Popular Girl: Marie Avgeropoulos

Marie Avgeropoulos is a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry. Most recently, her role as Octavia Blake in the Emmy-nominated CW’s drama series “The 100” undeniably made her a fan-favorite and an actress countless viewers remain determined to keep on their radar. The hit series is just one of her many projects and appearances. “The 100,” of course, follows her memorable roles in iconic films such as “50/50″ and “I Love You, Beth Cooper”. She has also made appearances in shows such as “Supernatural,” “Fringe” and “Human Target.” 

Marie’s dynamic acting skills have landed her roles in some of the most popular series and films to date. And on top of her dedication to acting, Avgeropoulos is also determined to give back to communities and organizations that are close to her heart. For instance, she notably gives her time to Food for Life Vrindavan, a non-profit organization devoted to educating low-income girls in India. 

Her balance between acting, lending a hand to charitable organizations, and connecting with her fans is simply remarkable. She genuinely does it all. And with a support system of fans around the world, including over 1 million followers on Instagram alone, Marie Avgeropoulos remains dedicated to her craft and changing the lives of others one day at a time. In an exclusive interview with PopularTV, Marie opens up about life during quarantine, acting, and more.

1. How are you doing in quarantine! Have you picked up any new skills?

We’re all learning a new skill lately, whether it’s gardening or technology and how to troubleshoot problems from home. So always learning new things, I guess. I think if the business never existed ever again, after all this has settled down, I think I can open a landscaping company. I feel like I’ve planted every single vegetable that I can attempt. Some are working, some aren’t, but hey, it’s all trial and error nowadays.

2. Have you tried on any of the at-home remedies like cutting your own hair?

I shaved my boyfriend’s head with his daughter once. I am in desperate need of a pedicure. I tried it once and I am not an artist when it comes to nail polish. It pretty much ended up all over my toes and everywhere else except for my toenails. So that was the end of that. I’m very excited for small businesses to open up!

3. I know season seven’s out right now, but have you been given any insight to when production is going to be opened back up for you all?

I think they’re just trying to figure that one out, and then hopefully we can all move forward. I was just very happy that I could finish this episode, the lockdown, so everyone can enjoy it because I feel like everyone has been watching everything there is to watch on Netflix. So I’m very excited that we got to complete the story for everyone to enjoy right before it happened too. It got sent out just in time. The worldwide lockdown happened, and I was in Vancouver, British Columbia at the time where The Hundred was filming, and instead of a wrap party, we went to work on a Saturday just to finish it up quickly. And as soon as they said, “That’s a wrap,” that was kind of it. We didn’t get to celebrate creating such a wild journey over the past seven years. We all just got in our cars and left. It was bittersweet, but it was an abrupt ending as well. Filming a post-apocalyptic TV show for seven years and experiencing a real-life one the next day, was a little too scary. We thought we’d only get to watch Black Mirror and now we’re getting to experience it. What a great season, right?

4. Tell me about Octavia and where she is right now.

Octavia has changed so many times throughout the duration of the show, which has made her such a pleasure to play over and over again. She’s quickly metamorphosized herself into all these different situations where she was forced to adapt and so many different things, whether it was a leader, or not. This season, we’re going to find her in a blended family. This season is very much surrounded by the idea of isolation, which we all can relate to right now, and how the isolation madness is her being on the planet Skyring with Diyoza, who used to be a foe and now is her ally, her family. And now they have baby Hope.

This season we see Octavia become a midwife. Who knew there was a softer side? But she had no choice. It’s not like there was any sort of medical facilities on this isolated planet and how that really changes and softens her. This season you’ll see a very nurturing, self-actualizing, elevated version that we haven’t seen before.

5. I’ve seen you posting the behind the scenes of your stunts. How do you get in the mindset for those? 

The thing I love about her the most is she always stares fear in the eyes with bravery, and I feel like that’s what I’ve had to do over the years a lot too. My most recent one that you see in episode 7.02, titled The Garden, ironically. Everybody’s gardening right now. Last season, I did tank work for the first time and being tied to the bottom of a 16-foot pool and have your oxygen taken away from you and on racket straps, to give the illusion of Octavius flying through the anomaly, was pretty scary for me. It’s not my favorite. Water freaks me out. I’ve had a few shark encounters once surfing in Hawaii, so I think that bruised my ego a bit a long time ago.

