Before ever stepping on set, actress Karine Vanasse had a penchant for Revenge. That’s right, Vanasse started out as a Revenge die-hard along with plenty of others before she got a call in 2012 to join the cast of the ABC drama. Ever since, her sexy and shrewd character, Margaux LeMarchal, has been stirring up trouble for the other players on the over-the-top, Hamptons-based guilty pleasure.
Here, as the fourth season of the series hits the air, Vanasse chats with DuJour about playing a tough woman, finding a new identity and her real-life revenge story.
You were a Revenge watcher before you were a cast member. How did that happen?
I must admit, Revenge was a guilty pleasure of mine. You wouldn’t expect it, but many people love to secretly watch Revenge, especially men.
Do you still watch the show as a fan now that you’re actually on it?
Oh yes! I don’t think it’s possible to not watch. It’s addictive!
What drew you to Margaux?
I really appreciated how she seems to want revenge for herself! She’s very business savvy but also somehow damaged. When she first comes to the Hamptons, she’s trying to make a name for herself that’s separate from her family. She shows that you can be something else from what you’ve been and what you thought you could be.
The show is unique in that it has a lot of really strong female characters.
I think Margaux shows that you can be a strong woman in various situations. Her character is surprising. She’s not a ninja, but I think Margaux starts to discover that she can use the cards that she has to be a powerful woman. She’s embracing the challenge to gain independence and create her own name. I think she tries to prove to the men in her life that she’s worthy of respect, and that continues to be a challenge.
What’s been your most vengeful real-life act?
Well, the show certainly gives you the impression that you need to have one, doesn’t it? I think getting this role in the show was actually it. That was the biggest revenge I got on myself. I think starting out as an actress in Quebec when I was a teenager, I thought I’d never have the chance to work in America. Being a professional actress, sometimes your own worse enemy is yourself, and that’s who you should try to avenge.
