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Exclusive Interview
Maternity Leave
A CONVERSATION WITH YUNJIN KIM AND ELIZABETH MITCHELL
Finding out you’re going to be a mom is normally a happy and exciting occasion. Except, on this particular island, being pregnant is something the women – and resident doctors –fear. YUNJIN KIM and ELIZABETH MITCHELL talk exclusively to us about the new season’s thrills and perils for their respective characters, Sun and Juliet...
Lost Magazine: Yunjin, we have to start by talking about that slap you had to give Elizabeth – first Sawyer in the last season, now Juliet…!
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Yunjin Kim: I was like, “Oh man! I don’t want to do this because Elizabeth is such a sweetie!” But she wanted it [laughs]!
Elizabeth Mitchell: Like, “No! It is okay! Slap me hard! Go for it [laughs]!”
YK: It was all to do with that great dramatic scene where Jin does find out [about Sun’s affair]. Juliet is trying to keep them from going to Locke’s camp on the other side of the island, and she’s the one who actually reveals that secret about Sun’s affair. Juliet blurts that out in front of Jin. That is when I slap her – and I had to do that for real for the close-ups!
EM: Juliet does have an interest in Sun. As a character, I felt protective of her. Juliet basically screwed over Ben to save Sun from being captured by the Others. That is the gist of what she did. Juliet is a doctor and put herself out there for her patient. Sun is an interesting person for Juliet to care about. Juliet says in the last season, “I used to give good news,” and then people kept dying. She lost nine women [patients], so she would do anything in her power to keep Sun safe. That is a nice thing to give a character.
Episode six was very Juliet-centric – Elizabeth, what did you learn about Juliet that gave you a better understanding of her and what she is going through?
EM: Well, Juliet made some pretty massive mistakes when she came to the island. She made some morally-questionable mistakes. She was lonely and took advantage of one situation and Juliet really did pay for it. You now see that she is not a cold person, but is just trying to survive and figure it all out. You also see she came to the island with a great deal of innocence and you can watch it evaporate. She lost her core faith in people. That is where you get into the icy part of Juliet, where you are ever so slightly afraid of her. We start to see why that would happen in this particular episode. As I said, her mistakes are morally questionable, if not morally wrong. But you do see that behind this is a human being who is struggling to live and have a life that makes sense to her. What I enjoy is that Juliet is still a little bit lethal. I feel there is something ever so slightly reptilian in the ways she can remain calm in any huge crisis.
Staying on what feels like a new band of ‘Others’ in a way – the Freighter folk – how do you feel about these new strangers? Any theories about their ultimate truth?
- EM: Well, finding out there is possibly going to be a rescue – that there is somebody out there – is huge for Juliet. She, and we, thought her only means of rescue was the sub, and all she wants is to get off the island. It has left her in a vulnerable and hopeful position. She was thrown by Friendly, a great deal of the Others were killed, and she played a huge part in that. Plus, Juliet has put herself out there a little bit as far as Jack goes, so she is in a somewhat vulnerable position. Seeing all the Others dead and burying them, it is ridiculous what this poor girl has got herself into.
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YK: I think I gave that up in season one [laughs]! Everything we got, we had a theory on, and then it went down the drain the next week, so I’ve given up trying to guess.
But you do have some thoughts on the coffin, don’t you Yunjin?
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YK: Yes! At first, my immediate reaction was that it had to be Ben. Then, the fact the coffin was pretty tiny, I thought “Claire?” Then I was like, “Noooo!” because why would Kate say, “Why would I go to that funeral?” if it was Claire, because they are friends – so that didn’t make sense. In my opinion, it has to either be Locke or Ben. Right now, Locke is not really on friendly terms with anyone, even with his own group. But Ben was the first guess that popped into my head.
Of course, last year’s cliffhanger was jaw-dropping. As a fan, how is this season comparing so far?
EM: I was talking with Jorge about this, and I am really excited about the scripts. It does feel like we are hurtling forward. It started out with Hurley’s story, and that script is wonderful. He has so much to do and it is so heartbreaking. We have been wondering this whole summer how he is going to deal with Charlie’s death. Jorge just does a beautiful job and tears your heart out.
YK: I love this season’s flash-forwards and seeing who gets to be one of the Oceanic Six. It is really amazing, and Michael coming back is another huge event.
EM: Sayid’s episode has to be one of my favorite scripts, too. Overall, the pace is up and the series is running fast. The writers have had a tremendous surge of energy and creativity because they now have their ending in sight.Juliet has betrayed Ben, and he doesn’t appear to be the most forgiving person. How do you think that is going to play out?
EM: That is probably a story for another day… We haven’t really made eye contact this season so far, so that whole Juliet/Ben thing is a hurricane that is building. I see him briefly in a group situation. The animosity was there, but nothing was said. These are two people who have tremendous amounts of rage reserved. I feel that once they do communicate, it’s going to be really interesting.
Are you concerned about Ben’s eventual retaliation?
EM: Yeah, absolutely! I do worry, but I also feel Ben does not want Juliet dead. That has always been my belief. Ben cares for Juliet in whatever way but there is something that keeps Juliet alive. Even when he is told last season – and this year – that Juliet betrayed them, he doesn’t do anything or send anyone after her. He could easily have someone who knows the jungle well – where they have cameras – come slit her throat, but he doesn’t. That is very telling about what their relationship is. Ben would teach her a lesson by going after someone she cares for, like her sister. Juliet has everything to lose by being with Jack and the survivors.
Some of Sun’s highlights revolve around her feisty spirit. Would you like to see more of that resourceful physical side, Yunjin?
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YK: Yeah, we are just taking baby steps in developing Sun’s character and inner strength. By now, we all know she is a lot stronger than was presented. As an actor, it is great to play another side of the same character you’ve been living for the last four years. It is getting real juicy.
Finally, Juliet has a lot of information about the island, including the Others, the smoke monster, and maybe even some insight into Jacob. Why hasn’t she come clean about all that considering it would be invaluable to Jack?
EM: Juliet keeps a close counsel. She is still an outsider to them and doesn’t know how useful she is. Juliet was taught by Ben over the last three years that knowledge is power and therefore she divulges things when it suits her. She is not in any way desperate to be liked. She doesn’t go forward and say, “Then this happened, then this, and I am giving you this.” She doesn’t ever give away her power. Juliet also doesn’t have a spotless record with what she has done, and like anybody else, she doesn’t want to share it with the rest of the camp. There is information she has, but it comes with history that she would rather keep to herself. She stays in the mix of things, she figures out what is useful, what will help, and then she disposes the information. She definitely has more power by not giving anything away.
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