BITTEN An Interview with Greyston Holt & Laura Vandervoort

We had the chance to chat with lovely Greyston Holt & Laura Vandervoort about the upcoming season of Bitten before the second season premieres April 17th. We also have some cool Bitten content coming out next week so be sure to check back.

Witches:
Greyston Holt: I think it just – it broadens all of our horizons a little bit you know. It’s a big bomb to drop in our world that there was – there were others out there with you know supernatural abilities and there’s a whole new world that’s opened up and I think it’s just kind of made all of us a little more accepting and trustworthy of the world around us. I think you know initially you know the werewolves, the pack, we are you know obviously very weary of the witches and you know their intentions. But as the season progresses you know there’s another darker force out there that we realized and we also realized that we need to – we need their help and they need our help in order to deal with this new enemy.

Laura Vandervoort: Yes. I think – you know this – I – like what Greyston said, the witches are a whole supernatural force that we – like most of the world with us didn’t know existed and it’s not something we can really go up against. I mean, we have brute force and the pack mentality and pack law but when it comes to their abilities, we really have no way to counteract them. And it does seem like they are our enemies but that I think eventually we – without giving anything away, we choose to work together because there’s strength in numbers and combining our abilities to help solve the problem we’re trying to solve this season.

Greyston Holt: Yes. And I think it’s really interesting dynamic that season two is kind of like what Laura was touching on there was – is that, yes, the werewolves, we deal in physicality and strength. And the witches deal in magic and spells. So to see those two sides kind of butt heads and come together is a really interesting dynamic this season.

Werewolf Dating:
Laura Vandervoort: I guess for the characters it would – like we’d go to some restaurant that serves raw meat and maybe go see Werewolf in London at some old theater and…

Greyston Holt: Oh, you’re really hitting on the nose there.

Laura Vandervoort: Yes, and then go – and I’ve thought about this for Elena for a long time – and then have a nice little fire at StoneHaven.

Greyston Holt: Yes, and ‘Hungry like a Wolf,’ you know.

Laura Vandervoort: Yes.

Greyston Holt: Yes. It sounds about right.

Relationship Issues:
Greyston Holt: Yes. Well I think you know there – you know a lot of the big things are out of the way relationship wise but we do face – you know we’re back together you know that’s definite. But there are a lot of obstacles that we have to face this season. I think Clay has really taken – taking a step back and just kind of letting Elena deal with some of her issues this season.

Laura Vandervoort: Her issues.

Greyston Holt: Issues, yes. It’s not euphemism by the way.

Action:
Laura Vandervoort: I think we all – we’re all very eager to do the action. I think – and you know most of the guys – you know all of the guys actually are very capable of doing all of their own stunts and I wanted to keep up with them. And I think it’s a nice break from – you know we have very dramatic, heavy emotional scenes every week. So when we get an opportunity to be physical like that and I think it’s a nice break for us. And we do rehearse on weekends with our stunt coordinator John Stead who is amazing and comes up with these fight sequences that – you know especially this season, will you know blow the audience’s minds I think and he always seems to incorporate the animalistic side of wolf fights within our fights. So I think we enjoy it. It is tiring but definitely worth it. And I think it’s better for the audience because they can actually see our faces and it’s more believable. We do have amazing stunt people who step in for us when it’s rather dangerous or we’re not able to do it. But it’s nice for the audience to see our faces while we’re fighting.

Greyston Holt: Yes. And it’s like – it’s definitely a catharsis you know because we go through so many different emotions you know and it’s such a mentally demanding show, that – in that respect but you know it’s nice just to shut the brain of kind of and – I mean plus we need the brain for the choreography. But you know just to – just the outlet physically is a really nice thing to do every couple of episodes. And it’s fun. Like you know this is the first time I’ve really done extensive stunt choreography and it’s like a – it’s kind of like a dance once you – you know once you know the – all the moves and the hits and the punches once you’re you know proficient at it, it’s a lot of fun and it’s nice to come home – you know most days you come home from set, you’re emotionally drained but it’s nice to like come home and you just beaten, bruised and you know.

Laura Vandervoort: Yes. I’m usually – I’m usually the one that’s extremely bruised.

Greyston Holt: Yes, you bruise easy. I think it’s the way you fight too.

Laura Vandervoort: I think I just don’t know how to hit lightly.

Greyston Holt: Your fights are a lot different.

Laura Vandervoort: Yes.

Relationship Advice:
Laura Vandervoort: Passion.

Greyston Holt: Passion, yes. That we all have secrets and sometimes you need your partner to help you keep it secret. I don’t know.

Laura Vandervoort: Or to help you get through it. I mean their relationship is a little you know in flux season one and I think – I mean you have to look at it that Clay is her one true love and she’s destined to be with him and she was fighting that. And maybe you know – maybe human relationships need to look at what their heart is really telling them and to listen to that, because I think we’re all looking for the right fit and sometimes the right fit is the wrong fit and it’s someone not just you truly are in love with and have fun with, and that was Clay for her and she tried to deny that. She tried to you know check off the boxes of what she feels a woman needs in society as a human. But maybe you know as human relationships in the world need to look at passion and what your heart is truly telling you and not try to check off those boxes.

