(photo by S.Markus-Mathurin)
Among the more normal inhabitants of Netflick’s Hemlock Grove is Alyssa Sworn (Emilia McCarthy), the daughter of the town sheriff, Tom (Aaron Douglas). While she appears to be just another teenager, Alyssa had a big secret that dramatically altered the dynamic of many inhabitants of the fictional Pennsylvania town.
The recurring role of Alyssa presents a great opportunity for 15-year old Emilia to introduce herself to a global audience. Emilia began her career playing Laura in two TV movies–Booky and the Secret Santa and Booky’s Crush. She also appeared in the feature film, Babel in 2006. Although still waiting for her breakout role, Emilia knows she made the right career choice in Hemlock Grove.
Emilia is not your average young actress. Coming from a multicultural family, she’s fluent in three languages—English, Spanish and French. She’s also an accomplished dancer, having performed in productions of Hairspray and Aida. In this one-on-one interview, Emilia reveals what it’s like playing a teen in Netflick’s gripping horror/thriller.
What attracted you to the role of Alyssa Sworn?
Emilia McCarthy: She’s more of a relatable character for me. She’s a teenage girl in high school. She worrying about boys while everyone else is worrying about werewolves killing people. I think she’s definitely lighter and upbeat compared to all the gloomy characters.
Did you audition for the role? And what was that like?
EM: I did audition in Toronto where I live. I auditioned for Eli Roth, the director. I got the role, and then I had a chemistry test to find my fraternal twin, played by Eliana Jones.
You’re in eight episodes of Hemlock Grove. What’s the most challenging part of playing Alyssa?
EM: Honestly, the only challenging part is that she’s so mean to her friend, Christina, at the beginning. She’s sometimes so inhumane, the things she says. But after awhile, she does become less shallow and grow as a character.
So you’re not a mean girl and you had to draw that out from deep within?
EM: (laughs) I hope I’m not mean. It’s fun to play characters that aren’t like you.
What’s the most enjoyable part?
EM: Probably that’s she’s comic relief. A lot of it (dialog) on the show is ad-libbed. My twin and I did a lot of ad-libbing. I was surprised that they kept a lot of things that we were just saying. Like goofing off. A lot of things at the end of scenes weren’t in the script, stuff we just ad-libbed. I thought that was really funny.
Do you work all day and night on location?
EM: Usually, it was nine hours, but sometimes, it was all night and I’d get home at four in the morning. I think it’s exciting to film during the night.
(photo by S.Markus-Mathurin)
So how do you make time for homework?
EM: I kind of juggle school and life and acting. It’s helpful that they have a tutor on set, because we’re under 18. Legally, we do have to have a certain amount of school hours.
(spoiler alert)
So what can you reveal about Alyssa’s big secret?
EM: My final death scene is definitely a surprise. And what happens to the twins is also a surprise and kind of a bummer. But when you think about it, it kind of makes sense because of what’s happened to many of the teenage girls in the series. It’s sad and I’m so upset about that. But I did have fun getting all bloody. But even after what happens to me, you’ve got to keep watching because in episodes 12 and 13, you understand why the teen girls were targeted by this werewolf.
What’s it like being in a series with so much gore, werewolves and violence?
EM: Hemlock Grove was the first show where I performed in the horror genre, so it was new for me, but also fun at the same time. I really enjoyed it. I think there’s a big difference in watching the gore and violence and being behind the camera and seeing how it’s all made. It really puts things in perspective. You don’t expect to see a guy with a bucket of red syrup splashing you with a brush. Once you see that, you’re not so affected by it because you know that it’s not real.
A far cry from Booky and the Secret Santa.
EM: It’s definitely a step up and different.
What do your parents think of you being in a show with so much blood, gore and violence?
EM: They’re cool with it. My character isn’t part of the adult content. I still get bloody because it is a horror show, but my character is light and upbeat, adding comic relief to the show.
So is your death scene violent and bloody or is it implied?
EM: It’s violent and bloody and definitely the horror scene you’d expect in Hemlock Grove. There’s a lot of blood, but it’s not too graphic.
What types of feature films would you like to work in?
EM: If I had a choice, I’d love to portray a strong female lead. I would like to continue in this genre. I did enjoy it a lot. It was a great experience. It’s so out there and so different.
Would you like a role that has lots of action with you doing martial arts?
EM: That would be so much fun. Kind of like Katniss in Hunger Games.
I read you’re an accomplished dancer.
EM: Yes. That another thing I love to do. It’s kind of my hobby. I’m a part of my local theater here in Castor, Ontario and I’ve been in productions a few years. And that’s cool because I get to combine acting and dancing.
Any chance we’ll see you on Dancing with the Stars?
EM: Oooh. That would be great. That would be so much fun.
What’s your next project?
EM: I have two other series. I just finished filming one called Unlikely Heroes. It’s definitely more light, upbeat and family oriented than Hemlock Grove. And I just started filming another series called Kids Town, and that’s also light and more of a family show.
All 13 episodes of Hemlock Grove are on Netflix
You can follow Emilia on her twitter @EmiliaaMcCarthy
Alex A. Kecskes is a published author of "Healer a Novel" and "The Search for Dr. Noble"—both now available on Amazon. He has written hundreds of film reviews and celebrity interviews for a wide variety of online and print outlets. He has covered red carpet premieres and Comic-Con events for major films and independent releases.
