Agent Carter fans packed a panel with series stars Hayley Atwell and Lyndsy Fonseca to standing-room only proportions at Wizard World St. Louis Comic Con this past weekend.
The two actresses not only discussed their experiences with the series, which recently received approval for a second season, but also about what it's like working on a series that portrays women in a positive light.
As Agent Carter is the first female-led entry in the Marvel cinematic universe, it's bound to have an impact on the future of the brand, at least in television and film. Atwell believes that fan demand fueled a second season for her series and that will affect future offerings by Marvel.
"I think it's the support of the fans saying that they want that and they want more of it," Atwell said. "And it's a dialogue between the audience and the industry saying this is what we want and this is what we're ready for. I felt like the audience was speaking out. And I do hope that it will start a quiet revolution because the audience is there and they want it. It's time."
So what makes Agent Carter so special? Atwell and Fonseca both believe that part of the reason has to do with the friendship between their characters, Peggy and Angie.
"Isn't it nice to have a friendship with two women on screen that's not competitive?" asked Atwell. "And that's not negative? That isn't centered around a love interest or a man? I feel that's really refreshing and something that Marvel were very keen to promote. And that's one of the reasons that I think people like the show, because people are represented in a much more interesting and realistic way."
Fonseca agreed, "The creators are women, although there are men on the writing staff, as well, but there's an incredible voice and incredible writing where you're just reading the page and you just love it," she said. "But yeah, we have really incredible writers and I just feel like 'oh, thank you.'"
Fonseca also addressed a question about any concerns she had about portraying the best friend to the show's main character, especially when such characters often devolve into simple tropes.
"I think that's a worry about any role," she said. "The challenge is to bring as much complication as people have in real life to the characters. But, again, I feel like with Agent Carter, there's so much there that you almost have to rise to it."
Obviously, with Agent Carter recently getting greenlit for a second season, the actresses discussed what they'd like to see when the show returns.
"It's going to be set in L.A. and it's set a year later," said Atwell. "Peggy's in quite a different place. She's not grieving as much. It's not as raw for her to have lost Steve. I think we'll see much more light, warmth and humor. But I think there will also be something very like L.A. Confidential, the film noir, the very glamorous L.A. life with that sort of dark underbelly of L.A. in the '40s."
Atwell was also hopeful that Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) would play into the second season somehow, and even dropped the hint that Jarvis (James D'Arcy) would return in season two.
"Jarvis works for Howard Stark so there has to be some reason why he's in the season," Atwell said. "Hopefully, we'll get Dominic. I'll text him and see if he's available. He's a very busy boy, he's always working."
Agent Carter did a great job of tackling gender issues in the '40s, and both actresses hope to continue that into the second season.
"I think, probably, what is most interesting is how Peggy balances work and her romantic private life," said Atwell. "I think that's a very relevant topic of conversation nowadays, isn't it? How do women do it all? And I think it would be nice to see Peggy tackling that, so that she has something for herself at home, and yet that doesn't stop her from achieving what she wants to with work."
Fonseca further explored that idea. "There's this idea of women working and what they're forced to do, what's happening right now, and I think what I love about Peggy on the show is how she doesn't tell us as an audience how to do it, she does it by example."
Atwell concluded saying that she believed that Agent Carter's second season would "fulfill fans' expectations."
[Photo Credit: Robin Burks]
Be sure to follow T-Lounge on Twitter and visit our Facebook page.
