It's lastly time to fulfill the brand new Thalia Grace.

It's been over a 12 months since Percy Jackson and the Olympians forged Tamara Sensible to play the fan-favorite daughter of Zeus (now performed by Courtney B. Vance, who's taking up the function from the late Lance Reddick). However she hasn't been capable of discuss taking over the highly effective punk teen demigod who died defending Camp Half-Blood … till now.

Sensible is opening up for the primary time about becoming a member of the hit Greek mythology sequence in an unique interview with Leisure Weekly, the place she reveals how filming season 2 helped her "heal" after Reddick's loss of life.

"It's wild. It's genuinely one of many best-kept secrets and techniques to this point, that I'm form of the one character of the present that hasn't debuted, and I've been with the present for over a 12 months," Sensible says of the lengthy wait to speak about her function. "It's thrilling, it's nerve-wracking, nevertheless it's so nice as a result of I've had a lot time to sit down with the character and get to know her and so I really feel very prepared at this cut-off date to speak in nice element about her."

Beneath, Sensible dives deep on what followers can anticipate from the TV present model of Thalia in season 2 (try an unique sneak peek picture above), in addition to in season 3, which is presently in manufacturing. Plus, she opens up about enjoying the onscreen daughter of considered one of Reddick's ultimate roles after they beforehand performed a father and daughter on Netflix's Resident Evil series.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did you first hear about Percy Jackson? Did you learn the books, see the flicks, or watch the present earlier than you auditioned?

TAMARA SMART: As a toddler I had learn the books, however I wasn't an enormous fan. I preferred them however they weren't the item of my obsession on the time. After which I liked the flicks that got here out. I believed they have been good. After which I keep in mind the primary season of Percy Jackson popping out, and I knew Lance [Reddick] and so I watched it along with his spouse, Stephanie, and I simply liked it. I keep in mind the second season being introduced and since I'd learn the books, I knew Thalia was going to be round and I used to be like, "I can't wait to see who they forged." As a result of I believed I used to be method too outdated!

Then in August of final 12 months, I bought the preliminary audition. I hadn't learn the character temporary. I believed it was going to be perhaps a one-time function, however [after a couple days] I scrolled down and it mentioned Thalia Grace, and I used to be like, "No method." I keep in mind instantly messaging Stephanie and being like, "That is loopy. I’m going to do my greatest for this. I'm giving it my the whole lot." I used to be making an attempt to remain very calm however this was a really massive sentimental factor for me.

After I'd achieved the second audition, I flew out and did the chemistry learn with Walker. The following day I flew house and I took a nap that afternoon, and the following factor I knew, my entire household was sprinting into my room with my supervisor on the cellphone and he or she advised me that I had gotten it. I cried for hours.

What scenes did you do for the auditions and the chemistry learn?

The primary two preliminary auditions have been flashback scenes with Luke [Charlie Bushnell] and Annabeth [Leah Jeffries], and they’re scenes from season 2, which was so superb to movie. It gave me the most important sense of nostalgia. And likewise the primary audition I did, I auditioned in an American accent, in order that was additionally loopy to be then doing it in my British accent. The ultimate audition I did with Walker was a scene from guide three, that we might or might not have simply shot. I'm very excited for folks to see it.

Ooh, so Thalia's going to be British within the present?

Sure, she's British. Lance is American, and clearly the gods and their kids are normally fairly comparable. I initially auditioned in an American accent, and I keep in mind by the second audition, I had requested, "Would you like me to do an American accent or a British accent?" And so they have been like, "Simply do you," and so I did. It's very superior to be representing the Brits on this present. In season 3, Thalia and Percy have this actually fascinating banter happening, and there's quite a lot of enjoyable issues that I get to say that simply sounds so reducing in an English accent. So I'm actually having fun with the banter that we're discovering this season.

How did you put together to start filming season 2?

I had per week and a half, two weeks perhaps, earlier than I needed to fly out to Vancouver to movie. It felt like a really brief period of time, however I truthfully had a bunch of time all through the auditions, watching the season, and studying the books, and I used to be actually doing the whole lot I may throughout the auditions to essentially perceive the idea of the present and the relationships between the characters and the whole lot. And we’ve got the unimaginable [acting coach] Andrew McIlroy, who I met on the primary day that I bought right here, and we labored collectively to seek out who Thalia in our present was, and what she stood for, and her relationship dynamics and her morals, which we get to see are very a lot totally different to Percy's.

What was the primary scene you shot?

The very first scene was a flashback scene. It's clearly not within the books, nevertheless it's such a key half to understanding Thalia. We get to really feel the lack of Thalia alongside these characters. Everybody was there [on set that day], the entire producers have been there. It was such a supportive day. I had Stephanie with me, Lance's spouse — she got here out for my first day. It was actually emotional however unimaginable. I felt like I used to be dwelling at the present time for Lance and I felt like he was there with me and really proud, so I don't assume I'll ever neglect that day. It's such a bizarre coincidence that I'm even on this present, and I'm additionally very grateful to the legacy that they've left for Lance and the way in which that they've been so respectful about it.

