[Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for Season 2 of Fate: The Winx Saga.]
In Season 2 of the Netflix original seriesFate: The Winx Saga, the fairies at Alfea are trying to find their footing while they’re being pushed to their limits under the harsh authority of Headmistress Rosalind (Miranda Richardson). As Bloom (Abigail Cowen) and her Suitemates – Princess Stella (Hannah Van Der Westhuysen), Aisha (Precious Mustapha), Musa (Elisha Applebaum), Terra (Eliot Salt) and Flora (Paulina Chávez) – become suspicious about who’s behind a very dangerous threat, they realize that they must learn to strengthen and unite their magic, in order to save the Otherworld.
During this 1-on-1 interview with Collider, Salt talked about finding Terra’s strength in Season 2, why her Suitemates are so important to her, getting to introduce Flora, Terra’s big moment in finally being honest about her true self, the fun in exploring a bit of romance, doing the big group magic scene in the finale, and what she’d like to see more of in a possible Season 3.
COLLIDER: In the first season of a show, you’re figuring out who the character is, what the dynamics are, and how all of it fits into everything. How different did it feel to go into Season 2, having that foundation of the first season? Did it feel different to start off knowing who she is and just jumping right in?
ELIOT SALT: Yeah, it did. It took me a week to get going, which is unfortunate because some of my quite big scenes happened that week. At least for myself, I over-thought it a little bit because we’d had such a long build up, coming back. Actually, once I relaxed and started enjoying myself, I was like, “Oh, she’s here. I know this gal. I can do this.” And being back with everybody was just the best.
In the first season, Terra seemed a bit timid, but in the second season, she really finds more of her inner strength and her voice. When you went into that first season, how did you view her, and what did you enjoy about getting to find that strength in Season 2?
SALT: In Season 1, I found her very relatable to me, throughout. I painfully related to the feeling of that inner thing of just wanting everybody to like you and really wanting to be seen and not really quite knowing how to do that effectively. I also really remember the feeling of just wanting everybody to be nice and get on, amidst a lot of teen angst. I really related to her, in that way. It was really emotionally taxing to have to go back into that very insecure and very self-apologetic place, so it was really lovely, as an actor, to be able to release that over time.
We get to see the Winx suite working together as a team quite a bit more this season, which seems really important to Terra. What does that mean to her, and why is it so important to her to have everyone together?
SALT: That’s a really good question. I don’t think she’s ever really found her people before, and now that she has, it’s really important to her to keep that equilibrium, and keep that sense of teamwork and family and security together, to the point where I think she isn’t as secure as maybe she should be. That’s why she’s so threatened by the arrival of Flora, who she sees as having all of this stuff that she doesn’t naturally possess. That was interesting to play, as well.
What has it been like to have that introduction to Flora, to be able to show a little bit of Terra’s backstory with their history?
SALT: That’s always such a gift. Any more information you have about where somebody’s come from, it really serves to hopefully elevate at least your experience of playing them, if not the effect. Having the character of Flora there just added so much to Terra and really sparks her journey of self-discovery. Obviously, the moment when her dad and brother leave the school, she’s simultaneously gotten space she’s never had, but also a huge spotlight that she’s never had either, and something’s gotta give, at some point.
When you’re an ensemble show, what’s it like to embrace somebody new and to have Paulina Chávez come in and figure out where she fits into everything? What was it like to have that added energy to everything?
SALT: Having Paulina added in was just such a joy. She’s such a lovely, warm presence. You leave any interaction with her feeling a little bit better about yourself than when you started because she’s so generous and very kind and such a lovely, professional team partner. She’s very, very fun to be with, on and off screen.
Everyone’s magic is growing and strengthening this season. How would you say that Terra and Flora’s magic compliments each other?
SALT: What’s really interesting about Terra’s magic, this season, is that when her dad and brother move away, and she comes out, which all happens in quite quick succession, her magic starts changing as well. In a Season 3, I’d love to see more of her moving into a space that Sam was occupying, getting to walk through walls and melt the ground. She’s doing mineral magic and making diamonds. She’s quite literally finding her power, when she’s got the space to do that. She’s not fulfilling a role that she’s maybe expected to.
I love how, when they all get dressed up to go to the banquet, Terra still stays true to Terra in her choice of clothing. What did you think of her outfit for that moment? Did you try on a variety of possible choices before picking that one?
