Emily Swallow is well-known for her role as Amara in “Supernatural.” The series is coming to a dramatic close this 15th and final season, and fans want to know what part God’s sister will play in the end. Yet lately it is all about Disney+’s “The Mandalorian” and the Armorer played by Swallow. The talented actress and singer grew up in Sterling, VA and Jacksonville, FL. and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Middle Eastern Studies. Thankfully for us, she pursued her passion for acting. Be sure to catch Swallow in her role as Natalie Pierce in “SEAL Team” and the video game “The Last of Us: Part II.”
Colleen Bement: Let’s start out with “The Mandalorian.” This series is fabulous! The cinematography is beautiful, the storyline, acting, and directing is great! And of course, there is “Baby Yoda” who has taken over social media with his cuteness factor! Please share your experience being a part of this amazing project.
Emily Swallow: It has been ridiculously amazing. I grew up watching the original movies, and the chance to be a part of this story makes me giddy and makes me feel like a kid. Ultimately, it’s a group of incredibly talented directors, designers, writers, actors and craftspeople who have worked REALLY hard and with a lot of heart. Jon created a set that was incredibly collaborative and where everyone felt integral to getting this story told in the best way possible. We found the language of the costumes together and had time and space to explore the best way to communicate through the masks and armor. We also spent plenty of time geeking out over the ship, the costumes…the adorable green baby!
CB: “Supernatural” fans hope to see far more of Amara in this 15th and final season. What was the atmosphere like on the being that this is the last season?
ES: It felt like I was coming back to family. Truly, it was such a joyful reunion. I was honored and so excited that they wanted Amara to be part of the last season and stoked that we got to see another side of her now that she’s let loose a little bit in Reno. In watching it and being with the fans at conventions, I can’t help but soak up all the tumultuous emotions—it will be hard to see the show go, but I really respect the decision to close the book at this moment. Why not go out on a high note?
CB: How has playing Amara changed your life?
ES: Wow. Where do I begin? As an actor, it has been a gift to embody someone of such strength and determination, someone who fought passionately to be heard and to be understood. I’ve gotten to work with such generous, playful, inventive actors and learned from all of them. And the FANS?!?!?!? Wow. I had no idea what an incredible fandom I was being brought into. It has been a wild adventure to travel all over the world for conventions. I started acting in theatre, and still love theatre for the immediate connection to the audience, so getting to meet the fans and to learn what the show means to them, to hear their observations and to witness how the show has impacted them is a huge gift. And I’ve gotten to perform as a singer a ton because of the conventions, which I sure didn’t expect. But Louden Swain is an incredible band and we’re so lucky to jam with them at the conventions. I’ve gotten braver as a singer and performed things I thought were out of my reach thanks to them.
CB: Tell us about any projects that you have in the works.
ES: I’ll be recurring on the CBS show “SEAL Team” for the rest of the season, so you can see me there! I’m also part of the brilliant THE LAST OF US 2 for Playstation 4, which is set for release next year. And it has been a while since I did a play, so hopefully, I can rustle something up soon.
CB: You killed it at the Rockwood Music Festival! You’re such a talented singer. Can your fans look forward to music projects in the future?
ES: Thank you! I have been dabbling with the idea of recording an album for a while now, and lately, the idea has been knocking a bit more forcefully at the door. I’m going to focus on that in the coming months.
Written by Colleen Bement
