Twilight star Rachelle Lefevre talks to What’s on TV about her leading role in Channel 5's Under the Dome (Monday). A new drama based on a Stephen King story about a small town trapped under a mysterious dome...
The official Under the Dome trailer paints a picture of apocalypse. What can you tell us about the show?
"This is a story about a small town called Chester Mills that gets trapped under an invisible dome. It’s a big mystery to the town's people where this dome originated, and it quickly becomes a story about how people survive when the boundaries of civilisation are completely altered!"
It’s based on Stephen King’s bestseller, but the series is quite different to his novel. Was he on board with this?
"Stephen has been completely involved with the process and has a great relationship with the writers and producers. He’s been really supportive of all the re-workings and said the TV series is a chance for him to explore the characters if they’d continued on. In fact, he’s writing the first episode of the second series!"
What can you tell us about your character, Julia Shumway?
"Julia is a journalist and a bit of an outsider. She’s very different to me in that she’s reluctant to show vulnerability."
How does she get along with the other survivors?
"At first it seems her natural ally is Barbie, played by Mike Vogel. She’s really drawn to him. As the series continues she forms relationships with all the characters while trying to get answers and chasing the story."
The first series is still showing in the US. What has the reaction been from your Twilight fans?
"I’ve had an amazing reaction from fans. They get really passionate about the storylines. I’m looking forward to the reactions from British people... I’m sure they’ll have a completely different perspective."
Have you been watching and tweeting as it goes out in the US?
"Because it takes a month to perfect the special effects we don’t get to see it. I actually watch the show when it goes out here on Mondays! I don’t like watching myself but I really like seeing the special effects and other actors, because it looks completely different. If I watch it live I tweet live too."
Do you know what’s been planned for the second series yet?
"No, and I’m dying to! We’re all waiting with bated breath to see what Stephen King is going to do. I’m confident the second series will be just as good because we have him. I’m really excited to see what’s in store."
Is this the type of thing you like to watch?
"I really like sci-fi and things that are dark because they give us a good excuse to ask questions about human nature we don’t normally ask straight up. Our head writer Brian [Vaughan] says that secretly we all long for the apocalypse! Even though Under the Dome has a sci-fi element it also has the drama of people who are good, evil, have sex with the wrong people and all of that! The horror of the dome reveals the horror within the characters."
