casting breakdowns for “diverse” or “ethnically ambiguous” actors. It was amazing that the writers hopped on that detail, and I got to represent.

 

Q) Megan’s grandfather left his Victorian home to her without mentioning the house’s malignant tenants. Will this oversight prove to be a continuing problem for her?

 

A) Yeah, it would’ve been nice if her grandfather had left a memo about that. But since he didn’t, the house does continue to be a problem for her. Thanks to the Roman Agency, the portal in the basement is sealed up, and that gives her some peace of mind. Megan gets braver after that and is able to live with Luke’s mum’s ghost and even joke about it. But she knows how much the house haunts Luke, and since she cares so deeply for him, the only way the house will ever stop being a problem for her is if the Roman Agency can clear it from all paranormal activity and sell it once and for all.

 

Q) It sometimes feels like Megan and Luke were destined to meet, as his dead mother inhabits her inherited home. Will their budding relationship drive him to make peace with his mother?

 

A) Megan brings an essence of “normalcy” to Luke’s world that I think you could say would help nudge him to make peace with his mother’s ghost. I think Luke is at a turning point himself where he wants more in life, and he knows he needs to deal with, and heal his past, before he can move forward.

 

Q) When you read the initial script, did you think that there would be such chemistry between Megan and Luke?

 

A) Definitely. The writing was nuanced in a way that suggested there’d be chemistry between the two of them. And we also know from the pilot that Megan was already having relationship troubles with her fiancé. So, there was room for Luke and Megan’s relationship to venture past the Real Estate Agent and Client relationship. What was a relief was the chemistry I felt with Tim Rozon who plays Luke. We didn’t have an initial chemistry test during the casting process. Due to COVID, and our different locations, in-person casting was impossible. The first scene we shot was the first moment we met and I was thrilled that Tim is such an excellent actor and human. He made it easy to connect with him.

 

Q) Megan has already grown as a character, from being too afraid to enter her own basement to sharing some intense chemistry with a man whose livelihood involves things that go bump in the night and facing her fears day by day. What’s it like portraying a character that’s finding herself in such strange circumstances?

 

A) It’s fulfilling to play a character arc that has a journey like that. A character who transforms in some way. I think that might be my favorite kind of arc, when a character must change in order to overcome an obstacle – never being the same again.

 

Q) What are some of your favorite things about Megan Donovan?

 

A) I enjoy her dichotomy of skepticism and openness. On one hand she’s a “science gal,” who structures her beliefs on empirical facts and logic. On the other hand, her curiosity allows her to explore what she doesn’t know, and challenge what she does know. Creator George Olson once said something that really stuck with me. He said that Megan “knows enough to know that she doesn’t know everything.” That quality of openness goes a long way in a character – I find it admirable.

 

Q) There’s a powerful sense of familiarity amongst the cast, and many of the actors have starred alongside each other in different roles. What’s your favorite part of working with such a close-knit group?

           

A) A close-knit ensemble creates an environment where everyone can relax and play. What more could you want as an actor? And that environment was also nurtured by crew members as well. On a script like this, that has so many swinging emotional beats and a lot of character exploration, it’s especially important to be free to play.

 

Q) Have you experienced any supernatural phenomenon?

           

A) There have been times when I’ve felt like I’ve been “visited.” It’s like my surroundings will get very quiet, I become super present and I’ll feel a familiar energy, maybe from a friend or family member who has passed on. Oh, and yeah, right after my Nana died and I was visiting with my Mum, a candle suddenly lit itself. So, I guess I have experienced some inexplicable phenomenon.

 

Q) If you found yourself living in a haunted house, would you first move out or call an exorcist?

 

A) Depends on the crown molding. Even though I am easily spooked and can’t even watch Ghostbusters without getting nightmares, I’m very particular about my living space. So, chances are if I bought a house, I had probably already searched high and low for the perfect one. And if the house was everything I ever wanted, and I factor in the cost of hiring movers these days, then yeah, I’d call an exorcist or two. Or, if it’s like a friendly ghost, then maybe we could figure out co-habitation agreement.

 

Q) What are some memorable moments you have from filming the first season of “SurrealEstate?”

 

A) I have many! Snowmageddon at the end of episode 7 immediately stands out. It’s not in the edit of the show, but as we were all leaving the banquet hall a flash blizzard swept through, out of nowhere. It was a cold night, and we were all in evening gowns and suits and it felt like something out of an apocalypse film.

I also enjoyed acting with everyone at the Roman Agency in a couple of the later episodes. We had intense and long shooting days together with lots of stunts, and yet, we had so much fun. Says a lot about this group. I also loved filming scenes with Sarah Levy. There aren’t many scenes in this season when Susan and Megan interact, but the few we did have, it was like acting with an old friend. She was really easy to connect with.

 

Q) You’re on social media and participate in episode live tweets. Do you enjoy this level of engagement and instant fan feedback?

 

I just love it. It’s a lot of fun to watch the show and see how it all came together, but it’s especially fun to see what parts audiences react to and how they react. While we were shooting, Tim spoke about his experience live tweeting for “Wynonna Earp.” It sounded like a unique experience and a wonderful opportunity to interact with an audience. Live tweeting on “SurrealEstate” truly makes me feel connected to a community. The fans have been extraordinary.

 

Q) You’ve been in a number of productions with cult followings. Are you drawn to fringe, irreverent roles that create passionate fanbases or is it a matter of good luck?

 

A) Pure luck! I am drawn to fringe and Sci-Fi, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I’d be cast in those shows. It’s the best kind of luck to fall into.

 

Q) What other projects are you currently working on?

 

A) Nothing that I can comment on at the moment!