Last year, Lola Flanery made her grand debut as the Seelie Queen on Freeform’s Shadowhunters. It was a commanding performance that had the audience and the characters shaking in their boots, and she’ll be back this season to continue her reign. But that’s not all! Lola has also booked a recurring role on The CW’s The 100. We chatted with her about both projects, how she prepared to step into the characters’ shoes, and what we should expect!
PC: Tell us about your upcoming role on The 100 and what drew you to this project.
Lola: I play Madi; she is basically Clarke’s adopted daughter. When I first auditioned for the role, I didn’t know exactly who I would be playing, but she was described as a strong, bad ass young girl surviving in a post-apocalyptic world. For my age, there are so many roles that are the young girl at school, the sassy daughter, etc., so to have a role like this come along was amazing. Madi has so many characteristics that I admire and I really hope that other young girls admire Madi as well.
PC: What should fans of the series know about your character and her story arc?
Lola: My first day of shooting season five, Jason Rothenberg [writer] was there. We chatted and he told me his ideas of where he saw Madi’s character going. As an actor, it was so exciting to hear what was in store for Madi, and by extension, me! He also made me swear to not breathe a word, so…
PC: What can you tease about the new season?
Lola: It’s more of what the fans love about the show but done in a new and interesting way. People can change a lot in six years, and it’s going to be really cool for the fans to see that. Whether the change is for the better or worse, well, they will have to wait and see! Like always though, on The 100, the threats are real, the stakes are high, and everyone is fighting for what they love and what they believe in, which is to survive.
PC: If you could play another character on the show, who would it be and why?
Lola: Murphy! I love the humor in Murphy, but I also know that I’m looking at it through Richard Harmon’s lenses. I think maybe it’s that I want to be Richard Harmon.
PC: Who will we see Madi interacting with the most this season and what was your favorite scene to shoot?
Lola: You will see Madi and Clarke together a lot this season, and I loved our early episodes together. It was just exciting for me to be at the beginning of my journey as Madi with Eliza/Clarke. There is also one scene that sticks out for me, but it’s a huge spoiler, so I’ll tell you about it later! [laughs]
PC: Were you familiar with the popular book series or the show before you joined the cast and what drew you to this role?
Lola: I did know about the show. I hadn’t read the books, but I definitely knew about it. A ton of my friends watched it, so it was big talk in the lunchroom at school. Being familiar with the show was a big part of wanting to play this part. I knew it would be a really great role.
PC: What was it like stepping into the shoes of the Seelie Queen?
Lola: Firstly, it was a surprise! When I auditioned, they didn’t tell me it was for the Seelie Queen. I actually thought it might be a vampire role. When I found out who I was playing, I was so excited! Especially because when you meet the Queen it leads to THAT kiss, which is such a defining moment. Stepping into the shoes, the dress, and the crown was amazing.
PC: What was the biggest challenge of playing her?
Lola: Probably the accent! I had never done a role with an accent before. Also my first day I was working with Dom who has an actual English accent, so that made me extra nervous to do a good job.
PC: Both you and Sarah Hyland portrayed different forms of this character. Did you get the opportunity to collaborate with her on the character?
Lola: I didn’t, unfortunately. It was a super big secret that she was going to play the older Queen so I found out not too long from when she started. I know she watched footage of me and you can see in how she holds herself and speaks. She definitely had the harder job having to mimic my version of the Queen. Maybe one day I can play a young version of her character on Modern Family.
PC: You’ll be returning for the upcoming season. What can you tease about your character in season three?
Lola: The Seelie Queen has an agenda once again. [laughs]
PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Lola: Gossip Girl
PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Lola: The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water
PC: Favorite book?
Lola: The Warrior Cat series
PC: Favorite social media platform?
Lola: Instagram
PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Lola: Fleetwood Mac
PC: Last person you texted?
Lola: My uncle
PC: Last show you binge-watched?
Lola: Bob’s Burgers
Make sure to follow Lola on Twitter and Instagram, and catch her on The 100 and Shadowhunters.
Photo Credit: Erwin Loewen
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