Marie Avgeropoulos talks about Season 2 of The 100

Marie Avgeropoulos talks about Season 2 of The 100 which has just began airing on E4 in the UK on Tuesday nights at 9PM and is currently being shown on the CW in America.

How would you describe Season 2 of The 100?

Season 2 is much darker than Season 1 and it will push the envelope. What you think is happening is the complete opposite, which is a lot of fun to explore in the show. You’re going to meet a whole new group of people in Season 2 and it’s definitely going to shock viewers even more than Season 1. We’re going to deal with the issues of radiation and the effects of the nuclear apocalypse. There’s a lot going on.

What can fans expect from Octavia in Season 2?

At the end of Season 1, there was a battle going on. Octavia saving her brother’s life was the last thing we saw. She can no longer fight the fight with her injury, and they both say that last prayer to each other, “May we meet again.” They’re not sure of the future, and that’s why that departure was so heartbreaking for both of them because they really did think this could be it. You'll have to tune in again to see what happens.

Is Octavia Lincoln’s girl now, or is part of her heart still with Jasper?

I think Jasper is trying desperately to get out of the friend zone, but the Lincoln and Octavia story is so much more dynamic. Octavia knows what it’s like to be wrongfully accused. Her crime was just being born. She was raised and hidden under the floor; as soon as she was discovered as the second child, she went to prison for her whole life. She feels like it's her responsibility to protect Lincoln because she knows what it’s like to be wrongfully accused.

Do you think that common link of being wrongfully accused is what binds Octavia and Lincoln together?

Lincoln saved her life. He saved her from being speared that day. But then her people go and start torturing him almost to the point of death. It's her responsibility to try and let them know that maybe the Grounders aren't who we think they are. They make epic sacrifices for one another, so I think that's why fans are so on board with the Romeo and Juliet romance of Lincoln and Octavia.

Could Octavia become a Grounder herself?

Octavia is definitely headed towards morphing into a Grounder, which has been a lot of fun to see develop. You’re going to see what the Grounders, the real Grounders, have to say about that. Will they accept her with open arms or not?

How has Octavia changed since we first saw her in Season 1?

Octavia has gone from a young, sheltered girl with her walls up to everybody around her, to a woman who's trying to make sacrifices for the good of the people and for the survival of mankind. Her journey is so crazy. It's such a pleasure to be able to play that on screen. The fans are finding her really relatable, which is nice. As soon as she saw the torturing of Lincoln happen, I think she was wondering, ‘What are we becoming, and why are we doing this?’ At the end of the day, she’s really trying to find her place.

Do you feel like you've settled into the role?

I’ve really settled into Octavia. It feels like when you turn the key in a car and you put it in ‘Drive’. It’s just in gear and it will do its thing. People are really invested in all our characters, which is nice. We got nominated for an Emmy Award, which is wonderful. The show has had great feedback, so we’re all really happy and thankful for that.

Looking back at Season 1, what was your most challenging scene to shoot?

The fighting between Bellamy and Octavia was probably the hardest scene for me to tackle. It was immense. I’m talking about the fallout they have when he says, “My life ended the day you were born.” That was really a big character moment between Bellamy and Octavia. I think he sees that she's taking more of a leadership role and she is growing up. She's making some of these decisions on her own, even though he may or may not agree.

How physically demanding is the role of Octavia?

It’s a really physically demanding show. My whole left leg has a ton of make-up on it because I’m covered in bruises from the stunts. There is lots of tripping and lots of falling on the show, so we have to keep our bodies in shape to do the stuff that we have to do. It’s always been a really physically demanding show. There are always lots of stunts. Right now, I’m training with a sword, so I’m taking classes in swordsmanship and it’s wonderful. I’ve never done that before, but I’ll try anything once.

How tough is the swordsmanship training?

It’s harder than it looks to be fluid with a sword. Lincoln is supposed to be showing Octavia how to do this, so I have to make it look believable.

Is it strange to come home dirty after a long day on set?

It’s only strange when you pull into a gas station after work and hand someone your credit card – and then they look at your fingernails. You don’t even want to bring it up. The dirt doesn’t come off either, so you just leave it there because you've got to go and do it again the next day. It’s paint. It’s not real. Well, sometimes it is.

How would you cope in a real life apocalypse?

Personally, I'm very outdoorsy. I'm from Ontario in Canada, so I'd be able to bring some skills to the table. I love to camp and I love to fish, so I know I wouldn't starve. I'd be able to light the fire, too. That's definitely a good place to start.

Courtesy of E4.