ice pick

AUTUMN: I did want to talk about costumes, and building character, and developing the look of Gabriella. Cause we have this very kind of sleek, tailored, modern, more feminine presenting Gabriell–

JENNIFER: Yeah I didn't have a lot to do with that! That was all kind of established before I came on board. So although I was in the costume fittings and we made choices based on what– But I think that the general idea of her look was created way before I was on board. 

AUTUMN: Well, can you talk a little bit about that too? Cause obviously gender non-conformity and everything like that is very present within the book... and then also it can manifest and present itself in very different ways as well. And obviously we don't wanna spoil anything with what's coming, but can you speak a little bit to how, within Gabriella, she still has a lot of those hang-ups maybe with gender or just power and embodiment, all ticking underneath the hood there?

JENNIFER: Yes. Well she's so released and able to experience self-realisation when she becomes a vampire. I mean it is, I think more than any of the other characters, the most liberating and positive turn of events for her. And I think for the first time she truly gets to live when she becomes a vampire. And in that time, even being liberated as a vampire of course you would want to, as much as possible, have male attributes, when you've been in a society that has been so incredibly– you've been the gender that has had absolutely no power. So I completely love– I hadn't read the book, I'd read the first book in high school and I hadn't read this one... And I started it, but at the same time I started it as I was reading the first script and trying to learn them, and I just got so confused because it was so different– the elements were so different that I was really just trying to play catch up in so many ways. And so I hadn't actually– I hadn't got to– I don't want to give spoilers again, so yes I see what you're saying... Okay! So um, I think I would've fought for certain elements of her, if I'd realised– if I had got to that– if I had had certain understandings about her. But I hadn't done it unfortunately, and I don't think it would've gone anywhere anyway... because I was told it was established well before me. But I do think she just fully enjoys the release of being genderless as a vampire.

Not, like, fake compliments or randomly giving scrounged up compliments to everyone you pass in the street, but -- say you see someone with an article of clothing you really really like. Cool accessories or a great haircut or something. Tell them.

I told an old woman yesterday that I liked her blouse. It was this super pretty white-at-the-top-floral-at-the-bottom shirt which was really lovely. So i backtracked where I'd walked past her and I said "excuse me - i love your shirt." And this harried, stressed-looking 80-something year old brightened up immediately, and beamed, and then when she and I headed off in separate directions, she had a pep in her step.

This other time I told a woman that I liked her boots. She gave me a company name thats since become my favourite brand of shoes. I told someone else that her scarf was cute and she was like "do you like it? Here, you can have it," and she dropped her scarf in my hands and then got on her train and left. I once saw a woman who had clearly put effort into her outfit that day but was now looking harried and frazzled as she wrangled four children across the road, and I told her that her outfit was gorgeous and she lit up like a christmas tree. I told a gay man that I loved his whole look once and he turned into a smiling, blushing mess as his super delighted and proud boyfriend was like "yea, he DOES look gorgeous doesnt he?"

Fox siblings playing together.