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EXCLUSIVE: Jaime Murray and Joanne Kelly talk “Warehouse 13,” Bering and Wells, and Nerdsbians

Lesbian and bisexual TV viewers love their subtext, so when Syfy’s Warehouse 13 introduced Jaime Murray to the cast as H.G. Wells – yes, that H.G. Wells – during season two, we immediately noticed the sparks between the time-traveling novelist and Joanne Kelly‘s special agent Myka Bering. But it turns out, we weren’t just imagining things. At various sci-fi and comic conventions over the years, both Murray and Kelly have confirmed that H.G. and Myka are more than friends. “We fell in love a little bit,” Kelly once told a cheering crowd at Comic-Con. With the show set to kick off season 4.5 on April 29, we decided it’d be a good time to chat with the women about their on-screen relationship, their lesbian fans, and the power of sci-fi heroines. AfterEllen.com: So, next Monday, Warehouse 13 finally comes back us.

Jaime Murray: It’s been a long time coming. We shot it all together, without a break, so it seems like a while ago, right Jo? Joanne Kelly: Yeah, it really does. But I’m excited for the fans to see it. Jaime: Me too. Warehouse 13 is one of those shows that just keeps getting better and better.
AE: What can you tell me about what you’ll be up to this time around?
Joanne: This time around we’re trying to save the world – again. It’s a heady task. There are hijinks involved. One of the big differences between filming this season and last season is that season three was thirteen episodes, but season four is 20 episodes, so it’s such a different rhythm the way they build story and narrative. Season four has some tight storytelling. I think the fans are going to enjoy it. Jaime and I got to do some really special scenes. Jaime: Yeah. Joanne: [Laughs] Yeaaah. Jaime: [Laughs] I love those scenes. We were having a conversation with [executive producer] Jack Kenny about our characters and he was like, “Oh, you know, they’re just really good friends. And I’m going home for the day.” And were like, “Mmm hmm. OK, then. Bye, Jack.” Joanne: Oh, and we also go to work with Jennifer Lynch in that scene. It was amazing to have a woman in the room, as a director. Jaime: Yes, she was really excited about our episode. She brought her own special energy to it and allowed us to really play with some stuff that we wanted to, you know, play with. Joanne: It was a really good time.
AE: The next question I have written down is “Can you tell me about Myka and H.G.?” But you guys just went ahead and answered that.
Joanne: Oh, there’s so much we could tell you – but we’re not going to! You’ll just have to wait! Jaime: [Laughs] But it’s also like you were saying before, Jo, the thing about saving the world. That’s the great thing about sci-fi: Everyting is a little skewed or a little heightened – or, well, a lot heightened – so you’re not dealing with mundane issues. You’re dealing with life and death. So you find your heroes and heroines in some difficult situations and they really have to step up. I think sci-fi has really allowed women to shine in some powerful roles. That’s what drew me to H.G. Wells. And I think that’s what drew H.G. and Myka together. Joanne: I agree. Jaime: I mean, H.G. is an eccentric women. I don’t think she’s ever really cared what anyone else thought of her. She’s just doing her own thing. So when she finds herself in the future and meets Myka, she meets, for the first time probably, a woman who is as strong as her and as dedicated as her. In the 1880s, she was probably quite an isolated figure. She probably dealt a lot with men. And she had to work under her brother’s pseudonym. As a women, she wasn’t even allowed to write under her own name. And then she meets Myka, and she’s like, “Oh, thank God. I’m not completely alone in the universe.” Joanne: I also think it speaks to Jaime’s strength as an actress that she brought so much to the table in setting up that relationship. We are so lucky to have her. You know, we have a very male set. There are a lot of dudes around. So to have another woman come in, one who is so smart and so interesting – I’ll just say H.G. Wells wasn’t H.G. Wells until Jamie stepped into her shoes. Jaime: Oh, you! Joanne: It’s true; you know it’s true.

AE: Can you tell me a little bit about how you guys decided to go the “in love” route with H.G. and Myka?
Jaime: It’s written in the script that a lot of the female characters have a flirtation with Pete, because he’s charming and full of jokes, but at the end of my first episode in season two, I end up with a gun to his head. And I thought, you know, H.G. would probably see through all that charm and bravado. She’d probably enjoy it, but she’d see through it. So I remember saying to Jo, “I think Myka’s probably more her type.” Joanne: Remember that one line? “Many of my lovers have been men?” When you said that I was like, “Uh oh! Here we go!” Jaime: There were all these little things we thought no one would ever particularly notice, but then they started writing for it and suddenly we were bound together in ropes. Joanne: And then I started to dress like you!
AE: That’s a real thing in real life. It’s called Lesbian Twinsies Syndrome.
Jaime: [Laughs] They’re so narcissistic, they’re morphing into each other. Joanne: That’s why I went back to curly hair this season. Jaime: Well, I should tell you I’ve started curling my hair now, Jo. Joanne: Have you? [Laughs] That’s amazing.
AE: When did H.G. and Myka’s relationship go from being something that was just between you two to something the writers played into?
Joanne: You know, it’s always been handled with a light touch, which I enjoy, because it gives Jaime and I room to play around. The thing about the Warehouse is that we’re always saving the world so there’s not really a lot of time to develop relationships in depth. But I think Myka and H.G.’s relationship has progressed in a really honest and lovely way. The fan response has been wonderful, just to see the fans respond so strongly has been amazing. Jaime: You know what I really enjoyed as well, Jo? I am so sick of playing a woman who is pitted against another woman. I’m so sick of playing the bitchy woman who is competition with another woman. I am much more interested in showing the bond between women, the sisterhood of women. Joanne: You mean women actually like other women? That’s crazy! Jaime: [Laughs] At the beginning of my career, I needed to pay my bills, I needed the work, so I had to play the bitchy woman who was fucking her best friend’s husband. I’m not interested in that. That’s a male fantasy. Joanne: And isn’t it interesting that you have to come to a genre like sci-fi sometimes to get away from that? Women can be the driving force in sci-fi. Jaime: Exactly. There are bigger issues, bigger problems, bigger stories. Joanne: And H.G. and Myka’s relationship, in that big world, is complicated. And that’s real life. Jaime: Right, they’re just two human beings trying to have a relationship, even if they don’t know exactly what it is, or what it will be. Joanne: Yes, they’re just trying to work it out. And I just need to say how wonderful it was to be on-screen with someone as smart and beautiful as Jaime. Jaime: You’re an angel, Jo. Joanne: Hey, maybe I can start visiting you across the lot, now that Defiance is here!

