TNT’s Snowpiercer has taken some explosive turns, especially as it heads into its third season. After the game-changing ending of Season 2, many of the show’s lead characters are effectively on the run from Mister Wilford (Sean Bean) aboard a massive train, Big Alice. Among the chaos, characters like former officer Bess (Mickey Sumner) and Wilford’s protege Alex (Rowan Blanchard) spend time with others in surprising ways. This fact especially applies to the pair, who end up forming part of Season 3’s most compelling emotional connection.
During an exclusive interview with CBR, Snowpiercer stars Mickey Sumner and Rowan Blanchard discussed the elements that caught them by surprise while filming Season 3.
CBR: This season moves a little bit quicker from the get-go than Snowpiercer‘s previous two seasons. Snowpiercer Season 3 jumps into the two of you on the move in a way the show hadn’t allowed in the past. What surprised you both the most about Season 3?
Mickey Sumner: That’s a good question. I was really grateful that the train was hot. We come in the season and we’re on this little pirate train that’s overheating and everyone is sweaty and semi-naked. I thought that was kind of fun to be in the frozen Tundra, but also really, really hot. That was fun.
Rowan Blanchard: I would have to agree. It was fun playing with how as you said — it just starts in the middle of the action. Obviously, there’s always pressure on Snowpiercer, but these times, with the heat, it was fun — especially for me, because last season I was pretty confined to [the front of the train]. I was pretty much just with Wilford. So it was just fun getting to play into how exhilarating it was to be with some of the other characters too.
Both Alex and Bess get to play with a more conflicted element than someone like Layton or Wilford. Those characters are so set in their ways. What is that like, as performers, to bounce those more complex elements against the rest of the cast?
Sumner: It’s an actor’s dream to play a three-dimensional human who has flaws and doubts and moments of courage and then not so great moments of lying or deception. So, I think as performers, it’s dreamy to be able to bring all those layers into a character.
Blanchard: Yeah, I’d have to agree. It’s by seeing how all of our characters react differently and what are our strong spots. There are all these ways different characters interact, and how do we help each other. It was especially fun having those moments with Mickey and seeing how Bess is really protective and encouraging over Alex. That’s fun.
I spoke with Lena Hall [who plays Audrey in Snowpiercer] last year, and something that stuck with me was her comment about just how prescient the show became. You all filmed Season 2 of this show where characters are all locked down due to unexpected conditions, and then you went back into the real world where we all were locked down due to unexpected conditions. Did that affect your performances, going into this new season?
Blanchard: We were all locked down together in Vancouver for six months. For me, it was just an amazing opportunity to get to know everybody much closer. We spent so much time together and we became so close. I became so close with everyone. Yeah, obviously the lockdown sucks, but it was great also to get to know everybody and have an excuse to really [develop] meaningful relationships with everybody that we work so closely with. We all admire each other so much.
Snowpiercer returns to TNT with its third season premiere, “The Tortoise and the Hare,” on Jan. 24
About The Author
