vampirediaries.alloyentertainment.com/daniel-gillies-the-originals-exclusive-50515/#1EXCLUSIVE!!! Daniel Gillies Teases THe Originals Season 2 Finale
Ever since its inception as a Vampire Diaries backdoor pilot, The Originals has remained a story about the trials and tribulations of an immortal family trying to build a home in New Orleans. These Viking siblings — plagued by centuries of secrets, betrayals, and destructive power plays — have experienced more their fair share of pain, and their constant “bickering” makes the Battle of Hogwarts seem tame by comparison. But the beauty of their relationship is that, despite their personal transgressions and grievances, the Mikaelsons — adhering to their eternal promise of “Always and Forever” — let bygones be bygones in order to heal and move forth.
On that note, can they ever forgive Klaus for the damage and grief he inflicted upon them in episode 2×21, “Fire with Fire”? Not only did he kill Gia and attack Cami, but he also reactivated Hayley’s Crescent curse and basically pressured Rebekah into sacrificing her human body to return to her much more lethal one. True, his dastardly deeds were all part of a ruse to gain aunt Dahlia’s trust and protect his daughter, Baby Hope — but where does one draw the line? This is certainly the question Elijah will find himself struggling with in The Originals Season 2 finale. Hopeful for his brother’s redemption, Elijah has stood by Klaus’s side through thick and thin — even when he daggered him, even when he disagreed with his actions. Sometimes though, even honorable and loyal men need to break rank, and is seems Elijah has reached his boiling point.
Wondering what the future holds for this noble, well-dressed gentle-vamp? Luckily for you, we spoke with Daniel Gillies and got the scoop on “Ashes to Ashes.” Scroll on down for the exclusive interview!
Alloy Entertainment: Hi, Daniel! How’s it going?
Daniel Gillies: Did you say your name is Theo? My son’s name is Theo. He was just born — well, technically four weeks ago.
Alloy Entertainment: Congratulations on the baby. Such an exciting addition to your family!
Daniel Gillies: Yea, he is — and he has your name! I love that name. It’s a good name.
Alloy Entertainment: Speaking of babies, we’re worried about Hope. If the penultimate episode was that bloody and gruesome, we are scared to imagine what sorts of twists the finale holds. What can you tell us about the final blowout with Dahlia?
Daniel Gillies: That’s actually one thing I need to congratulate the director of the episode [David Straiton] about. That gentleman was awesome. I have to say, last night’s episode was one of the show’s best. Ever. The tension was beautifully realized, and [David] did a marvelous job. He was doing some things with the show I had never seen before. He visually captured the tone of each scene in a way that seamlessly told the story and moved the action. He found an energy that was somewhere between horror and thriller and some sort of contemporary Shakespearean play.
Anyway, in my long-winded way, I’m trying to say this: How can we top everything that happened? Well, I don’t think we need to. I think that the wonderful thing is that the next episode is all about standing on the shoulders of a giant, since we’ve established such an exceptional platform upon which to jump. In terms of any season, a penultimate episode should be a captivating brawl of an event, you know what I mean? This episode certainly was and I don’t say that lightly. This one set the pace for what’s to come when they [face off] with Dahlia [in the finale], and I think we matched that dangerous level of energy.
Alloy Entertainment: It’s safe to say Klaus’s latest rampage affected Elijah the most. How will Gia’s death impact their relationship? After all, Elijah has always been his brother’s champion, fighting for his redemption no matter what. Do you think they can ever move past the fact that Klaus used Elijah’s love interests as collateral damage?
Daniel Gillies: It’s interesting isn’t it? There something strange and removed about Klaus. I mean, I don’t know what kind of king he yearns to be, but his behavior certainly resembles that of certain North Korean leaders. There’s something heinous and unmerciful about it this sort of detachment…the mentality behind “it’s okay to lose the battle in order to win the war.” And I don’t think even Elijah, a monster in his own right, is capable of such brutality. Based on what happened though, I almost think Klaus is wiser in a way; he understands that when it comes to protecting his daughter and from having his kingdom usurped, he can’t worry about dignity, There is no dignity left any more. However, Elijah is a bit delusional and tries to maintain that small semblance of dignity, even within brutal strategies.
