The much-loved universe of Pretty Little Liars got a whole lot weirder this year with the new spinoff Ravenswood, which has developed a considerable fan base in its own right. The show follows Caleb Rivers into a town that is not all it seems, and introduces us to various characters all linked by a mysterious—and deadly—curse. “It’s a totally different world than Pretty Little Liars because of the supernatural aspect,” explains Merritt Patterson, who plays Olivia Matheson, “even though Tyler Blackburn exists in both.”
Merritt (from the TV Film The Selection) is joined on the show by Brett Dier, of LA Complex fame, as her twin brother Luke. The pairing of the actors was kismet according to Luke, since “we hung out beforehand. We already have a kinda brother-sister thing going on,” he says. “I care about her like a sister. We are lucky to have that kind of relationship.”
“Brett’s so wonderful, he’s like a brother to me in real life!” Merritt echoes. “I knew Brett before all of this – we had a lot of mutual friends, and both are from Vancouver. We were put up in same hotel during audition process so got to hang out!” And that complicity has translated beautifully into the show itself.
As for what’s in store for the pair of siblings, it’s anybody’s guess. “Looking forward to the scripts is a huge plus,” Merritt says of the creative process behind Ravenswood, “since we don’t know what’s going to happen next – in that way it’s like Pretty Little Liars, with lots of cliffhangers.” Of the creators behind the two shows, the says “They’re the best at the suspense, shocks and cliffhangers!”
Brett couldn’t agree more. “We only get the script the day before,” he says. “You can’t plan anything, because you have no idea what’s happening!”
But even with no major preparation, Brett has been hitting out of the park on every episode as the emotional and tortured Luke. His character has a lot on his plate; “He was the popular guy in school,” Brett explains, “but then his dad passed away and the town turns against his mom [as a primary suspect] and he kind of becomes an outcast.” This has led to emotional turmoil for his character that his sister Olivia has to keep in check. “I like the emotional scenes—[like] with me and Remy at the end of episode 4—I like challenging myself to get to that place,” he says. “He’s really talented,” Merritt observes of the actor playing her brother. “It’s hard to stay at that level—but it’s genuine!”
And what of the dreaded curse? Fans have been chomping at the bit wondering what is really behind all the nefarious incidents to befall the five central characters of the eerie show. “They slowly start it to put it together,” Merritt promises us. “In the next few episodes we figure out who and what’s behind the curse!”
Merritt also hopes for some more involved developments for her character. “I would like to see something dramatic happen to Olivia,” she admits. “She’s always the one trying to hold it together for everyone – she’s gotta get to a breaking point!” With the way things are going on the show, we’re pretty confident that is going to happen soon.
As for Brett, he loves being on this set in particular because it helps him feel like a kid again, in spite of the often emotional work. “Pretending to see ghosts and stuff—it’s like being a kid,” he remarks! “It makes me love my job.”
But it’s not all fun and games. “Every single time you’re on set you learn something,” Brett says, astutely. “Something about yourself, about acting, about the way the camera works.”
As for future plans, Merritt is ready to go for lighter fare. “I’d love to do a comedy, just to switch it up!” she says, referencing Breakfast at Tiffany’s as a seminal inspiration for her. Brett however doesn’t mind the dark and brooding material, and when asked which show or film he would love to have been a part of throughout time, he only had one answer: Breaking Bad.
Ravenswood airs Wednesdays on ABC Family.