The 100th episode of ABC’s Once Upon A Time airs tomorrow, and continuing our string of interviews from the OUAT 100th Episode Red Carpet, we have an interview with Rebecca Mader, who plays Zelena, the show’s resident Wicked Witch.
You can see video of the interview below with a transcription underneath that.
KSITETV’s CRAIG BYRNE: How mad is Zelena going to be if she finds Regina, after what she just did?
REBECCA MADER: [Wicked laugh] She’s not a happy bunny, no. She’s pretty pissed off. Not happy.
Do you look at The Wizard of Oz differently now that you’ve played Zelena?
You know what’s funny, I haven’t watched it since I got the part, so I do need to do a rewatch. I didn’t want to watch it because I didn’t want to start playing somebody else. I didn’t want to start copying the original character. But it definitely has a lot more meaning to me now, especially because the Wicked Witch of the West from the original movie used to terrify me as a child, so it’s pretty hilarious that I’m playing her now.
What are you the most excited for fans to see in Episode 100?
What’s great about it is it’s almost like a season premiere, so you’re introducing fans to this new world and this situation that we’re in. We’re in Storybrooke, we’re here, but we’re in a different realm. We’re in the Underworld, in a state of purgatory. And then, of course you’ve got these original characters coming back, so I think the fans are gonna love that.
Is there a character from Once Upon A Time’s past that you would love to work with at some point?
I have never done a scene with Cruella and apparently, whenever people talk about her and me, they’re like “you two have to do a scene together” because apparently we’re very similar in real life, and I think that we would just have a blast together, just being British and obnoxious.
Which one of you would catch someone’s “little dog, too” first?
Probably me, because wicked always wins. [Laughs]
Is there anything else you’re allowed to tease about what’s coming up later in the season?
You know how we’ve been breaking the seasons into halves, this has been my favorite. I mean, obviously “Wicked is Coming” when it was my arc, obviously was amazing for me, but since then, this is, hands down, my favorite.
I know you’re not allowed to say the name of the baby, but if you could give Pistachio Hood a name, any name at all, what would you want to name the child?
It’s hard to think of something that goes with Hood! I don’t know. Green Hood? I don’t know…. I like the name Layla. Maybe Layla Hood would be cute? Yeah.
Neighbor Hood?
[Laughs] Wicked! Good one. You win.
Come back later this weekend for two more interviews – Producer Steve Pearlman and the lovely Evil Queen herself, Lana Parrilla! Episode 100 of Once Upon A Time airs Sunday night, March 6 on ABC. You can find more interviews here.
