It started with a hot hookup, but it’s been a rocky road since for Virgin River’s Kaia (Kandyse McClure) and Preacher (Colin Lawrence). The gorgeous firefighter stood by Preacher through his grueling court case, but as the series returns to Netflix on March 12, will they last through any further hurdles thrown their way?
Country Living grilled Kandyse on what’s in store in season seven and how she went from fleeing apartheid in South Africa to building a dream life in Canada with husband Claureinne Swales, acting alongside Nick Jonas, and starring on a hit Netflix series.
What is it about Preacher that made Kaia stand by him when things got rough last season?
How exceptional he is. And maybe that’s just my awe of Colin—he’s one of the most honest, steadfast people I’ve met and gives so much of that presence to Preacher. He’s deeply collaborative, and we make our story decisions together.
Kaia and Preacher went through so much difficulty with his court case and her marriage and it was a new thing for Kaia to stick around, be committed, and realize the value in the relationship. We get to start from that happy, easeful, sexy place in season seven.
Kaia’s still dealing with her marriage failing. How will that or other challenges test her and Preacher?
One of Kaia’s flaws is that very human thing of when everything's going right, you start going, “What’s wrong? This is too good to be true.” She had lost trust in relationships. Preacher challenged that, so there’s a vulnerability she hadn't experienced before that’s uncomfortable.
The relationship takes on a life of its own and something a lot of women can relate to is questioning, “Am I losing myself inside this relationship? How do I hold on to myself while doing this dance with somebody else?” That’s the big challenge for her.
What else can we expect from Kaia and Preacher this season?
Kaia confronts some unfamiliar feelings like vulnerability, loss of self, jealousy—and also Preacher’s jealousy! I was like, “Oh, it’s insecure Kaia now! How will that play out?” But she does get back to her sexy self, which is great. I’ve got some fun wardrobe…
Well, that sounds interesting! Like sexy bedroom wardrobe?
She’s going back to season five, when she was introduced. She was so supportive through the court case and it’s like, “Now that’s all behind us, let’s get back to this sexy thing we’ve got going on.”
Also, she learns to leave the cooking to Preacher. It’s funny to be so good with fire and so bad with food!
Hopefully that’s not a kitchen mishap that requires firefighters. Speaking of other firefighters, how has it been working with Ben Hollingsworth as Kaia and Brady developed their friendship?
I love that dynamic that a man and a woman can be friends and that Kaia’s not tainted by his history. He gets to show up as this new man that he’s trying to be and she completely accepts him.
Ben’s incredibly precise about his work. He's always fighting for the scene, camera setup, movement and motivations. His eye’s on the prize and I love working in that environment because it challenges me to think differently about scenes and be on my A game.
You also had some fun scenes last season like Mel’s bachelorette party…
Axe-throwing is a lot harder than it looks! It was so fun because Kaia got to be out of her uniform with the girls, brunching and hanging out. I got to spend more time with Zibby, Alex, and Jen and was like, “Yeah, Kaia’s got friends!”
Why do you think people love Virgin River so much?
The women drive the show and there’s this equality and a modeling of how men can talk to women that’s interesting. There’s care and curiosity. They’re believed and their opinion is sought. It’s a powerful dynamic to see on a television and a safe space for women, particularly at this time. And it shows how community’s such an important part of our lives. Virgin River exemplifies prioritizing connection.
How did your own community life compare while growing up in Durban, South Africa?
It was the height of apartheid and when I look back now, I see how segregated my life was. So much was controlled—where I went to school, what public transportation I took, what jobs were a possibility. But you don't know that when you're a kid, so my experience was idyllic. I had a BMX, my best friend lived next door with a pool and we had a crew of friends from all the houses on the block. I spent so much time outside, running around, playing pretend and causing trouble, that when I came to Canada at 11, it felt so different.
I was never alone in South Africa then as an immigrant in Canada, it was just my mom and I. She was working three jobs, so suddenly I was on my own learning how to take the bus or do laundry. And I was a popular kid in South Africa because I was one of the smart kids, then I came to Canada and I didn't dress right or have branded things.
Where in all this did your love for acting come from?
The Dirty Dancing soundtrack came out when I was nine and I got all the neighborhood kids together and choreographed dance numbers. We did skits in between and had set changes. And my mom put me in clown class because I was an expressive kid and she wanted to have an outlet for that.
But it was only in Vancouver I did my first play because I was a 17-year-old South African girl and that was the demands of the role! Learning theater, direction, line readings, and script analysis all came from that play.
It’s interesting that being South African helped you land your first role. Have there been both pros and cons to being a woman of color in showbiz?
Absolutely. Early on, Vancouver was a tiny city that operated as an auxiliary to Hollywood. We’ve come into our own with the quality of productions and talent pool, but back then I didn’t look like people here, which gave me opportunities. These eyes of mine opened a lot of doors. I can never commit a crime because they’re very recognizable!
I booked my first two auditions which led to a year-and-a-half of work. I went from making seven bucks an hour at Nando’s, to being a member of the union with a TV movie and a series under my belt. It was zero to 60 in no time. Then I went, “I guess this is what I do for a living,” and started going to L.A. and Toronto, doing scene study classes and reading the books.
You’ve had some great gigs since, like Battlestar Galactica, Hemlock Grove, and Charmed. How was it playing Jessica Biel’s girlfriend in Limetown?
I auditioned for a different role, then suddenly it was like, “You need to be blonde and make out with Jessica.” I was like, “What?” Jessica has such strength and gravitas. She set the tone and was incredibly generous as a scene partner. I was nervous coming on to this set where the first thing I had to do was make out with Jessica Biel! But she invited me into the process and created a very safe space. She’s a powerhouse.
And do you have fun memories from filming Careful What You Wish For with Nick Jonas?
I remember walking onto set and he was like, “Hey, I’m Nick. Who do you play?” I told him and he went, “So, you know your lines?” I was like, “Well, yeah!” He said, “Want to run them?” It was a sweet moment because listening to his interviews now, I realize he was coming out of music and establishing himself as an actor, so he was finding his place on set.
And he would play guitar in between takes, throw the football around and host dinners for us. We were in this small town in North Carolina and fans would find him and swarm him, but he was always gracious and had lots of time for people!
Leena Tailor is an award-winning Los Angeles-based journalist with more than 20 years experience covering entertainment, lifestyle and travel for outlets around the world. Originally from New Zealand, she was lured to the endless sunshine of California in 2010 and has since interviewed some of the world's biggest celebrities for outlets including Rolling Stone, Hollywood Reporter, InStyle, Billboard and Entertainment Tonight. Leena’s love for beaches, boy bands, concerts and cocktails has taken her from Mexico to Germany, with her travel and lifestyle features appearing in Travel and Leisure, Vinepair and Vogue.
