Haven returned to the US last week on Syfy, and their much-anticipated fifth season begins tonight in Canada on Showcase! The Televixen’s been on board with Haven since the beginning, so I was beyond thrilled that I was able to chat with star Lucas Bryant (Nathan Wuornos) about what’s coming up in Season 5. Here’s my full interview with Lucas … and make sure you tune in tonight at 9pm ET/PT for the two-hour premiere on Showcase!
What can you tell us about where things are at when this new season of Haven begins?
So everything had gone to heck at the end of Season 4, and Nathan’s head is immediately where it always goes — which is how do I undo what’s happened, how do I save Audrey, how do I find Audrey, how do I get Audrey back, how do I fix this? It’s all about Audrey, all the time. And Duke is dealing with the unknown fate of Jennifer and what’s going on with his bleeding eyeholes, which is not good. It’s a pretty wild initial ride in our first couple episodes, but for Nathan, it’s all about getting that girl back.
I’d say that Nathan is the last person with any shred of hope in Haven.
Yes, and in a strange way, he’s like the cheerleader even though he doesn’t do much with pompoms or any split jumps — although I could if they wanted me to. And I would if they asked me to.
It’s funny, but it’s totally true that he is the “we can do this guys” … he just never smiles when he says it.
This season starts out on a darker note, but there is a small bit of humour and some light moments. Can you tell us how long it will be until we return to a more hopeful and happier town of Haven? Or is that not in the cards for these people?
There is always some of that. How soon is it? You’re right. Things are pretty intense this season, and darker, and in many aspects the appearance of Mara is the worst case scenario. But I think that these characters’ relationships, the strange, sweet and absurd side to the show still finds a way to live on despite things going to heck in a hand basket.
What can you share about playing against Emily Rose in all of her different personas?
Getting to see her create all of these characters is a joy and so cool for her as an actress for sure, and terrifying in many ways, especially Mara this year I think is her greatest achievement. Emily’s had to tackle this character with gusto because Mara’s nothing but unleashed and wild, so there’s a real reckless wildness in Emily’s performance this year and that has been so cool to see. I think that because she is doing such an amazing job the story has been expanded to continue some of that because I think she’s really killed it and people are responding to that.
I heard that you’re going to be directing an upcoming episode. How did that happen? Did you just say, “Hey, I want to direct.”
I did. I told them a long time ago that I was interested in directing and they’ve understood that’s something I’ve hoped to be able to do at some point, and so I’ve been able to shadow directors on our show for the last number of years and be a part of some prep and pre-production and post-production, see things from that side and sit in on meetings. This year, thankfully, it will come to be.
There’s one thing that I’m dying to know about and see how it plays out. If Audrey is now Mara, can Nathan still feel her? Because he can’t feel anyone else, and that’s the big connection that he had with Audrey. Is that still there, and is that partially why Nathan believes Audrey is still inside there?
You *may* be on to something. You *may*. That’s all I’m telling you.
Any final thoughts or teases about the coming season that you want to leave us with?
(Jokingly) I am just so unbelievably amazing in this coming season, I can’t even put it into words.
This season, we are going on a whole new level of ridiculousness. You will get huge answers to the questions you have been posing, and those answers will make you ask even bigger questions that you didn’t even know were possible.