Assembly Courtney B. Vance, who’s our new Zeus, was simply stunning. I keep in mind him capturing final season and he did a minute of silence for Lance, which was simply such an attractive ode to him earlier than he ever even performed the character. I keep in mind him snatching the mic out of our assistant director's hand and being like, "Hey, we're not capturing but. That is what we're doing." He's unimaginable, and I can't wait for everybody to see how really, really unimaginable he’s on this present.

One of many largest obstacles of the present for me was grief. Watching [season 1] very a lot helped me heal on my grief journey with Lance. And as a lot as I used to be so excited and honored to be part of the present, I discovered it fairly troublesome at occasions as a result of capturing the present is a continuing reminder of Lance in what now, I believe, is one of the best ways. However on the time, I discovered it very troublesome to deal with. I used to be much more emotional, and quite a lot of scenes simply felt very charged for me as a result of they have been being associated to a spot that was so deep-rooted in my coronary heart. That was one thing that I undoubtedly struggled with.

Except for her accent, how is the TV model of Thalia going to match to what followers learn about her from the books?

Thalia Grace is the daughter of Zeus, and he or she was raised by her mom and migrated to America as soon as she grew up slightly extra and her mom wished to pursue her performing profession within the States. And finally in her life, lots goes fallacious, and so she goes on the run. She finally finds Luke they usually have this stunning household dynamic they usually come throughout Annabeth, and that's a extremely stunning factor. What we actually wished to hold from the books was how brave and the way courageous she was, and likewise how highly effective she was as a lady. Season 2 onwards turns into very, very female-dominated, and I believe that's such an attractive factor once we get to see these actually, actually highly effective multifaceted girls simply killing it on display. We see it in quite a lot of the scenes in season 2, these very highly effective girls taking cost of very heavy moments. [Thalia] is that this very broken one that is 2 sides of the identical coin with not solely Percy but additionally Luke.

How 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' 'honors' Lance Reddick in season 2 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' stars on season 3 moments they're excited to film (exclusive)

Inform me about Thalia's look — are you bringing in all of the punk components that she has within the books?

They made me look fairly superior. I labored with hair, costume, and make-up very, very intently, each seasons, to essentially discover the epitome of Thalia's model. You guys will get to see a few Easter eggs within the garments. I’ve eight piercings so we may work with all of my piercings. I'm very excited for everybody to see it as a result of I believe it's going to be what they’ve been wanting, and I really feel very pleased with it. I used to be pulling issues from followers' Pinterest boards, and I used to be very a lot closely concerned in what the followers wished. Rick Riordan has mentioned that punk was born in London, within the U.Ok., in order that's what I'll say.

Have you ever been coaching in archery?

Yeah! In season 2, you get to see some actually enjoyable stuff that I'm not allowed to say any greater than that. [Laughs] However I did a little bit of stunt coaching. After which this season, I truly got here out per week early to simply do a straight week of three or 4 hours a day of stunt coaching, simply with my spear and my protect and looking for Thalia's preventing model. Thalia is twin fight, which is a really new factor for me. That's so exhausting, I had no thought. However yeah, I can not say that I haven't achieved any archery, nor can I verify, however I'm very excited to see what the season brings.

Have you ever gotten any accidents from filming?

I had a trauma to my collarbone, and I needed to go get an MRI, however I'm good. I'm nice! I'm again in motion. My legs are lined in bruises always, nevertheless it's in one of the best ways as a result of we all know we’re doing the perfect work once we're all bruised and battered. We’re doing quite a lot of motion, and we aren’t practically as invincible as these characters are. It's a great reminder that we’re solely human and that we’ve got to deal with ourselves.

What are you most trying ahead to movie in season 3 or past that you just haven't gotten to do but?

It sounds so cringey, however I believe that point is true now. I had dreamed about what season 3 would appear to be, and I function much more closely on this season, and so I believe proper now’s what I’ve been dreaming about. Simply to have the ability to be a robust lady on display is such an attractive factor, and very empowering. And season 3, we get much more heavy. We now have deaths this season, which is so intense and it's such a visceral feeling for thus many individuals. And there's part of this season that I'm very a lot trying ahead to that really isn't within the books, which I don't know if I'm allowed to say that, nevertheless it's a sure relationship that we don't actually get to discover in any respect till the top of the season. I'm very excited for folks to see it as a result of one thing I've at all times been interested by.

For extra on Percy Jackson season 2, try EW's full cowl story. The sequence returns Dec. 10 on Disney+.

This interview has been edited for size and readability.

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