It was a two-for-one special on “Harper’s Island” this past Saturday, as we spent much of the episode waiting for confirmation of one character’s likely demise, only to get a surprise bonus death in the final moments. It’s fair to say that neither of this week’s victims were at the top of anyone’s list of probable killers, but the proceedings flew by nonetheless, making the imminent conclusion of the series in a few weeks time something we’re both looking forward to and dreading.
The interview with the latest “Harper’s Island” corpses are only a click away…
Both: Hello, Will!
Premium Hollywood: Hello, how are ya’ll?
Both: Good, how are you?
PH: (Laughs) I’m doing pretty good. Well, given how in sync you two are, is it too much to hope for that you two were able to share the experience of being this week’s Victim of the Week by watching the episode together?
Claudette Mink: Uh, no…
Amber Borycki: (Laughs) Amber hasn’t even seen it yet!
PH: Oh, my God, I hope I haven’t given anything away, then.
AB: (Laughs) “What? I’m the victim? What’s happening?!?”
CM: (With mock horror) What? You mean I’m dead?
PH: (Laughs) I didn’t want to be the one to tell you. Sorry about that. So in your cases, like seems to have been the case with most of folks, did you come into the series through the standard audition process?
AB: I auditioned for the show, like I audition for everything else. (Laughs) I came in and got to meet Jon (Turteltaub) and Karim (Zreik) and everybody, and it was only a couple of weeks before the show actually went to camera. I was kind of a last minute addition, I think.
CM: I auditioned for the show, too, like everyone else.
PH: So when you got the word of your imminent demise on the show, did Karim come to you personally, or did you receive one of his dreaded phone calls?
CM: He started walking towards me, down this dirt road. We had just finished shooting this scene where the three of us…I’m out there with Abby and Henry, and we’re looking for the little girl, Madison, in the forest…and he just came over. It was lunchtime, and he put his arm around me and said, “So, wanna have lunch?” And I was, like, “No! I don’t! Not with you!” And he was, like, “Yep. Next week.” “Nooooooo!” And then I asked him if he was going to peel off my character’s skin, since that’s what I’d been requesting the whole time, and he said, “Uh, probably not.”
PH: Oh, well.
AB: He actually told me in person as well. Oh, no, wait, that’s not true! I just remembered: he actually called me. I remember because his number came up on my cell phone’s call display, and I picked up and answered by just going, “Nooooooo!” (Laughs) And I felt so bad, because he said, “Oh, do you have to answer the phone that way? It breaks my heart!” He just hated doing it. Well, I think he secretly loved it, but he knew that if you get a phone call from Karim, you know your time’s up.
CM: That’s sad.
PH: Claudette, when I talked to David (Lewis) a few weeks ago, he said that, during your fun little scene together, you gave him free reign to fondle at will, and yet he was still chastised by the producers for going too far over the top.
AB: (Bursts out laughing)
CM: (Laughs) Oh, yeah. “To fondle at will.” Yeah, I think I fondled him, just to break the ice. We’d worked together a bunch of times, and guys are always kind of apprehensive and they’re not sure how they’re supposed to grab your boobs. And I’m not really a frail, wilting-flower type, so I just kind of took his hands and shoved them on my boobs and said, “Okay, there, now we’ve broken the ice!” And I fondled him every time I got the opportunity, giving him a little pinch on the butt or whatever.
PH: And, Amber, when I talked to Chris, he said that the scene where Beth goes to visit Malcolm in his room was supposed to have a bit more emotional heft to it, but we didn’t get to see the build-up.
AB: Yeah, Malcolm and I had a storyline that unfortunately didn’t make it to the final cut of the show. We had a bit of a romantic storyline together. I loved the scenes with him, because he was Beth’s comfort, and that’s kind of how it starts. Yeah, there was a bit of romance, so that scene was supposed to be…when he’s dealing with all of his issues with the stolen money, obviously his focus is now on that, and he ends up leaving Beth behind at the time that she needs him the most, when all of this stuff is going on. Initially, that scene was supposed to be where I’m coming to him for comfort, and he doesn’t have time for Beth. So, yeah, the other part’s missing and there was a bit of a different storyline initially, but I think it still shows that he’s distracted. And, hey, you can’t keep everything!
PH: Claudette, did you enjoy kind of being the villainess of the show for awhile?
CM: Was I the villainess?
PH: Well, maybe not the villainess, but you were certainly painted as not being the most likeable character, just because you were the evil stepmother, as it were.
CM: No! Not me!
AB: (Laughs) She has no idea what you’re talking about.
CM: (Laughs) I enjoy being the bad girl. I am always the bad girl. This is actually one of my nicer characters!
