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Elise Bauman and Natasha Negovanlis of “Carmilla” talk fandom and hopes for Season 2

The cast of the wildly popular webseries Carmilla, have had a whirlwind few months since the show’s debut in August. The show’s two affable and lovely leads, Elise Bauman and Natasha Negovanlis, became social media darlings practically overnight, and beloved by Carmilla‘s fiercely dedicated fandom. With Season 2 in the works and a Christmas special next week, we sat down to talk with the actresses about the show, the close knit cast, and adjusting to life as internet celebs.

AfterEllen: Elise, you were missed during the podcast.

Elise Bauman: Sad I couldn’t be there!

AE: How has all of this amazing craziness been for you? Have you adjusted to your new Internet fame?

Elise: I think so, yeah! I’m realizing that this can all disappear as quickly as it came so I’m just trying to enjoy it. In a way it doesn’t feel real because most of the time I’m reading all these great compliments on the Internet, I’m in my pajamas with pimple cream on my face!

AE: It’s a glamorous life!

Elise: Exactly, so in so many ways things haven’t really changed because I get to do everything from the comfort of my home. But it’s been awesome and wonderful and positive and that’s why to a certain degree, that’s the biggest reason we get into this business is because we want people to connect, so a positive reception has been priceless.

AE: So after 36 episodes, Carmilla and Laura finally kiss. What has fan reaction been like for the two of you since then?

Natasha Negovanlis: Well, it’s nice feeling to have given the fans what they wanted. I think they were all satisfied with season finale and I think after trolling them for so long it was nice to finally give them that and all of the reactions were more than positive.

Elise: I think it was hilarious because I was expecting the fans to be out of control but I didn’t expect how much they were going to react to it. I was on my Twitter account reading some of the comments, then I would see 100 more tweets from people, it was crazy. So to say that fans were “happy” with the last episode is an understatement, I think.

AE: What can you tell us about your holiday episode?

Natasha: I can say that we’ll be in character, enjoying our characters, and there will be a new character introduced, but that’s all I can say about that.

Elise: It’s gonna be fun and really hilarious. So I think people will see people happy to be together for the holidays, but of course there will be weird Silas shenanigans that are also going on. It’ll be nice to explore the weirdness of Silas outside of that room.

D: Congrats on season 2! At this point we know that there’s a massive evil lingering under Silas that needs to be dealt with. But — do you think we’ll see some relationship stuff happen with Carmilla and Laura?

Natasha & Elise (in unison): We hope so!

Natasha: I hope so!

Elise: One of my favorite directions – because we haven’t been disclosed any information for what’s happening for season 2, so we’re on the edges of our seats as well, because I want to know what happens, but that’s all in Jordan Hall‘s brilliant mind right now – but one thing that was discussed during the Christmas episode, without giving too much away, we’re like, “Spencer! What’s going on with these guys?” Because episode 36 we get together and of course in the world of Crazy Carmilla Silas University, as soon a something great happens, like giant evil stuff has to happen. So where does our relationship stand? And (director) Spencer Maybee says, “You’re like Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves in Speed, except for you’re still on the bus!” I had no idea what that means but it made sense!

Natasha: We discussed that we are a couple now, but Carmilla is still old fashioned so they’re struggling with the weirdness of not having the opportunity to be alone yet. And I think she really loves Laura and she’s taking her time with her. She’s being a lady! Definitely.

AE: Natasha, we all know you have a killer voice. What are you currently doing with your music? And any chance fans might get a Carmilla song next season?

Natasha: I think those are two things that I’d like to keep separate. I’m working on some of my own music now but it’s not something that I’ve given much thought to because I do come from the classical world, I worked in musical theater, and I’ve been trying to separate music and acting. Fans are really wonderful in that they push me to finish products I started years ago that I never finished and they inspire me to start writing again but it’s something I’d like to keep separate from the project. If I were to release an EP or an album, I’d want to have the freedom to do it my way. Debbie downer!

AE: I think that’s respectable! Elise, is Carmilla your first experience in the world of fandom?

Elise: Yeah! For sure it is. I feel like I was always part of fandom growing up in my weird home-schooled bubble. I can totally relate to everything that the fans are experiencing and I’ve had my own fan girl movements. When we ere at the Canadian International Film Festival, we had our first ever autograph session, we had a live panel and were meeting fans face to face for the first time, and it was so surreal. I was like, I can’t believe that this is happening! So strange! And immediately after I said that, I walked into the green room and Evelyn Brochu from Orphan Black was in the green room we were in! I almost fell to my knees, I freaked out! I was like, oh my god I can’t believe I’m in the same room as her! It’s such a normal reaction to have that when you see people you admire so much. I love being part of it, I love being able to interact with people just as I appreciate when people I love interact with me.

AE: Do you guys get noticed on the street?

Natasha: A little bit! I think we’ve had people recognize us while we were waitressing. Tables recognized us, and I tweeted about it, “That awkward moment when you’re waiting on a table and they recognize you from that show you star in! Yup, still a waitress!” But in terms of day-to-day life, we’re not really getting recognized. I think Canadians are really polite. I know when I bump into actors I really admire I don’t say anything. And that’s a thing that Canadians are so polite!

AE: You’re probably getting recognized every day and everyone’s so damn polite!

Natasha: Haha, maybe!

Elise: I’ve also been recognized while I was waitressing. And they said, Oh I’m a big fan of yours! I thought it was so weird that they would be a fan of my waitressing. I said, “oh okay, thanks! Enjoy the restaurant.” And they’re like, no — we’re fans of Carmilla. I almost fell down. We live in parallel universes right now; one where there’s a huge following for a show that I’m in , and the other one where I’m still working as a waitress. And those two worlds keep coming closer and closer together, so yeah. I was with Kaitlyn Alexander from the cast and we went to go see a play and outside of the theater a group of people asked us to take photos with them, and we thought it was a crazy coincidence. Then it happened two more times that evening and then we were floored. It’s starting to bleed out into the real world, which is good because sometimes I can’t believe that it’s real.

