On a show like The 100, there is so much that is clouded in mystery.
But there is something unique about the existence of Hope Diyoza and what she brings to the story when she appears through another place in time.
The Anomaly brings about Hope and a brand new aspect of the show, one we have never experienced before.
What happened between Diyoza going into the Anomaly and Octavia coming out remains to be seen. What we do know, though, is that the trailer for the new season proved that Shelby Flannery is going to blow our minds.
The daughter of a legendary character like Charmaine Diyoza is meant to steal as many scenes as her mother did. Even our first glimpse at Hope proved that she would bring a whole lot of questions with her, all of which we are excited to explore.
And if there’s anything the new trailer for The 100 Season 7 showed us, it is that Hope may very well be the best person with which to go on adventures. From cool hairstyles to a fascinating backstory to a promise of so much more.
Taking some time out to answer our questions, Shelby Flannery shares about her transition to her first TV production, the experience of meeting fans, and what fans can look forward to learning about Hope.
Shelby also mentioned what it was like joining an established show like The 100.
This was your first role on TV, so what was it like working on your first television production and having it be a show like The 100?
Absolutely wild. Right? It kind of took over my whole life. It was quite an eight-month process, and I moved to Canada for it.
So it was all-consuming, which was good because I got to be able to like really throw my whole self into it, which is how I like to work. I fell in love with Hope pretty much right away, and so that made it a lot easier on me. And then on top of that, the cast and the crew were so welcoming and lovely.
It was pretty easy.
When we first met Hope during The 100 Season 6 Episode 13, she arrived in the middle of this action-packed moment with no real context. Were you given more details, or did you just enter this scene not knowing too much?
Season 6 of The 100, like that exact scene, was very much mysterious for me, like as much as it was for the viewers.
Jason hadn’t necessarily fleshed out her whole journey yet. So I was kind of going into it blind, but that was cool. At the same time, Jason was like, “Hey, if you got any ideas, throw them at me.” We had a lot of conversations, which was promising to hear, in a way. I think that’s what a lot of actors want because it shows that collaboration is in the cards.
And even though I wasn’t in the writer’s room by any stretch of the imagination, they write it as we film it. So as The 100 Season 7 progressed, I could tell more and more that they were bouncing off of what I was giving, so it was this energetic process.
The 100 is known for not giving away too much in the beginning, so going into Season 7, how much were you told about Hope’s storyline beforehand?
Kind of both. Like I said, they write it as we go along, but there were a lot of conversations, and so I had a general idea, and I felt like I was as much a part of that process.
But there were tons of surprises and curveballs; I didn’t even know I was going to do more than a handful of episodes. And so every time I got a script and Hope was kicking more and more ass, I was thrilled.
What was it like joining such an established show, especially in such a crucial context?
I mean, I was shit scared. I watched and binged the show before going on. So every time I saw more crazy stunts and all the insane things that these people have to go through and the blood and the sweat and tears that they pour into it.
I was scared, but in a way that was really energizing. I just was able to throw myself into it completely.
I had the pressure I put on myself to hold it up to the standard that I believe the show has set for itself. But again, that fuels me and pushed me into action.
You play the daughter of Charmaine Diyoza and Paxton McCreary, did you go back to try to see some of their scenes on the show?
Definitely. Actually, when I was auditioning, I had no idea about the family tree. I didn’t know anything really because they actually gave me Diyoza’s stuff to read, which was a clue in and of itself. It was a character who was similar to her, or at least, so I thought. But that’s really all I had during the audition process.
Then I find out who I am once I was booked, and watching the show and hearing Hope’s name come up, they all became pretty clear. So I reached out to Ivana, and luckily she’s the loveliest person alive. So it was so easy to connect with her and get the meat of the story. Or the relationship I should say.
You also mentioned that you had a lot of stuntwork to train for, so I was curious, what was that experience like?
That was probably the most intimidating part, at least at the beginning it was.
Once I realized it’s not impossible, I feel a lot of it was in my head, and it was only holding it back. It just became more and more fun. But yeah, I had a trainer and just trying to get in shape as much as possible, because I really had no idea what was ahead.
But that was probably the scariest part for sure.
What can you share about the journey Hope will have this season?
We get a really unclouded window into her story pretty immediately. Sort of why she is the way she is, which is kind of rare on a show like this, a lot of times, things start getting filled in as you go along, and questions start getting answered later. But I had the opportunity to really understand a lot about her early on.
I think the fans will have that to look forward to.
So we actually got the full extended trailer for The 100 Season 7 today.
