EXCLUSIVE | 'V Wars' star Kimberly-Sue Murray says Netflix show will be a 'real' take on vampire genre
You may have seen Kimberly-Sue Murray as the Seelie Queen Amara in the final season of Freeform's 'Shadowhunters' this year. She also played a recurring role in 'The Lizzie Borden Chronicles', which starred Christina Ricci.
Now, Murray is set to take on a role she has always wanted to play: a vampire. For over a decade now, the vampire genre has remained at the forefront with the 'Twilight Saga' movies, 'The Vampire Diaries' and its spinoff. Now, Netflix is joining the club with its first American show in the same genre, 'V Wars'. Starring Ian Somerhalder ('The Vampire Diaries'), Adrian Holmes ('Arrow'), Laura Vandervoort ('Bitten') and Kimberly-Sue Murray, the show is based on Jonathan Maberry's comics of the same name.
In an interview with MEA Worldwide (MEAWW), Murray spoke about her acting career, working with Ian Somerhalder and how 'V Wars' ties in with her activism efforts. Murray plays Danika Dubov, the love interest of Holmes's Michael Fayne who is dubbed Patient Zero after being the first to be affected by the virus that leads to vampirism. Fayne is also the leader of the underground vampire faction.
She is also the sister of Mila Dubov, played by Vandervoort, with whom she shares a complicated relationship. Murray says, "Although the character in the series is different in many aspects, the dynamic with her sister Mila is the same. She is a thirsty, power-driven woman who “turns” and becomes Michael Fayne’s love interest.
Murray went from putting away her "faerie teeth" to play Amara for "fangs" to play Danika. She says that the upcoming Netflix show will have a different take on the vampire genre in that it is grounded in reality. Murray adds, "We’re not talking about glamorous vampires that glitter in the sunlight, but a disease that spreads and if you happen to have the mutated gene then your fate is inevitable." On preparing for the role, Murray says, "I prepped for Danika the way I would play a mother of a newborn. I didn’t pull from personal experience, but from a place of 'it will most likely happen, so how am I going to handle it when it does.'"
Murray is all praise for Ian Somerhalder, who acts, produces and directs for 'V Wars'. Though Murray was apprehensive at first on working alongside an established actor, she says Somerhalder was supportive and involved. She says, "We would talk about Danika’s motives and intentions, and he gave me permission to go wild, which the role needed. He really elevated my game. He loves actors, he loves his craft and he loves storytelling and that love translates to his directing. He was specific and passionate and brought the best out of us."
Murray is passionate about advocating for environment and wildlife protection. She says, "Because of global warming, our planet, as we know it, and its wildlife is threatened. They can’t advocate for themselves, so it’s our duty to step up, reduce our carbon footprint, make better lifestyle choices and support the organizations who fight for these causes." She relates it to the situation on the show, saying "the characters’ lives in 'V Wars' are threatened and they either have to find common ground and survive or face an imminent genocide."
So what advice does Murray have for aspiring actors who wish to excel in sci-fi and fantasy? She says it takes a lot of imagination and adds, "actors need to be willing to dive headfirst into the world, to over commit to the circumstances often against a green screen or they’re put in unimaginable situations that are difficult to relate to, but I also think that’s the best part. If you believe it, the audience will believe it."
Murray has a few projects down the line, including a top-secret video game and a Canadian series that haven't been announced yet. But for now, you can watch her on 'V Wars', which will be released on Netflix on December 5.