The OCS Newsletter special edition SUPERION’S REALM

MOTHER KNOWS BEST

HALO BEARERS HAPPENING AROUND THE FANDOM

HOLLYWOOD BILLBOARD:

In collaboration with the billboard and The Order’s teams, a very special video was released on Thursday, March 07th. With original music by Coco Cat, the video aims to celebrate the #SaveWarriorNun campaign and the journey, where we started and how many big things we’ve accomplished so far. The billboard is a symbol that inspires and celebrates our accomplishment and love for Warrior Nun.

LONDON MEET UP

On Saturday, March 04th, several Halo Bearers took a walk around London to visit the #SaveWarriorNun billboards spread though the city. The event, which was kindly streamed live took all of us along for an amazing and heartfelt ride. With many videos, photographs, and highlights check out warriornun.com/billboards!

OCS: YOUTUBE CHAPTER

The OCS Newsletter had the pleasure and honor of interviewing Lee Haung, stunt coordinator, and Kai Fung Rieck, fight coordinator, behind Warrior Nun’s amazing action scenes. During the interview, which is available on the OCS Youtube and website page, they talked a bit about Mother Superion:

“I remember when we brainstormed all the characters, and we came to Mother Superion and we all made notes. What should she be like? For mother spirit was like okay, she's just betters she's never in danger when she's fighting. That was our idea because she's so strong and should lead all the sister warriors and every sister was already is a bad***, so she would be like the queen killer.”

OF SAINTS AND ANGELS - AN INTERVIEW WITH SYLVIA DE FANTI

IN FEBRUARY, the OCS Newsletter reached out to Mother Superion herself, our beloved Sylvia De Fanti, to request an interview based on fan questions. A few days later and this special edition became a reality.

OCS: How would you describe Mother Superion and how did you go about playing such a layered character? Specially her conflicting relationship with her duty to the order/mission and her “motherly” instincts to protect the girls.

Sylvia: I believe that as there are no human beings without conflicts. There are no fictional characters without conflicts. Exploring that conflict, where it comes from, how that original wound became the character’s tragic flaw. How the language, the talk, the body attitude is influenced by it. How the conflict is expressed in the character’s public persona and her/his/their intimacy, is among the most exciting challenges for an actor.

I connect with Mother Superion immediately on a deep level; her faith in God is my faith in Art and its healing power. Her duty and her discipline are her shield and her strength, as for me duty and rules can be sometimes cages, but are also my sense of justice. Her motherly instincts and her sense of sisterhood are my motherly instincts and my sense of community. There is a constant overlapping of variables that contribute to the work of embodying a character. And it is perpetual juggling.

In acting, preparation is crucial of course, but then comes the best part: allowing your instrument to be open to what happens in the moment, in relation to the other characters.

I really enjoyed working on this show. The crew and cast really brought their A game and I want to give a special mention to the brilliant costume designer Cristina Sopeña who really helped me become Mother Superion.

OCS: Going in, where did you think Mother Superion stood on the villain/hero spectrum? What went into the acting choices to play her that nuanced?

Sylvia: In first season you have more occasions to look at her from outside, from a distance and do not want her to get closer… :D She is more keen to be seen as a villain, she is one of Ava’s obstacles. Functional, but not funny. But she has her reasons.

Then she is betrayed and this completely rocks her vision of the world, of the hierarchy she is part of. Something is wrong, unbalanced. What do you do when your certainties collapse? You mourn and regroup. The Hero understands the bigger purpose, the higher goal. Mother Superion’s experiences help her to transition from villain to hero.

 OCS: The dynamic between Mother Superion and the sister warriors is a key element of the show, she’s their protector, their friend and, dare I say it, their mother figure. Who do you think she’s closest to within the order? Or do you believe the bond between each of them is unique and incomparable? And where does Vincent stand with Mother Superion?

Sylvia: The bond between each of them is unique, for sure. Father Vincent was a friend, my best friend, we have known each other for ever and we know each other’s secrets (or this is at least what I decided for the character), so the betrayal is unbearable and unforgivable. But Faith is bigger, in the end…

OCS: Particularly with Ava, their bond, their relationship develops significantly between the seasons. Do you think that, in S1 Mother’s uncertainty towards Ava was due to the girl’s irresponsible behavior and the dangers it represented to the order and the mission, or was it because Suzanne saw a bit of herself (the impulsiveness, the self sacrificing tendencies) in Ava and feared for her?

Sylvia: Both these reasons plus one: jealousy. In the scheme of Mother Superion’s values: why her?

OCS: Do you think Suzanne going from seeing herself as a “warrior nun failure” to embracing her role as the girls’ mother and protector played any part on her sense of self-worth? Enough so that the halo sensed her newfound sense of worthiness and after rejecting her once, decided to save her life?

Sylvia: Yes, I do. And you explained it very well. The Halo recognizes her, when she finally lets go of her obsession for recognition.

OCS: In the flashback scene from S2, we see a bit of Suzanna as the Warrior Nun in full fighter mode. Do you think the powers granted by the halo to each Warrior Nun is subjective to that person’s personality or sense of worth? Do you think Mother getting a shield as her power reflects her notion of what her duty was (to protect)?

Sylvia: Thank you for this wise insight! I honestly didn’t read it this way, but it makes total sense. For me it was also: ”I am untouchable, nothing can hurt me, don’t you dare get too close. My Faith is bigger than yours!”.

OCS: Mother Superion had some amazing action scenes in S2. How was it to train for those stunts and to shoot the action scenes, particularly the ones from the flashback?

Sylvia: I had the best time! I loved the whole stunt team! What an amazing group of passionate professionals. They had confidence in me from the first day of training, and were so welcoming and encouraging each time I asked for more training, invading their schedule. Without Kai and Lee and all the rest of team’s care and perseverance, I wouldn’t have been able to fight like that. And I actually wanted to train more!

OCS: What was your favorite action scene to film?

Sylvia: I like both of my big action scenes, for different reasons.

OCS: How is it to play a character that inspires so many people, especially young women? Was it surprising to you to hear the testimonials praising Mother as such an inspiration and the fanart showing our love for your character?

Sylvia: I am very deeply touched by all this love and I was enormously surprised to receive all so much appreciation and admiration and to inspire such beautiful art! It showed me new potential paths in my creative process. It is the answer to my prayers (sic!), as an artist, as an actress, and also a woman in these times!

 OCS: Did you have any idea Warrior Nun would inspire such a devoted fan-base?

Sylvia: I had NO idea. I was happily shocked… What an incredible, indescribable, display of talent, commitment and tenacity, you all have shown!

OCS: How would you describe what you’ve seen from us before and after the cancellation?

Sylvia: The perseverance, the creativity, the art, the originality, the ability to connect different people and different worlds, the communication tools you implemented, you have the organizational skills to start a revolution! I am overwhelmed with awe and gratitude. Some of you should be running nations!!

OCS: And finally, any messages you want to send to the fans and to the campaign?

Sylvia: Grazie Grazie Grazie to every single Halo bearer; to every single person who watched or re-watched the show, to everyone who got someone else to watch, to anyone who read articles in the media about Warrior Nun… for every Tweet, every Instagram or Facebook post or story… for the dedication and time and support you have given the show and our cast/crew/producers! You are truly the best and always, please, spread your skills, your intelligence, your wisdom, your uniqueness and love and… be kind and truthful to who you are, because YOU ARE FANTASTIC.