Kingshango
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Clarke and Lexa
this war is cool and all but i'm really trying to see what the City of Light is like though
Clarke is back and this time...she's brought an army. Don't miss part 1 of The 100 2 part season finale Wednesday at 9/8c!
THE 100: ALYCIA DEBNAM-CAREY ON THE LEXA / CLARKE RELATIONSHIP AND THE SEASON FINALE SHOWDOWN
We talk to the actress about her fan favorite character... and the fears those fans now have.
2 MAR 2015 BY ERIC GOLDMAN
You never know how a newly introduced character will be received on an ongoing TV show, but suffice to say, many fans of The 100 have responded very positively to Lexa, played by Australian actress Alycia Debnam-Carey. The young, intense Commander of the Grounders has become a central part of Season 2’s storyline, as she and Clarke (Eliza Taylor) have lead their two previously warring people together, as a showdown with their mutual enemies inside Mount Weather approached.
Many had also noticed that Lexa was seemingly growing attracted to Clarke as the season progressed -- and the feeling could be mutual -- which was given onscreen confirmation last week when the two shared a passionate kiss. With that potential romance put on hold by Clarke for the time being, the duo and those that follow them are headed into combat, as the final two episodes of Season 2 air this week and next.
I spoke to Debnam-Carey about joining The 100 this season, the popularity of her character and the Clarke/Lexa (or “Clexa”) pairing and more – including those fan concerns that Lexa may be in danger, given Debnam-Carey is signed onto the upcoming Walking Dead spinoff series as a series regular. [I should note that I did briefly broach the subject of that show with Debnam-Carey, but she’s sworn to secrecy about it!]
Alycia Debnam-Carey as Lexa in The 100.
IGN: Clarke, Lexa, and the whole group, they’re on their way to Mount Weather and they seemingly have the upper hand right now, but this is The 100… So how worried should we be for everyone?
Debnam-Carey: [Laughs] Absolutely! There’s always many twists and turns in this show and I obviously don’t want to spoil anything, so I think you’ll just have to watch and find out. But there are definitely exciting things that are going to happen and a lot of maybe unexpected things too.
IGN: There’s been so much great material with Lexa and Clarke and you could see these signs of the attraction that Lexa had, even as she was espousing this “no emotions” idea. Do you think she saw Clarke as a kindred spirit from the get go, or did she begin to feel that the more she traveled and worked with her?
Debnam-Carey: I think Clarke and Lexa have similar experiences and a similar past in that they both have been suddenly required to be leaders and have had to lead their people in a certain way. They’ve both lost ex-loves. Lexa’s lost Costia and Clarke’s lost Finn and so in many ways they both have been called to similar positions. And I think that’s such a great bond. For quite young people, that’s a difficult thing to comprehend and to do well. It’s a lot of responsibility to have, so I think they’ve always found a connection in that way, especially Lexa. I don’t think she’s really seen someone else have to go through that position. I think that was an undercurrent for her. She was seeing maybe how Clarke’s approach to leading her people and to having such hope and courage and love is very different to the way Lexa’s been brought up to see leadership with the Grounders - which is quite brutal and there’s a lot of logic and rationality involved. So I think Clarke brings a very new perspective which is refreshing and attractive. So it’s a lovely friendship, as well, that we see growing too. It’s an interesting time for Lexa because she can start opening up a little bit, which is obviously very hard for her.
Clarke (Eliza Taylor) and Lexa (Alycia Debnam-Carey) in The 100.
IGN: Clarke and Lexa’s kiss was obviously a very important scene for a lot of reasons. How much discussion was there going into it and how much talk about the way you wanted to play it?
Debnam-Carey: It’s funny, because it was sort of one of those things that people kept telling us… Maybe sly comments along the way or something suggested in earlier scripts, but Eliza and I never really thought it would [happen], so when we read the script, we were like, “Oh, okay. It’s really happening! Okay, cool.” I think we thought that it just happens suddenly, so soon, but I think that’s what makes it so lovely as well, is that it’s this passion and this desire and this solace that they find in each other, which is so lovely. I think it is something so different and unique for a lot of teen shows and I love that we can represent a broad variation of people on this show. I think it’s so wonderful that the network has allowed us to do that. I think it’s great.
IGN: The fan response has been so strong to your character and to the idea of this relationship developing. What’s it been like seeing that and all the positive response out there?
