The Supanova Pop Culture Expo is soon to be kicking off for another year, hitting up the Gold Coast and Melbourne in April for two massive conventions. Featuring a great line-up of actors, voice artists, authors and more from all over the place, fans of sci-fi, fantasy, graphic novels, manga and everything else in between are going to in geeked out euphoria over two weekends. Coming over from the States for a visit and representing the Lost Girl family is actress Emmanuelle Vaugier.
Starring as “The Morrigan” on the Canadian sci-fi crime drama, Vaugier had added a huge following of fans to an already strong fan base resultant of roles in Smallville, CSI: NY and the Saw franchise. In the midst of the hectic US pilot season, Vaugier chats with me as she leaves a barn where she’s spent some time riding horses, a longtime hobby.
“I think they’re always a really fun adventure,” she laughs, as we talk about her upcoming Supanova trip. “I did one in London in November and I had a blast! You do become tight with the people you’re there with. I’m on my own this time, when we were in London it was with Rachel Skarsten and Ksenia Solo. We were there together and Paul Amos was with us because he lives in London part time, so we all got to hang out, which was a lot of fun. This time though, I’ll be making friends, I’ll be like the new kid at school!”
“It’s exciting because you get really pumped up too when the fans are pumped up about the show and you being there. It makes such a big difference in how you feel and how you behave in the panel as you really feed off the energy. You’re kind of dependent on that to keep it moving. It’s great when they’re excited and it feels really good.”
Last year, fellow Lost Girl actor Zoie Palmer did the Supanova rounds, proving to be one of the more popular guests on the run. For Lost Girl which for many Australian fans, is a show that we’d be seeking out online hungrily, to have this kind of reception on this side of the globe is quite impressive. Vaugier agrees, commenting on the ferocity of the show’s fan base and the popularity it has conjured up within the sci-fi genre since.
“I had done Smallville, Saw II, Supernatural and Andromeda as well, so I had been exposed to the sci-fi world a little bit beforehand,” she admits. “But Lost Girl has such a surprisingly large cult following, especially because they don’t really advertise the show that much. It really is through word of mouth and there is no big, huge press campaign for the show; it’s truly a case of people who’ve seen it, they love the show, which is really flattering and awesome and wonderful. How often does that happen, where a show that hasn’t gotten that much exposure, catches on that quickly? That’s been great. Our fans are so loyal and that’s the great thing about sci-fi and the fans of the fantasy genre, they’re so loyal and they will follow you everywhere and they’re so supportive. They’re excited about everything that you’re a part of and that’s also really cool, to have that support system.”
The Lost Girl family is one that Vaugier speaks of very fondly of, chatting about other roles which have seen her been able to continue working with these actors. On her future with the show and where she’s going through 2014, she is neither here nor there about confirming projects, but is excited about what lay ahead.
“Right now, season five of Lost Girl potentially and then who knows? That hasn’t been officially discussed or announced, but potentially that. Right now, we’re in the throes of pilot season craziness, so there is nothing that is solidified and official yet, everything is in talks or very early stages. I finished something in the middle of December actually, I played “Mary Magdalene” in a fictional retelling of the origins of Christianity, which we shot in Malta with Kris Holden-Reid and Kyle Schmid, who are on Lost Girl! That was really fun, the three of us got to work together in a completely different context and world that we would never have thought possible. We never would have imagined that we would have been in Malta together!”
Usually, if you’re a fan of these kinds of shows, it’s not surprising to see the same actors popping up in different shows within the same ‘universe’ – there is a definite connection that continues throughout. As an actor, or indeed anyone in this industry, this consistency is one that is definitely welcomed and not taken for granted. Vaugier, who currently has a few potential projects on the go, acknowledges the hectic nature of the career she has, but isn’t in any way resentful or hesitant about this lifestyle.
“It’s a blessing in our line of work, that we get to travel; if you’re somebody who likes adventure and likes meeting new people and you don’t particularly like the 9 to 5, stable…you don’t know where your next job is coming from, then there is something comforting in that! For me, I love not knowing. Sometimes it sucks not knowing, but for the most part, I love not knowing what’s next. I just recently found out that I’m on an adventure to Australia in April, who would have thought? Things change day to day and I love that, it keeps it exciting.”
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Supanova Dates
April 4-6: Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
April 11-13: Melbourne Showgrounds
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