Warning: This post contains spoilers from the season finale ofMare of Easttown.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What has been you all’s experience with the audience reaction to this ending?
JULIANNE NICHOLSON:How are people feeling about it being you, were people surprised?
Cameron Mann in ‘Mare of Easttown.'.Michele K. Short/HBO
CAMERON MANN:Yeah, people that find out are really surprised.
They never thought it would be Ryan.
NICHOLSON:I’ve had mostly positive reactions like Ryan did it.
Sarah Shatz/HBO
People seem to be happy with that outcome.
But then you have to deal with the tragedy of your son’s life being ultimately taken away.
When did you all meet for the first time?
MANN:I’m not sure it was the first time but we went to dinner in Philadelphia.
NICHOLSON:Yeah we went out to pizza, me and Cam and his lovely mom Jill.
We got on right away.
NICHOLSON:It felt very easy from the very beginning.
I have a son who’s Cameron’s age.
MANN:Yeah, and the T-shirt.
NICHOLSON:The Philadelphia basketball T-shirt!
MANN:[Spending time together] was really important.
NICHOLSON:Really important but very easy because Cameron’s just a nice guy.
He has a similar temperament to my son, which is just like open and generous and sweet.
So it was very, very easy to care about him and what happens to Ryan immediately.
Julianne, I knowyou knew Kate before this, but Cameron, had you ever met her?
When Kate Winslet asks you that, the only thing you could say is, “Yes.”
[Laughs] That was really awesome.
She made me feel so welcome and safe.
At what point did you know that Ryan was the one who killed Erin?
Initially I didn’t know that my character would be such a big part in the show.
Knowing I would play such a key role was super exciting.
And much like Ryan I also had to keep it secret for a very long time.
No one knew except for my parents.
Was it hard to keep that secret from friends?
Obviously, I wasn’t just going to tell them that it was me.
I wanted them to watch the show and find out for themselves.
NICHOLSON:That must’ve been so hard!
That must’ve been really hard for you!
NICHOLSON:Your siblings!
Your siblings didn’t know?!
We’re living in the same house, so it was pretty hard to keep that from them.
That is a secret!
I was so relieved when episode 7 aired.
Which of your scenes together sticks out as the most memorable for you?
NICHOLSON:For me it was the scene where he comes in and says, “It’s Mare.
That was the biggest scene for me that we had together and the most heart-wrenching.
I didn’t find it difficult to get to that place.
I found it so unbelievably awful just imagining that scenario.
For me that was our most memorable scene together.
MANN:Yeah I totally agree.
Another scene I think was really hard was the interrogation scene.
NICHOLSON:You have a lot to do in that scene, to find the truth in that confession.
MANN:I’m pretty sure it was originally written as mostly voiceover as well.
I pretty much had to learn it right before we filmed it.
NICHOLSON:Oh that’s right i remember that!
MANN:That was a little stressful.
NICHOLSON:I have to say Ryan came with such a quiet confidence.
Everybody fell in love with him from the moment he walked onto set.
MANN:So did you!
In the end, we find out Ryan’s been keeping this huge secret this entire time.
How do you feel like it impacted him?
I thought that was such an interesting take on it.
MANN:Yeah I think Ryan was feeling panicked but also some relief.
Mare did kind of help him because that secret was really torturing Ryan.
He knows that no matter what his mom loves him unconditionally.
But that’s also what’s so heartbreaking when he’s taken away in the police car without her.
It’s like his childhood is ending right there because his mom can’t fix this.