Debnam-Carey: It’s so new to me and so amazing. I’m a complete novice to Twitter and Instagram. They’re not my forte by any means, but I have them. I only found out what "shipping" was like two weeks ago. I was like, "Why is everyone saying they 'ship' Clarke and Lexa? What is that!?” And suddenly having “Clexa” as a thing. But it’s so awesome. To be able to interact and have such an obsession with things that are so fun and exciting! I love that people are so invested and especially with Lexa, I didn’t even anticipate there would be such… like the cosplay! And that was so cool and that she’s really resonating with people, which I was hoping. This is such a great outcome, because I know Lexa’s character is… She’s such a hard character and she only opens up quite late in the piece and then we see her really, and the vulnerability and the innocence that she has and how young she is too. This response, I’m glad people hung out and stuck it out to see that development. It’s so lovely. And it is such a compliment to our costume team and the makeup artists who work so hard on each characters and to be able to see people really appreciating it and, you know, redoing the makeup, I just think it’s so cool. I love it. I absolutely love it. It’s awesome.
IGN: This is a very different role than is typical for an actress your age. What is it like for you putting on that makeup and the costume and taking on the authority that this character holds? Was that fascinating for you because normally that would not be a role that you would be playing?
Debnam-Carey: Yeah, absolutely. I think it is one of those great, rare roles where you get to play a really strong, powerful, young female. I think it’s great. And you’re right, the costume, the makeup, once I was able to put that on it adds a completely different dimension and it really gets me into that headspace. Even the structure of the way the coat that’s made for Lexa - it has this great kind of corset/belt around the waist, and so it kind of holds you up in a certain way and gets this extra length in your spine and this posture that is so, so perfect for that character. I think it’s such a collaboration for everyone but it is an exciting part to play, for me. Because you’re right, it is different. It’s hard too. It’s difficult to find the mix between very robotic but also human. She’s very stand offish and aloof and it’s hard to read her. That was very difficult, to make sure she wasn’t just mechanic and she wasn’t inhuman. She has those qualities. That was definitely the hardest thing but it’s coming through.
IGN: Here’s where I ask you a tricky question, because fans they love Lexa... and now they’re very scared for Lexa.
Debnam-Carey: [laughs] I know! I keep getting tweets sent to me that are like, “Please don’t die” and I’m like, that’s such a weird thing to hear every day!
IGN: [Laughs] Hey, better than the alternative, right?
Debnam-Carey: Yeah, yeah!
Alycia Debnam-Carey in this week's new episode of The 100, "Blood Must Have Blood, Part One." (Looks like she got some blood!)
IGN: So what can you say as far as, look, we happen to know you’re joining a different show and people are worried. Honestly, I don’t want to know the answer even if you could tell me, but what would you say to fans that are so worried about her?
Debnam-Carey: I’d say you’ll just have to tune in and watch and find out. I don’t want to say anything because I think The 100 is a very surprising and exciting show and there are so many great twists and turns that they do for great reasons. I think it’s such a fun ride to go along with. You’ll just have to watch it!
IGN: We’ve seen her in command, and her people following her and how tough she is. Will we get to see her cut loose in combat a bit more as we go into what looks to be an action heavy couple of episodes at the end?
Debnam-Carey: Yeah, there’s definitely a lot of action in the last ones. We’ve got such a fantastic stunt team. I love them so much and they do so much for us every week. It’s a very demanding job and they always have to find a new way to use weapons and create choreography for fight scenes and they’re so wonderful. So I’m always like, “Please, use me more, I’ll do whatever!” It’s so fun, because they’re just so fun to work with. Everyone knows this was an exciting episode, but there’s also a lot going on, and the bigger the scenes get too, the harder it can become to make it safe for the fight scenes, if you know what I mean. But you’ll see. It’s exciting stuff.
IGN: Before I let you go, going back to what you were saying about the costumes, when I was on the set last fall, I loved going through the costume shop. It’s pretty amazing what they’ve created.
Debnam-Carey: I know, isn’t it sick? And they just whip them up too! Katia [Stano], the costume designer, she just put things together and I’m like, "There’s no way you can put that on there!" and she’ll be like, “I’m just going to put this tire around here." “You can’t do that, that’s not going to sew on!” And somehow she’ll just magically create this brilliant costume. She’s something else. That whole costume department is great! Honestly, the best people on the show. It’s so wonderful.
http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/03...e-relationship-and-the-season-finale-showdown
The fukk Lexa!?