Katrina Law Hints At What’s Next For Nyssa al Ghul on ‘Arrow’ and Speaks to Her Holiday Plans
If you’re familiar with the show Arrow, you know the characters are hard to break. They’re tough to their core. In fact, nothing stands in the way of Team Arrow — just as long as they stand together, united as one. But none might be as resilient and fiery as the character of Nyssa al Ghul, daughter of the now deceased and former Ra’s al Ghul (Matt Nable), leader of the League of Assassins. Defying her father on more than one occasion, she has shown us that she is someone to root for and to have on your side during battle.
Katrina Law, who plays the multifaceted character to perfection, is once again reprising her role in the hit CW show this fourth season, stirring up questions for what’s yet to come. What type of revenge plan is she concocting in the cells of Nanda Parbat? Will Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman) cease to exist? And is it trouble or joy that she plans to bring now that Sara Lance (Caity Lotz) is back on our screens? But perhaps, the biggest question we all, as fans of the show, have on our minds is: will they or won’t they get back together? Maybe they’ll simply join forces in the fight against evil?
Law is no stranger to playing strong and complex female characters on television. Aside from playing the Lance sisters’ friend (and lover), she is best known for her role as Mira on the critically acclaimed STARZ series Spartacus: Blood and Sand (2010) and Spartacus: Vengeance (2012).
Taking time out of her busy schedule, the vivacious 30-year-old sat down with GALO and answered some of our more pressing questions about what awaits Nyssa when Arrow returns in January, as well as what other projects she’s been working on amidst her holiday plans.
GALO: Arrow is now in its fourth season on the CW Network, which has been intense, to say the least. Your character Nyssa al Ghul was originally introduced in season two of the hit show; however, you are reprising your role once again this season. We hear surprises and thrills are just around the corner where Nyssa’s concerned. Can you talk a little bit about Nyssa’s role this season?
Katrina Law: Nyssa is on a war path this season. She had finally come to terms with the loss of Sara (Caity Lotz) and found a way to let her go when Laurel (Katie Cassidy) came to Nanda Parbat wanting to revive Sara by using the Lazarus Pit, and Malcolm (John Barrowman) allowed it despite knowing it was against League code. As if Malcolm usurping the title of Ra’s al Ghul wasn’t fuel enough for vengeance, the resurrection of Sara without her soul sealed the deal. When we last saw Nyssa, she was being hauled off to the dungeons of Nanda Parbat for destroying the pit, but I am sure she has a plan for escape and revenge.
GALO: With Nyssa’s father now out of the picture and Malcolm very much in it, why do you feel she’s stayed with the League of Assassins rather than getting out of this secret society she seemed to despise so much when her father ruled? Does she feel that she has been potentially robbed of her birthright by Malcolm?
KL: No matter what perceived betrayals may or may not have happened while Nyssa’s father was Ra’s al Ghul, at the end of the day, Nanda Parbat is her home. Nyssa’s unwavering allegiance to her father and the League of Assassins split when Sara came into the picture, [but] while she may have thought her father’s treatment of the entire situation [was] unfair, her deference to the League of Assassins never changed.
In regards to ascending to Ra’s al Ghul, as far as Nyssa is concerned, it was and is her birthright. She feels completely robbed by Malcolm Merlyn.
GALO: If Nyssa does indeed become the new Ra’s, what kind of leader do you think she would be? Would she bring any changes with her rule?
KL: Nyssa would be a respected leader. She would lead by example and tradition and with a newfound empathy taught to her by the Lance sisters. I think she would change some of the more archaic traditions, such as destroying the entire village/city in which you came from in order to ascend to Ra’s al Ghul.
GALO: Being that Nyssa was forced to marry Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) in the previous season, she’s still technically married to him, correct? Is that storyline going to come into play at any point this season, especially seeing how he is now with Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards)?
KL: In Nyssa’s eyes, she is still married to Oliver. What happens in Nanda Parbat…is real and everlasting. That being said, I don’t know what the writers plan on doing with this storyline, but I think it would be fun and interesting to watch Felicity and Nyssa interact with this fact lingering in the back of both of their minds.
