EPIX's Chapelwaite is set to premiere tonight, and we recently spoke to star Emily Hampshire (Schitt's Creek, 12 Monkeys) via Zoom to ask her a few questions about the Stephen King adaptation and her role as the heroic, but duplicitous Rebecca.
The chilling tale begins with sea captain Charles Boone (Adrien Brody) and his three children (Jennifer Ens, Sirena Gulamgaus, and Ian Ho) setting sail for the town of Preacher's Corners in Maine following the death of his wife. Boone's late cousin Stephen has invited him to move into the family home of Chapelwaite, but on arrival, Charles soon learns that the people of Preacher's Corners have nothing but contempt for the Boone name.
Hampshire plays Rebecca Morgan, an ambitious young woman who left Preacher’s Corners to attend Mount Holyoke College, and has returned home with an advance to write a story for the new and prestigious Atlantic Monthly. Her writer’s block lifts when Boone arrives in town with his children, and despite her mother’s protests, Rebecca applies to be governess of the infamous Chapelwaite manor and the Boone family in order to write about them. In doing so, Rebecca will not only craft the next great gothic novel, she’ll unravel a mystery that has plagued her own family for years.
During our chat, we asked Emily about playing a character who was not in King's original short story, Jerusalem's Lot, signing on for her first gothic horror project, the potential for a second season, and more.
Mark Cassidy: So this first question is a two-parter. Am I right in thinking your character doesn't appear in King's original story?
Emily Hampshire: "She does not, and that's why my theory is that she's the female Stephen King... if King was in the 1850s and a smart woman, he would be Rebecca!"
MC: That was actually my next question, because she's a writer and King often adds a kind of stand-in for himself in his stuff...
EH: "Yeah, which I love. I don't know if this is the first time that it's happened, but I love that it's a female."
MC: I know you've done some darker stuff before like 12 Monkeys, but was this your first real gothic horror project?
EH: "It was... especially in this time period, which I love. I love being in these costumes, and to me it just does so much of the acting for you. You're with Adrien Brody who just is old-timey to begin with. He just comes out of the womb old-timey!"
MC: Without going into spoilers, this feels like a very self-contained story, but it does kind of leave things open if they did want to continue. Has there been any talk of a second season, and would you be interested in returning?
EH: "So, what I know about the talk of a second season is, I don't know if you've seen Schitt's Creek, but I took the giant painting of a stag behind the desk where I sit as a souvenir," she began. "And so on this, I said to [Chapelwaite producer] Donald De Line, at the end could I have the portrait of Stephen just because I want to collect giant paintings from sets! He said if we don't go for a second season, then yes you can have it. I was like, 'I thought this was a limited?'"
"As Rebecca, the writer, I would be happy to help with a second season! I would absolutely [return]."
MC: You've said in the past that you'd like to play either She-Hulk or Spider-Woman - with those roles already cast, are there any other comic book characters you'd like to take a crack at?
EH: "Oh boy... I'm scared to say because then it might happen that they cast someone else! So I think I'm going to keep it to myself, but if you have any ideas tell me - but don't tell the world, because then they'll get someone else!
MC: It's a deal!
Huge thanks to Emily for taking the time to answer our questions. Be sure to tune in for the first episode of Chapelwaite (you can check out our review here) tonight on EPIX at at 10PM ET/PT.
This interview has been edited for clarity.