Marvel’s Runaways star Ariela Barer says Gert has had “enough of the superhero thing” and thinks she’s reached the limit of her power in the show’s third – and unfortunately final – season. During our interview at the New York Comic Con, Barer did her best not to give away any spoilers while still teasing what’s motivating Gert in the upcoming season.
Marvel’s Runaways season three kicks off on Hulu on December 13, 2019.
Where do we pick up with Gert in season three?
Ariela Barer: “So, the end of season two Gert and Dale go on a road trip which was very fun because I got to work with Kevin (Weisman). We got to be in a cabin together, doing some night shoots in the middle of a fake forest on a stage which was really fun. And we get to learn a little bit more about Gert’s powers.”
How are Gert and Chase doing this season?
Ariela Barer: “Well, Chase is in a tube so there’s that. And I don’t know how much I can say other than that. I think he’s just in a tube all season. I don’t know. [Pausing to ask if she can reveal more than that…which she can’t.]
Yeah, Jenny (Gardner) and Gregg (Sulkin) had a lot of tube days where they were standing in a tube for 14 hours a day. We did get to do… You know, in the tube they exist in another realm. Stuff can happen in that realm and growth can happen in that realm, so Gregg and I did have scenes together. And realizations were made and acted upon. Maybe…”
What’s Gert’s motivation this season? What is she really trying to do?
Ariela Barer: “I think for a good portion of the season she’s trying to move on. She’s kind of had enough of the superhero thing and she feels like she’s reached the limit of her powers. There are a couple little nice dichotomies between Gert and the rest of the Runaways because they’re trying to figure out what being a hero means to them. To Gert, being a hero means ground roots organizing and politics. You can save the world in a structured political way. You don’t need to be on the streets fighting every person. And it’s great that they want to do that, but she also has her thing that she wants to do. So, there’s a lot of push and pull with that.
This is the first interview I’ve mentioned that in. I forgot about that!”
We’ve seen the characters all grow over the past two seasons. How do you think Gert’s grown during that time?
Ariela Barer: “I think this season is a lot of her growing up. I think the fantasy of the superhero thing is kind of worn out and she’s feeling older. She’s handling her decisions with the rest of the Runaways – her relationships – a little less emotionally and a little more logically.
The last two seasons were about taking her walls down. And now it’s about instead of having her guard up, just having boundaries which is also important. Vulnerabilities are important, but boundaries are important.”
We know Cloak and Dagger are going to be coming onto the show this season. Can you tease how Gert responds to those characters?
Ariela Barer: “So, one of the things I love about the Cloak and Dagger episode is it takes us fully into superhero mode. We’re like fully doing it all. Their powers mixed with our powers is really intense, and the interesting thing about that is that Gert’s in the opposite place. Gert’s like, ‘I want none of this.’
So, that was a really fun thing to do – just not be on the same page as anyone.”
Do Cloak and Dagger get to meet the dinosaur?
Ariela Barer: “Yeah, they do. It’s fun. I can’t really say much more than that. But Old Lace is part of the Runaways. She’s one of us.”
How will Gert be with her mother now being the opposite of what she used to be?
Ariela Barer: “Yeah, the alien in her. It’s interesting. There are confrontations. There’s a really fun confrontation I can’t talk about but oh man it was the most fun thing. I think it was the most fun thing Gert has ever done and it was the most fun to film. I had the best time! Did all my own stunts…not all of them. I actually worked very closely with my stunt double. She was amazing and we came up with choreography together. She did all the stuff that was on my back. For safety reasons it’s just better to have a stunt double than an actor, and she’s so talented.
But, yeah, all of the routine stuff I did, and it was fun. It was kind of the best.”
Is getting physical something you really enjoy?
Ariela Barer: “Oh yeah because Gert doesn’t get to do a lot of that. Gert’s a brainy lady but sometimes you’ve just got to get down and dirty. I did it this season and it was very fun. I enjoyed it. I would love to do more. I’ll put it on my reel and be like, ‘Let me do stunts!’”
You mentioned that Gert is moving away from the superhero part of all this. How does that affect her relationship with Old Lace?
Ariela Barer: “This is probably the worst season in terms of spoilers because there’s so much new information. It does…a little. I don’t know. (Laughing) Maybe it doesn’t.”
- Interview with Virginia Gardner on Karolina, the Tubes, and Nico
- Lyrica Okano Talks Season 3 and Dark Nico Rising
