INTERVIEW: Jade Tailor Talks ‘The Magicians’ Season Finale

Jade Tailor took the time to chat with us prior to the season finale of The Magicians, which airs this Wednesday on Syfy. The actress, singer, and screenwriter had a lot to say about Kady’s romance with Penny and her friendship with Julia. We may even have managed to squeeze a few hints about the finale and the third season out of her. Check out her answers below:

The relationship between Kady and Penny has evolved so much over the course of The Magicians’ first two seasons. Can you talk about that journey a little bit?
Jade Tailor: Where do I begin with them? They start out in this very interesting scenario because Kady is having to protect her mother, and she’s really fighting to do so. She doesn’t mean to hurt Penny in the process, but ends up doing that. She thinks she’s doing what’s right. I think she’s always really loved him, she just didn’t know how to show that because there’s always so much fear of losing another person that she cared about. So I don’t think her feelings for him have ever changed, they’ve just grown.
It’s really beautiful to see a lot more depth and vulnerability with them. They’ve both realized their mechanisms of protecting themselves were fear-based, and sort of put them aside to be with each other. I think their relationship will continue to grow and be tumultuous as ever. I can tell you that in the season finale there is a lot at stake with their relationship.

Penny goes himself into quite the situation last episode. How far will Kady go to help him?
Jade: She might resort back to some old patterns. You’ll see what I mean when you watch it.

Julia and Kady’s relationship made up a lot of The Magicians’ emotional core this season. What is it like working so much with Stella, and how do you feel about their friendship so far?
Jade: It’s been wonderful. It’s really beautiful for so many reasons to see two people that are very different yet very similar coming together for the greater good. But also two very strong women that care deeply about one another fighting for each other. Kady really fights for Julia this whole season, and that could have been lost by the end of last episode. I think at first it began as Kady feeling like she needed to redeem herself for having left Julia in that awful situation with Reynard, and then it becomes something much deeper than that. I think they really create a special bond, and it’s really important for us to talk about those really really big topics, about abortion and choice. For us it was really powerful, and it’s really a big gift to get to show these two women supporting each other rather than turn on one another.

How will Kady be affected by what she was forced to do to John Gaines?
Jade: That’s a good question, I have no idea. Let’s see what the writers give me. I think it’ll definitely affect the relationship [with Julia]. You saw how it affected Kady – the anger and the hurt. The reason why she was fighting to kill Reynard this whole time was for Julia… Having gone on this mission for nothing and to have killed someone she cares about for nothing, it’s going to definitely take a toll.

Now that the Reynard chapter of Kady’s story has closed, what would you like to see next for her?
Jade: [In the finale,] she gets to work with a very special character, which I think will take her in a whole other direction and on a whole other mission. It’s a new-ish character, and you’ll get to watch that relationship develop.

A lot of Kady’s development so far has been through her relationships. What are other aspects of her life that you’d like to see explored in other seasons?
Jade: I love playing with her physicality and just punching everyone, that’s so fun for me. Just because she is such a multi-faceted character, and it’s always something new. Like, oh, she can sign! Oh, she can speak Hebrew! I’d love to delve more into where that comes from, and how she knows all of those things. I don’t think we’ve seen the limitation of her skills yet; I think it’s just the beginning.

Congratulations to The Magicians on being renewed for season 3. What else do you think they can put these students through?
Jade: The possibilities are endless. I definitely want to see some unicorns and more talking animals. I jokingly but not really jokingly said to Sera Gamble, who’s our executive producer, “We have similar features. I just need you to come and play my aunt or my sister.” I think there’s a lot more family members that can be implemented, and some more musical numbers. I’ve been heckling John about giving me a musical number because I’m a singer. It’s happening this year; I’m making it happen.

Do you have any other projects that you’re working on outside of The Magicians?
Jade: Yeah. I’m also a writer, so I have a couple scripts I’m working on. I also am working on an album right now, and I also have a couple movements that I’ve started. One is about empowering women to empower one another. And the other, TRYBE, stands for Transform Resurrect Yourself Be Empowered. It’s all about empowerment through art.

Finally, what’s your dream role?
Jade: I love period pieces, especially in the 30s and 40s. I’m obsessed with that era. I’m not going to reveal the person specifically, but it’s a 1930s/40s actress that I’m writing a script about just because nobody’s done it yet. I’ve also written a script about my grandparents and their journey through the Holocaust. For me, it’s all about doing roles that are about inspiring and powerful women that have gone through turmoil and came out through the other side.