SALT: Listen, she was comfortable. I didn’t try a range of things on. I was told that this was an elevation of Terra’s look, which I guess it is. She’s starting from a more informal place. I’d love to see her jazz up even more, actually, if we get a Season 3. It’d be great to see her go full formal. But also, it’s nice to see that she’s found a new look that makes her comfortable and also seems to reflect her new sense of comfort within herself. Anytime that happens is great. Also, who doesn’t love a fun, comfy costume? Everybody else was tottering around in heels.
The scene in episode four, when Flora tells Terra that she thinks she’s jealous of her and that she wonders sometimes why they’re even friends, was so heartbreaking to watch. What was it like to shoot that moment? How hard is it for Terra to hear something like that, when everything she does is really out of loyalty and support, even if it doesn’t necessarily come across that way?
SALT: As an actor, selfishly, it was a very fun scene to film because there’s so much to it. It’s getting to play being hurt, but also, it really was the final straw with her having to face up to something that she’s known all along. It was a painful thing that she needed to hear. She is a lovely character and her intentions are to give and be loving, but there’s a real defensiveness there and definitely an exhaustion from hiding. There’s a lot going on in this little fairy show.
In that episode, Terra also comes out to Flora and Flora is the first person she has that conversation with. What was it like to read that moment, shoot that moment, and really just experience the first time she says it out loud? What do you think it means to her to find that acceptance and love from Flora?
SALT: I think it means everything to her. It’s such a transformational moment. Reading it the first time, I knew it was going to happen, so I had a lot of anticipation about how it was going to be done. I think Brian [Young]’s personal experience is so embedded within it, and it really shows. It feels so truthful and so beautiful, and it doesn’t shy away from the difficulties that coming out can throw up. But also, it really is embedded in this sense of joy and doors opening, and the way that becoming yourself and being yourself openly can make your friendships more beautiful, as well as your romantic relationships. I’m very honored to get to do that. I would’ve loved to have seen it when I was growing up.
I love how that she then has an even bigger moment with the whole Winx suite, resulting in a big group hug. Were you involved in any of the conversations of how that would happen, or did you not know exactly how that would play out until you read the script for the episode?
SALT: I had no idea how it was going to play out, even in shooting it. Obviously, I did know what was going to happen by then because I’d learned it, but I had a real sense of anxiety in doing it that must have come from somewhere. Both scenes were much more emotional to shoot than I had ever anticipated them being because I was just so excited and thrilled to be doing it. I hadn’t grappled with the way that it might make me feel, as an actor and just as me. That was a real discovery, in the moment. In some ways, having that personal experience to add made it less daunting to do because there’s a degree to which I was like, “I can’t really get this wrong. No one can tell me that I’m doing queerness wrong.” It was a very freeing and cathartic experience. It’s done in such a sweet way. I think that scene, particularly, really feels like a bridge between Terra, as a character, and me, as a person. We go about things in very different ways, but I really related to that method of communication quite a lot.
What did you most enjoy about getting to explore a bit of her love life? I loved that she’s the one that finally gets up the nerve to go and ask a girl out, even if it doesn’t necessarily work, in that first moment.
SALT: I love that, but it makes sense. When you look at everything that Terra’s done in the last few years, asking a girl out is easy. I loved everything about it. I love working with Leah [Minto]. She is so lovely and talented, and so much fun to be around. I loved being able to do that with her. It was great to be able to do the coming out arc with a little touch of the romantic. If we get Season 3, I hope we get to see a bit more of that.
What was it like to do the big group magic scene in the finale, when they’re not only using all of their magic, but they’re transforming with their wings. How weird is that to do, when none of that is there? Is it just bizarre?
SALT: Yeah, it’s really bizarre. It was one of the most surreal moments of my life. It was also so much fun because you really tap into the bit of yourself that was in a playground, running around and pretending to shoot magic spells at my sister. It really did feel like that. In a way, I felt very prepared.
What did you think of yourself with the wings?
SALT: It was great. They did such a cool job. We all look very beautiful and cool. I definitely have videos of me hanging on some string, twiddling around. There was also a man in a full green screen morph suit, who was spinning us from our feet, which is hysterical. How many times in your life does that happen?
On a personal level, what would you like to see in a Season 3? Are you hoping that we would continue to see this strength in Terra? What are you hoping to see more of, in her future?
SALT: I’d really love to see more of her empowerment and more of her leadership. I’d also really love to see maybe some people fighting over Terra and some people rallying for her. I think this was a real arc of her overcoming things and being there for other people, so it would be pretty cool to see her have a little bit of power.
That moment where she gives Silva the pep talk to make sure everyone keeps going was very rewarding.
SALT: And then, she gets a kiss as a reward. It was such a great day to be Terra, apart from all the deaths. It was a real moment of triumph, before some quite quickly escalating tragedy.
