The Freeform authentic sequence The Watchful Eye follows Elena Santos (Mariel Molino), a younger girl with ulterior motives that lead her on a path to working as live-in nanny for an prosperous household in Manhattan. Once contained in the Greybourne, she realizes that everybody within the constructing has secrets and techniques of their very own, and staying centered on her plan would possibly find yourself being much more difficult than she ever may have imagined.
During this 1-on-1 interview with Collider, Molino talked about the entire twists and turns of the story, what she loves about her character, not eager to know concerning the finish of the season too far forward of time, enjoying somebody with secrets and techniques of their very own, capturing the masquerade ball, attending to work with Kelly Bishop (who performs lifelong Greybourne resident Mrs. Ivey), and the way you’ll get solutions in addition to have new questions, by the top of the season.
Collider: This is a type of exhibits that you simply simply must hold watching due to all of the twists and turns.
MARIEL MOLINO: Oh, that makes me so comfortable.
When this got here your approach, what reeled you in? Since you don’t get all the knowledge up entrance, once you’re doing a TV sequence, what have been the seeds of issues that almost all you?
MOLINO: Honestly, after I have a look at tasks and issues that I wanna be part of, it’s character pushed for me. If a personality is flushed out and so they really feel like they’re totally developed, that’s actually fascinating to me. And the second that I noticed that there was a flip with Elena and that she wasn’t who she seems to be and who she says she is, that was after I was like, “Oh, this is interesting to me because I don’t think I’ve ever really gotten the opportunity to play such a complicated character.” In the previous, the roles that I’ve had, I’m grateful for them as a result of they’ve gotten me to the place I’m, however like they’ve been the girlfriend of, the sister of, the daughter of. I cherished that Elena actually is sophisticated, deceitful, passionate, and tragic, and all of that’s coupled with it being a thriller. I like thrillers, and I had by no means achieved one, in order that was actually thrilling. I’m such as you, I wanna know the whole lot. I believe I do know the whole lot. I’ve all of those theories. I’m the kind of person who, after I watch a present, I hearken to an accompanying podcast, I hearken to different theories, and I am going on Reddit. I cherished that side of it.
Once you had the function and also you have been signed on, how a lot have been you informed? Were you given a few of the secrets and techniques? Did you get not one of the secrets and techniques? How a lot did they really inform you about, and the way a lot do you really wish to know, as an actor? Do you wish to know greater than your character would?
MOLINO: For a narrative like this, I nonetheless suppose it’s actually good to not know concerning the issues which can be exterior of your management. I do suppose that not figuring out the top of the season is helpful for me as a result of then I deal with everybody the identical. Even should you suppose it received’t, it’d impression your efficiency subconsciously since you would possibly wanna play one thing in a different way. But I knew all of Elena’s backstory. I had a very intensive dialog with the creators. I used to be in a position to see the place she was coming from, what had occurred to her, particularly, her household, her path, and the way that coincided to the second main as much as her getting into the Greybourne. That was basic in figuring out why I used to be doing what I used to be doing, and why I used to be pulling this grift. Other than that, it was like, “Okay, now all the obstacles come in.” It’s this actually nice appearing train the place you’re like, “Okay, what is your goal? What is your objective? What are the obstacles in play?” And that’s all of the residents of the Greybourne and Greybourne, itself.
What’s it wish to play a personality that’s centered on and decided to uncover secrets and techniques, however on the identical time, she has all of those secrets and techniques of her personal that she has to proceed to maintain? Do you suppose she actually has a way of who she is?
MOLINO: When we see Elena, at first, she has a really clear sense of who she is and a really clear goal. But because the story unravels, and as she begins forming connections inside the Greybourne, and he or she begins having to cover herself and conceal features of her previous, I believe she begins performing some questionable issues. It’s like several quest for revenge that’s rooted in anger and resentment. It can result in you not recognizing who you’ve grow to be, and that’s true of Elena. She’ll notice that, should you maintain onto the previous and also you maintain onto anger, it’d essentially change you, and is it value it?
If she knew the place the whole lot would lead her by the top of the season, do you suppose she would have achieved something completely different or want she hadn’t began down this path? Would she fairly not know the whole lot she is aware of, by that time?
