Why Michelle Gomez Screamed When She Read the Final Episode of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
If you thought you knew Sabrina Spellman, you were seriously mistaken. That was the takeaway from the first set of episodes of Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina when it premiered in late 2018. After all, the new series based on the character of Sabrina-a teenage witch who first appeared in the Archie comics in the 1960s-is much darker and more decadent than any of its predecessors, which have included a live-action 1990s sitcom and an animated series. One reason for that is the sumptuous design-the series takes place in an unknown time where seemingly everything photographs exquisitely-and another is the biting wit of the writing, which makes clear this isn’t just another teen series.
Of course, there are also the actors. The cast includes an all-grown-up Kiernan Shipka in the title role as well as an-ahem-murderer’s row of talented supporting talent including familiar faces like Miranda Otto and Richard Coyle as well as newcomers like breakouts Jaz Sinclair and Tati Gabrielle. And then there’s Michelle Gomez. The Doctor Who alum might be having the most fun of anyone on Sabrina; after all, she’s playing a dual role as both Miss Wardwell, a mild-mannered school teacher, and Madam Satan, the deliciously evil spirit who uses her body as a host. Here, Gomez fills us in on the dark delights of the upcoming second set of episodes, premiering April 5.
People might come to a series about Sabrina with preconceived notions-they know the character from the graphic novels or earlier incarnations. What are they in for?
It became clear very quickly that this was a reimagining of what had gone before but was being reimagined through a much darker lens. I came to Sabrina through the [1990s] TV series and my experience with it, so I wasn’t surprised to see that there are elements from that show, but there isn’t a direct line between the two. It’s now basically Rosemary’s Baby meets The Exorcist-with a cat.
Was it that idea that made it something you wanted to be a part of?
From the get-go, I knew that I was going to be going up for two roles in one, going from Miss Wardwell to Madam Satan. For any actor, that’s always a wonderful challenge. I fell in love with the whole notion of transitioning into a character called Madam Satan; the name alone conjured up a kind of fabulousness.
This is also a more mature take on the idea of someone growing up different.
We have a much wider net, as the previous show was for a much younger audience. And the audience we have now has a much more sophisticated palate because we’ve moved on it the years between the two series. That’s what sets us apart. We’re not patronizing the audience; you’ve got to keep up.
We’re also now a world where people are building houses with crystals in the floor to bring positive energy to their living spaces. It feels like people are maybe taking spirituality and in particular witchy things more seriously.
That’s why it works. We’re not suggesting that you don’t get much out of any of these things; the strength is that we need that kind of thing today. People seem to want to immerse themselves in something different. What Sabrina does is give an injection of hope: Maybe there is something else out there that means we can have all the answers or, through our imaginations, become anything we want to be. It’s also about the battle of good versus evil, which is something we’ve been talking about for hundreds of years, and never get tired of.
Madam Satan and Sabrina have a delicate relationship-they’re drawn together in many ways, but neither has clear motivations in the relationship. What’s in store?
Let’s put it this way: When I read the final episode of the upcoming season, I actually screamed out loud. So, it’s kind of shocking, and you’re going to see more of the relationship between my character and Sabrina. There’s a confusing power struggle between the two of them; they walk on the dark side together, and you’re not sure by the end of the season who’s leading whom.
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