Last year, my daughter and I happened upon an incredible new show on Freeform called Siren, and to be honest, we have Curtis Lum to thank for the introduction. I first had the opportunity to interview Curtis shortly after he booked this show, and since that time, my daughter and I have reveled in a show that has entertained us in more ways than I can state. As the show is currently in the middle of season two, it is my honor to share my most recent interview of Curtis with my readers today!
RH: Curtis, it is so great to be able to chat with you again!
CL: Thank you, Ruth, nice to chat with you again as well.
And I’m so glad that Siren came back for season two. It is literally my daughter’s and my favorite show. We always watch it together. And my daughter knows your character well. She was very happy when I said I would be talking to you today.
Oh, that’s nice to know.
It is one show we honestly have to watch together. We never miss an episode. It is our show.
Wow! That’s cool! In fact, it’s kind of nice for you. There’s really no show quite like Siren out there.
I agree on so many levels. I am so glad she loved the show as much as I did. And to have the show picked up for the second season before season one was even over! How incredible was that!
I am with you there. And not only did we get picked up for the second season, but as you have noticed, we had almost double the amount of episodes from the first season.
Wasn’t that amazing? And as to your character, Calvin, he had quite an interesting character arc. At the end of season one, we knew there were going to be a lot of issues as the second season started.
I so agree with you about all the characters, but especially Calvin. They could have had my character go a million different ways, just like any character. There were certain things in both the first and second season I was hopeful for with Calvin. There were things I wanted to have happen. But when you’re an actor playing your role on set, sometimes you just don’t think about the things you’re hoping for. So those things didn’t really strike me in their entirety until after the fact when we were done filming. And then I realized this was pretty cool how my character developed. I was very happy with how the writers wrote his story.
Calvin & Janine
Well, there is certainly this complex thing between Calvin and Janine. We wanted them together in season one especially, but every time they got together…
Yeah!
They’re like that couple who have that immediate connection and great chemistry, but then in so many ways, they’re really bad for each other.
Yeah, it’s the classic “we love each other, but we’re not good for each other.”
Then when Calvin finds out about how his friend used to date Janine but didn’t think to tell him!
Oh, yeah, not cool at all.
And now that season two is almost halfway, Calvin has continued to have an amazing arc and we are learning even more about him.
Yeah, first of all, there is the issue of contacting a reporter to tell the story of the mermaids in Bristol Cove. If you’ve been watching season two, you know how that pans out. Calvin has had to do a bit of maneuvering around so his friends don’t know what he’s up to at least at first. And he’s been a bit subversive and had to put up with a few things in town. I was so glad that we got to camera so quickly and rolled out this new season in January. I just can’t believe we’re almost halfway through season two!
So in light of that, how would you describe Calvin’s role in this season of Siren?
I would say that due to certain circumstances, Calvin’s role this season has been about taking matters into his own hands to get by while trying to move on and deal with everything that is happening in town. He is definitely working to keep his friendship with Xander and the rest of the guys alive. It’s been exciting to have so many more episodes than just the ten we had last season.
Interesting. And you know, the special effects for this season continue to amaze me. Not all TV shows seem to have such amazing effects. It’s more like what you would expect from a movie. My very artistic daughter is always blown away by them.
Do you watch Game of Thrones?
No, I have not.
I only bring it up because the people who did the mermaid’s tails are the same people behind doing the dragon in Game of Thrones. I think a lot of credit goes to them for making the special effects as spectacular as they are. I definitely think that was the biggest challenge for the show’s special effects was keeping things believable. You know, that can make or break a show.
Absolutely. My daughter always lets me know if the special effects are honestly not good. She is not easily impressed in that department. But for me, the scenery in Siren is just gorgeous. I love the show and the actors, but sometimes I will just sit there and admire the beauty of the scenery and landscape.
We are lucky to get to film in such beautiful areas.
Do you have a favorite scene or episode from this season that you can tell us a little about without giving away any spoilers?
My favorite episode is definitely this week’s (episode seven). We finally get to see the boys back together and they get to work out a lot of their issues that have been brewing over the last season and a half. Our mid-season finale is definitely an exciting one as well… I can’t wait for you all to see that.
If Siren is granted a season three, what would you like to see for your character?
That’s a great question. I would love to see more backstory from Calvin’s character. Also, I think there’s a lot of ways we can integrate him more into the picture as far as keeping the secrets of our town safe and how they go about taking the next steps in trying to live a normal life without a war developing and all hell breaking loose. But if things do pop off, you know Calvin is always down for a good fight 🙂
Now, I know it’s been a while, but you did have a stint on Supergirl as well.
