After spending five seasons working on “Orphan Black,” the BBC America show about clones, science, and conspiracy, the cast isn’t ready to say goodbye to each other. Not forever.
In fact, Kristian Bruun, who plays gullible, suburban punching bag Donnie, said he and his costars have grown into a family, much like the characters they play.
“We’ve really become a family. I know it’s cheesy to say that but it’s absolutely true,” Bruun said.
So when September rolls around and the actors aren’t going back to set, the plan is to get together for a vacation, an idea Bruun says came from Maria Doyle Kennedy, who plays Mrs. S. on the show.
She had “this idea that it’s really going to sink in this fall when we’re not actually going back to the show” so “her idea is to have us all go on vacation,” Bruun said. “I think it’s a wonderful idea.”
That’s a sentiment shared by Jordan Gavaris, who plays Felix. “I think we realized how important we all are to each other and saying goodbye after five years… it’s a lot. It’s heavy,” Gavaris told TheWrap. “We already miss the show.”
The bond between cast and crew — most of the people introduced in Season 1 are still around for “Orphan Black: The Final Trip,” which is what BBC America is calling the final season — was further strengthened by the enthusiasm of the show’s fanbase, which calls itself “Clone Club.”
When the show is off the air, Clone Club, along with BBC America, keeps it alive with a strong social media presence, which includes the actors who often interact with fans, post photos, and share tidbits. So of course, Bruun promised that if the cast does go on vacation, there will be plenty of pictures.
In fact, Showrunner Graeme Manson, also speaking to TheWrap, is confident that fan community won’t end just because “Orphan Black” does. “I got this real sort of optimistic belief that [the fans] are going to continue on together as a sort of fan base after the show,” Manson says. “It’s not just about the show anymore.”
“Orphan Black: The Final Trip” premieres on BBC America on Sat. June 10 at 10 p.m. ET.