Oh, now you’ve got me in a spin! [Laughs.] So, how do I feel that the brothers will be affected? I personally don’t think it will impact them that much. This is what they’ve been doing for thousands of years — betraying each other and making amends. This is all they do. That said, the thing I could never understand about Elijah, specifically, is his fortitude. [Pauses.] Actually, that’s incorrect. It’s more like his capacity to forgive. I’ve never understood that. You’d think he be enraged after everything Klaus has done to him, but he’s not going to seek revenge the way some people think he should.
Alloy Entertainment: Ironically enough, Elijah’s weakness is also his strong point.
Daniel Gillies: Are you familiar with mathematics? Their entire saga is like the course of parabolas. [Laughs.] These guys are like parabolas: they go up, they go down, they go up, they go down. One week they’re squabbling over battle tactics and murdering each other’s flames, the next they’re fighting alongside each other to protect their family.
Alloy Entertainment: It’s interesting you say that, because all season long we’ve watched Elijah grapple with his inner monster, and, at this point, there’s a lot of rage simmering below those pristine suits. Do you ever want him to yank that Red Door wide open and unleash the beast within?
Daniel Gillies: It’s not so much about unleashing the beast. I actually think it’s the opposite, Theodora. I think it’s more about opening the door to the most rational concept of all time — to dethrone a lunatic. [Niklaus] is just a lunatic. I don’t understand him. I don’t understand the [siblings’] commitment to him, and there’s no redemption in any of these guys. Any redemption that’s been achieved, thus far, has been abandoned in the last few episodes, especially in [2×21].
Personally I don’t think Elijah needs to loosen the reins on his inner monster in order to let off steam and show rage. It’s actually more about surrendering all his anger and saying, ‘You know what? This doesn’t work for me any more. We need to go our own way.’ Which is its own tragedy in a way, but they are just maniacal to one another. I mean, at the end of the day what is the story really about? I’d love to say it’s about Rebekah, Elijah, and Niklaus, but the deeper we get, it becomes more about these two brothers and their hopeless devotion to one another. Because, when you really think about it, they’re not really that devoted to the rest of their family. They’re not even that devoted to each other. It’s weird, they’ll betray each other in a blink of an eye, then hypocritically toss around words like, “family” and “loyalty” and “nobility.” It’s kind of their shortcoming — trying to honor a code they forged centuries ago.
Alloy Entertainment: It’s no secret that Elijah is head over heels for Hayley; he pretty much confessed his love for her right before her wedding to Jackson. How will he be there for her now that her curse has been reactivated? This is going to somewhat hinder her ability to lead her pack and raise Hope the way that she wants to.
Daniel Gillies: I think you already know the answer to that question, Theodora: He’s never going to leave her. The truth is, on a scale of things, no one is viewing the return of Hayley’s curse as this grave and terrible predicament. There are larger issues to address, including figuring out how to defeat Dahlia and save his niece. However, naturally, [Elijah] is going to do everything in his power to support Hayley — to end that curse and find a remedy to obliterate it. That goes without saying. Unfortunately, the giant, black hurricane hovering above them right now is that he has to confront his brother about sacrificing the mother of child in the name of who knows what. He has real feelings for Hayley so he will help [her] through this ordeal.
Alloy Entertainment: Well, here’s to hoping no one else dies in the finale. Thanks for your time, Daniel. Congratulations on an incredible season!
Daniel Gillies: Thank you so much, Theodora. Lovely to talk with you.
If you could ask Daniel anything OG-related what would it be? What are you dying to know? Tell us in a comment, and for more updates on Daniel Gillies, follow him on twitter at @danieljgillies!
*Check out stills from the finale in the photo gallery below, and be sure to catch the explosive Originals Season 2 finale Monday, May 11 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on The CW!*