The 100 - Interviews with Clark and Jaha..

When nuclear Armageddon decimated Earth nearly 100 years ago, 12 international space stations united to keep a group of survivors alive. However, as resources started to deplete in space, 100 juvenile prisoners were secretly sent to Earth’s surface to test whether the planet was habitable. With the survival of the human race entirely in their hands, the 100 exiles were forced to find a way to transcend their differences, unite and forge a new path on a wildly changed planet that’s primitive, intense and teeming with the unknown.

At the end of Season 1, an epic battle took place between the exiled teenagers and a group of Earth-dwelling survivors called the Grounders. Which characters will survive? Who will win the fight? And what is the truth behind mysterious Mount Weather? Season 2 of The 100 returned to E4 last night.

Thanks to Channel 4 we caught up with two of the stars who tell us their thoughts on season 1 and maybe a little more about the rest of the season..

Firstly we spoke to Eliza Taylor who plays Clark.


When the audience last saw Clarke in Season 1, she woke up in a white room. What is the significance of that white room?

I think Clarke’s journey has been really, really interesting in The 100. She’s come full circle. She's gone from being in a prison cell in the first episode of Season 1, to being wild and free and a leader – but now she's back in some kind of cell. It's going to be interesting to see her use the skills that she picked up on the ground to fight her way out of there. We start the new season right at the point where we left off, so we get straight into that storyline. It’s a lot of fun.

A lot of fans are rooting for Clarke and Bellamy to get together. Do you think this might happen in Season 2?

We haven't even found Bellamy yet, so we don't know if he is alive or dead. That sort of chemistry between them wasn't intentional. It wasn't written; it was just something that the fans clung onto. I think it would be cool if we saw more of that relationship, but I think there are more important things for Clarke to deal with – like fighting the Grounders and surviving. There is still a lot to come out and I want people to learn the secrets about Mount Weather, the Mountain Men, the Grounders and the Reapers. I can't wait for people to explore it with us.

Can we expect conflict between Clarke and Anya in Season 2?

For me, Clarke and Anya have a really interesting dynamic. They are both leaders of their groups and they both think that their tribes have the best ways. There's a lot more to come from these two.

Will Clarke be reunited with her mother in Season 2?

I think they will be reunited. I think they must! I think it would be really interesting to see what happens if they did because there's a lot of tension there. They've both changed so much that I think it will be interesting to see if they even recognise one another. Clarke has to deal with the knowledge that her mother had her father killed. They've been through so much together, but Clarke has gone from being a little girl and she’s now this fierce, scary leader woman. Things have changed for The 100. When we first landed on Earth, we were scared little kids – but now we have all become hunters and warriors. It’s intense.

Clarke's character has been full of contradictions. Will we see more of that darker side to her in Season 2?

Absolutely. I think she's on that path and there's no turning back. She's definitely blurring the lines, which is something I think you have to do as a leader. And personally, I'm loving it. It's so fun to play that moral dilemma. I'm doing things as an actor that I never thought I could do. It's cool.

How does it feel to play a strong female character on television?

It's fantastic. I've never been able to play a character like this before, so it's a dream come true for me. She’s smart and strong and soulful, which is fantastic for me to portray.

How much do you enjoy the physical aspect of your role?

It's been challenging, but great. One thing I watched back on Season 1 that I've been trying to do in Season 2 is focus more on my physical abilities. I am a girly girl, but there are scenes where I noticed that I was doing girly movements – but Clarke isn’t like that. That's been really challenging, trying to be grounded and strong and really get more of that masculine physicality.

How long do you spend in makeup getting all that dirt applied?

For the guys in the show, I think it was pretty easy to get dirty – it’s just some sweat and mud. Sometimes, you forget about all the stuff that’s on you. Once, I went home after a shooting a long day and I had fake blood everywhere; it was all over my hands I didn't even think about it. I popped into a local store to pick up some chewing gum and when the guy served me, he looked at my hands and said to me, “Erm, are you okay?" I was like, "Yeah, I'm fine..." And I hurried out.

Is the role more physically challenging, or mentally challenging?

It's all pretty challenging, but it depends on the day. I've definitely had to step up my work-out regime and all that stuff, which can be hard at times. I've definitely cried at training sessions. And I just don't like running. Emotionally, it can be very demanding. I remember that scene I shot in episode eleven, where I kill a guy and I hold my hands over his mouth while I watch him die. Filming that scene was really, really emotionally tough for me. That was a whole 12-hour day of just killing. Being in that mindset, it's hard to go home at night and not feel all those things. You need to ease out of it.

