At Clexacon 2019, the women of the hit Marvel series “Runaways” stopped by to meet adoring fans, talk positive representation of the LGBT community and share some secrets from the show. OMFGTV sat down with stars Lyrica Okano, Virginia Gardner, Ariela Barer and Clarissa Thibeaux for a chat about the Hulu series.
Gardner and Okano kicked things off by discussing the first kiss between Nico and Karolina in season one, episode nine. “We were really excited! We had built it up in our heads for so long and we wanted to do it justice,” Gardner said. “From my perspective, Nico wouldn’t have any idea of what’s to come going into it,” Okano added.
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“I was aware that Nico had a feeling that there could be something going on between her and Karolina. And then when it did happen, it was just, everything clicks and this makes so much sense. As an actor I was very aware that this was a beautiful moment and I wanted it to be beautiful.”
Barer also revealed that Billie Eilish’s song “Ocean Eyes,” which plays over the famous scene, was not the first choice for the moment’s soundtrack. The original song choice was “May I Have This Dance” by Francis and the Lights, which had played in the scene prior to the kiss, and “Ocean Eyes” was dubbed in at the last minute.
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Thibeaux offered her feelings towards her character of Xavin throwing a wrench into Nico and Karolina’s fan favorite relationship. “This is probably the biggest project I’ve ever done as an actor,” Thibeaux said.
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“I was waking up constantly forgetting that I had booked the show! I didn’t quite realize that all these fans were shipping this relationship and they care a lot! It was only when I started reading the fan comments that I realized that this was going to be a big, emotional deal for a lot of people who had sat with Ginny and Lyrica for so long.”
Barer talked the relationship between Gert and her pet dinosaur Old Lace. “For me, working with the dinosaur has changed how I look at all animals. It’s such a realistic looking thing and the connection that they have. I would go home and be very intense with my cat! Now, looking at animals is weird to me, because I see a soul.”
Being at a convention anchored around positive LGBT representation, the cast talked what Clexacon means to them. “Being able to highlight these stories and highlight the people who find something important in them is so beautiful and this whole con gives a platform for that,” Thibeaux said.
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“Getting to interact with people who have been affected by our show is really life changing for us,” Gardner added. “It’s easy to forget how affected people are by this show in a really positive way and it’s awesome to come here and see people who are affected and it’s really inspiring for all of us. This is why we do it, to provide representation.”
Following the drama between Gert and Chase in season two, Barer addressed the couple’s future. “He’s going to have to make up for season two! I am gunning for Gert that she’s not just going to take him back, he’s going to have to prove himself.”
Barer also floated the possibility of Gert potentially having a female love interest. “I’m not making any official statement, but I feel like a young feminist in 2019 would explore her sexuality and sexuality is a fluid thing, so that would be something I’d like to explore. I think Chase has occupied a lot of Gert’s brain at this point. Isabella Gomez from ‘One Day at a Time,’ we joked that she should play Victoria Mancha and that would be Gert’s new romance.”
Runaways Season 3 premieres Friday, December 13. Seasons 1 & 2 are available to stream on Hulu.