It’s been generally assumed that actress Amanda Abbington will play Mary Morstan in the long-awaited third season of Sherlock. We know Abbington’s in the show. We know Mary is, too. There are, to my knowledge anyway, no other actresses who’ve been added to the cast. And for John Watson’s wife to be played by actor Martin Freeman‘s real-life partner Abbington, with whom he’s collaborated multiple times… well, it fits.
But it wasn’t until yesterday that it was actually, one hundred percent confirmed. Head under the jump to see what Abbington has to say about playing Morstan and the fan reaction she expects.
Said Abbington to The Scotsman:
“We were at [writer/co-showrunner] Mark Gatiss’s house when [season two, episode two] The Hounds Of Baskerville first came on the telly. Afterwards they went into the kitchen and were sitting talking about the next series. I went in and sat with them. It had been mooted that I would be in it, might have a little part in it. They were talking about who might play Mary and I was like, ‘So, who are you thinking of?’ and they said ‘You’… I got very emotional because it just seemed so amazing, just such a gift.”
Abbington recognizes, however, that many people won’t be so pleased about the arrival of Morstan as she is—indeed, a lot of fans already seem determined to hate her for the perceived threat she poses to the great brOTP (or OTP, your mileage may vary), that is Johnlock. Still, Abbington says, even though her character’s in something of an awkward situation—the romantic partner of the man whose somewhat possessive best friend has just some back from the dead, yikes—she hopes people can move past it and appreciate Mary for who she is:
“When I was at the read-through, I remember watching [Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch], and the chemistry between them is just amazing. They do have this beautiful relationship, so getting in between that – which is what Mary does, she becomes this kind of third wheel – was scary. Also, the fans love these two together, so I’m sure Mary won’t be particularly liked by them, but I hope that on the whole people really like her, because she’s a great character and she has some fantastic secrets.”
Let’s listen to Amanda, people: Don’t hate a female character just because she gets in the way of your OTP. Johnlock will happen if the showrunners want it to (I don’t think there’s any way it actually will, because Moffat, but dream on you shipping diamonds). If it doesn’t, that is not the fault of the female character who “comes between them.” Let’s judge each character on their individual merits and not the role they’re given in other characters’ lives, kay?
(via: Digital Spy)
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