Based on Stephen King's short story Jerusalem's Lot, Chapelwaite is set to premiere on EPIX tomorrow night, and we recently had the opportunity to speak to star Emily Hampshire (Schitt's Creek, 12 Monkeys) to ask her about the show and her character, 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.
Chapelwaite was developed as a limited series, but, without getting into spoilers, the ending does leave room for the story to continue. During our chat with Emily, we asked if she'd heard anything about a potential second season, and if she'd be interested in returning.
"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]."
So, it sounds like a second season is very much a possibility, and it's great to hear that Hampshire would be game to return.
Be sure to catch the first episode of Chapelwaite (you can check out our review here) tomorrow night on EPIX at at 10PM ET/PT, and check back later for our full interview with Emily.
This interview has been edited for clarity.