Siren at SDCC 2018: The Siren Song Comes to San Diego

Siren has become one of our new favorite shows, so I was very excited to get a chance to attend the panel and press room at San Diego Comic-Con 2018. The main cast and executive producers talked about the inspiration for the show, what makes Siren different, and gave some great teasers for what is ahead on season two.

Eline Powell (Ryn), Alex Roe (Ben), Fola Evans-Akingbola (Maddie), Ian Verdun (Xander), and Rena Owen (Helen) were in attendance, as well as executive producers Eric Wald and Emily Whitesell. The panelists spoke about their audition process, and praised the showrunners for having such a diverse cast. Diversity and female empowerment were issues that were highlighted, especially among Rena Owen and Eline Powell. Owen referenced how unusual it is to have a native Polynesian included in the main cast of a television show, and explained that the matriarchal setup of the mermaid community initially drew her to the show.

Not only were the women proud to have strong and powerful females on the show, but both Alex Roe and Ian Verdun spoke to the fact that they were proud as well. They both explained that they were raised by single mothers, and really enjoy playing complex male characters with deep emotions. During the panel, Verdun even joked that Xander would be very dehydrated as season two begins just because he cried so much in the first season.

Season two appears to be focused on the siren song and its effects on Ben and Bristol Cove itself. Emily Whitesell explained that part of the reason mermaid mythology is so pervasive is because it generally is made up of by tales of men being seduced by women. Upcoming episodes will explore the psyche and mythology of that seduction and how it can turn dangerous. We were even treated to a sample of the siren song sung by Eline Powell herself!

Below is a link to the press room videos.

Author: Erin

Erin has reviewed many shows over the years including Orphan Black, iZombie, Penny Dreadful, and Killing Eve. She has a keen eye for on-screen chemistry, and loves to tackle the subject of casting. She is also our horror aficionado. She live tweets shows, and loves to share her feelings. Erin has a BA in History, and likes to analyze the lore behind historical fiction. She attends San Diego Comic Con every year and has also attended C2E2 and WonderCon.

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