Amazon’s new series Hanna expands the story of the 2011 movie. Hanna (Esme Creed-Miles) has been living in isolation with Erik (Joel Kinnaman) since they escaped a government facility. When she re-emerges, Marissa (Mireille Enos) comes looking for them. We also see Marissa in the past as more of her secrets unfold.
Enos was on a TCA panel with Creed-Miles and the creators of Hanna. She spoke with reporters further after the panel. Hanna season one premieres on Amazon Prime on Friday, March 29, 2019.
You did action in Sabotage. Were you able to give Esme any tips?
Mireille Enos: “Oh no, there was no reason to give her tips and she had a whole stunt team that was working with her, so she was well taken care of.”
What fun places is your character going this season?
Mireille Enos: “You see her in flashbacks. She’s much more of this kind of visceral creature and the events of season one take her back to being that person.”
So the flashbacks continue, that’s not just in the beginning of the first season?
Mireille Enos: “No, the flashbacks continue and also in the modern world, she’s much more refined. The events of season one bring her back to being more like the person that she was in the flashbacks.”
Were you involved with creating her looks for the two different time periods?
Mireille Enos: “Yeah, actually the very, very short hair was my baby. I felt really strongly about it. There were other suggestions that maybe as a counterpoint, when she’s more ruthless, she should have really long hair. I said 100% no. She needs to be as masculine as possible.”
Is present day a wig?
Mireille Enos: “No, actually the past was a wig.”
Did you see the movie?
Mireille Enos: “I did not. I’ve heard only wonderful things about it. Because I hadn’t seen it, when I was cast I just decided not to.”
You are the antagonist but is she more complicated than that?
Mireille Enos: “Yeah, absolutely. She has these very dark secrets, these terrible events that she has been a part of in the past that then she has covered. Now she’s built this lovely life for herself. What Hanna’s emergence threatens is to reveal those things that she’s done and she desperately doesn’t want them revealed. It’s interesting to watch characters under that kind of pressure to see how far they’ll go to protect their lives and their loved ones.”
We’ve seen in real life how far people go to cover up secrets.
Mireille Enos: “Yes, exactly.”
If you know what the secrets are, do you find them sympathetic secrets that you can understand?
Mireille Enos: “I am sympathetic to her but I’m playing her, so it’ll be interesting to see how audiences feel about her. I don’t know. When the truth is out, I don’t know how they’ll feel about her, actually.”
Do you get in on any of the action?
Mireille Enos: “Yes, I do.”
Do you like action after having done Sabotage and World War Z?
Mireille Enos: “Yeah, it’s so fun to do action. I’m a martial artist. I have a double black belt in Tae Kwon Do so it just speaks to this other aspect of me, and I think it’s really fun.”
What are some of your favorite shows on TV?
Mireille Enos: “You know what? I have kids so honestly I just watch kids shows in my spare time.”