Natasha: It seems the rest of the cast gets recognized more often than I do probably because I don’t put a lot of effort into my appearance on my day-to-day life! Someone recognized me while I was walking my dog and I was in rain boots and sunglasses and it was so shocking. So I think while on the show, I have enough makeup that hides my appearance, but people recognize me. Most of the time I go out I’m hoping people don’t recognize me because I look like a hobo.

AE: The Carmilla cast seems to really enjoy each other’s company to the point where you already seem like a family. What’s that experience been like for the two of you.

Elise: It’s been really great and I think it’s the most positive thing about this, is that we all get along. So being on set, it’s felt like work because it’s a lot of work but it’s also a really, really enjoyable experience. That’s been one of the greatest gifts coming out of this, I feel like I’ve made this whole new crew of awesome people. Even outside of the cast, on the production side and the sponsors, people are always so much fun when everyone is together. I think it’s way easier for us. I can’t imagine doing this with people I didn’t want to be around.

Natasha: This is the first time I’ve worked on a project that every single person is someone I genuinely like and enjoy spending time with. Sometimes you’ll be amicable with coworkers but don’t want to spend time outside of them. But this is the opposite. Everyone is so fantastic. I think we took a little bit longer filming for the Christmas episode because there were a lot of giggling moments. So we’ll see what dynamics are in store for Season 2 because it’s hard to stay focused.

AE: Once you play gay, you typically have a devoted fan base for the rest of your career, and you are both so young and just at the beginning of yours. What does that meant to you to know that you have a built in fan base already?

Natasha: It means the world to me. It’s so fantastic to have a fan base that pushes me to finish projects and to do other things and to be a good person. It’s a fan base that I didn’t expect to have because of my classical music and comedy background, so most of my fans previous to the show were middle aged, a lot of them were men. So it’s really cool to be a role model of sorts and as a lady who does not identify as straight, it’s pretty great to get to be open about who I am and have people accept me for that.

Elise: It’s been unreal. I think one of the best things is that so many of the fans are so supportive of everyone in the cast having separate projects, so everyone seems to want to support everyone in everything they’re doing. I know Natasha is starting her own projects that she’s had for a while, so I love that she mentioned that she’s taking it as a push to get those done and I think that’s so wonderful. I love that. I find that inspiring especially in Canada, if you push to create your own work. You do that because there’s not that many opportunities. It’s a very competitive place for young females to be cast, so knowing that you have people who want to get on board with things that you’re creating by yourself, that gets me very excited. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and hopefully now I can take it as invitation to continue to go for it. It’s really positive and wonderful.

AE: I have a couple fan questions here. When I’m interviewing people and it’s not embargoed, I put a post on Twitter and Tumblr asking for questions. I was blown away with the amount of responses I got for you two. So 90% involved you guys making out in some way. I’m not going to ask you any of those questions.

Natasha: We’re open about it!

AE: (laughs) I know you are but…Ok, one fan asked to describe each other in one sentence.

Natasha: It’s so hard! One sentence. One thing I admire about Elise is that she unabashedly is not afraid to be herself, even when she does things that are adorkable or weird, she is herself and she is so beautiful for that and that’s something I admire because as much I try to be a nice person, I can get caught up in what’s cool and what’s not.

Elise: Thank you! One thing I would say about Natasha is that I love how you’re not afraid to speak your mind, I think that’s something I struggle with and sometimes I worry about how things come across if I’m disagreeing with someone. And I love that you fight for what you want out of life and I think that’s so amazing. And even with these new projects that you’re creating, I think that’s so wonderful to fall in and wholeheartedly create the life you want and not be afraid to say what you want. That’s really important thing that not enough Canadians do!

AE: You are both inspirations to many fans. But who inspires you?

Elise: I think definitely think there’s so much good work coming out of Canada lately and that makes me so proud. We sort of have this image of what it means to be a Canadian that we’re starting to break out of. I think the show Orphan Black has been a huge part of that. To see really wonderfully talented people come out of Canada has been really inspiring and I think broken down a lot of barriers previously set up. So that’s one show I’ve definitely been really proud of and excited for as a Canadian.

Natasha: People that inspire me the most are people in my day-to-day life; my friends, my mom, my coworkers, and also some Canadian artists who live in my own community that I get to engage with in everyday life. I’m such a huge fan of comedians, using comedy as a form of therapy, so most of the artists I admire started in comedy. One is my neighbor Mark Little, he was just on the cover of a magazine here in Toronto doing really cool things. In terms of actors and music, I just think a lot of great classic artists. Natalie Wood, Audrey Hepburn, and old singers like Ella Fitzgerald.

D: One more question: Perry and LaFontaine—do you ship it?

Elise: Yeah! I totally ship that. I love that dynamic between the two of them. One of my favorite things about the show is that a lot of characters who are on “ships,” they’re people that you wouldn’t necessarily look at the two of them and declare they belong together, but it’s so clear! I think the relationships that work are ones where you can learn and grow from the other person, so that’s the case for Laura and Carmilla and Perry and LaFontaine! So I’d be happy to see them together.

Natasha: I FRIENDship them. I’m excited to see what happens in Season 2. In Season 1, LaFontaine Is dating JP, so I want to see where that goes before we potentially see Perry and LaFontaine together.

You can watch the entire first season of Carmilla on VerveGirlTV, and tune in on December 24th to catch the Carmilla Christmas Special.

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