Posted in: Paramount+, Showtime, TV | Tagged: buffy, dexter, dexter: original sin

Dexter: Original Sin Star Tamaren on Talking "Buffy" with SMG & More

Dexter: Original Sin star Carlye Tamaren spoke with us about embracing opportunities, being inspired by "Buffy"/SMG, and much more.

Carlye Tamaren is as versatile a performer and artist as you will find – in front of and behind the camera, whether it's on the stage, in front and behind the camera – writing, acting, directing, or demonstrating her physical feats as a martial artist. Among her various credits include ABC's How to Get Away with Murder, CBS/Paramount+'s Criminal Minds, and Freeform's Good Trouble. Her latest role is the Paramount+ prequel series Dexter: Original Sin; not only as a fan of the original Showtime series Dexter, but she also joins an ensemble cast featuring a mix of veterans and up-and-coming talent like Patrick Gibson, Christian Slater, Molly Brown, Christina Millian, James Martinez, Alex Shimizu, Reno Wilson, Patrick Dempsey, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and original Dexter star Michael C. Hall returning to narrate with Gibson playing his younger counterpart.

Set in 1991, Miami, Dexter: Original Sin delves into Dexter Morgan's (Gibson) origins, exploring his transition from a student to a serial killer. Guided by his father (Slater), Dexter channels his dark urges through a moral code while beginning a forensics internship. Tamaren spoke to Bleeding Cool if she felt starstruck by her more veteran co-stars, taking the opportunity to shadow director Michael Lehmann on set, the grind of the filming schedule, meeting one of her heroes in Gellar, and how her signature series in Buffy the Vampire Slayer influenced Tamaran's career in Hollywood.

Dexter: Original Sin Star Carlye Tamaren on Embracing Set Atmosphere, Learning Opportunities, and 'Buffy'

Bleeding Cool: Was it hard not to get starstruck by some of your more seasoned costars? Was there anyone you hung around on set when it wasn't like your filming days?

They were all over the place a lot of times in Long Beach (CA) on the days I was there; I got to hang around a few overnight shoots we did. I had a few hours in between, so I would be just like hanging at the monitor. I'm a director as well, and director Michael Lehmann and I became friends. I got to watch everything he did. I wasn't "starstruck," but I will say when I walked on set and came across Patrick Dempsey for the first time, I was like…uh…I didn't have words, which is not normal for me. I was like, "Wow! That's weird!" I've worked on so many sets at this point with so many different people that it was funny to me even, I was like, "Whoa!" Everybody was so kind. It was easy to bypass that, be there to do the work, serve the story, and have fun.

What was the most difficult aspect of production for you?

Let's see. The stamina of the overnight shoots, when you're popping in for a few days at a time and not a series regular. I hadn't been sort of in the rhythm of the entire show. I popped in for episodes here and there, and I had two overnight shoots in a row. That would be jarring for anyone. It's like you've got to stay up, and not only do you have to stay up, but you also must be on camera, and you must be focused and unshakable. Luckily, I was playing a character that was drunk or insane half the time, so being tired or zoning out did serve the character. Those hours are grueling, and people don't always understand that any time there is darkness or night on a set, which was shot at 3 a.m.

What was the biggest takeaway from your experience on set, and is there something within your wheelhouse you can help to do in your future, like genre work or something else within your sights?

One of my biggest takeaways was even though the work was hard, everybody there loved what they were doing. Michael Lehman, who's a producing director, is such a veteran. There are so many veterans in this cast but watching them not stress about anything and be like, "We are so lucky to be here. This is so fun! How fun is this?!" That sets it up such a yummy experience, and as both an actor and director, that is something I want to make sure I hold on to because it is hard. It's hard work to put any show together, any production as an actor or on the other side. I never want to forget their love and play in it.

Genre-wise, I'm a horror fan and a genre girl. I love video games and action, and I'm a martial artist, too. I like to direct martial arts and action movies. There's something about this dark, almost comedy, drama, bloody tone I love and keep finding myself in, and I hope to keep finding myself in more. Staying right where I am also sounds so good to me.

Did you have a chance to talk to Sarah Michelle Gellar about 'Buffy: The Vampire Slayer?'

I did. I met her on my first day, and that was the most exciting for me. We weren't in any scenes together at the time. My first scene was with all the men in the show. Once I got to meet her, I was just…and Christina Milian, too. I met her at the premiere. 'Buffy' changed my life as it did so many other [women like myself]. Her strength, comedic chops, and action…watching that growing up made me feel like there is a space for women in this genre. That also made me want to be the creator and director and make stuff like that as well. I made a few short films in that [supernatural action] genre and hope to make bigger things. Meeting her…that was a trip! I couldn't even say everything I wanted to say to her. I wanted to be like, "Woah!" which I'm sure a lot of people do to her, but she couldn't be kinder. Getting to work with all these veterans in this show has been eye-opening and special.

Dexter: Original Sin streams on Fridays on Paramount+ with Showtime.

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