“Van Helsing” Exclusive: Rukiya Bernard Talks Doc 2.0, Doc’s Turning Point, & Teases ‘Crooked Falls’ Game Changer
Syfy’s Van Helsing has been renewed for a third season, and hopefully that means another season full of Doc, portrayed by Rukiya Bernard (“Supernatural,” “The Stagers”)! OMFGTV recently chatted with the actress about her character’s journey up to this point and what’s to come in the future for her character!
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By this point in the story, Doc has been both vampire and human, she’s left her friend behind to be changed into a vampire, and she’s finally killed someone. “Doc started off the whole show as a vampire,” Bernard says. “I feel like she was the first expression of what it was to be a vampire in this world that’s been created.” Doc began the series as a feral locked in a cage, cared after by Axel. “And by the grace of Vanessa van Helsing having her superpower, she’s turned back human.”
Rukiya describes Doc as an introvert, but when The Rising begins, she realizes that that won’t work. “She’s gonna have to act different, and she’s not very good at that,” Bernard explains. “She doesn’t have any skills where she’s a good fighter in any kind of way. She’s passive and we discover that she has a lot of fear, which makes her make the wrong decision often.” But now that we’re almost done with season 2, Doc has finally found her stride. “Season 2 for Doc is about Doc 2.0 and what skill set is she gonna learn when it comes to her survival. And whether forgiveness is a real thing.”
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Doc has finally had to pick up a gun and end someone’s life. That moment, Bernard says, is definitely a turning point for her character. “I’m a mother, personally, and having my daughter was a game changer, so when I got that scene, I imagined taking away someone’s life. It’s a game changer. There’s a difference of perspective. All of a sudden you’re playing God here. So I feel like she gets altered by that. How? I’m not too sure, but she’s definitely been affected.”
This season has introduced several new characters, and Bernard was super excited to work with them all! Rukiya was disappointed she didn’t get to work much with her buddy Andrea Ware (Lucky), but was very excited to work with Missy Peregrym (Scarlett)! “I love working with new people as well, everybody brings something new to the show, a new energy.” Missy fit the cast “like a glove” and definitely helped elevate everyone’s performances.
This week, episode 12, ‘Crooked Falls,’ airs, and Rukiya gave a tiny tease of what we can expect. “It starts wrapping up storylines and sets up where we’re going to be [for the finale].” Along with that, the truth about Axel’s distrust of Doc comes out, and there’s a definite “game changer.”
Van Helsing airs Thursdays at 9pm on Syfy.