‘Orphan Black’ to provide answers, and raise more questions, with male clones

TORONTO – The sci-fi saga “Orphan Black” is getting a whole lot more complicated now that an entirely new set of clones has been revealed.

And with other characters gaining more prominence in season 3, breakout star Tatiana Maslany admits she’s grateful to have “a bit more time to sort of breathe.”

Maslany resumes her multiple roles as various female clones searching for answers about their origins as part of “Project Leda.”

But this time, they’re up against a band of mysterious male clones who’ve taken hold of the pregnant Helena and have an agenda of their own.

Maslany says the plot twist offers exciting story possibilities, while also shifting some of the workload around, to her gratitude.

“It’s been really nice for me to have a couple days off here and there,” Maslany admits, adding that her various characters are still very much the focus of the show.

She notes that Mrs. S, played by Maria Doyle Kennedy, takes on a much larger part while the Alison and Donnie storyline also expands.

Co-star Ari Millen says he feels like he won the lottery by getting to dive into multiple parts on the hit Space series.

Unlike their female counterparts, the men of Project Castor were raised together from birth and were aware all along that they were clones, he explains.

The 33-year-old is wont to pick a favourite, noting each member of the “wolf pack” have unique personalities: Rudy “wears his heart on his sleeve so you always know where you stand with him,” while Mark is admittedly a bit darker.

“I would worry more about him than anybody else,” Millen advises.

Miller is a straight-laced military man, while Seth is “sort of the runt of the litter” who “was probably getting picked on the most.”

“He’s probably the most vicious of them all because he’s probably willing to do more,” says Millen.

Maslany says the new characters add a sinister edge to an already dark show, while further expanding on themes of identity from previous seasons.

“We get to sort of tackle nature/nurture in a different way,” she says.

While Maslany was specifically hired to helm multiple roles, Millen says he had no idea he’d be doing the same until it was sprung on him towards the end of last season.

“Originally I was slated to be in the first six episodes of season 2 and then hopefully get a wicked death,” he says.

“And episode 6 came and it wasn’t on the page…. Eventually I got a phone call from Graeme Manson, the co-creator, and we had a brief but exhilarating conversation.”

From there, they “hit the ground running.”

Pre-season work involved rehearsing with an acting coach, getting to know his clone double, and sculpting the characters with the co-creators John Fawcett and Manson.

Of course, Maslany provided key practical advice, taking Millen out for lunch to provide some clone counsel. It turned out she didn’t have much to worry about, she says.

“I was so impressed when I first saw one of his clone scenes cut together because he had such an innate sense of how to do it and how to make it look real. I think he’s going to really add a fun element to the show,” she says.

“It was kind of sprung on him quite quickly, which to his credit he really just took it on and owned it.”

As for what fans can expect this season, Millen says viewers will “start getting some answers.”

But there will also be a lot more questions.

“We’ve got our own things that we’re gunning for and they are involved in Project Leda,” he teases. “And we certainly have the upper hand.”

The third season of “Orphan Black” debuts Saturday.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today