tammyy2j
28-08-2009, 17:33
Harper's Island has created quite a buzz over in the US since its debut earlier this year. Since watching episode one, we've been quite hooked as well - and it's not hard to see why. For the shallow among us, the series features a sexy cast including Katie Cassidy, Christopher Gorham and Elaine Cassidy. For the horror fans, the 13-episode murder mystery plays it bold and kills off at least one main character each week. Recently, we caught up with the show's leading lady, Elaine Cassidy - aka Abby Mills - to find out more.
How would you describe the show to someone who has never seen it?
"It's a thirteen-hour series - murder mystery/horror/whodunit - and someone dies in every episode. Well, one or more people! What's great about it is that all questions will be answered by the end of the series. It's a contained piece so it's not gonna go on for years and years."
What's your character, Abby, like?
"I think she's very strong, very brave and she's a bit of a fighter. She's had traumatic things happen to her - like finding her mum hanging from a tree! - and you get to see loads of different sides to her. When she comes back to Harper's for the first time in seven years, she's very anxious and apprehensive and she deals with that by wearing loads of different masks. The only person who she is truly herself with is Henry [Gorham]."
What's her backstory? What did she do before returning to the island?
"She had a happy childhood. Her dad is the sheriff of the island and she has great memories of Harper's. Henry would visit her every summer and work on the boats, and that's how he met his fiancée Trish. So when she returns to the island after all of the trauma she's been through, it shows the deep bond she shares with Henry because she's willing to travel back to that place for him and his big day."
When you took the part, did you know who the killer was?
"Initially, no. But I found out! We weren't told who the killer was, we weren't told if we would die or when we would die. But one thing that I needed to know - which I made sure that I found out on day two - was to find out if Abby was the killer or not. That was something I needed to know in order to play her to the best of my ability and it was something I wouldn't have been able to do without knowing."
Did anyone in the cast know?
"As far as I was concerned, no-one knew. The only people who knew who the killer was from day one was some of the heads of CBS, the writers, and the executive producers. No-one else knew! Therefore, it was really exciting on set because we were all coming up with our own theories and as each script was revealed to us, our theories were changing because we learnt more about each character. We even did a sweep-stake! We were the first audience, and we were gripped by it. It was like 'Who's gonna die in this one?!' The minute you read an episode, you wanted the next one."
I heard that Richard Burgi was the only actor on the show who knew the length of his contract. Is that true?
"I don't know. Possibly not. Some people were given guaranteed episodes out of the 13, but that didn't mean you were gonna be in that many - it just meant you would be paid for that many! I think everyone was given different bits of information because for some characters [the writers] knew how long they'd be around for, and some they didn't - they were going to react to how the story was coming along."
Do you think it works well as a standalone series? Or do you think there could be a Harper's Island II?
"I think it's fine as it is. I don't think there will be a second one. It's stronger for that because by the end, pretty much everyone is dead. So it's like what do you do? It works better if you've got writers writing for just 13 episodes. Even with 22 it would be more diluted. With this, each script focused on the main storyline, with a few side stories. Each line matters and that's what makes it stronger."
What do you have planned outside of Harper's?
"I'm doing a webisode series called Doctor Hoo and at the moment that's on the Virgin1 website and it's the first UK original online drama for them. It's 10 two-minute episodes and it stars Ian Hart, Stephen Lord and Richard Burgi. It's a wild and wacky series. Apart from that, I'm working on a little production of my own - I'm pregnant! Post-production will be soon, I'm hoping! It's been hard not being able to work, but no-one wants a beached whale!"
Harper's Island begins Sunday, September 6 on BBC Three
(This already aired on Irish tv and the finale is this Monday night - it is very entertaining)
How would you describe the show to someone who has never seen it?
"It's a thirteen-hour series - murder mystery/horror/whodunit - and someone dies in every episode. Well, one or more people! What's great about it is that all questions will be answered by the end of the series. It's a contained piece so it's not gonna go on for years and years."
What's your character, Abby, like?
"I think she's very strong, very brave and she's a bit of a fighter. She's had traumatic things happen to her - like finding her mum hanging from a tree! - and you get to see loads of different sides to her. When she comes back to Harper's for the first time in seven years, she's very anxious and apprehensive and she deals with that by wearing loads of different masks. The only person who she is truly herself with is Henry [Gorham]."
What's her backstory? What did she do before returning to the island?
"She had a happy childhood. Her dad is the sheriff of the island and she has great memories of Harper's. Henry would visit her every summer and work on the boats, and that's how he met his fiancée Trish. So when she returns to the island after all of the trauma she's been through, it shows the deep bond she shares with Henry because she's willing to travel back to that place for him and his big day."
When you took the part, did you know who the killer was?
"Initially, no. But I found out! We weren't told who the killer was, we weren't told if we would die or when we would die. But one thing that I needed to know - which I made sure that I found out on day two - was to find out if Abby was the killer or not. That was something I needed to know in order to play her to the best of my ability and it was something I wouldn't have been able to do without knowing."
Did anyone in the cast know?
"As far as I was concerned, no-one knew. The only people who knew who the killer was from day one was some of the heads of CBS, the writers, and the executive producers. No-one else knew! Therefore, it was really exciting on set because we were all coming up with our own theories and as each script was revealed to us, our theories were changing because we learnt more about each character. We even did a sweep-stake! We were the first audience, and we were gripped by it. It was like 'Who's gonna die in this one?!' The minute you read an episode, you wanted the next one."
I heard that Richard Burgi was the only actor on the show who knew the length of his contract. Is that true?
"I don't know. Possibly not. Some people were given guaranteed episodes out of the 13, but that didn't mean you were gonna be in that many - it just meant you would be paid for that many! I think everyone was given different bits of information because for some characters [the writers] knew how long they'd be around for, and some they didn't - they were going to react to how the story was coming along."
Do you think it works well as a standalone series? Or do you think there could be a Harper's Island II?
"I think it's fine as it is. I don't think there will be a second one. It's stronger for that because by the end, pretty much everyone is dead. So it's like what do you do? It works better if you've got writers writing for just 13 episodes. Even with 22 it would be more diluted. With this, each script focused on the main storyline, with a few side stories. Each line matters and that's what makes it stronger."
What do you have planned outside of Harper's?
"I'm doing a webisode series called Doctor Hoo and at the moment that's on the Virgin1 website and it's the first UK original online drama for them. It's 10 two-minute episodes and it stars Ian Hart, Stephen Lord and Richard Burgi. It's a wild and wacky series. Apart from that, I'm working on a little production of my own - I'm pregnant! Post-production will be soon, I'm hoping! It's been hard not being able to work, but no-one wants a beached whale!"
Harper's Island begins Sunday, September 6 on BBC Three
(This already aired on Irish tv and the finale is this Monday night - it is very entertaining)