Did you have any worries about what was in store for Clarke in the second season?

I was scared I wasn't going to be as strong as the script demanded for the first couple of episodes. Clarke is a fighter now, but I'm not like that in real life. I'm not a fighter. I think Clarke's heart is still intact this series, but she has had to learn how to compartmentalise things.

How far in advance do you hear about upcoming storylines for your character?

We only get our scripts two or three days before we start shooting that episode, which can be really, really nerve wracking. We know where the plot is going, but at the same time, it changes all the time. Plus, they don't mind killing people off. It's a terrifying show to work on in that respect.

Have there been any other scenes that you found tough to work on?

One scene was hard to be part of was the torture scene with Ricky Whittle, who plays Lincoln. He was in the restraints for so many hours and that scene took so long to film. Visually, it looked great, though.

Next we spoke to Isaiah Wasjington who plays Jaha..


What did you enjoy the most about Season 1 of The 100?

I enjoyed seeing the Ark coming down in the Season 1 finale. Well, that’s one of many things that I enjoyed in Season 1. I'll start at the end of the season and I’ll work my way back. The Ark coming down was amazing. Watching Joseph Gatt – who plays Tristan – fighting the war and then the chaos stopped for a second where you see this fire in the sky… That was intense. Season 2 is going to be really fun because that’s where the action stopped in Season 1 and that’s where the action starts for Season 2. I assure you, you're going to be very excited.

What is the appeal of a show like The 100?

I’ve always talked about being a huge fan of [The 100 creator] Jason Rothenberg. If you’re sitting in the privacy of your home, you could be watching 999 other things for 42 minutes – but if you’re taking a ride with us, it’s going to be compelling and it’s going to be great television. Our show is shot beautifully and it’s exciting to be part of it.

The 100 is a pretty dark show at times. What do you think of the darkness?

That is an interesting question to address and I’m going to try and be as frank as possible. Society is living in some very coarse times right now. The world is in some very coarse times. If we look at CNN right now, it looks like people are trying to accelerate what our characters have already – unfortunately – been doing in The 100. The darkness of our show has to reflect the darkness in the world, but hopefully that turns you off; and that’s a good thing because that means you’re human and you want to be better. Our show takes you to the darkness, but there’s also retribution and redemption, as well as a sense of hope. And that’s where Chancellor Jaha comes in. Whatever his fate will be, his presence is still going to be very largely hopeful. I’m not saying it’s spiritual and it’s not perfectly moral, but it’s certainly hopeful to remind everyone that we could be better.

What was the most challenging scene for your character in this first season?

The culling. And then finding out, because of all of this human behaviour, it didn’t have to be that way. That was a tough one. That was hard.

What can you tell us about the storylines of Season 2?

I can’t tell you much. All I can say is the fact that it’s going to be intense. It's going to beautifully brutal. Trust us. Just trust us.

Has Jason Rothenberg told you what’s planned for Thelonious Jaha in Season 2?

Jason knows all, but he hasn’t told me anything. And I haven’t asked.

When we last saw Thelonious, he was left in space with a limited air supply. How long can he survive up there?

This is television. If needed, he could probably survive by sucking on that air for another 12 seasons of the show! They could slow down time. They could do a lot of things if needed. We’ll just have to see what happens.

Thelonious sacrificed himself so that the Ark could return to Earth. How is he feeling when we see him again?

His feelings are definitely explored [in Season 2]. All the choices he made are explored. He deals with the fact that he’s a symptom of his own demise. He made an executive decision that he thought was the right decision, which was to sacrifice 300 people. He then realised that he didn’t have to do that, but that’s not something that he can control. He’s not the type of guy who points fingers. He’s the type of guy who goes, “I’m the Chancellor.” He won’t say, “I did this because…” or, “That happened because…” A true leader doesn’t do that. He has no hesitation about sacrificing himself. He’s up there alone now.

Does this mean you’re alone in isolated scenes in space in Season 2? If so, how do you approach that type of acting style?

It’s deep, man! This is beyond 2001: A Space Odyssey and Tom Hanks talking to a soccer ball [in Castaway]. I keep saying, “Jason, are you out of your mind? This is so exciting.” I was excited about the show last year and I’m excited about the show this year again because I know it’s going to be great. It’s beautiful. And it gets beautifully brutal this year.

When you use the word ‘beautiful’, are you referring to Jaha’s world or the show in general?

I’m talking about the whole, entire show. It’s beautifully shot. Beautifully shot! I honestly can’t wait for everyone to see it. It’s going to be amazing.