We got the awesome opportunity to make a quick email-interview with Elysia Rotaru, who played Taiana in CW's Arrow. She was very kind, and replied to our questions with pleasure. Check out the interview below!
Question: Who or what was your biggest influence to become an actress?
Elysia: It would have to be when I was a kid watching all the actors on Saturday Night Live and Mad TV having so much fun as an ensemble, bringing to life so many memorable and entertaining characters. I remember making my family laugh so hard as I would imitate some of the characters like "Miss Swan" or "Stuart" from Mad TV and thinking, "I like this, making people feel something and using my imagination. I would love to do this one day!"
Q: How do you prepare for your roles?
E: It always depends on the type of style and genre of the project, that's where I start, to get an image of the world my character is in. Then I really explore the journey of my character, I need to know their whole story. I memorize lines and feel the character in my body, where do they live in me. I always do a lot of homework and research. I ask a lot of questions I might not have clear answers to. Then I play, I feel it out in my voice and body and let my imagination and instincts guide me. I go big and make bold choices and always stay open to ideas from my scene partners, the directors and my environment.
Q: What was it like on the set of Arrow?
E: It was always intense but fun. Working on the show was a great learning curve for me. There were mental, physical and emotional challenges I never encountered before, that I had to work through, which helped me grow. There were egos, including mine, that I had to learn to navigate and adapt to. There were moments of physicality where I had to learn things on the fly and really trust myself. And moments within my characters journey that I had didn't fully understand, but knew the writers had it planted there for a reason. Every moment on that set I was deepening my craft and learning new things. I really learned how to trust myself more working on Arrow and that was exciting.
Q: Are there any deleted scenes that you really wanted to see in the show?
E: Not that I can recall. They seem to have kept everything in that we filmed.
Q: We've seen many characters "die" in the show, is there a possibility for Taiana's return?
E: Oh, I really wish I knew myself. I guess we all just need to wait and find out.
Q: Do you like to watch the shows you are in?
E: Yes, I like to see the final edits and how things get pieced together. I also have a few friends that act and I like to support their work as well.
Q: Do you keep up with the Arrow and the other DCTV shows?
E: With Arrow I always try my best, but sometimes with my schedule, I am a little behind. Makes for a good binge watch night though.
Q: Who is your personal favorite superhero in general?
E: I would have to say Wonder Woman.
Q: If you could choose any comic book character to play on the screen, who would that be and why?
E: Probably Witchblade, I loved reading those comics in high school and loved how dark and raw they were. It would be fun to play.
Q: What upcoming projects do you have?
E: Right now, I am working on a few voice over campaigns, which I can't name at the moment. And I'm back in the hustle of auditions, excited to see what show I land next.
Q: Is there anything you would like to say to the DC Comics fans in Hungary?
E: I can't wait to meet you all someday at a Comic-Con and thank you all so much for your love and support! It's a privilege to be able to do what I do and share my experiences with all of you. I am so very grateful.
Photo credit: Liz Rosa and Matt Lawrence Dix
This was our first email interview ever, but we will definitely try to make some more to you guys, it depends on who we'll be able to reach on email or any social media platform. Thanks again to the amazing Elysia Rotaru for her time and her kindness. Don't forget to watch tonight's all new Arrow episode, and stay tuned for more interviews and interesting DC related stuff on our pages!
