By: Melissa Girimonte
If there’s one thing I enjoy, it’s a good villain, and this fall, SMALLVILLE fans were introduced to a spectacular new bad girl – Tess Mercer. This red haired beauty is Lex Luthor’s successor, acting CEO of LuthorCorp, and in control of Luthor’s estate since his disappearance. Stepping in for Luthor is quite the feat, but Tess Mercer seems to be holding her own so far this season, proving to be ruthless and calculating like her mentor.
I had the chance to chat with Cassidy Freeman, the woman responsible for bringing Tess Mercer to life each week on SMALLVILLE. After discussing the fall foliage in Vancouver (which Freeman admits she’s enjoying, having moved there from LA), we discussed her character’s development so far, her fantastic displays of physical prowess, and how she pictures Tess’ future.
What’s it like being the new person on such a well-established TV program?
Cassidy Freeman: It’s pretty awesome. People are always asking me if it’s daunting or if it’s scary, and I can’t think of a better vehicle. It’s not like when you do a pilot and there’s all this figuring out to do.
Tess Mercer was a character created for Smallville, but her name pays tribute to two characters from the Superman universe. Do you find that her not being a pre-established character is a help or a hindrance?
I think I have a bit of an advantage. She’s a nod to Miss Teschmacher and Mercy Graves, but she’s not them (both were loyal assistants of Lex Luthor). I have this idea of what the viewers might be expecting, and I’m able to make my own take on that, along with input from the producers and the writers. It’s given me a bit of a guideline, but a lot of freedom. I think it’s a wonderful thing.