With Hannibal Season Three out on DVD and Blu-ray now, THN had the chance to catch up with horror favourite Katharine Isabelle (Ginger Snaps, American Mary), who plays the troubled and darkly brilliant Margot Verger – and psychiatric patient to everyone’s favourite cannibal. Tasty stuff indeed…
What attracted you to Hannibal and the character of Margot Verger?
I’d been a huge fan of [writer and executive producer] Bryan Fuller’s work forever. I’d worked with him briefly 10 years previously. I was super thrilled he’d remember me or consider me for anything. But Hannibal is such a dark, beautiful, fucked up, brilliant show. It’s everything I’d love to see that I’ve never seen before. Margot is such a strange, strong fucked up character who gets to wear $25,000 worth of Alexander McQueen clothing each day and drive a Tesla. And Mads Mikkelsen I’ve been obsessed with for about 15 years… there’s nothing that’s not overly amazing about the show.
Were you a fan of the Hannibal Lector books and movies already?
Silence of the Lambs I was a big fan of as a kid. My friend and I found the movie and weren’t supposed to be watching it, so immediately we were obsessed by it and thought it was the best thing ever.
Was reinventing the Thomas Harris’ stories something you found appealing about the series? There are some interesting twists on the original plots…
Absolutely. I never read the books, so I didn’t have that attachment to them. All knew were the events of the Silence of the Lambs movie, which we couldn’t use for Hannibal. I think they couldn’t use the Clarice Starling character. But I liked how each season of Hannibal seemed like a different show.
What is it about Hannibal Lector that’s made him such an enduring villain for the past 25 years?
I just think he’s such a fantastic gentleman. We have so many films where the psycho-killer is a disgusting monster, but Hannibal is so charming and darkly funny and oddly sweet. I think everybody has a dark side in there somewhere, and we’d all like to think our dark side is as gentlemanly and clever as Hannibal.
You’re well known for the horror genre – what is it about the darker side of cinema that keeps you coming back?
I definitely feel an affinity for the horror genre, which is odd, because I don’t actually watch horror movies… I’m kind of a chicken. I can watch the ones I’ve been in obviously, because that’s more funny to me than anything. But horror movies have provided me with the best, most interesting characters – really cool, smart, interesting, darkly funny women, who I haven’t found in a lot of other places. Hannibal, Ginger Snaps and American Mary have provided me with the best characters. Or at least, that I’ve had the chance to play. I don’t know what that is… maybe the horror genre sees deep into my dark soul!
You’ve become a bit of a cult horror icon yourself, but if you and Hannibal could have one other horror villain to dinner, who would it be?
My old pal Bob Englund as Freddy Krueger… that would be a good dinner!
Hannibal Season 3 and the Complete Seasons 1-3 are available on DVD and Blu-ray now