6. How is a scene like that filmed? 

They literally have you on a pulley system under the water. You get tied down to the bottom via a scuba diver who attaches you to all these different mechanisms, and then they remove your oxygen away from your mouth. So, you have to get used to holding your breath. And I had to go to a training facility for a couple of weeks beforehand to learn how to hold my breath for two and a half minutes.

So, it’s amazing and scary all at the same time, because it’s all a big mind … pardon my French … f*ck. The trick is to stay calm when you’re terrified.

7. Your character is, of course, one of the most prominent characters in the show, without a doubt has gone through this epic arc, especially during seasons four and six. So, how did you change throughout, from booking the show, to now?

It’s hard to believe I was 24 years old. Clueless. Moved to Los Angeles alone. Sleeping out of the backseat of my car, and got an audition to audition for Octavia Blake. It seems like a lifetime ago when I stood up on that chair in the audition room and I screamed from the top of my lungs, “We’re back, b!tches!” And the directors, I’m sure, had to … They probably thought I was crazy, but I guess it worked.

Who knew that the show would go on for seven years? I feel like I have grown a lot with the characters, just because Octavia grew up, and so did I. It’s odd, that sounds like speaking in the third person. I’m completely aware that sounds weird. We grew up together, and I feel like she moved from a young, adolescent woman into a fearless woman who is confident and brave and bullheaded at times. Sometimes she’s her own worst enemy, but that’s the aspect I love about that character’s life.

8. Do you remember your first audition experience? 

It was for a car commercial a very long time ago. They asked me how old I was, and I couldn’t even answer that question. I was so nervous. I was shaking and I started telling him when my birthday was, but I didn’t answer the actual question of how old are you? Which, to me now, seems like a very simple question. But at the time, I was just so incredibly nervous I went blank on one of the most basic answers on the fly.

9. Now you’re gearing up for your new film, Jiu-Jitsu. What initially drew you to that role?

What drew me to that role was it shot in Cyprus, and me being Greek, I was like, “Oh, amazing.” In this case, action/sci-fi film, and I get to hang out overseas in my home country and enjoy all the different food and hanging on the beach after setting. Especially now in isolation, looking back, I’m so glad I did that last summer, because this summer, obviously for all of us, has been completely different. But it was really fun and enjoyable for me to play something that wasn’t Octavia because I feel like I’ve been doing that for so many years. It was exciting for me to get into that mind space of playing an army sergeant investigator that has to fight an impossible enemy.

10. Do you think that sci-fi is your ‘thing’ now? 

It’s really ironic because I’ve never watched sci-fi my entire life. It seems to me, that’s all I do are alternate universes. But I’m thankful because things have been so enjoyable and dynamic over the years and I’m just happy I get to tell people’s stories for a living. It’s very fulfilling to me.

11. How was the training different, Jiu-Jitsu versus The 100?

I didn’t get to swing a sword in Jiu-Jitsu, so that was different for me. But one of the things that I’m so thankful for, that The 100 has taught me all these crazy skills that I never would have typically used, but I now have under my belt, like being able to jump on a horse bareback and sword fight at the same time. Who knew I’d be able to figure that one out, but always let’s try something. There’s always a first for everything, I suppose.

12. Our audience may not know that you ride and own a Harley. How did you get into riding?

I actually have two Harley Davidsons. I keep one in Vancouver and one in Los Angeles. I feel like a girl’s got to store them like she stores an overnight bag or shoes. For me, especially now with social distancing and how important that is, I feel like that’s the best way for me to social distance is to jump on a bike and just go for a ride. For me, it is therapeutic to scare the sh!t out of myself sometimes, because it’s the only time when my brain stops and I have to be incredibly focused, so I don’t fall off, because I know the repercussions of that are extreme.

It keeps me focused and somehow puts me in a meditative state. I don’t know how to meditate, but I feel like when I do crazy, adrenaline junkie type things, it does the trick.

13. Last question, what do you wish you were asked more in interviews?

Maybe I wish people asked me what my most prized possession was.

14. What is it?

My blankie. My grandmother made it for me before she passed away and I still asleep with it at 34. Don’t judge me.

Don’t forget to follow Marie all over social media: Instagram and Twitter.