With ‘Locke & Key’ having just released its first season, and with us exclusively revealing that the show has been renewed for a second season, we thought that it was time we talked to one of the actors about the show! I got the chance to interview Hallea Jones about herself and her role in the show, enjoy!
Emre Kaya (Geeks Worldwide): Did you read the comic books to prepare for the role? What do you think of the comics (compared to the show)?
Hallea Jones: I did read the comic books and I really liked them! I finished them about as fast as I finished the show! They’re an amazing piece of art and I highly respect Joe and Gabriels vision, and the whole team at Locke & Key for creating such a beautiful and thrilling story.
GWW: Locke & Key is your first big show and your first time as a series regular. How does working on this show differ from the other shows and/or movies you’ve worked on?
HJ: It’s been an incredible first experience – one I wouldn’t change for anything. All other shows I’ve been on had only been one-day shoots (except Let It Snow), which doesn’t allow for much connection with the cast and crew- but with Locke and Key, I truly feel like I have become apart of a family. Everyone on the cast and crew was so supportive, kind, and humble, and I think we all felt how special this production was.
GWW: What do you like the most about your character?
HJ: As HORRIBLE as it sounds, the fact that she is so horrible with a smile on her face. I think it’s so easy to play a mean bitchy girl with anger in your eyes, but Eden doesn’t really believe her words cut as deeply as they do, and with a smile on her face, it just makes it 100000x sharper and cruel.
GWW: Out of all the Keys we have seen in Season 1, which one was your favorite and least favorite key?
HJ: I LOVE the Anywhere key because I HATE traffic and airport lines! My least favorite is the music box key because.. well.. DUH! My scene in Episode 5 is crazy!! (I truly had the BEST time ever filming that scene though, so in that way, it’s my favorite, but that scene with Tyler and having his mouth magically shut is scary! The horrible things that key could do?!?!)
GWW: We see Kinsey use the Head Key to remove her fear and see memories. What is something you would take out, or a memory you would revisit?
HJ: I think I would take out my fear too because I feel like I’ve missed out on some fun times because I was scared of getting in trouble (although.. maybe having fear is probably a good thing in some regards because it stops you from doing stupid things – as we see with Kinsey!!) and I think a memory I would like to revisit would be from my childhood, up at my family cottage. I don’t have a specific memory, but anything from that time would be lovely to revisit.
GWW: What is your favorite scene in the series?
HJ: Is it selfish to say EPISODE 5 CAFETERIA SCENE!!!
GWW: What would you like to see the most in season 2?
HJ: Eden getting up to trouble, and more Savini Squad!
GWW: What was the rest of the cast like to work with?
HJ: ABSOLUTELY. FANTASTIC. Every single person on this cast has shared so much love and kindness – there was never any tension or discomfort of any kind, and I think that’s a huge blessing.
GWW: There is a scene in the show where Eden’s body movements are controlled by one of the Keys. How much of that was improvised and how much was scripted?
HJ: It was all choreographed! When I first read the scene I truly thought they were going to say “GO FOR IT!” But I had two movement coachings with Roberto Campanella and Lindsay Sommers.
GWW: Besides Eden, who is your favorite character on the show?
HJ: Doug from the Savini Squad and Rufus!!!
GWW: Which other character(s) would you like to play in a television series or movie?
HJ: My biggest goal in my career is to step away from the Eden Hawkins type character and move into something darker (which.. season two, I don’t know! I might just get that! – if it’s confirmed!) I am really inspired by Charlize Theron’s role in Monster (of course!). I just want to get messy (maybe no more food poured on my head though…) and take all the makeup off. There are so many interesting characters out there and I want to step away from the stereotypical “blonde” role as much as possible!
‘Locke & Key’ aired its first season on February 7. The cast comprises of Jackson Robert Scott, Connor Jessup, Hallea Jones, Emilia Jones, Sherri Saum, Griffin Gluck, Darby Stanchfield, Laysla De Oliveira, Petrice Jones, Thomas Mitchell Barnet, and more. Aron Eli Coleite (‘Star Trek: Discovery’, ‘Heroes’), Carlton Cuse (‘Lost’, ‘Jack Ryan’) and Meredith Averill (‘The Haunting of Hill House’, ‘Jane The Virgin’). are the developers of the show.