Love You to Death Season 1 - Excerpt!

Spirits Talk - An Interview with Malese Jow (Anna)

How did you land the role of Anna?
It was your typical audition/callback situation. I didnât think I had a shot at the callback since I had booked another show that had conflicting filming dates. Fortunately, Vampire Diaries was willing to accommodate my schedule so they called last minute, asking if I could read for producers in half an hour. It was crazy!

How much did you know about Annaâs storyline when you were first cast?
All that was written for Annaâs character description was that she was a geeky girl that befriends Jeremy. Possible recurring. It was that small â no joke!

Were you familiar with the show or the book series before you were cast?
I had actually watched an episode when it first came out, thinking, âThis show is awesome; maybe there will be a part that comes through the pipes in the future!â

A favorite Anna-Jeremy moment of mine is the good bye scene in âBlood Brothers,â where heâs still half-asleep. Such a sweet moment. Does any particular scene stand out for you?
A lot of scenes are special to me for various reasons. I love the Anna-Jeremy scene when she surprises him outside of the school. They have such a sense of genuine young love and normality in that scene. For Anna, that is a huge deal, so that is one of my favorites.

What do you think about Jeremyâs choice in the finale â to turn himself into a vampire using the blood Anna gave him?
Iâm actually dying to see what happens with that next season [along] with everyone else. Jeremy was very troubled before Anna came into the picture. When she did, she definitely made him happy again, then very suddenly the fairy tale had such a tragic end. Itâs like all of his pain came back ten-fold. Him resorting to that surprised me, yet not. If that makes sense!

While a lot of your scenes were opposite Steven R. McQueen, you also had the opportunity to act opposite some of the other TVDers. Was there a particular actor or character you were most excited to be paired with?
Ian, hands down. Back-and-forth banter is always the best when youâre opposite someone who is not afraid to dish it out. We would always bring our A-game, and in turn we made it believable to the audience that we were pretty evenly matched (which I look at as an accomplishment considering Damon is such a strong character). I learned so much from him and always looked forward to our scenes together.

Julie Plec said in an interview that the TVD crew wore âSave Annaâ T-shirts on set while filming the finale because you were so well loved. Do you have any favorite on-set or crew memories?
I couldnât pick a specific moment! As soon as I stepped onto that set, everyone welcomed me with open arms and each day bonded us all tighter. By the end, we were all so sad (to say the least). That gesture (them making the T-shirts) was definitely special to me. The last week filming I was absolutely overwhelmed by love.

As you know, thereâs a Bring Anna Back fan movement. If you were writing the episode where Anna returned, how would you reintroduce the character? (For example, in a flashback, as a ghost, in dream sequences, or as a mysterious reincarnation à la Katherine & Elena . . .)
There are so many possibilities! Iâve seen a lot of the âBring Back Annaâ feedback from fans, and they all have an idea of a creative way to bring her back. Flashbacks would be totally cool. But if she would be brought back to life for real . . . maybe Damon was still foggy from the vervain so all of it was hallucination? Johnâs stake was ineffective because Emily put a spell on Anna so she would never be hurt by a Gilbert? The options are endless.

Do you have any theories about how Anna and Pearl first became vamps?
No idea! Thatâs something I do wish was explored a bit more. Answers to how old Anna and her mother were, who her dad was . . .

Tell me about your upcoming projects.
Iâm up for a lot of projects at the moment, so fingers crossed! The Social Network will be out in theaters, my guest-starring role on TNTâs Leverage, and a movie I filmed last year will be released on DVD, all this fall. Exact dates are pending, so keep checking back on my Facebook fan page or Twitter (@xomalese) for updates.

Finally, do you have any words for the heartbroken Anna fans out there?
I just want to thank you guys from the bottom of my heart for all of the love and support. You guys welcomed a brand new character mid-season and ended up loving her equally to the already established and beloved cast. That means so much!!! As far as Anna making any future comebacks â never say never! With your voice, anything is possible.