Greyston Holt: Yes. Nailed it. You nailed that answer.

Laura Vandervoort: Yes. Nothing really more to be said. That was a pretty perfect answer.

The Power of Social Media
Greyston Holt: I think you know the powers to be take it all into account and you know I think what it comes down to it you know numbers are you know one of the major things they look at but they also look at your – fan reaction and the passion of the fans. I mean, it’s amazing the power social media now and getting the word out. I mean you know people are reading positive tweets and you know things on the show and it’s only going to get more people into watching the show, so it’s definitely talked about and taken into account.

Laura Vandervoort: Yes, I agree. And I know a lot of the fans on social media will tweet saying that they love how interactive the cast is both with live tweeting, and in between episodes we’re answering their questions and talking about them or following them. We have some great fans that I think we’ve all met at conventions that you know come to all of our cons, to our signings, they make t-shirts, and jewelry, and bags and they’re just phenomenal, so having their support you know like any show helps with the ratings, helps with being picked up and we hope that continues this season.

Greyston Holt: Yes. And it’s funny like I – like I – you know I’m getting to – like you know on Twitter you know I’m starting to recognize faces that you know are more active on our – you know on tweeting about Bitten and it’s – you know quite a few times have been at conventions now and I see them in line, I’m like, “I know that person.” I’m like, “Oh my God, you’re that person on Twitter that you know tweets about our show.” That’s cool with this one.

Laura Vandervoort: Completely, yes.

Horror:
Laura Vandervoort: I mean this season, the horror definitely adds up. There’s much more blood and gore, but Elena is separated from the pack a few episodes in and ends up at a compound and sort of – there is a character that has the ability to get into the minds of our pack and sort of put the characters into a mind palace with their worst fears coming true and they have to deal with them. And for Elena, you can imagine there’s a lot of things that she’s had go on in her life and guilt and all that that she’s got to you know basically confront within this mind palace and you know we’ve got insane explosions and fight sequences, because Elena is sort of in this assassin mode, she’s ripping body parts off and it did get intense this season and I – actually I’m just looking at a photo where I’m covered in blood that I think I’m going to be posting soon. So I had a lot of fun doing that this season. I’m a huge horror fan and one of our writers Wil Zmak is aware of that so he wrote an episode I think specifically for me to quench those needs and I had my own little horror movie in one episode which was a lot of fun. Greyston?

Greyston Holt: Yes. I guess it’s – the other person does what you want to say like, “Ooh, I love that.” But, yes, this is definitely a darker, more heady season. It really kind of – it’s twisted and really affects you in a – in a mental level. It’s – you know there’s a lot of unknown forces around us happening and it’s trying to figure out what’s happening in this world, because our world is physical and this new world is very supernatural and magical and fantastical and it’s really thrown us for a loop. But it’s definitely a bloodier, sexier, more violent season. And it just has – we have a new director of photography this season, Boris, and he’s really put a dark tone on the show. He has this thing called the dark side where you know you’ll notice in this show more specifically on the interior scenes. There’s a further shot on half of our face and it really kind of add to this dramatic tone. So visually this season is just – it’s – I think affects you more. It’s – you know even if – even if our show’s not – like visually it looks – it looks really appealing, it’s just very rich and dark.

Laura Vandervoort: It’s like – it’s very cinematic this season. It does look like – it does look like it should be on the big screen like a horror film.

Greyston Holt: Yes. All of my friends who have seen any bits of it say that too. It’s like, yes, just looks like a movie that’s you know.

Laura Vandervoort: Yes.

Greyston Holt: Hey Laura.

Laura Vandervoort: Hey Greyston. What’s up? What’s up?

Greyston Holt: What’s up? And then I guess – I mean one of the other key things – I mean everyone knows the premiere date obviously.

Laura Vandervoort: April 17th. And we’re very excited.

Greyston Holt: April 17th, two-hour premiere.

Laura Vandervoort: Yes, I was going to say it’s great that it’s a two hour premiere because it can – I know that the American fans have been you know dying to see it and trying to avoid the spoilers on social media. So they get to sort of get caught up within you know the two hour premiere.

Greyston Holt: And these two episodes really do play well. I mean, the whole season plays well as a whole but these two episodes really I think it was smart to play them back-to-back, just artistically and plotwise it’s like it really kind of go together as a nice little unit, like a two hour premiere. So it will be two hours of edge of your seat TV.

Laura Vandervoort: Yes.

Greyston Holt: Or hiding under your pillow TV. It’s pretty twisted and scary. It’s dark.

Laura Vandervoort: And by – and by the finale, you’ll be using the Kleenex.

Greyston Holt: Yes. Oh, yes, God, the last two episodes there’ll be some tears, I’ll say that.

Laura Vandervoort: I feel like we’re just having a phone conversation with each other talking.

Greyston Holt: Yes. We need to do this more often, Laura, just talk about the show. I’ll call you and we’ll just talk about it.

Laura Vandervoort: I know

Bitten airs Friday 8/7c on Syfy