Into the Badlands season 3 will see Tilda striking out on her own. Ally Ioannides speaks with us about what changes to her character we can expect this year.
Tilda has been a loyal follower of The Widow since the show’s inception, but after their falling out at the end of season 2, the baroness’ former regent has found a new calling — and a brand new look. I spoke with Ally about what’s different, what’s the same, and what she makes of Pilgrim. This is a transcription of our conversation, slightly edited for optimum clarity.
Ally Ioannides interview on ‘Into the Badlands’
Related: Into the Badlands season 3’s Orla Brady discusses Lydia’s new mission in life
It seems like we’re going to see a whole new Tilda in season 3. What can fans look forward to this year?
Tilda has completely transformed from where she was last year because she got beaten up by The Widow and then drove away with Odessa. We see her back in season 3, completely transformed into this vigilante Robin Hood-type character who’s fighting for a better world. She has all these Robin Hood people with her and there’s the war going on between The Widow and Chau, so Tilda is stealing from them and giving to the refugees. For her it’s a lot more personal, obviously, because she’s really trying to get back at The Widow. So we see her unleash in a way that we haven’t seen her before. She doesn’t have a baron or any sort of big thing that she’s fighting for in the beginning. She’s really just out for revenge, and she can do whatever she wants. She doesn’t have a title. She’s an outlaw. So that’s definitely Tilda unleashed, in a different way, and then throughout the season you really see her grow up. It’s kind of like her own little Badlands coming of age story. As the season begins, it reminded me of a Badlands version of a teenager leaving home and being like, “F— you, Mom! I can do whatever I want now!” And we kind of see her grow up throughout the season, and there’s a lot to see because we had so many episodes this year. There’s a lot that happens that I can’t talk about, but it’s a really crazy journey.
Tilda has split from The Widow, but The Widow made her who she is. Does Tilda still struggle with that decision, or is she happy with her new lot in life?
Because The Widow is really the only authority/parental figure that she’s ever had, she’s one of the only people that has ever influenced her, and I think that’s always with her. And I think that’s why The Widow’s betrayal really hurt her so much, and where a lot of that anger comes from. As much as she does try to get away from that, I think it’s always with her. But who knows? You can always take something that’s been with you and create something new with it.
And I assume they’ll probably come face to face again this season. Can you tease us anything about what might happen there?
I think they hear a lot about each other. They’re both on each other’s minds. The Widow doesn’t actually know that the person who has been stealing from her is Tilda, so even though The Widow isn’t really thinking about her, she is. Or she doesn’t think that she is, but she actually is. And obviously Tilda is still really hurt and scarred from what happened. So there’s a lot of slow build up. They’re both pretty angry, and they also both have a lot going on, like Tilda is in a relationship with Odessa and The Widow has a war to fight. So there are a lot of things going on separately with them. And then when they do come together…who knows if they’ll be enemies or allies? Especially on Badlands, your enemies and allies aren’t really that far away. There’s a really slight line that separates good and evil, and people go back and forth and between it. You see that gray area a lot on the show, and you see that gray area with relationships a lot. It jumps back and forth. It’ll be really interesting to see, when they do get back together, whether they’re going to fight together or fight each other.
And speaking of relationships, and Odessa specifically, Tilda and Odessa’s fledgling relationship was very sweet but also kind of complicated by their circumstances. What can you tell us about their interactions in season 3?
Their relationship will be really interesting this season because they’re kind of on their own. They have their own clan of people now, called the Iron Rabbits, so they’re free to exist as lovers and as friends and as partners in any way that they want. Which is really interesting because you get to see a relationship that’s as real and as normal as a relationship can be in the Badlands, which is not real. Then you get to see that develop a little bit, and we get to see them share nice moments and support each other like a classic Badlands couple would.
I wanted to ask about M.K., too, because obviously M.K. is still important to Tilda, though she did choose Odessa over him. How’s Tilda feeling about M.K. this season and what can we expect from any interactions between them?
I don’t think Tilda really chose Odessa over M.K. I think Tilda really wants M.K. to be in her life, and she wants the best for him, but I think there’s a point with people, and with M.K., where there’s only so much you can do. Even though you want the best for them — and Tilda cares so deeply for M.K. — you can’t control other people, and I think there’s a point where she realizes that, too. She realizes that she’s done so much, and she can’t do anymore. He’s gonna have to figure it out for himself. Or maybe he won’t figure it out. Who knows? But it’s genuinely heartbreaking for her because the thing about M.K., and especially at the start of the series, is that he’s definitely on her mind all the time, and she thinks about him a lot. She’s a really caring person despite her quick sword. She really loves her friends and she loves the people who are near to her. She thinks about him all the time. She really looks out for him. Who knows what will happen when their paths cross — if they’re going to fight together or fight each other. That’s something that I was really curious about when I read the first script. I was like, “I don’t really know if she is going to end up with M.K. or not, or if she’s going to get back to The Widow or not. I don’t know what’s going to happen!” But that’ll be fun to see.
And Tilda, like you said, has a new look and a new moniker this season. How did that change the way that you approach her, and did you have to learn anything different?
