In her almost seven years of acting, Emily Rose has appeared in an array of stellar TV dramas. But it is her lead role as former FBI agent Audrey Parker in the supernatural drama Haven that has left viewers spellbound. Debashine Thangevelo chatted to the actress to find out how this role has changed her fate.
THE TV scene in Hollywood is as exasperatingly cut-throat as the film industry. As such, gaining a foothold requires a perseverance that is unyielding.
Emily Rose has managed to ascend the TV ranks by latching on to career-building series such as Brothers & Sisters, Cold Case, Jericho, Without a Trace, ER, Ghost Whisperer, Two and a Half Men, Private Practice and Harry’s Law, since making her movie debut in Hurricane Party in 2006.
Now the 30-year-old can be proud of being an integral part of a series that is going into its fourth instalment. Cast as former FBI agent Audrey Parker in the paranormal series Haven, which is based on Stephen King’s book The Colorado Kid, she explains: “When you get an audition for something like this, you look at the log line. It is based on a Stephen King novel.
I read the pilot and really loved the strength of the character and her curiosity as well as the world the writers had created for her to walk into. I also like the relationship she has with Nathan (Lucas Bryant). To me, that is super-intriguing. You know, the pilot we ran is very different to what aired.”
She continues: “I don’t know if I had Nathan in mind the way Lucas plays him. What it has turned into is this quirky town and real characters.”
For viewers not au fait with the plot, Haven centres on Audrey and Nathan, of the Haven police department, as they look into the “troubles” that transpire in the seemingly sleepy town. Their investigations somehow see Duke Crocker (Eric Balfour), a likeable bad guy, roped in.
On how viewers have responded to her character, Rose shares: “Some of the criticism we have received is that Audrey doesn’t really react much (even with the weather going crazy). I thought about that.
“I think she has to keep everything close to the chest and she gets super-grounded. She locks down on what needs to be fixed and tunes the other noises out.”
In the previous season, there were two Audrey Parkers.
Shedding light on the storyline and what it meant for her character, she offers: “We see her begin to open up with the other Aubrey Parker (played by Kathleen Munroe). She talks about being in a foster home. We see that vulnerability revealed in a very interesting way.”
As for how the characters have transformed over the seasons, she offers: “The first season is like when you meet a friend at a party. It is friendly, funny and quirky. And then the second season rolls in, and now that we are friends, it is a case of being okay to reveal deeper stuff – and they still like you. Season three just gets heavier.”
Rose hints: “I would say it gets a lot darker. Even my husband (Dairek Morgan) would say at times: ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t believe that they have done that.’ Other than the mythology, it reveals a long-term crime. But then you have a whole other threat that gets put through. So it really kind of puts the season in a pressure cooker for us as actors and the story.”
A few twists are par for the course with a new instalment. Rose comments on the arrival of a few fresh faces.
“Yeah, there is a great character played by Dorian Missick. He comes into town as a cop from the big city and he really messes up Haven a lot.
“Then there is Bree Williamson as Claire Callahan, Audrey’s psychologist. “One of my favourites is Adam Copeland as Dwight Hendrikson. He is an all-round great guy. It is interesting to see his involvement with guest star Nolan North as Will Brady,” she reveals.
With season three having started with the search for a kidnapped Audrey, the plot thickens as she is linked to The Colorado Kid.
This forces Nathan, who has also started a secret affair, to call upon The Guard, a shadow organisation he had previously investigated.
How the destinies of Audrey, Nathan and Duke are interlinked is a focal point this dramatic season. And Rose promises it will be as brilliantly haunting as always.
• Haven is currently on Universal Channel (DStv Channel 117) on Sundays at 8pm.