GALO: The burning question this season surrounds the resurrection of Nyssa’s love: Sara. (We don’t know about you, but we didn’t see THAT one coming at all!) Sara was brought back from the dead with no soul, which Nyssa was completely against. Of course, thanks to Team Arrow, she’s now back to her former self — or, well, trying her best. Do you think that Sara and Nyssa’s paths will cross again? Is there a chance they’ll reunite given how deep their love for each other was, or will each go on their own journey?
KL: As of right now, Nyssa has no idea that Sara’s soul has been returned to her. I do think their paths will cross again, and I am guessing it will be bittersweet. Nyssa knows the cost of using the Lazarus Pit and what it does to your soul. I’m sure she can imagine how much it must have cost Sara to get her soul back from hell. I would say the person Nyssa fell in love with would be gone and they would take some time to find common ground again, but I do believe in their love and I think eventually they would find their way back to each other again.
GALO: Speaking of the Lance sisters, let’s discuss Laurel for a moment. In seasons past, Nyssa and Laurel developed quite a bond since Sara’s death. She taught Laurel to fight and essentially to take Sara’s place as The Black Canary. Meanwhile, Laurel gave Nyssa a semblance of a “real” life and offered her true friendship. That bond seems to be broken now. Do you think there’s a chance that Nyssa will forgive Laurel for bringing Sara back? Or is there no going back for these two now?
KL: I really hope Laurel and Nyssa find a way to be friends again. I adore their relationship so much. And on a personal note, I love working with Katie Cassidy.
I do believe Nyssa will eventually forgive Laurel. Laurel acted out of ignorance and selfish love, neither of which Nyssa deems to be worthy enough of putting someone on the “enemies for life” list. I have high hopes.
GALO: Nyssa helped Team Arrow in the past in working against her father. She made a good ally to them at that time, as there seemed to be mutual respect for each other and a possible connection they had in working with her. Is there any possibility she might be joining them again this season in their fight against Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough)?
KL: Nyssa has definitely developed a soft spot for #TeamArrow. If they ever asked her for help, I think she would offer a hand — as long as it didn’t go against what was best for the League.
GALO: One thing people might be surprised to learn is that you play the bass and have a black belt in Taekwondo. Seeing how action-packed Arrow is, do you perform your own stunts and/or fight scenes? And can you tell us what you enjoy most about practicing this martial art and where this passion stems from for you?
KL: I perform as many stunts as James Bamford (Arrow stunt coordinator and director) and time and insurance policies allow. When I am not allowed to [do my own stunts], for any of the listed reasons, I have an extraordinarily talented stunt double, Atlin Mitchell, perform the stunts for me.
I was a dancer for most of my life, and then eventually got into martial arts because it was just one more thing to do. Also, because my instructor was hot. I fell into it fairly easily because of my dance training, and I am fairly athletic. Nowadays, I stick mainly to yoga.
GALO: Apart from the CW show, are you working on anything else? I hear there are two films in your future…
KL: I just had a movie released called Death Valley, directed by T.J. Scott and starring Nick E. Tarabay (Captain Boomerang from Arrow), Victoria Pratt, and Lochlyn Munro (also on Arrow). I play Annie Gunn, a Hollywood wannabe starlet who is having a hard time making it in the industry and decides to get her fame no matter what the cost. It was a fun, friend and family-type production, and one of the best experiences I have had to date.
In a completely different genre, 12 Gifts of Christmas just aired on Hallmark this past Thanksgiving, directed by Peter Sullivan and co-starring Aaron O’Connell. No punches or violence of any kind — just a fun, feel good movie for the holidays.
I also have an episode of Uncle Buck coming out on ABC soon.
GALO: And speaking of the holidays — do you have anything planned in terms of festivities or activities for the upcoming holiday season?
KL: No solid plans yet, but I am seriously thinking of spending some time in Yellowstone, surrounded by buffalo and snow. Or maybe I will stick to the palm trees and just hang out in L.A. We shall see.
GALO: Well, we hope you’ll have a wonderful holiday whether you’ll be basking in the warm L.A. sun or trekking through the snow in Yellowstone National Park. And we can’t wait to see what’s next for Nyssa on Arrow — you’ve certainly piqued our interest!
Catch Katrina Law as Nyssa al Ghul on The CW’s “Arrow” when it returns on January 20 at 8/7c. For more information about Law and her endeavors, you can follow her on Twitter @KatrinaLaw or by visiting her official website.