Introducing her Royal Highness: Kimberly-Sue Murray (And the Queen she plays)

Shadowhunters, the popular and beloved TV show on Freeform, is very familiar to all kinds of wonderful creatures and, what we here at I Am Nova call ‘influencers’. There’s one in particular however that has us in awe- and not just because of the character herself but the real life woman that plays her.

Kimberly-Sue Murray is a Canadian Actress with an extensive resume, and she was kind enough to fill us in on some fun secrets from her time on Shadowhunters as Queen Amara.

.

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to interview with us! Has your life gotten crazier since you were cast?

“It has been crazy, but in the best possible way. We wrapped on Shadowhunters and immediately after I started on a new show called V-Wars for Netflix, so I had to shake off Queen Amara and jump into this new character, which was an interesting challenge. After that I needed some me time, so I traveled to Peru with my baby sister. I haven’t really stopped since I got back, but I like being busy. Boredom does not look good on me.”

Did you know what role you were auditioning for, or was it a surprise?

“I had no idea who I was auditioning for and because I had previously auditioned for the Seelie Queen in season 1, which Lola [Flanery] got, it never occurred to me that it would be for Queen Amara. I found out the morning of my first table read for episode 16. I was so nervous, but what a thrill. I had the weekend to study Lola and Sarah’s scenes and work on the British accent. I took a leap of faith and dove head first”

Is this a type of character you’re used to playing or was this a new challenge for you?

“Definitely a first. It’s not every day you get to play an ancient faerie Queen with pointy ears and vine all over your body. Also, shooting on the Seelie Court set was by far my favourite, although the rose petals falling from the ceiling were a little distracting to say the least.”

In addition to the Temporary Tattoos and other magical makeup used to turn Kimberly into the Seelie Queen, there was a special gown made just for her-and on a crazy time crunch!

“The wardrobe department made my dress in TWO DAYS! What superstars!!! The sequin appliqués were hand sewn and very strategically placed since the dress is see-through. I asked to keep it, but alas, I wasn’t able to. Once I was sewn in, I was in it for the day. It made lunch time interesting.”

Speaking of the Shadowhunters set, What is your favorite memory from your time there?

“On the very last day of production, I wasn’t working, but I went to set to take photos. I wanted to capture the final moment of the series. It was beautiful, we were all so emotional. I can’t wait to share my pictures once the finale airs.”

Thank you for sharing those memories with us! Where can fans go to connect with you and follow your Nova?

I’m new to Twitter and I’m learning how to engage with the fans, which is a lot of fun. I’m most active on Instagram though, photography is my passion, so it’s the perfect platform for me. Fans can follow me @KSueMurray 🧝🏻‍♀️

The special 2-hour Series Finale of Shadowhunters Airs May 6th, at 8:00PM EST on FreeForm.

Special thanks to ART Agency INC & Kimberly-Sue Murrary.