Even though the first season of Legacies end with Hope Mikaelson, portrayed by Danielle Rose Russell, sacrificing herself for the greater good, there was still so much to talk to Danielle Rose Russell about at San Diego Comic-Con.
In regards to Hope’s grand sacrifice, Russell told us, “We’re going to explore a world without Hope, so I think it’s going to be really fascinating to see Hope in a world without her.” It’s hard to believe that it won’t be quite taxing on Hope to exist in a world where her loved ones don’t remember her. Much of Hope’s arc in the first season was about opening herself up to love again and form important relationships, which Russell discussed with us later in our interview. It will be interesting and most likely incredibly heartbreaking to watch Hope navigate a world on her own again, secluded from those formative relationships.
Danielle Rose Russell showed concern for Hope’s well-being when asked about the effects of Malivore. She said, “You’ll definitely see Hope in a different place. I think isolation for anyone is going to take a toll on your mental psyche, so you’ll definitely see how that plays for her.” As for how those effects could manifest over the course of Legacies as a series, Russell said, “Hope is already kind of emotionally all over the place, so I think that could push her over the edge at some point down the road.”
Hope being Hope, resilient and steadfast, means that she will do whatever it takes to save the ones she loves. No sacrifice is too big. Russell reiterated this sentiment when she continued with, “But, at the end of the day, she knows what she wants and she wants her love. She wants to protect Landon and the people that she loves so much. So even if it sucks and even if it’s horrible for her, she’ll do it.” It’s such a shame that none of the people she saved can remember the gesture. Hope’s legacy is lost in a forgotten memory at the moment. We’re optimistic that the second season of Legacies will return Hope to the land of the living, as we know it, sooner rather than later.
Our interview with Danielle Rose Russell closed on a rather sweet moment when she explained why she believes the show resonates so much with its viewers. She spoke about the familiarity of forming relationships and learning life lessons for the first time at such a formative time in young people’s lives. We couldn’t agree more, since that’s one of the many reasons why we love Legacies so much.
That’s not all we discussed with Danielle Rose Russell at SDCC. We also chatted about the parallels between Hope’s father’s sacrifice and her own, Hope’s relationship with Alaric, seeing what Danielle calls “fully activated, tribrid Hope,” and so much more.
Watch our full interview with Danielle Rose Russell below!