In the new fairytale, supernatural series GRIMM, Claire Coffee plays a woman with a hint of mystery, Adalind Engel. Just who and what Adalind is and who she finds herself aligned with as the lines are drawn between those who are fighting to preserve the delicate balance and those who have their own murky agenda is intriguing. In an exclusive interview with theTVaddict.com, Claire took a few minutes to talk briefly about her mysterious and conflicted character.
Can you describe a bit about Adalind and what role she will be playing in the GRIMM world?
CLAIRE: Adalind is a lawyer in human form, but she is one of these kind of evil, underworld Grimm-fairytale characters, which you find out are actually true. So in GRIMM, Nick, who is the lead of the show, begins to realize he sees these creatures and he is kind of struggling with what they are and what they mean — whether or not he needs to go after them.
Does Adalind have a good side, or is she bad to the core?
CLAIRE: We’re not quite sure yet. She’s definitely very caught up in this world, but allegiances and loyalty definitely come into question as the series progresses.
As a lawyer, will Adalind be interacting a lot with Sasha Roiz’s character Captain Renard and others in the police force, or does she interact more with Nick?
CLAIRE: Hmmm . . . I definitely interact with Sasha more, but I become more involved with Nick as things develop.
So her allegiances might be shifting, but we aren’t certain yet.
CLAIRE: No, not yet.
What have you liked or admired the most about playing Adalind so far? As the series has just started, but maybe you’ve seen a glimmer of humanity or something fun and delicious to play.
CLAIRE: Actually, we shot an episode where I did a lot of stunt fighting which some of the most fun I’ve ever had in my entire career. We had great stunt people who do choreography, so that’s been fun. But I think the greatest pleasure for me is finding out where the characters are going. I can’t see too far ahead because we’re all learning about this world and the implications for people living amongst it. So I guess the mythology of the show is what I find fascinating.
Does GRIMM actually film in Portland, and how is that experience?
CLAIRE: Yeah, it does. I love Portland! I’m ready to move up there for good. They ruined me for drinking coffee anywhere but Portland, it is so delicious — and the people there are so friendly!
It seems that the show employs its dramatic style both visually and through the stories.
CLAIRE: Yes, it’s very dark, but then the Grimm fairytales were dark in representing a pretty strident world, and I think they are trying to make the series as serious as possible for network television on a Friday night.
Is there anything you can tease about what is upcoming for Adalind?
CLAIRE: There’s a lot I’d like to reveal, but I can say that things get very complicated for her — particularly, who is she taking orders from.
Will she be allowed to have her own personal life, or is she more of a foil or political piece in the show?
CLAIRE: Oh, we’ll definitely see her personal life.
How has it been stepping into Adalind’s shoes and looking like the Grimm-character on screen?
CLAIRE: The Grimm side is all CGI. So I don’t have to do a lot of make-up or costume changes.
What do you hope that viewers will embrace the most out of the GRIMM series?
CLAIRE: I hope it takes them back to their childhood imagination — a spot where you can see that anything is possible — and maybe it will make them look over their shoulders a little bit more as they walk down the street.
With that one last impish tease, Claire invites everyone to tune in and see how devious Adalind is and what delicious surprises are in store. GRIMM premieres Friday, October 28th at 8PM on NBC (CTV in Canada).
For those curious to read more about the series, be sure to check out the interview with producers David Greenwalt and Jim Kouf by clicking here.
Tiffany Vogt is a contributing writer to TheTVAddict. She has a great love for television and firmly believes that entertainment is a world of wondrous adventures that deserves to be shared and explored – she invites you to join her. Please feel free to contact Tiffany at Tiffany_Vogt_2000@yahoo.com or follow her at on Twitter (@TVWatchtower).
Photo Credit: Whit Anderson