Viewers of Freeform’s Motherland: Fort Salem were first introduced to the characters Adil and Khalida in the series’ inaugural season. The close-knit brother-sister duo were led from the deserts of North Western China to Fort Salem. Adil is thrust into a whole new world at Fort Salem, especially when he meets army cadet Abigail Bellweather.
In an exclusive interview with PopWire, Canadian actor Tony Giroux discusses what it’s like working with his two female co-stars and previews what’s to come in the series’ upcoming episode.
Kylee Brown, Giroux’s youngest co-star, plays Khalida, Adil’s headstrong sister. Tony shares that who she is on screen is so different than what she’s like off screen. “You see her on screen and she is this super strong, grounded, old soul,” he tells us. “As soon as they yell cut, I’m not kidding, all of a sudden, it’s all, ‘Oh, that was fun! Oh, my God!’ She is such an angel.
“It’s amazing how she hits that switch, and she’s always so much fun to have around. She’s like a little sister to me even off screen. We get along really well.”
Most of Giroux’s scenes throughout his time on Motherland: Fort Salem has been with Adil’s counterpart Abi Bellweather (Ashley Nicole Williams), and working with her has been an absolute delight. “We have great chemistry both on and off screen,” he says. “We’re always goofing around. There’s so much space and respect for us to be ourselves.
“Sometimes, if one of us is having a hard day, the other person’s really there,” he continues. “It really does feel like a team. I have so much love for Ashley. She’s a fantastic human being, actress, and co-star.”
In the supernatural series’ upcoming episode “Irrevocable,” the actor reveals that we will get a chance to see some of the Tarim’s unique powers. “Since the first season, we’ve talked about this really powerful tribe, but I don’t think we’ve seen the extent of it,” he says. “We’re going to start to see the power and the intricacy and complexity of the Tarim’s powers.”
The episode is a BIG one for everyone — and Tony Giroux can’t wait for you all to see it. “Episode 7 is like a Marvel movie,” he teases. “In terms of the action and where the plot is at, it’s at an intense point [of the story]. There’s a lot going on. It really does feel like this epic blockbuster film.”
Motherland: Fort Salem airs Tuesdays at 10pm on Freeform.
Rowell was born and raised on Maui, Hawai’i, and now lives in the almost-as-green Pacific Northwest. He’s obsessed with Cirque du Soleil, loves teen dramas (especially those with a supernatural element) and horror movies, and is addicted to sushi. Prior to PopWire, he created individual fan sites for the shows Friends, Hellcats, Nikita and others, which led to creating and working on OMFGTV.
