The cast of Freeform’s Siren talks human-mermaid relationships and our perceptions of otherness
Siren cast members Rena Owen, Ian Verdun and Sibongile Mlambo explain why the human-mermaid relationships on the series are an examination of how society interprets cultural otherness.
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For Siren cast members Rena Owen, Ian Verdun and Sibongile Mlambo, the show’s dissection of mermaid culture is about more than just mythology. We caught up with the three actors last month at WonderCon to learn about their characters and get the scoop on what we can expect to see on Siren this season.
While the central relationship in the show focuses on Ben and mermaid Ryn, what makes the series so strong is its ability to examine the many different interpretations and reactions we have as a species when we come in contact with a culture we don’t completely understand. In the first two episodes alone, we’ve seen contrasting reactions to the existence of mermaids, especially because of the imbalance of power and disadvantage the mermaids have when faced with foreign technology. Ian Verdun, who plays Xander on the show, commented on how the opposing reactions to mermaids among the human characters give the show much more depth. “It’s interesting how these merfolk come up and see how different people with different circumstances and different perspectives interpret this, and how they go about dealing with it,” he said.
Rena Owen, who plays mermaid-believer Helen, expanded further on Verdun’s comments. “That’s right, and you have two different perspectives here going on — well, actually three — because from the lead’s perspective, Ben, he’s the marine biologist, so these are fascinating creatures to study. From [Xander’s] perspective, [the mermaid] is their rent check. This is a very, very valuable commodity. So he’s hunting this for that reason… But she’s taken by the military, so therefore you’ve got the third group going on here that has another different agenda.”
Sibongile Mlambo, who plays the captured mermaid Donna on Siren, spoke on Bristol Cove’s reaction to mermaids, equating it to how we react to otherness as human beings. “I think it really feeds into otherness and how in different societies, different people are going to interpret someone new. People are going to want to take advantage of this, or try and eroticize it, or just do different things… or welcome them and be welcoming.”
“And how those first interactions set the tone for how you perceive a new culture,” Verdun added.
“If you come and you’re treated with grace, you tend to be graceful. If you’re treated with violence…”
Ryn and Donna have opposing perceptions of humans because of the sisters’ strikingly different interactions with people on land. Donna knows nothing outside of being a captured lab experiment, while Ryn is slowly finding a few people worthy of her trust. When the sisters are inevitably reunited however, Mlambo teased that there may be conflict amongst the merfolk because of these contrasting experiences and levels of tolerance for humans.
The same can be said for the different groups of townspeople in Bristol Cove and how they choose to either accept, reject, or take advantage of this foreign population. “It roughs up the whole town,” Owen said. “Everyone is suddenly taken out of their equilibrium. Everyone is challenged.”
Next: Talking mermaids with Siren’s Eline Powell and Alex Roe!
Catch new episodes of Siren Thursdays at 8/7c everywhere you watch Freeform.