Jodie Comer reflects on direction of ‘Killing Eve’
English actress Jodie Comer began working in television when she was a teenager, appearing over the past decade in such series as “My Mad Fat Diary,” “Doctor Foster” and “The White Princess.” But in taking on the antagonist role of Villanelle in BBC America’s “Killing Eve,” she says she is getting the chance to show the most versatility. “She’s like six characters in one,” Comer says.
The following is an edited transcript.
Q: The first season of “Killing Eve” ended with Eve stabbing Villanelle. How does this affect her when the show picks back up?
A: What physically that does is it strips her of her control. She can’t physically do the things that she usually does, and she’s not used to having that limitation, and she’s completely helpless. We see her at a stage where we’ve never really seen her before in how she tries to scramble her way out of this. Of course, within the second episode her injury becomes a big part of the story. The series doesn’t pan over a very long period of time, so she’s injured, but is healing! In the real world she’d probably be limping around a lot longer and she’d probably be in the hospital a lot longer, but for the sake of drama she won’t wallow. She’s made of steel, this girl.
Q: Yet she must be more vulnerable with these physical limitations.
A: Her own mortality kicks in. It was interesting because it was another part of her we hadn’t explored. It was more fascinating, in a way, to discover how that would mentally affect her. She’s still just as determined to get herself out of the situations that she finds herself in, but honestly playing sickness is exhausting. You’re breathing heavy all of the time and by the end of a take, you’re exhausted. I was glad when she got back on her feet!
Q: The first season was built on a cat-and-mouse dynamic with Eve (Sandra Oh) and Villanelle, with them ultimately squaring off. How have things changed based on their interaction?
A: Compared to Season 1 they’re definitely in each others’ presence a lot more. I think ultimately it’s just another stage of what their relationship is, but that sense of obsessiveness and fascination is still there between the two of them. She’s changed so much in Eve’s life and she just continues to disrupt this woman’s life and it’s (about) what the consequences are. I think what’s most interesting is Eve stabbing Villanelle and what that means to Villanelle and her reaction toward Eve for what she did. I don’t know whether it will be what audiences are expecting, but they are now connected in a way they weren’t before — at least in Villanelle’s mind.
Q: How did Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who was so integral to the first season and its success, stepping back for the second affect how you worked?
A: It was very collaborative … and what was really great was we had sat with these characters for a year and we understood them more so if there were ever things that didn’t feel right we could have conversations. And (executive producer) Emerald (Fennell) was incredibly open. Emerald is a phenomenal writer in her own way. Change is always daunting, I feel, in life; change can always make you apprehensive. But it was so important for her to have our full attention and support. I feel we’ve really picked up where we left off.