AE: You guys really are answering every question I have without me even having to ask. The first two episodes of Defiance were amazing, Jaime. Your character, Stahma Tarr, is fascinating. At the beginning, I was like, “Oh, bummer, she’s just this kept woman who is getting steamrolled by her evil husband.” But by the end of the second episode, I was like, “Ah, of course, she’s the brains behind the entire operation.”

Jaime: In some ways, I feel like I’m in a period piece. With H.G., she was such a modern woman that when she found herself in the future she was like, “Oh, what a relief. Now I can actually live out my life without being so odd.” Whereas the character I’m playing in Defiance is an alien. You think it’s futuristic, but in many ways, her culture is so oppressive that it’s stifling. It’s going to be interesting to see how she reacts and evolves now that she is surrounded by much more liberated women. She’s going to see that her culture is very repressive to her gender. Unfortunately, it stops me looking like Jo. Joanne: You look crazy! I can’t even look at pictures of you in that costume. I’m like, “I don’t know who that is, but it’s not my Jaime.” Jaime: Oh, there is a picture of you done up as Stahma online. Joanne: What? Our fans are the best photo editors, man. Jaime recently sent me an edited photo of H.G. and Myka making out. It was hot. Jaime: What’s amazing is that networks have these teams of people doing promo things and our fans are creating this stuff just on their Macs.
AE: Fandoms, in general, are wildly talented, but you guys have one of the best fandoms because you’re right at the intersection of lesbian culture and nerd culture. It’s the most talented, passionate place on the internet.

Joanne: Nerdsbian? Nerdsbian! I just made a new word. Jaime: It’s true, they really are the most loyal fans.

AE: It’s interesting, when I tweeted to say I’d be interviewing you guys together, the response kind of blew my mind. Usually I get a lot of really bizarre personal questions, but with you guys, it was an overload of people saying they’d been outcasts as nerds or outcasts as queer women, but that H.G. and Myka gave them courage to do things they didn’t know they’d ever be able to do.
Jaime: I honestly feel so honored to play characters who are outcasts, or characters that are shining a light on an underrepresented demographic. Joanne: I’m a nerd. I’m a big geek. I’ve always wanted to be cool, but I’m never going to be. One of the reasons I love Comic-Con so much is, you know, the reasons I was made fun of in high school are now a celebration. It’s a place for people like me. It’s empowering to see people who have been marginalized come into their own. It’s given a voice to people. Jaime: One of the things I love most about acting – that I never realized could happen when I decided to be an actor – is connecting with fans, whether it’s on Twitter or at conventions. Whatever show it is they’re a superfan of, you have this thing to talk about, and it fosters real connections. When I was little girl and I felt bullied or isolated, it would have meant a lot to me if someone was kind to me, and now I have the opportunity to connect with people who might feel that way. And it’s a real pleasure to do it.
AE: Yikes, I just realized I’ve gone 15 minutes over our time limit. OK, one more question. It’s from Twitter and it’s my favorite question anyone has ever asked me to relay in an interview before. Jaime, how do you get your hair so shiny? Do you use unicorn tears or dragon’s blood? I’ve heard conflicting reports.
Both: [Laugh hysterically] Joanne: Her hair is impossibly shiny! It’s long and flowing like a river! How do you get your hair so shiny? Jaime: Well, my mom had long, flowy locks. Joanne: And you also just take really good care of yourself. You’ve always got your herbs and your teas and things. Jaime: Yes, that’s true. When I was younger, I really believed in magic, and then as I got older I thought, “Hmm, I wonder if I could be a warlock?” And then I got into nutrition, you know, because I was reading about witches and herbs and things, and then I thought, “Well, maybe proper nutrition is magical. Maybe foods can have magical properties.” Joanne: Well, I think a Happy Meal has magical properties. Also, I always get the boy toy; I never get the girl toy. Jaime: What in the world are you talking about? Joanne: Oh my God, you don’t even know that Happy Meals come with toys. Jaime: I do! I just didn’t know there were girl toys and boy toys. Joanne: There are. Talk about gender roles. Jaime: When I was a kid, getting to go to McDonald’s was such a treat. Joanne: It still is, Jaime. It still is. Any time you want to go, let me know. McDonald’s is a magical, magical place. Jaime: Oh, now I’m going to have to start force feeding you berries and sneaking vitamins into your drinks. Joanne: No! Never! I’m coming to see you on the Defiance lot and I’m bringing you a Happy Meal.
To visit the real most magical place on earth, tune into Syfy next Monday (April 29) for all new episodes of Warehouse 13.

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