Emily VanCamp reveals secrets from season four of Revenge

THE game may have changed, but nothing is off limits in Revenge, as Emily Thorne and Victoria Gracen are dead set on destroying each other.

Secretive sidekicks: Gabriel Mann and Emily VanCamp. Picture: Supplied

AFTER three seasons of merciless and deadly takedowns in the name of Emily Thorne’s (supposedly) dead father, it’s a little disconcerting to see actress Emily VanCamp calmly smile, shrug and say “she’s not done yet”.

Warming to her theme, the petite 28-year-old star of hit show Revenge leans in and lowers her voice to a mock-conspiratorial whisper.

“You can’t have ninja skills and not use them,” she laughs.

MORE: Revenge’s Emily loves getting down and dirty

Finely honed ... VanCamp on the attack in season two. Picture: Supplied

VanCamp is in what would be her alter-ego Emily Thorne’s (real name Amanda Clarke) element, perfectly made up in cocktail dress for a press event in Los Angeles.

Flanked by co-star Gabriel Mann (who plays her best friend Nolan Ross on Revenge) VanCamp is more relaxed and mischievous than Thorne. She will defend her character’s decisions, but laughingly concedes she wouldn’t have the energy in real life for Emily’s relentless pursuit.

And that campaign is undimmed in season four, despite the fact viewers now know Emily’s father David Clarke (James Tupper) — the man she thought she had been framed for terrorism by her Hamptons arch-enemies The Graysons before dying in prison leaving her a lost child in foster care — is very much alive.

Van Camp laughingly concedes that most people who had embarked on a revenge campaign for a dead man might consider abandoning it if they found out he was alive.

But Emily Thorne isn’t ‘most people’.

“She can’t quit this revenge path. She can’t do it. It’s not in her. At this point she knows how to be Emily Thorne better than she knows how to be Amanda Clarke (Amanda became Emily as part of her revenge plan at the start of the show),” VanCamp says.

Grittier season ... Emily fearlessly pushes forward, closing in on the final phases of her plan for revenge, while the Graysons continue their downward spiral into the rabbit hole of self-destruction. Picture: Supplied

“The Graysons still did all of the things that ruined her life, so whether her father’s alive — the fact that he is alive is a bonus and that’s amazing — they still ruined this young girl’s life.

“She still went through the foster care system. She still had to put herself through a lot to get her revenge.

“It would be unrealistic for her not to hold the Graysons responsible for everything that’s kicked off here.”

In her mind Victoria (Madeleine Stowe) and Conrad (Henry Czerny) are the epitome of evil.”

Emily is close to discovering the truth about her father’s existence, but for now is enjoying her favourite past-time — punishing Victoria.

No love lost ... The enmity between VanCamp’s Emily and Madeleine Stowe’s Victoria is as strong as ever. Picture: Supplied

“She had Victoria locked up in a mental institution — I would have loved to have seen her spend more time there,” VanCamp confesses.

“The dynamics of her being there — story-wise I would have loved to see more of it.

“Also, Emily’s taken over Victoria’s house, more to spite her rather than a case of Emily really wanting to live there — she did it because she could.

“If Emily had her way she’d probably burn the place down, but this would hurt (Victoria) more — and that’s what it’s really all about for Emily, isn’t it?”

Nothing is off limits ... as Emily and Victoria are dead set on destroying each other. Picture: Supplied

VanCamp is adamant that as season four plays out, viewers will get to see a softer side to her character.

“The truth is she has a tremendous amount of remorse for the things she’s done to the people she cared about, for the collateral damage of all this,” she says.

“But she was so alone and so tortured and in so much pain for so long, that I don’t ever think she’ll let go of the things that have happened to her.

“She tries to be normal, but it is inside her to be this beast.”

Secretive sidekicks: Gabriel Mann and Emily VanCamp. Picture: Supplied

GABRIEL MANN SHARES SEASON FOUR SECRETS

AS Nolan Ross, Gabriel Mann has played Emily Thorne’s smart, eccentric billionaire sidekick, enabler and conscience on Revenge, but he has learned that doesn’t mean he’s safe in the job.

“With a show this big the stakes have to be exponentially high — the writers will go anywhere, with anyone,” he says.

So expect a shock death mid-season among the usual take-downs and drama, he says.

“Bodies are dropping left and right there is a major death coming mid-season. Nobody is safe ... not even this one,” he teases, nodding at VanCamp.

TV sidekick ... Emily VanCamp and Gabriel Mann in season 4 of Revenge. Picture: Channel Seven

He and co-star Nick Weschler marvel they are still on the show — both were convinced they would be killed off first season.

As for VanCamp, he says prepare for tears as she investigates her inner child.

“I have been in awe of Emily but this season I really want to commend her and James Tipper (who plays David Clarke). They have some incredibly emotional, beautiful scenes. When I watched these scenes she had me crying like a baby.”

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Originally published as Emily VanCamp reveals secrets from season four of Revenge