Actor Natasha Little feels privileged to be a part of the third season of Absentia as she says it’s a great deal for a performer to remain associated with a good project. By Team Viva
The Absentia series tells the story of FBI special agent Emily Byrne who disappears without a trace while hunting one of Boston’s most notorious serial killers, and she is declared dead in Absentia. Six years later, she is found in a cabin in the woods, barely alive and with no memory of the years that she was missing. She returns home to learn that her husband has remarried and her son is being raised by the new wife, and she soon finds herself implicated in a new series of murders. Excerpt:
How does it feel to come back as Julianne?
Coming back for season three of Absentia has been a joy because you get a chance to go deeper with a character that’s already established in season two. Julianne was new to the Boston office and in this season, she’s got her feet well under the table. She’s come back and is the head of the Boston field office now where she’s got some tricky situations to handle. Although she is now the head, she still has to navigate some personal relationships. At the end of last season, she was the one responsible for killing Alice. All that has been sorted but obviously there’s a dynamic in the office that is not easy, an unsettled peace has to be broken.
Can we trust Julianne?
Is Julianne trustworthy? I can say that she’s super good at her job, she’s FBI perfection, everything by the book. I’m playing her so of course I trust her.
Can you tell us a secret about Julianne?
I could tell you something about Julianne that only I know but then I would have to kill you.
Does Julianne envies Emily somehow?
I think she has great admiration for Emily. Julianne is a profiler and she understand people. So I think she sees really strong qualities in Emily that she has admiration for and also is probably envious of it. Julianne does everything by the book, she’s not a risk taker. Emily has incredible instincts and she follows them right irrespective of the consequences. Although Julianne is smart and more analytical, I don’t think she’s as instinctive. I think that’s something she recognises in Emily and is full of admiration and even a little envious of.
Describe Nick Durand with only one word.
I think if I had to choose one word to describe Nick Durand, it would be ‘trustworthy.’
Describe the season in three words.
Must watch television would be the three words I would describe this season with. I think season two was up there but season three gets even better.
How is it to be back on a show for the second time?
I think it’s such a privilege to come back and do a third season of a show. First of all, you should have the confidence that people are enjoying it, that there’s an appetite for more. It just allows for everything to go deeper and people have an understanding of their characters which can be developed by putting them in new storylines and situations. So, it’s such a great gig as an actor to have more of a good thing.
How was the evolution of the relationship with the cast?
Well, I came in on season two so the season one cast knew each other. Before I started, I felt like a newbie but on day one I was welcomed and it didn’t feel like a big leap to come into that team. And Matt who plays Cal came in season two as well. Coming back for season three, there’s a shorthand, there’s an ease that it’s going to be easy, there’s no one who’s going to be a tricky nightmare. Or else when you haven’t met people before you feel you don’t know the people you work with. Whereas when you’ve been there and you’ve done it before, you’re like ok I know how this is going to be – we all just want to make this as good as we can. And that’s a great way to start filming.
What was the hardest scene to shoot?
I don’t want to give too much away – there is a scene where Julia gets punched in the face by one of the characters. That was fun to film but also quite technical so it was a little tricky.
Describe Julianne with one word?
In one word I would describe her as ambitious.
Who would you cast to join the series?
If I could choose one actor to join the team next season, I would choose my husband – Bo Poraj! But that’s maybe a bit cheating because then we could just enjoy Sophia on the days off.
Would you be up for an Absentia film?
I think it is a fantastic idea!
What would be the perfect ending for Julianne in this series?
A great ending would be a further promotion, not just as the head of Boston office but going higher up – the FBI. I think at some point she’d run for president. I mean, let’s break the glass ceiling.
(Watch Absentia S3, Monday to Friday at 10 pm on Colors Infinity.)