I saw that! Literally like five minutes ago.
And it was perfect timing right before this interview. That way, I can ask some questions based off what fans got a glimpse of in the trailer. We know that Hope stayed behind once she appeared from the Anomaly, and based off The 100 trailer, we know she spends time with Echo and Gabriel. And there is even a moment with her and Clarke and Octavia. What was it like sharing scenes and working with everyone?
They made it so easy because they’re just lovely people, and we had so much fun. Like it was just, I can’t tell you how many times my abs hurt from laughing, which makes acting a lot easier because it feels safe and secure.
It was ace.
And who do you maybe wish you shared more scenes with?
Richard Harmon. I would have loved to work with him because he’s such a giving actor. I would have liked to work with him more. But hopefully, there’s a future for that.
We have also heard that we will learn more about Hope and her past before the audience met her. So seeing baby Hope in the trailer was great. How was it seeing a younger version of you like that?
It was wicked. That was really cool. She was the sweetest and spunkiest little girl; she reminded me so much of myself.
So we just hit it off and had a lot of fun laughing and joking around.
The trailer also gave us a glimpse of Hope with a different hairstyle than we originally saw her with. Can you talk about the experience of having these fun wardrobe and appearance changes?
That was one of my favorite parts of coming to work every day because I had to transform quite literally.
For an actor, it’s such a gift because you look in the mirror and you see a different person. And so it became a lot easier for me, once wardrobe and hair was done, to just tap into that place and fall into Hope quite literally.
Looking at some of the moments, Hope is part of some very intense scenes, and there are a lot of emotions. How did you, as an actor manage to balance the action and the chaos that Hope is involved with and the more emotionally heavy scenes?
Good question. I don’t think I really think about it to be honest when I’m doing it.
The action sometimes really propelled emotion because when your body is inside of a scene, a lot of the times that generates the psychophysical thing. So in a way, I didn’t have to think about it much, which was great.
The trailer revealed that the Anomaly is a wormhole, so we got to see several characters travel to some really interesting places. What was it like for you to get to be on such different sets?
Amazing. Canada is so beautiful, and I kind of had no idea. It’s still a transformative Vancouver. I felt like I was in the jungle or parts of Asia. Like it was really helpful and an aid for the story. It aided the story quite a bit.
You went to your first The 100 convention earlier this year, what was it like meeting the fans and seeing that excitement for your character?
Really invigorating to see firsthand the world that surrounds The 100 and the passion that people feel towards it. It would have filled a sense of purpose if I hadn’t already had it. To see the faces behind a lot of the Instagram handles, it was inspiring, to say the least.
What are you most excited for fans to see this season?
I really hope that at least one person sees themselves in her. That’s my main wish is that someone sees Hope almost like a mirror and is able to relate and to feel less alone.
Because Hope is ultimately a human being and has gone through trials and tribulations, she leaves a trail of encounters and reactions and realizations. So if anyone can pull from their own experience and put it next to Hope, that’s a success in my book.
What did you learn from your time on The 100 and from playing Hope?
Let me think about that.
So much. I mean, I really got to see how a crew and a cast can work well together. That might sound simple, but it’s pretty huge for someone’s first job.
To see how trials and in hard times can really propel an environment to do better and to come together to make something really beautiful. That is such a valuable lesson that I can take to the rest of my life. Just to be a team player and to not put myself before everyone else, because that only gets in the way of the process and the end results.
It was about becoming one, and I think they really see that in Season 7 because you really see how everyone’s vision comes together really seamlessly.
I hope.
Pun intended.
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For The 100 fans still looking for some more nostalgia, TV Fanatic will continue a new ongoing The 100 interview series, “Looking Back on The 100,” that centers on monumental cast members and characters from the show that left their mark.
We recently spoke with Eli Goree about his time on the show during The 100 Season 1 and the legacy he left behind.
Keep checking TV Fanatic for more upcoming interviews with surprise cast members from seasons past.
We also spoke with Michael Beach and the journey he had when it came to The 100. Keep checking TV Fanatic for more upcoming interviews with surprise cast members from seasons past. Keep checking TV Fanatic for more upcoming interviews with surprise cast members from seasons past.
And for any fans looking for hints to help their theories about the final season, the official extended trailer for Season 7 of The 100 has been released.
Stick around TV Fanatic for more upcoming interviews, features, slideshows, episode previews, and reviews, and watch The 100 online if you need to catch up on the adventure.
The 100 returns on Wednesday, May 20 at 8/7c on The CW.
Yana Grebenyuk is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.