One of the biggest surprises of ABC’s freshman drama, Pan Am, has been the very intriguing story line that has emerged for French stewardess Colette.
“I think that the reason why it was so interesting to see what happened to Colette from the pilot to the new episodes now is because we didn’t expect her storyline to go that way,” Karine Vanasse, who plays Colette, tells The Hollywood Reporter. “I didn’t even know myself, I mean it’s really true.”
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The character has really stepped up into some of the most engaging plot lines of the freshman series after it was revealed in Episode 3 (“Berlin”) that she was orphaned after Nazis killed her family during the World War II and then she embarked on a rocky romance with head pilot, Dean (Mike Vogel).
THR spoke with Vanasse recently about the Twitter mistake that led many to believe that ABC canceled the series, which has been struggling to find its audience, and where her character’s story line is heading.
You recently caused a stir among fans when it seemed that you had tweeted that the series is canceled. What did you mean by that tweet?
Karine Vanasse: I think I was really answering queries from my fans, you know, being in the Pan Am universe. People were asking, ‘Are you going to be picked up for one more episode in January?’ meaning that we would shoot one or two more episodes in January. So, I mean I’m new to Twitter this year. I started tweeting to have conversation with the Pan Am fans on Sunday nights when the show was airing. So, I had a good lesson of how Twitter can spread. Really, what I was saying is that we would come back to shoot one more episode after Christmas… I thought it was clear but it was easily misinterpreted.
So, it was really a miscommunication? You didn’t believe the show had been canceled?
Vanasse: Yeah. Exactly. And so yeah, it’s all went from there, but no I didn’t think that the show was cancelled. It’s unfortunate that people thought that’s what I meant, but as I think it really showed how much the fans cared about the show.
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When did you realize that your character’s story line was going to take a very dramatic turn?
Vanasse: When I read the ‘Berlin’ episode, I was really, really happy, really pleased that the writing and studio would allow this character to go from a really bright and optimistic personality to something really a little darker and heavier. She really chooses every day to look on the brighter side of life and I think it represents pretty much what this generation in the sixties chose to do, they really chose to look forward.
One of the big surprises is the love affair with Dean and it’s hasn’t been the easiest thing to navigate for the two. And then we see in the preview that Bridget is coming back?
Vanasse: It was so funny at the end of the episode. I was on Twitter that night and I was receiving messages like ‘Oh it’s so great, they’re finally together.’ And then I was like, ‘Yeah, well wait for the end.’ But, it’s TV so it’s always great when you think that it’s heading in one direction and all of a sudden they say, ‘Ha-ha. You thought we were going there, but not so much.’ And it’s going to be interesting to see how the viewers will react over the next few episodes.
How will Colette handle Bridget’s return?
Vanasse: I think that she’s used to being the second one or not the chosen one. I think that she wants to just be open and be in a really great relationship, but unfortunately I don’t think that she really realizes how much she might be drawn to the wrong things and situations. So, yeah, it’s really sad actually for her.
Pan Am returns Sunday at 10 p.m. on ABC.
Email: Jethro.Nededog@thr.com; Twitter: @TheRealJethro