PH: Wow. So what were your respective favorite episodes during the series?
CM: Hmmm. It’s hard to keep them separated.
PH: Well, if there were particular favorite sequences…
CM: I loved Uncle Marty’s death, and…I just really liked the gory details. I really liked Richard (Burgi’s) death. And, yeah, I even liked the very first death that we see, when everyone’s on the boat and the mariachi band is playing, and then the propeller starts and there’s the blood. I liked all of the deaths.
PH: Were you happy with your death scene?
CM: I would’ve liked to have had a little more gore in mine. But it was relaxing. (Hesitates) Did we lose Amber?
PH: Looks like we did.
CM: I was thinking that she was being awfully quiet. Oh, and I liked all of the stuff in the woods with the burnt man. All of that stuff is great. I think that episode was probably my favorite one, with the big fire and everything. All of that stuff is great.
AB: I heard “the barn.” What did I miss?
CM: He was asking what my favorite episode was, and I said I think it’s the one where we meet the burnt man, and he gets shot, then he drops his lantern and the shack begins to burn down.
PH: Amber, do you have any particular favorite episodes or scenes from episodes?
AB: Are you talking about as a viewer, or during filming?
PH: Both, I guess.
AB: Filming-wise, I loved doing the episode where J.D. is killed, because it was pouring rain, and we had guns and lanterns, and we’re running down docks, and it felt really bad-ass. I really want to do an action movie, and I got to imagine that I was Angelina, doing something really cool. (Laughs) I don’t know, there’s just something about acting in the rain that makes you feel really cool.
CM: Yeah, and you don’t have to worry about your hair and your make-up.
AB: Yeah, it’s all just pouring down…
CM: You know? It is what it is. It’s great.
AB: I love that!
PH: Do you either of you have any on-set anecdotes that particularly stand out?
AB: (Laughs) My favorite, actually, is this one scene that we were doing with Chloe, Cameron Richardsons’s character, and she had to say this line…it’s this whole serious scene, the one where she’s making the list of everyone who’s died. It’s right when Madison goes missing, and she’s trying to point out, “Look at all of these people who’ve been killed, and Madison’s gone…” And there was the line she had that was, like, “We’re all getting picked off like sitting ducks, one by one.” Something like that. And she could not for the life of her say it right. It was, “We’re all, like, ducks getting picked off.” I think we had to do it something like 15 times, and everyone was just dying. It was so funny, but it’s this serious scene, and people are crying, and we’re talking about how this little girl might be dead, but…it was hilarious! (Laughs) Talking about ducks. There were fifteen different versions of the duck line. It was awesome in the end, but it was funny at the time, just having these hilarious moments while you’re trying to film this serious scene.
PH: Claudette, do you have any anecdotes?
CM: I have no anecdotes for you at all. I’m sorry. But I do remember that day, and it was very funny.
PH: You’ve both delved into horror-themed shows. Amber, you did “Supernatural” and “Blood Ties,” and Claudette, you were on “Kingdom Hospital” for a couple of episodes.
CM: I was! And I did “Children of the Corn, Part Seven”!
AB: Oh, my gosh! Actually, I died in both of those shows you mentioned. I drowned in “Supernatural,” and in “Blood Ties,” my throat was slashed by a vampire.
CM: Nice! Yeah, and I’ve also done “Return to Cabin by the Lake,” which was also a murder-type thing, and I did a “Twilight Zone” and “The Fearing Mind.”
PH: So do you both consider yourselves to be horror fans, then?
AB: Yeah, definitely!
CM: Yeah, I’m a gore fan. I like gory horror.
PH: And, lastly, can I presume that both of you will both continue to watch the show, even though you’ve both died?
AB: Oh, yeah.
CM: Absolutely.
AB: I need to know what’s going to happen! I’m more excited for these next four episodes than the first half of the show, because I got to read the scripts for the first half. They didn’t give us anything for…
CM: Exactly. We don’t know what happens. So we have to watch, for sure!
AB: It’s kind of hard when you make all of these amazing friends while you’re working, but even your best friends won’t tell you what happens in the later episodes! (Laughs) Everyone’s being very secretive!
PH: Well, it’s been a pleasure talking to both of you. Thanks a lot!
AB: Thank you so much!
CM: Thanks! Enjoy your day!
* Missed our interview with Victim #1? Go check it out!
* Missed our interview with Victims #2 and #3? Go check it out!
* Missed our interview with Victim #4? Go check it out!
* Missed our interview with Victim #5? Go check it out!
* Missed our interview with Victim #6? Go check it out!
* Missed our interview with Victim #7? Go check it out!
* Missed our interview with Victim #8? Go check it out!
* Missed our interview with Victim #9? Go check it out!