Tilda has a whole new vibe this season! It totally changed how I approach the character, and also the fighting as well. I don’t know if that first fight scene was released, but she’s a lot less regimented in her fighting and in the way that she [carries herself]. The Widow is very proper and everything looks nice. And Tilda has gotten a little bit more scrappy, and a little bit more cat-like in her moves. She’s definitely a lot more free. Her motions are a lot more outward rather than inward. Tilda has always been a character that’s internalized a lot, especially in season 2. Internally, there’s a lot going on, but you don’t really see it. In season 3, a lot of those emotions are coming to the surface and you really see her have a clear goal. You see her a lot more extroverted with a lot of things and her opinions.
The first fight sequence she has is really interesting. We’ve really never had anything like it on the show because it’s less like a classic martial arts sequences where it’s one person against 20 or one against one. It’s more of an action sequence where you have trucks and people flying through the trees, and you’re hanging on the side of a truck. Things that I’ve never done before on the show. I think it adds a really cool new look to the show, too. But it was really, really fun to do, stuff I’d never done before. I’d never hung off the side of a moving truck and crouched on the hood, and jumped off the back of a truck on top of someone. It was a lot of really fun stuff, but I think it’s going to add to the show.
I think in season 2 the world broadened a lot, and in season 3, it’s getting a lot bigger, too. But I think it’s also just taking that world that we did set up in season 3 and getting a lot more intricate with it. Just seeing a lot of things that you can imagine if you were to go back and watch season 2 after watching season 3 that were there, but now you’re seeing little markets and the forest and all these trucks and us fighting with things that you wouldn’t even think were weapons. Everything is just getting a lot more intricate and specific, which is so much fun to watch.
I spoke to Orla a couple of days ago, and I asked her what she was looking forward to fans seeing the most this season, and she said it’s what Tilda ends up getting up to, and she said that the wire work you do this season is absolutely incredible.
Aww! I love Orla. Honestly, Orla has some amazing stuff. Orla has always been wanting to fight. She’s been so game. She was at fight camp for a little bit last year, but she was at fight camp this year! And she’s always been so game to fight, so Lydia obviously isn’t a honed martial artist, but she’s riding the horse a lot this year, and she does some really cool stuff on top of a horse that is amazing. So that’s cool.
I did do a lot of wire work this year. Tilda has that signature where she just comes in flying in the middle of a fight sequence, like in the conclave. It’s so much fun doing wire work. A lot of really crazy stuff with height and inversions, all kinds of stuff. And I have an amazing stunt double, too. She can do anything. She’s incredible.
Having seen firsthand how volatile and violent the Badlands can be when somebody throws a wrench in the system, what does Tilda make of Pilgrim?
Tilda really only hears about Pilgrim. She does see him a few times, but she doesn’t have any close interactions with him. But I think in general Tilda’s a very practical, for-the-people kind of person, and I think she sees the Badlands in trouble and she wants to fix it. For her hearing about any sort of religion or mystical, magic stuff, I think she’s seen the dark side of that with M.K. and also with The Widow and how they’ve struggled with their gift. She sees it as a darkness and as an evil. She’s definitely for the people, like, “What can we do now to save these people?” And not so much, “I don’t know what these mystical crazy people are doing. I’m not about to mess with that.”
Do you think Pilgrim is as scary as Quinn? Do you think he’s worse?
I think Pilgrim is more dangerous than Quinn, yes. I think he’s more dangerous because Quinn embraced his evilness in a way that you knew he was evil. This guy is kidnapping girls. He’s evil. But with Pilgrim, you don’t really know. You’re kind of like, “Oh, I like this guy.” And Babou [Ceesay] is the coolest guy ever, and he likes to live in a really honest, intriguing way. You’re kind of like, “Oh, he’s just trying to find Azra. He can’t be that bad.” So I think you’re going to underestimate him a little bit, and maybe be intrigued by him. Pilgrim and Cressida, and Nix and Castor, are really otherworldly and interesting and airy and it’s very intriguing. It’s a sort of cult mentality, where you’re like, “Oh, there’s this crazy cool group and they’re weird, but they’re cool. Maybe they are doing something right.” I think he’s much more dangerous.
Starting in season 2, we’ve seen this world open up a lot more and the characters have been spread out a lot more. Is there one other character you wish Tilda was able to interact with more?
That’s a really good question! This season was fun because I did get to interact with people that I haven’t interacted with before, which has been amazing because I love everyone on the show. I really get along with everyone. It’s just fun because a lot of times you’re so isolated in your little corner of the Badlands. I honestly really, really love Nix and Castor. And I love Ella and Dean, and they’ve done amazing things this year with their stunts. And their performances, from what I’ve seen, are really interesting. I love that they’re all the same age. I think that’s really cute. I think they’d all really get along because they were all kind of in cults. They’re little cult babies! I really would’ve loved to do more with Ella-Rae and Dean.
Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me today. I love this show and I love your character, so I’m really looking forward to season 3.
Oh, thank you so much! It’s honestly going to be really cool. I’ve seen the first two episodes, and I was just in ADR today for episode 6, and I watched this scene that I was laughing all the way through because it was making me so giddy and happy. I’ve seen little snippets of this season and it’s really, really fun. So I think you’re going to like it.
