Castle Rock’s Melanie Lynskey talks Molly Strand’s real estate mission
Melanie Lynskey explains why her #CastleRock character, Molly Strand, chooses to be a real estate agent in the infamous, nightmare-prone town. Spoiler alert: it’s not because people want to live there.
Castle Rock, the new original series set within the Stephen King multi-verse promises to be a psychological thriller. We know that one aspect of the mystery deals largely with Shawshank Prison and Bill Skarsgard’s nameless character, but it seems as though everyone in the town has been affected by Castle Rock, Maine’s past nightmares.
In the series, Melanie Lynskey plays Molly Strand, a Castle Rock resident who definitely has not chosen the most financially secure job in town. We had the opportunity to catch up with Lynskey this past weekend at San Diego Comic-Con to learn more about Molly’s role on Castle Rock.
Being a real estate agent in Castle Rock “is a horrible career choice just because nobody wants to live there. Nobody wants to buy property there,” she explained. There might not be much commission going around for real estate agents, but Lynskey says that Molly’s taken on this job for a different reason. “She’s kind of chosen this job, I think, as a way of making amends to the town.”
So why does Molly Strand feel guilty about her past in Castle Rock?
Lynskey’s character has a complicated past with the town of Castle Rock, something she says will play a role as the series unfolds and the mystery becomes more complex. “She feels this deep responsibility to make things better for everybody, but at the same time, she’s very resentful about some elements of her personality that allow her to connect to people,” she said.
Despite this, Lynskey says Molly feels like it’s her mission to change the reputation and branding of the town. “She’s very complicated… she really believes that Castle Rock can be something different.”
You don’t need to be a Stephen King expert to watch Castle Rock
More from Hulu
- ACOTAR on Hulu: Is A Court of Thorns and Roses based on a book?
- Yes, A Murder at the End of the World was really filmed in Iceland and in the US (filming location details)
- Good Trouble season 5 isn’t returning until 2024 (Premiere date announced)
- Tell Me Lies season 2: All the details to know about the upcoming season
- Black Cake filming locations: Was Black Cake really filmed in Jamaica and California?
Lynskey assured us that while it’s fun to catch all of the Stephen King Easter eggs in the show, being a Stephen King expert is not a requirement at all. “It’s not a straight-up adaptation, and it’s also not – the elements of his previous works are sort of brought in so subtly that, I mean, I’m a Stephen King fan and sometimes I didn’t get the reference and sometimes I did,” she said.
When Lynskey did catch the references and Easter eggs, she said it was extra fun. “I was like ‘Ooh, yes! That thing.’ But then when I didn’t, it was just like a beautiful little vignette, and an extra creepy thing that gave some color to the history of Castle Rock, but it didn’t feel necessary to my understanding of the story.”
So if you’re a Stephen King fan, Castle Rock is a perfect opportunity to introduce your friends who are newbies to his multi-verse.
Watch the full Castle Rock interview with Melanie Lynskey:
Next: Castle Rock creators reveal the mystery that hits Shawshank Prison
Castle Rock season 1 premieres July 25 on Hulu. Are you a Stephen King buff or are you a newcomer to the multi-verse? Let us know on Twitter @HiddenRemote!