Rose McIver

Halloween is around the corner and what better way than to kick off Spooky season with CBS’ up-and-coming series, GHOSTS. Starring in the hauntingly hilarious series, Rose Mclver is thrilled for GHOSTS to finally come out in which she was “able to play alongside such a stellar cast.” A cast filled with actors playing characters from different eras, “we get to see dramatically different viewpoints, moral codes and interpretations of modern day affairs,” she shared. Every person on set brought their own authentic and brilliant self which stuck with Rose who was in a dream working with such “genuinely good people.”

Made up of skilled improvisers, actors, and comedians, it’s safe to say that the filming process was an experience like no other. Grateful for having a job and positive environment in which she could fully immerse herself through these trying times, Rose takes it all in with open arms and a warm heart. When she first read the script, she was immediately hooked by the humor of it. “Often, when you’re reading a project, you can see the parameters of the world it exists in – but on this show the variety of directions the story could take seem infinite,” she added. “All of the different time periods that can be flashed back to, the new arrivals we could gain, the predicaments Samantha and Jay could end up in. The opportunities just seemed so much more expansive than on many of the scripts I’d read.”

Having booked this role right before the pandemic hit, it’s safe to say that the road of production was a long one. The majority of 2020 was spent awaiting the start date of shooting the pilot which finally came in December of that year. Starting March, the “green light” was given and the cast and crew were headed towards Montreal to finally start filming. “We had a lot of time to anticipate. To overthink things. To read and watch as much relevant material as possible,” Rose explained. “To connect as a group on the most long-running text thread I’d ever experienced with a bunch of people who had essentially barely met in person.” Challenge definitely accepted!

A bonding experience like no other, by the time they headed on to set it was as though a reunion was happening. “GHOSTS was a bright light on the horizon for the cast during these uncertain times,” she shared wholeheartedly. “And we really hope that it’s able to provide that bright spark of entertainment to the audience now too.” I don’t know about you guys but simply based on the trailer, it seems like the show will be doing exactly just that and more!

The series’ integration of humor and ghosts highlights a different side of the dead that is notoriously known for their scare factor. Now, of course, Samantha and Jay are initially terrified when they discover their existence but once they realize these ghosts aren’t going anywhere, “they need to see these ghosts as humans with human desires to be heard and to make peace with their time on earth as “livings”.” They can no longer look at them as scary beings but “instead as complex entities that need to be interpreted and understood,” Rose explained. “Which feels like an apt comparison to how we should look at our fears in general.”

And speaking of fear, we were curious to know what the actress fears the most to which she opened up,  “I used to be a very fearful person. I have battled a lot with anxiety in my life and have really worked to deconstruct my fears.” Continuing to work on herself every day, Rose recognizes that her worrying is a “futile coping mechanism.” With time and patience, she actively stops worrying about worrying. She wishes she could say her fear was something such as “sharks” or “heights” but “unfortunately my fears reached broadly across a lot of what I couldn’t control in life and SPOILER that’s everything,” she added. However, it pushes her to inspire others to keep pushing through their own fears which can also “be so much more manageable with support and a good therapeutic tool kit.” I feel that!

It’s amazing to see and hear about one’s success story in overcoming their fears and anxieties. In our world, there is so much good and at times just as much bad but with the right attitude and surrounded by the right people, you can achieve anything! Rose’s experience on GHOSTS proves that. “I think the amount of time we have spent together as a whole group has helped the musicality of the scenes. We really are getting a deeper and deeper understanding of how this band plays together,” she shared. “Who plays the bass guitar and who is the wailing sax.”

Of course, Rose has also always had the loving support of her family who have provided her with guidance and who she looks up to. Having grown up with a mom who is a sculptor and a father who is a photographer, the actress witnessed her parents fulfilling their dreams over the years. Having such parents and brother as her support network growing up, “the idea of “becoming an actor” was never scoffed at or reduced. My family all really value the arts and I am extremely aware that to work doing a job this creatively rewarding is an immense privilege.” That kind of love and support is priceless.

With hard work, passion, and a positive outlook on life, Rose Mclver reminds us to focus on the good around us and to embrace all that comes our way. Surrounded by amazing individuals both in her personal and work life, the talented actress is excited for the audience to see for themselves what GHOSTS is really made of. “In a funny way, this show is not just joyful escapism but also a reminder of how much we truly rely on community. No matter how differently we might think or behave from each other.”

Hoping to play a villain soon, Rose is also “hankering to do some more theatre if we happen to see more of that emerge again as we grapple with the pandemic” she shared. Furthermore, she has also been working on a few projects which she hopes to write and direct. “I have such a love of story and engaging my brain on projects from the concept stage has been an exciting new journey for me. The solitude of writing is unfamiliar and takes some getting used to, as I’ve always had such collaborative experiences as an actor.” Ready to take it all on and dive into new experiences, Rose Mclver, we can’t wait to see what comes next!

TEAM CREDITS

@BELLOmag
Talent ROSE MCLVER @imrosemciver
Photographer PETER YANG @yopeteryang
Styling JOSEPH CASSELL @josephcassell1
Styling Assistant JENN EDELSON @jennedelson
Hair NIKKI PROVIDENCE @nikkiprovidence
Makeup AMBER D @amberdmakeup
Interview ALEXANDRA BONNET @alexbonnetwrites