Sirens are an age-old myth that has fascinated people through books and stories for centuries. Multi-talented actress Georgia Waters shares what it is like to play one.
These mermaids aren’t what you traditionally imagine from say watching “The Little Mermaid,” they are strong dangerous predators. Disney’s Freeform show “Siren” has a story that takes place in a little fishing town called Bristol Cove where people have always been interested in mermaid mythology. Georgia Waters plays the role of Eliza in this series that started out in 2018 and it already has three seasons of success. It was recently added to the Disney Plus streaming service and now has a new audience.
In addition to “Siren,” she is working on writing her own projects. Audiences know her from her role as Kiki in “Legends” on FOX, and her 2020 film “Toys of Terror” has her playing the lead where a trunk filled with old toys brings horror to audiences. Creepy toys are always trouble! She started out graduating from Oxford University and can boast roles in many of their theater productions. In preparing for the role, Georgia had extensive training in free diving and scuba. Luckily she was already an excellent swimmer. Find out more about her experience on “Siren” as well as her other projects.
Colleen Bement: It is such great news that “Siren” has been added to Disney Plus. So many more people now have access to this very cool series. Are you getting quite a bit more attention now that it’s on Disney?
Georgia Waters: I’ve definitely noticed there’s a new influx of people excited for the show, which is so good to see as it’s work I’m very proud of. We had so much fun creating the “Siren” world, it was a big part of my life for a few years, and it’s wonderful more of my friends and family can now see the fruits of our labor.
Despite being a show about mermaids, the themes speak to a lot of people and important topics across different cultures, and it’s been gratifying seeing so many people from different walks of life connect through “Siren”. The fans are the most lovely and committed, and I can’t wait to see that network grow. The show creators were set on having a diverse cast, which has been a large part of the show’s strength, and I know that on a larger platform, it can only excel further.
You often hear about shows flourishing on new networks, all three seasons were already Freeform’s highest-rated, so I’m looking forward to seeing what happens with “Siren” Disney Plus.
CB: Sirens are an age-old myth that has fascinated people through books and stories for centuries. For those who haven’t had the chance to see your show, tell our readers about it.
GW: Yes it seems so many different cultures include some form of a siren within their mythologies.
I have The Penguin Book of Mermaids, and it is intriguing how Sirens appear everywhere. I think humans have always been both enthralled and fearful of these shape-shifting characters who can live flit from water and land. A consistent thread in these different stories is that these Sirens can either be helpful or treacherous, depending on how they are treated. The duality doesn’t stop with their forms, it exists within their characters too, which increases their mystery and threat. I suppose like the sea itself, it can be magnificent but destructive.
Eric and Emily, the show creators, drew on these different mythologies, but also incorporated modern issues like our environmental impact, xenophobia, and tribalism, to create “Siren.” It takes part in a small fictional fishing town called Bristol Cove. The history of the town has always been entwined closely with mermaid mythology. Our series takes place in the present day, where mermaids become entangled with Bristol Cove once again. These mermaids aren’t what you traditionally imagine from say watching “The Little Mermaid,” they are strong dangerous predators. I think the show beautifully explores what it means to be a mermaid, from the idea that they are a matriarchal society so the females are in charge, how they hunt, heal, educate themselves, and what relationships mean to them. By using a mythological species, you can explore a completely new way of being.
My character Eliza is a healer mermaid, so coincidentally is more gentle and empathetic than the other mermaids. This does allow her to develop a closer bond with some of the humans, especially Helen Hawkins, the antique shop owner, and resident folklore expert, brilliantly portrayed by the talented Rena Owen. It was a real treat getting some beautiful moments of bonding between our two characters.
CB: Playing Eliza looks like a pretty physical role. How do you prepare for it? Were you already a good swimmer?
GW: Before even auditioning we were told the role required expert swimming skills. Luckily I used to be a competitive swimmer, and have been extremely comfortable in the water from a young age. When I was cast in the role, I was also given extensive training, as free diving and scuba were new skills for me. Luckily we had an excellent trainer, Roberta, who took us through all the steps including practicing our breath hold, learning how to equalize when diving deep, mermaid swimming techniques, and keeping our faces nice and relaxed throughout the process.
It felt a bit like going to mermaid school, which was definitely a pinch-me moment of ‘I’m getting paid to learn how to swim like a mermaid’.
CB: Share with your fans a little about your leading role in “Toys of Terror.” I haven’t seen it yet, but just the title scares me. Toys and horror are a terrifying combination.
GW: There are certainly some creepy moments, but also some funny and silly moments, so I think anyone can enjoy it. We had a lot of fun making the film. It’s about a family, who decides to stay at an old house the mother has brought to renovate and sell. They bring their Nanny Rose with them, who I play, to help look after the children whilst they work. What the mother, Hannah Cashman, doesn’t tell the family, is that it used to be a children’s hospital with a tragic past. All the children of the hospital had been mysteriously found dead one day.
Rose and the teenage daughter start to notice strange things happening around the house. They hear voices, see ghostly children, and they start to realize all is not what it seems. They manage to uncover what happened at the home and are on a race to make sure history does not repeat itself with the Cashman children.
Rose also carries her own trauma. We discover that she had lost her own baby, so she’s even more desperate not to lose these children too.
CB: I read that you’re working on some writing projects. That’s so exciting. Is there anything that you’re allowed to share at this point, and what do you like about writing versus acting?
GW: All I can say is that both my projects are historical dramas featuring strong women, who are pushing the boundaries in a world designed to restrict their potential.
I’ve definitely been enjoying the writing process. When you start, it is a little intimidating looking at the blank screen, but then once you finish it’s so satisfying knowing you’ve created this world yourself.
It’s empowering knowing that when I come across a story I feel needs to be told, I now have the tools to carve it out, and make it come to fruition. I also like having authority on how the story is told, which characters get a voice, what themes are explored. As an actor, you don’t always have that control.
Writing is, however, very solitary, and so I will still always want to keep acting. I gain so much energy and inspiration from being on set with the cast and crew, and I enjoy the collaborative process. I’m an introverted extrovert really, I like to be around people, but I’m often the quietest person in the room. I don’t like to be solitary for too long, so in an ideal world, I would have a perfect balance of writing and performing.
After all, if you’re not seeing the roles you want, it’s time to start writing them.
CB: Congrats on your recent engagement! How have you been spending your time through this pandemic?
GW: Aw thank you! It’s certainly been a challenging year, but that time felt like a little bubble of happiness. Those days of calling family and friends afterward to share the news will always be special to me.
Last summer we were very lucky here in Vancouver, as we were still able to take camping trips, so that helped maintain some level of sanity. This winter has been tough though, as I imagine it has been for so many people. I’ve dealt with it by trying to focus on my writing, so that’s been a saving grace. I’ve also found reading has helped and trying to take pleasure in the simple things like cooking, long walks, calling home, and yes, drinking wine.
I feel like everyone is currently exposed to an underlying layer of stress and unease, and that can make the simplest of tasks considerably more challenging than before. I know there will be a lot of joy looking forwards, but there will be so many people that have suffered severely throughout this past year, so we’re going to need to take time to be gentle to ourselves and others.
Hit up Disney Plus to check out “Siren.”
Written by Colleen Bement
Evan Conroy
Ron Peterson