Rebecca Eady is an actress and producer, known for Pompeii (2014), Legends of Tomorrow (2016) and Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate (2015). We had the wonderful opportunity to interview Rebecca. Check it out below.
Rebecca Eady is the creator of the series, Evolve: Year Zero, and also wrote and produced it. They wanted to create a project where women were not fetishized but were purely seen as equal and to their male counterparts. Where their value did not come from their looks but it was just accepted that they were warriors first, women second. They also felt it was important to create a show where the characters were not all Canadian with Canadian accents but representative of true Canada. Australian, English, American, Congolese, Norwegian, Russian etc. They are all equal and none of their nationalities shaped the characters or alter the way they’re viewed just the way we speak.
Hi, Rebecca! Congrats on your television series Evolve: Year Zero! You are the creator, writer, and coproducer, and you’re also starring in it. You play Rawny. Tell us more.
Thank you! I can genuinely say that I am so proud of this show and everything that the team and cast have accomplished. Our show is a post-apocalyptic web series that follows a group of evolved United Nations soldiers who have basically failed to save humanity and now have to fight for their survival. Will they repeat the same patterns, that ultimately destroyed their world, or evolve and learn from their past to tackle future obstacles? My character, Rawny, is the window into the world of Evovle. She is the first character that you see and hopefully connects with. Her ability is that of immense physical strength and therefore she shoulders the burden of being a failed protector of humanity. She struggles not only with her past but also with the isolation that comes with losing everyone she loves. Rawny learns, however, that maybe she’s not quite as alone as she thinks…
It was a joy to create this show and to then see an incredible talent that was our cast, bring these characters to life. Having to wear multiple hats on set was challenging but having such a solid production team, Director and crew made what could’ve been an overwhelming, fun.
You have successfully created female-led content in a male-dominated genre. What inspired the series?
I just wanted to create the kind of show that I love watching and then make sure that all the characters, regardless of gender or culture, were complex individuals with multiple layers. I wanted to create a natural equality by making them warriors first gender second. I grew up watching Stargate SG1 and have always been a fan of Amanda Tapping. She was always so powerful, intelligent and yet still feminine. Her character didn’t have to take on typically masculine traits to be strong. I loved that. I think for me it was important to not play the typical “strong woman” stereotype, but to embrace our emotions, our maternal nature or empathy and then throw in the warrior! To me, strength isn’t determined by taking on masculine qualities, it is in the ways we learn how to survive and our strengths are unique to every person.
I also have to say that as a huge Braveheart fan, there is a little hint of that in there and then Mad Max definitely inspired some of our Makeup and wardrobe.
What should the audience expect?
Evolve: Year Zero will take you on an emotional rollercoaster with raw moments and a little action sprinkled throughout. Due to its ensemble cast, we truly believe there is a character for everyone watching to connect to.
It is awesome to see a series where women are not fetishized. They are equal to their male counterparts. How important was it to write a series like this?
It was my goal as a writer and actor to create the kind of show I wanted to be in. To have women on a screen that were deeply flawed yet surviving. In the show, they are stripped of everything a modern society would value and whats left is just human beings. I wanted to break that mindset of beauty holding the most value with women and look towards growth and survival as traits to aspire to. I think writing is only the first step, the direction on set is the second and then the edit is the final one. You need all of those elements to be respectful of the power of the women on the screen. Otherwise, I can write the most complex, powerful women but it would all be wasted if a director came on set and then shot them in a way that fetishized them. I loved Marcus McKinley for how he placed the women in the shots. They were truly equal. Now as we’re in the edit, the whole cast is looking like warriors. It takes a whole team of like-minded creatives.
It also was important for you to show the true Canada. Tell us more
So often when you watch shows, especially in the superhero realm, everyone is American. We wanted to embrace the fact that we are all Canadian but also the majority of us were immigrants. We literally hired the best actors we knew and then embraced their cultures. It was amazing when we sat through the first script read-through and realized that we had a Norwegian, a Brit, a German, an Aussie, Congolese, Portuguese/Guyanese, and a Hawaiian. Then our Director of Photography was Brazilian, our Sound Designer was Mexican. It was truly wonderful to see and embrace in the show. The world, especially Canada, is multicultural and so we need to represent that on screen. I don’t remember the last time I saw an English Woman, a Russian, and a Canadian all on one team. So, we wanted to show that even if we’re from different places originally, we are all just human.
Why should people watch the series? Where can they watch it?
We are deeply proud of what the team has accomplished with this show. I truly feel there is something in
Evolve: Year Zero for everyone! It’s short and sweet, with each episode only lasting 5 minutes and 8 episodes in season 1. So it’s commuter length content that’s perfect for filling that bus ride to work, lunch breaks or just sitting at home on the computer taking a moment. Its accessible to all via YouTube (Subscribe to us) and it will also stream directly through our website www.evolveyearzero.com
You can also follow us on all our social media platforms (Instagram/facebook/Twitter) @evolveyearzero
You continuously hone your craft. What keeps you inspired?
I think inspiration comes in so many ways. Music is one of my all-time loves and can put me immediately into a place of inspiration. Often I write while listening to movie scores. James Horner, John Williams, and Hans Zimmer have literally been the soundtrack to my shows while writing. Other Features and TV shows inspire me as well as women like Lisa Joy (Westworld), Melissa Rosenberg (Jessica Jones). Those women are just incredible!
Thus far, what has been the best experience working in the industry?
As an Actor, I’ve had some really wonderful times on set but there’s something very different about seeing something you created being realized. Standing on our set, watching some incredibly talented people taking the characters and bringing them to life, is truly something I’ll never forget. So for me, that has to be the one!
Do you have any upcoming projects that we haven’t mentioned?
Evolve: Year Zero is coming out March 1, 2018, so stay tuned for that. I also can be seen Acting in “Cocaine Godmother” with Catherine Zeta-Jones on Lifetime. Joel McNichol was In “Damnation” which is now streaming to Netflix as well as Ashley Ross can be seen in the new season of “Series of Unfortunate Events” on Netflix.
Complete this sentence, if I had an opportunity to do anything I want, I would do ___________.
…A fully funded Season of Evolve: Year Zero for TV. I would love that to happen! On a personal note though… I seriously want to go to Space! Now thanks to Elon Musk and Space X… it may just happen sooner than we think
Connect with Evovle: Year Zero:
Website: www.evolveyearzero.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EvolveYearZero/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EvolveYearZero
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RebeccaEady
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evolveyearzero/
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