Tracy Spiridakos struts into the lives of Norma and Norman Bates on Monday’s Season 3 premiere of A&E’s “Bates Motel.”
The “Revolution” alum has a guest arc this season playing mystery woman Annika Johnson, who rolls up to the lodging establishment and steps out of her car (in a sexier ensemble than audiences are used to seeing the actress) and into the drama of the A&E series.
While who Annika is is being kept a mystery, it’s clear from the Season 3 sneak peeks that Freddie Highmore’s high school aged Norman is pleased she’s around. Tracy spoke about her new role with Access Hollywood.
AccessHollywood.com: Was this fun for you, this is very different look from Charlie on ‘Revolution’?
Tracy Spiridakos: Yeah, it’s been fun. It’s been so much fun for sure. Very different. Learning to walk in heels again is always very interesting, ’cause I don’t really wear them [in] my own personal life. But yeah — it was such a different character and I had a complete blast. Not having dirt on my face was a difference for sure.
Access: Before the episode airs, what do you want people to know about your character, other than the fact that she needs a room?
Tracy: (Laughs) She needs a room. That’s the basics of it and… she’s got quite the interesting past. … She doesn’t know about them and who they are and kind of what goes on there. … She doesn’t go in trying to cause a stir within the family, she kind of just goes in, needs to get a room, and do what she needs to do and then the interaction within them — with her and Norman — and everything that happens, she ends up having some information that kind of changes things for everybody.
WATCH: Freddie Highmore & Tracy Spiridakos: What’s Next On ‘Bates Motel’?
Access: Did you get to see the first two seasons of ‘Bates Motel’ before you signed on or did you just love this character that came your way?
Tracy: I love the character very much and I had seen some episodes here and there, but when I was going to work, I started watching them in sequence to see what had happened, but it was interesting because Annika is so out of their world and comes from a very different place, so the less I knew going in it was actually kind of better because she’s not supposed to know very much about that whole world. But I had watched some yes.
Access: Tell me about filming this in Canada. The set is literally off the road, there’s the giant facade of a house, and almost a full motel. That must have been very unique.
Tracy: Very unique. The set dressing and that entire set is so cool. Everybody is so good, so, so good. .. They did an immaculate job. You just walk in and you feel it. And I mean, Vancouver, it’s such a fitting place to shoot that show because Vancouver just has that grayness about it that you walk onto set and you feel the tone of the show before they even start the cameras. You just kind of feel the darkness that’s around that whole area. … Walking up those steps and then you get to see that house back there — it was a really neat experience.
Access: You were in Texas for your last show, ‘Revolution,’ and it was hot and muggy and now you’re in Vancouver and it rains all the time.
Tracy: It really does! I used to live in Vancouver, so for me I was like, ‘Oh right, I remember!’ (laughs) and you know what’s funny, right before I had gone up, I was in Los Angeles and I took a picture sitting by the beach of my view at lunchtime because I’m a jerk like that and I sent it to my family who’s in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where it was like, minus a million and I sent it to them and I was like, ‘Hope you guys are enjoying your lunch. This is my view!’ … I was teasing them about it and sure enough, I go up to work and it’s snowing in Vancouver, and I’m outside in my attire, my Annika attire, freezing my a** off (laughs). I took a picture of that [weather] and sent it to them too. I was like, ‘There’s karma for you, just biting [me] right in the a**!’
Access: I did want to ask you about ‘Revolution.’ Were you frustrated at all that you didn’t get to do a series finale?
Tracy: I mean, it would’ve been fun to do. I really loved Charlie and I love that entire show and everybody that we worked with. I still talk to everybody and we’re all still really close. … It would have been awesome to do that for sure, to wrap it up, but that’s how it is. It’s the business. You don’t always get that opportunity, but honestly, I had so much fun on ‘Revolution.’ It changed my career. I met some amazing people on it and it’s always going to be a special project for me. Saying goodbye to it was tough.
WATCH: Tracy Spiridakos Talks NBC’s Revolution Fans & Stunts
Access: Elizabeth Mitchell was up in Vancouver filming ‘Once Upon a Time.’ You two didn’t run into each other up there while you were shooting ‘Bates Motel,’ did you?
Tracy: We tried to make it happen. I know, I found out that she was there and I was like, ‘Whaaattt!’
Access: Mom! (Elizabeth played Tracy’s mom on ‘Revolution’).
Tracy: Yeah! Get here now. But, she was working when I wasn’t and then she was gone before I got to [see] her, but I’ll be seeing her soon. We genuinely all really do get along and talk as often as we can, so it’s a big family.
Season 3 of “Bates Motel” premieres on Monday at 9/8c on A&E.
— Jolie Lash
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