WonderCon: “Runaways” Star Ariela Barer Talks Working With Old Lace, Gert’s Season 2 Struggles & More

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Coming off of the successful first season of Marvel and Hulu’s “Runaways” and going into the second, series star Ariela Barer stopped by WonderCon Anaheim 2018 to chat with OMFGTV about all things “Runaways.”

Barer revealed that actors who audition for any project in the Marvel Universe are not told in advance what the project is, or even what character they are playing. She then went on to describe her reaction to getting the role of Gert Yorkes. “I actually knew of the comics because I’ve always wanted to be in Marvel, so I was researching what characters I could play,” Barer said. “I always thought I’d be America Chavez. That would’ve been cool, but Gert is amazing and I relate to her in so many ways.”

Following the massive success of the first season of “Runaways,” Barer was flattered that the fans have embraced the series. “It’s incredible. Especially how young the demographic is, it feels intellectual and it feels important, especially right now. This show about kids finding power in a distrustful society when authority figures can no longer be trusted. It’s extremely relevant in more ways than you would think. The comic was so ahead of its’ time when it came out 15 years ago.”

One of the key elements of Barer’s character is her relationship with her pet dinosaur, Old Lace. Barer detailed the on set puppet of Old Lace, created by Legacy Effects, a practical effects company whose credits include “The Avengers” and “Jurassic World.” “The puppeteers are incredible and it’s so detailed,” Barer said of the Old Lace puppet. “There are six puppeteers; one is literally there just to pump air in and out. At times I forget that it’s fake. I’ll see the guy who controls it and I’ll say, ‘Hey, Lace!'”

In the “Runaways” comic series, the characters of Cloak and Dagger make an appearance. With the coming debut of Freeform’s “Cloak and Dagger” series, Barer addressed the possibility of a crossover. “It would be a dream. I really love Olivia (Holt), but I don’t personally know her. Every time I see them at events, they’re so fun. To work with them would be enough to make this experience worth it for me. The comics were written years and years ago and the new wave of feminists now- I think there’d be a lot of empowerment between these two badass women.”

Though season 2 of “Runaways” hasn’t started filming yet, Barer did delve into Gert’s struggles next season. “Last we left off in season one, Gert was off her medication, so we get to really now dive into her true headspace. That would be interesting as an actor. As someone who has had anxiety their whole life, to bring that to life on screen responsibly and for young teens is something I feel really passionately about.”

Are you excited for season 2 of “Runaways?” Are you hoping for a “Cloak and Dagger” crossover? Let us know in the comments.