Stephanie Leonidas stars as Irisa in the hit sci-fi series Defiance. This British actress has honed her acting skills through many stage productions and British TV works such as The Sugar Syndrome and MirrorMask. Now she’s back on the air as Defiance, Season 2 premieres Thursday, June 19 at 10pm ET/PT on Showcase. Real Style asked Stephanie about her role on the show and just how long does it take to look like Irisa. See what she had to say.
Real Style: How would you describe your character on Defiance, Irisa, in one sentence?
Stephanie Leonidas: A feisty, feral Irathient who is fiercely loyal to her father Nolan.
How was it been working with your co-star, Shaun Benson, who plays Lenny on the show?
Stephanie: Sadly I didn’t really get to work with Shaun, Irisa is pretty isolated this season. But I heard he was lovely! Haha.
Stephanie: Sadly I didn’t really get to work with Shaun, Irisa is pretty isolated this season. But I heard he was lovely! Haha.
Real Style: What have been some of the biggest challenges, as an actress, of playing Irisa?
Stephanie: As if season one wasn’t hard enough for her, season 2 sees Irisa in even murkier waters. Her journey goes into a very dark and twisted place. So playing Irisa this season was no walk in the park! The stunts got more difficult, her emotions more intense, and she’s even more the feral creature we got glimpses of in season 1. It was full on every day but she’s a great character to play.
Real Style: Can we expect a third season of the show?
Stephanie: Fingers crossed! I think season 2 really takes Defiance into an edgier grittier world where nothing is quite as we left it in season 1. I’d love to see how season 3 can take everything even further.
Real Style: For anyone who is a fan of the show, what can audiences expect to happen to Irisa in the coming episodes?
Stephanie: Expect the unexpected. As much as we’d love to be back singing Johnny Cash, sadly this season we see Nolan and Irisa grow further and further apart. It’s painful for each of them, but Irisa is on a mission of her own, and she’ll do almost anything not to let anyone get in her way. It’s a lonely journey but her faith in Irzu is stronger and her knives and tongue sharper than ever!
Real Style: There was a Defiance video game which was released last year, which must have been exciting! What can you tell us about that?
Stephanie: It’s really exciting. The first time we meet Irisa and Nolan is in the game, and the crossovers from game to series really open up the world of Defiance.
Real Style: How does portraying a role in a sci-fi series differ from a different genre, like playing a part in a romantic comedy, drama, or action series?
Stephanie: What I love about sci-fi is the way that it reflects back real human drama in an alien world. And it can include elements of all genres. It allows us to push boundaries and be as creative as we want.
Stephanie: What I love about sci-fi is the way that it reflects back real human drama in an alien world. And it can include elements of all genres. It allows us to push boundaries and be as creative as we want.
Real Style: Irisa has quite an intense beauty look on the show! How long does it take for you to get through wardrobe and get into character, especially with the extreme makeup and wig?
Stephanie: It takes roughly 2 and a half hours to transform into Irisa . It’s quite amazing to sit watching the process happen in front of my eyes. It never ceases to amaze me!
Photos: Shaw Media, Faye Thomas