MOLINO: Oh, my gosh. It’s the hero’s journey. It’s extra concerning the journey, and never a lot the place you’re going. That’s such an excellent construction for any story, and it’s true for this one, as nicely. You be taught a lot about your self. She has to go on this journey. She has to undergo all of those challenges and obstacles. I believe that it’ll make her stronger, however there are such a lot of instances that I simply wanna like shake her and say, “Get out of the Greybourne! Just leave this toxic place!” But it retains pulling her again in.
At what level do you simply tear the constructing down as a result of it’s nothing however hassle?
MOLINO: Right?! It’s nothing however hassle.
Whenever you’re coping with a whole lot of wealth, wealthy individuals appear to love to have events. What was it wish to shoot the masquerade ball, and dress up and have the wig and the masks? How a lot enjoyable is it to do one thing like that, that you’d by no means usually do in actual life?
MOLINO: I swear, I’ve all the time needed to shoot a scene like that. It’s clearly so enjoyable to dress up and to have an excuse to get all dolled up. But on one other stage, there’s that side of hiding within the masks and a fancy dress. We actually labored along with our costume designer and our make-up artist. It was simply so inventive to get to create this character with the wig. It was simply so enjoyable to play that up. It took a few weeks to create that, and it was actually enjoyable to really really feel like we have been on this Eyes Wide Shut second. It’s severe and attractive. When I see a ball like that, I get excited. It was actually enjoyable to try this and have a second to be like, “Oh, we’re all dressed up, so let’s dance and forget about the fact that we might die.”
Not solely is Elena juggling secrets and techniques, however she’s additionally juggling individuals. She’s bought her life exterior of this constructing, however then there’s the whole lot that’s occurring contained in the constructing. How does she view Matthew? Is he a imply to means to an finish for her? Does she even have emotions for him, as issues progress? Does she have real emotions for any of those individuals?
MOLINO: I’m gonna do my greatest to not spoil something. I believe that with Matthew, she really shares a whole lot of similarities. They come from fairly related backgrounds, and so they see one another as somebody attempting to navigate this uber wealthy world. In that, there’s some consolation. He’s a type of emotional connections that she begins forming within the Greybourne, that would probably derail her mission and placed on blinders for her. You can’t assist however have some form of relationship and bond with somebody who you’re employed with in such an intimate area. When you’re somebody’s nanny, and also you’re of their kitchen, and also you’re doing their laundry, and also you’re cleansing up after them, and also you’re working with them, and also you’re seeing them act the way in which that they do with their children, it’s a special approach of seeing somebody, particularly somebody who can also be gone by means of a loss like you’ve. You can’t assist however have empathy in the direction of them.
There’s such an fascinating dynamic that develops between Elena and Mrs. Ivey. What was it wish to discover that relationship, and to take action with somebody like Kelly Bishop? She looks as if she may very well be terrifying, in the precise circumstance.
MOLINO: She is. She’s precisely the kind of terrifying that you simply want to have on set as a result of she’s simply so particular in her work. She’s an absolute professional. Getting to work together with her was intimidating, in one of the best ways. I’m a fan. To get to work together with her was such a pinch-me second, nevertheless it additionally challenged me to essentially, actually stand my floor and go head-to-head together with her in these scenes. I couldn’t lose my energy. I needed to be there, as an advocate for Elena, and deal with her as Mrs. Ivey. It’s these two bulldogs, going at it. She is simply essentially the most worthy adversary, and likewise somebody to be in awe of and in concern of.
One of the issues that I discover most fascinating concerning the season is that you simply get a way of a certain quantity of decision, alongside the way in which, however you begin to marvel what’s subsequent. It appears like, even should you get a solution to one thing, there’s a lot that also hasn’t been uncovered. By the time we get to the top of the season, will we’ve got a way of what has been occurring and the place issues may go, in a potential second season? Will we’ve got like a transparent imaginative and prescient of what may very well be subsequent?
MOLINO: You will get a whole lot of solutions to sure mysteries which have unraveled since episode one, however with extra solutions additionally comes extra questions. There are simply so many underlying secrets and techniques within the Greybourne, and with the individuals, and up to now, and I do suppose that there’s a whole lot of room to see what may occur subsequent. I do know that I’m hopeful, however I additionally know that I’m excited to see what individuals consider this primary season, and what they uncover and what resonates with them. It’s a spot that is masking up a whole lot of soiled secrets and techniques and soiled pasts.
The Watchful Eye airs on Monday nights on Freeform.