Yes, seven episodes as Agent Demos. Until he perished. But it’s good to point out that no one ever really dies in this universe.
True, that does seem to happen with these sci-fi and superhero shows.
Supergirl behind-the-scenes
Yes, so I can’t really say any more than that. I would invite everyone to check out seasons two and three of Supergirl. I think you will see a lot of changes that happened with my character, especially in season three. Due to the changes that happened in the show–which Supergirl fans will know and understand–I think my storyline played quite well to that.
So are there any other projects that are current or upcoming that you can mention?
Well, last year I shot a couple of projects with first-time directors who are friends of mine. Those might be coming to fruition soon. And I’ve also been working at developing my own projects. I can’t wait for everyone to see those. I would say that 2019 has started off with a bang, so it’s going to be quite a ride.
How exciting for you!
I really have invested time with my creative partners, and I can hardly wait to take the cork off and let them fly. I am not going to give up on them. As you may or may not know, as actors, we have very little creative control over the overall picture. We are brought in for a role, we do our thing, and once we’re done shooting, it’s completely out of our hands. So as a storyteller and as a producer, I haven’t had the opportunity to do anything like that for a few years now, and it’s been wonderful over the past year or so to get back to that. I’m looking forward to sharing my own stories with everyone and giving some friends of mine opportunities to tell these stories that they might not get to tell elsewhere. I have some very talented friends that no one knows about, and I want to try to get their talent out there so that people do know about them.
Curtis, I think that’s awesome! I’m so glad you’re doing that. So what have your interactions been like with the Siren fanbase?
I’ve had nothing but an outpouring of love and support from fans all over the world. But the craziest thing about Siren though is that a lot of the people who would have been at the very bottom of my list of people who I expected to watch a show like this are not only watching the show, but they’re loving it. A perfect example would be some of my guy friends who are in their late twenties/early thirties. And my dad. I don’t think he’s ever really been much of a fan of my work. But to get a text from him that says, “Oh, no, that damn mermaid killed your friend’s dad!” To see him get so invested in the show and how excited he is and his debriefing of the episodes really has meant the world to me. It’s definitely a show that expands my world in terms of people I surround myself with. Not only are the fans all different ages from all over the world, but it’s just incredible to see this support.
I’ll just say that my daughter and I both love Ryn.
Isn’t Eline {Powell} just amazing? Casting definitely chose the right person to play her.
It’s as though she was born to play the role.
And you know, as I think over the cast list, there truly is not an expendable character. Every person in the cast is a necessary part of the show.
I agree. Here’s hoping Calvin doesn’t die anytime soon!
I’m with you there. Here’s hoping so much for that season three, but I’m glad everyone is enjoying season two right now.
Thank you so much, Curtis, for taking the time to chat with me.
My pleasure, Ruth. Thank you and all the fans for your support on this incredible show!
I cannot detail just how thrilled I am for Curtis and all his success over this past year. Siren has been a game-changer for his career, and it would appear that it has opened so many more doors for him to branch out within the film and television community. While his role in Siren is more of a supporting role, due to the nature of his character, he has made a definite impression on the fans. Furthermore, as things are beginning to intensify this season, I tend to think his character, Calvin, is about to have some explosive moments on-screen that will solidify his place in this universe. My daughter and I never tire of seeing Curtis in this show, and we greatly anticipate the continuation of the series throughout season two and beyond.
I hope that everyone is able to check out Siren Thursday nights on Freeform (U.S.), ABC Spark Canada, or Hulu (past episodes). Additionally, I would invite you to follow Curtis via his links below and discover even more behind-the-scenes pictures and other information about him and his amazing career. While I have yet to meet this young man, there is no doubt in my mind that he has the correct demeanor, the dogged determination, and the exceptional talent to continue to be successful in this career which he has chosen. Furthermore, the fact that he is choosing to create some of his own projects to not only advance his career, but those of his friends as well is decidedly admirable. His humility and pragmatism are quite noteworthy, and he never takes any of his roles or achievements for granted. He continues to labor intensively in a profession that is fraught with rejection, difficulties, and more, but no matter what, he remains positive, hopeful and persistent. And for those reasons, I am honored to be able to support an astounding young man such as him, and I hope to do so for many more years to come!
FOLLOW CURTIS
With Chad Rook behind-the-scenes
