Locke & Key’s Hallea Jones has opened up about what she hopes is next for Eden after that finale.
The Canadian actress plays Eden Hawkins, Kinsey Locke’s frenemy and the quick witted, confident and outspoken Queen Bee of the town.
She recently spoke to Her about what she hopes is next for Eden after that finale, why she doesn’t see Locke & Key as a horror series and her favourite moment to film.
“I wasn’t familiar with Locke & Key before I booked it, but I did read the comics before I started filming,” she said. “I feel like that’s, that was an important part. I mean it’s not important for my character per se, because Eden isn’t actually from the comic books. But I felt like it was an important thing to understand the tone and what we were trying to go for and what the heart of the story stems from.”
The actress added that she feels there’s “way less pressure” playing a character who wasn’t in the comic series.
“[And that’s] great because, as somebody who has never been a series regular on a show, this was a huge first step for me,” Hallea explained.
“[Playing an established character] wouldn’t be as bad as biopics or anything, but you’re still emulating a character that people have already decided how they feel about – or that they’ve have a kind of relationship with through the comic books. So, with Eden, it’s been really interesting, because I get to create my own version of, like, what they put on the page like I don’t have to conform to any idea of what people are expecting.”
And while Locke & Key has been billed as a horror series, she wouldn’t see it that way.
“It’s not horror, I wouldn’t say at all. A lot of people are like, ‘oh is it gonna be too scary’. I’m like, no, it’s more of like a thriller fantasy. I mean it does have a few pop out moments, but [it’s not horror]. I do not like horror, like, capitalise and dots in between each word, I do not like horror,” she said with a laugh.
“I remember seeing a snippet of some scary movie growing up, I’m pretty sure it was Scary Movie – it’s not even scary, but as a kid it gave me nightmares. I’ve never been the kind of person that likes torturing myself, so I don’t like horror. I am finding the scariest part of this whole show for me has been the cave scenes, the one that tide is coming and The Savini Squad is in the caves, yeah that’s terrifying. Everything else is fine. Well Lady, fine.”
On the other hand, she told us that her favourite scene was “without a question” the cafeteria moment in episode five, noting: “there’s no other scene that even comes close to that.”
“We had movement coaching, and I worked with Roberto Campanella and Lindsay Sommers. Lindsay’s an intimacy coordinator, which was great, and Roberto has worked with Guillermo del Toro on a few films. We did two practices together, like choreography things. I thought they were going to just throw me into it, [that] they were going to be like,’go make shit up’. And then we actually worked through it, adjusted things. I have videos from the first time I ever did it, which was totally different. But the day of filming was probably the most exciting filming day I’ve ever been a part of,” she continued.
“It was so much fun. I really like pushing myself and doing things that you wouldn’t necessarily do on your day to day life. Most people have never gotten up onto a table and poured shit on themselves. So, hat’s what I love about acting and that it offers you new experiences. Episode Five was just a whole experience in itself.”
Warning: spoilers for the end of Locke & Key lie just beyond this photo.
It isn’t until later in the series that Eden starts to find out the truth of what’s going on – ultimately, leading to some (we’re going to assume) sure-to-be-disastrous consequences for her and the rest of The Savini Squad after that finale.
“I think, the timeline of everything fits perfectly. I think the writers did a fantastic job. I think they have such an amazing vision, and I think with Eden with her being so horrible, I think we needed to see [her] darkness of Eden first [before she could find out what was really going on],” Hallea said.
The actress told us that after the cafeteria scene in episode five, she had friends writing to her to ask if she was OK – and that they were finding it difficult to separate the character from the actor.
She added that she felt it was important Eden got the opportunity at the start of the season to show how “horrible” she is – so that when the series developed, their feelings towards her would change.
“I think the fact that Eden gets this opportunity at the beginning of the season to really show the world how horrible she is – which sounds weird, but like the world gets to see this really darker and bitchy side to her – and then kind of feel bad for her. Like, the scene when Scot walks away from the cafeteria [in episode five] being like, this has gone too far. You start kind of feeling bad for Eden and start wondering like why she this way,” she continued.
“And then in episode nine when she gets attacked, I feel like that’s the perfect time to be like okay, she is part of the squad. Now, we kind of forgive her – or at least, we’re more welcoming of her. But with her becoming a demon, it’s kind of like, wait, we’re just forgiving her and now she’s gonna go and mess it all up and even be worse.
“I think Eden’s story arc – I couldn’t have asked for a better character.”
As for what her “ideal situation” for Eden would be in season two, now that she’s become a demon and all, Hallea told us it is pretty simple: she wants to see her go the nice route.
“I went and visited the writers and they didn’t tell us anything. But I think a big reason I got the role in the first place was because I played her with a smile on my face and that just makes it so much worse. I think it’s easy to play the bitchy role with a smug look on your face,” she explained.
“Next season, my ideal situation, would be for Eden to go very nice. Like, just weirdly nice. Like when Nina starts drinking again and Tyler and Kinsey are like, ‘something’s up with her’. I kind of see the same thing happening Eden possibly, but I don’t really know. I’m curious as to how they’re going to drag the plot out for Eden and how long they’re going to keep me around for, because they haven’t told me I’m killed off yet.”
Featured image credit Tiffany Tremaine.
