Rose McIver is the breakout star of iZombie, the hit adaptation of the DC Comics/Vertigo graphic novel from Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas and Warner Bros TV. The series follows undead heroine Liv (McIver) as she struggles to use her newfound zombie abilities to help solve murders through her day job at the morgue, while also trying to find somewhat of a normal life.
Oh, and she eats brains. Preferably already dead ones.
The series features the trademark snark and wit that Rob Thomas is known for and is exquisitely embodied through McIver’s effortlessly likable performance. The actress took some time at Comic-Con 2015 to recap Season 1 and give us a taste of something other than brains: a preview of Season 2.
Beware: Minor Spoilers for iZombie Seasons 1 and 2.
The end of Season 1 saw the dynamic dramatically shift between Liv and Major (Robert Buckley) with him being turned into a zombie, but then getting possibly the last bit of the cure. How will that be addressed in Season 2?
It’s incredibly bittersweet. Liv was trying to do the right thing. And I think that happens – sometimes we try to make these decisions for other people with their best interest in our minds and hearts, but it’s just not what that person wants or needs. So Liv gets stung by that pretty badly.
I think with Liv and Major, obviously things are unresolved. She has explored another avenue and met somebody else in the first season. Things didn’t work out, obviously, but I think there is a lot more to be mined and explored. But it’s a pretty big hurdle to get over, and if he would ever be willing to, and to understand that, and the costs and repercussions of that are definitely being looked at through Season 2. There is more of Liv and Major, I’m sure.
You get to play an almost different character every week depending what brains you eat. What was your favorite and what would you like to explore in the next season with your next brain salad?
Well, that’s definitely the most appealing thing about the job to me. Playing Liv, I get to play a character of such contradictions and who explores so many different avenues within one sort of name, and one shell. It’s pretty nerve-racking. I never know quite what I’m in for.
For example, I know so far I’ve been told in Season 2, I get my guitar back out. I play a little bit of guitar, and I sing. So there’s going to be some stuff coming up pretty early on that I am really looking forward to and I’m not entirely certain of each of the brains yet. But I know the first one back, but I don’t want to give you that spoiler because it’s too exciting.
But there is some pretty funny stuff, and it lends itself to such good humor. And because there are overarching, really dramatic through lines, it’s nice to have something that can lighten the atmosphere a little bit. So the brains can do that.
But how through all of these brains do you maintain the “Liv-ness” of the character?
Well, I think that’s like us as humans. There is always a core-like essence that we have as people. Even if we’re angry or we go through these different sort of cycles, I think we still have a real sense of us.
So I hope that with Liv, it’s just her integrity and desire to do the right thing for the people around her. And you know she is still her – it’s like watching somebody who is a drug addict or something, they don’t lose themselves because they are on a trip, they are just exploring a different path. So yeah, hopefully I keep that kind of consistency with Liv that runs under all of those changes.
In the season finale, Liv’s little brother is injured and you obviously can’t donate blood. Will we see his fate immediately when we come back into Season 2?
I believe when we come back, there is a slight delay in time. So there is not a direct cut. But we don’t know exactly. I don’t know exactly how long it will be. We’re starting shooting in two weeks [from July 11th], so I’m just about to get my first script back. But I know that is addressed very early on, in one way or another.
Do you think Liv will be estranged from her family for not being able to help?
Well, it’s like the thing with Major where she has the best interests at heart, but because of this insane secret that she has to keep, is unable to help in people’s hour of need or do the right thing necessarily. So I don’t know whether there is a cover story that she comes up with, or whether he survives or exactly what happens. I’m as in the dark on that one as you. So that is something I am looking forward to having answered pretty soon.
What was the experience like playing out the tragic arc with Lowell (Bradley James) in Season 1?
Oh my goodness. I didn’t know going in, quite how attached Liv and the fandom and everyone, would become to this character Lowell. And it’s the classic thing, taken too soon. There was so much more that could have been explored, but I think it really gives Liv so much drive.
The one massive positive about the whole situation, she can no longer be empathetic about the situation. She has literally lost somebody she loved now, because of this. And I think it has given her a tenacity and will she didn’t necessarily have before going through that file.
I remember that rooftop scene. We filmed at like four in the morning or something. In the rain, in Vancouver. And every one was quite emotionally charged. It’s a loaded part of our story, so yeah…..
Will we see Liv and Ravi’s relationship develop further in Season 2?
Definitely. Rahul and I get along so well. And we have so much fun. I mean our whole cast is so lucky. And I think the more that we’ve all developed our own set of relationships as actors and people, the more they bring those hints of humor and particular styles that we all interact into some of the writing as well. So I know, I got told one prank that I get to pull on Ravi that should be pretty good and Rahul and I are looking forward to shooting that stuff. We have a lot of fun and rile each other up a lot.
Is there any particular brain type that you’ve pitched to them to play on the show?
I have. We pitched the musical concept too, we thought that would be really fun. So that has sort of come in as an element. I thought a magician would be interesting, just the showmanship of that, or a ringmaster, or something like that.
The thing about the show, the poor writers, we’re constantly pitching these ideas that we have no legs for them to stand on. I’m just like, “I wanna do this. Surf, yeah let me surf…” [laughs]
iZombie returns to The CW for Season 2 on October 6th.
Comic-Con Photos Credit: Paige Wilson