Last up was the star of Stitchers Emma Ishta, aka Kirsten Clark. Mike’s Film Talk spoke to Emma last year in a phone interview and Emma must have enjoyed the experience as she felt sure we had already met. After clearing up that we had not met before Emma and I talked about Marmite and Vegemite and she admitted that she does miss the Australian version of Marmite.
Crumpets were mentioned, as they cannot be found anywhere within US borders and the differences between English muffins and the aforementioned bread product. Note: An excellent treat, we both agreed, is cheese and Marmite.
We also talked about the various places that said product can be purchased. I Smile Back was mentioned as well as Emma had a cameo in the Sarah Silverman film and Mike’s Film Talk had reviewed the film in 2015.
MFT: “Your character has come so far since the start of the first season…”
Emma: “Yes she has!”
MFT: “I fell in love with Kirsten in season one and all her quirkiness. But then as the season went on, every time you did a stitch, and for lack of a better word and it sounds terribly insulting (Emma laughs) you became more ‘human.'”
Emma:”Yes, that’s right.”
MFT: “So is that going to continue this season? Can you talk about that?”
(Quick conference to ascertain just what Emma could reveal.)
Emma: Yes, well…With the last stitch in the season one finale (the one where she enters Cameron’s memories) Kirsten no longer has Temporal Dysplasia.”
MFT:”Oh wow!”
Emma: “And we’ll find out how that happened in the first episode of season two. But what that means is that she is almost an entirely different, well not entirely different person, but a very different person. Warmer, friendlier, she smiles a little more. (laughing) And a little more relatable, so the arc for Kirsten in this season, the one that we’re filming, has been an emotional arc in a different way in terms of learning how to deal with all these emotions in a different way.
MFT: “One thing I wanted to ask was about the dynamic between you (Kirsten) and Maggie. In the first season you two ‘butted heads’ quite often. Is that going to continue or has your relationship changed?
Emma: “Let me just say that I think Salli’s character is really interesting because you never really know quite where she stands. There are definitely still those moments as Kirsten has her own agenda at all times and so does Maggie. So there’s always going to be a little friction there and a continued ‘butting of heads.” (Laughing) But the end of last season, the events, brought them closer together as a team so there is a newfound respect and understanding.
MFT: I’ve got to ask this next one as at the end of last season, I felt that you (Kirsten) and Cameron were officially an item. (Obviously he’s not dead as I just spoke to him earlier today (Emma laughs). I know, talking to Kyle that you are exploring that backstory that you two have together. On top of this, is Kirsten trying to find out if her mum is still alive?”
Emma: “Is she alive…That is the big question this season and that is thoroughly explored. But…This season is more about finding my dad. So it’s more about finding ‘Stinger.’ The focus is on my dad and then things to do with my mum come up in relation to that and we’ll find out a little bit more about her as a result. But mostly it’s about my dad.
(There was a brief conversation about C.Thomas Howell, who played Stinger in season one, and Emma revealed she only had one scene with him but that they did talk, about step kids.)
MFT: “So I know Oded Fehr (Leslie Turner) shows up once in season two, will he be back more than that?
Emma: “Well, that remains to be seen! (laughing) I can tell you that there will be some new characters. We’ve got John Billingsley, who has been filming today, and he is just brilliant to work with, he plays a new character. As an actor he has so much energy and in rehearsal, he ‘brings it.’
MFT: “I’ve got to ask you, during your time off set, does the cast spend much time together?”
Emma: “Yes we do! Kyle and I have been friend since the beginning. Of course there’s room for others but we all do get along really well and like each other.”
MFT: “The chemistry you all have together is just brilliant, especially you and Kyle.”
Emma: “I know, right? It’s amazing since we never even did a ‘chemistry reading’ together before hand. We’ve never done a chemistry read with anyone on the show. It is just really lucky that we got along so well and comes off on screen.
MFT: “Actually the chemistry between you and Allison comes off brilliantly as well.”
Emma: “What is funny about the chemistry between Allison and I is that we are such different people and characters and we play well off of each other as opposites. She’s got so much sass and attitude and energy and Kirsten is so much more reserved. So they kind of work well together in that opposites attract way.:
MFT: “If the network “Gods” smile down upon the show and give it another season, where would you like to see Kirsten and the show go direction wise.”
Emma: “I think it would be interesting to explore the stitchers program going public and the ramifications around privacy and your life and dealing with that sort of pressure from the outside world. I think that would be very interesting. Since Kirsten is the only person in the world who can enter people’s memories that would be interesting definitely.”
We finished by discussing the fact that Kirsten is still trying to find out if her mum is alive and sadly the interview was over.
The ladies of Stitchers were great to talk to and all three were full of information about their characters and how much they enjoyed working on the show. The next interview session with be with the fellas of Stitchers, Ritesh Rajan, Kyle Harris and Damon Dayoub.
Mikes Film Talk 