Candice King Returns in "We Were Liars"

Suit by Dorothee Schumacher
Earrings by Heaven Mayhem

Candice King, best known for her iconic role as ‘Caroline Forbes’ in the CW’s smash hit “The Vampire Diaries” and its successful spinoffs, “The Originals” and “Legacies.” She is making an exciting return to television, starring in the highly anticipated Amazon series “We Were Liars,” all episodes are dropping this week on Amazon Prime Video.

Fans were excited after finding out you were playing one of the moms. How did you react when you found out?
I was on a plane! Luckily, I got the call before take-off.  Julie and Carina face-timed me, and I immediately started crying. The combination of getting to work with these incredible women again and be a part of this beloved story with such a huge following, was a dream come true.

Your performance in “We Were Liars” is earnest. How did you approach the role of Bess Sinclair, and was it a consistent process or one that changed throughout shooting the show?
I believe she is earnest at her core. The unraveling of perfectionist Bess Sinclair in both her marriage and motherhood was fun to play throughout the season.

The book was originally published at the height of the Tumblr era. Were you aware of the book before your audition and the grip it had on young girls and teens?
I learned about the book from Carina and Julie after they acquired it. I missed the tumblr era but caught the booktok era. The viral booktok videos are wild!

Every single cast member is incredibly talented.

Left:
Suit by Dorothee Schumacher
Earrings by Heaven Mayhem
Right:
Suit by Dorothee Schumacher
Earrings by Aureum Collective 

How did it feel watching the younger actors portraying the “Liars and the Littles” stand on their own? Did you give out any advice?
The energy the kids brought to set was infectious.  I say kids but really mean young adults. We all got together for a big cast family dinner before we began filming and it was a great opportunity for us to come together, get to know one another, and establish that we were ready to give this project our all. As far as the liars go, for some they’d been in the business growing up, and others had barely spent time on set. It was great to see them come together in support of one another, knowing how big their emotional arcs were within the show.

The show covers many themes, one of whichis breaking generational curses. As you grow older and watch this next generation grow, is there anything that you hope for them to learn from the previous one?
I don’t feel that the Sinclair’s are cursed. I feel that they believe they are above dealing with the consequences of their actions. Their secrets and their constant manipulation to control the narrative of the story has to catch up with them eventually. Secrets don’t stay buried.

I  have a lot of faith in this young generation. Their confidence in standing up for their beliefs, and participation in social justice, makes me feel like the kids are alright. But we as adults need to do more. Every time I’m at the state capitol—Nashville--to observe or participate in my right to protest, seeing the young generations turn out is always inspiring to me.

A through line of” We Were Liars” consists of mothers protecting their children, friends protecting each other and the process, pain is caused.

Left:
Suit by Dorothee Schumacher
Earrings by Heaven Mayhem
Shoes by HAGELSTAM
Right:
Dress by Ronny Kobo
Shoes by Kiana Ghavidel
Earrings by Aureum Collective 

Does loving someone always require a sense of hurt in some way or can it be avoided?
I’d like to believe that pain is not a requirement of love. Also to live is to suffer and all that jazz.

The relationships of these characters are delicately tangled together. How did everyone get along on set.
I feel so lucky to have had the chance to work with everyone on set and spend time together off set,especially us sisters. We are working mothers with young children so to have that sense of community and friendship was invaluable on off days.

Dress by HER CIPHER from Shop Zero
Earrings by Heaven Mayhem

From Episode 5 to the end of the season, it is intense. A lot of things fall into place and a lot of true feelings are revealed. How did you approach those scenes, especially with Esther McGregor, who plays your daughter? No spoilers, of course. Did you learn anything new about life, your craft, or yourself while shooting?
I am so giddy we get to see Bess have all of her temper tantrums. As sad as it all is. There inevitably is a day when kids learn that their parents are just people. Flawed and imperfect and full of questions without all the answers. That’s what I feel Mirren sees this season. She sees her mother as a flawed human instead of this picture-perfect mother. The words and beats were really on the page and created such a fun playground for Esther and I. Esther is just a great dance partner.

Life is messy. What is your favorite thing about it?
Cold brew and Taylor Swift.

“We Were Liars” is funny and sad at the same time. It tackles topics with a kind of nuance that grows with each episode.

What do you want audiences to keep in mind when watching the show, if anything?
I hope watching the show sucks you in like reading a good book.

Filming took place in Nova Scotia. Was it as, or more, beautiful in real life as it is on screen?
Yeah! It’s even more beautiful! We should all be booking trips to Nova Scotia.

CREW CREDITS:
Talent: Candice King
PhotoBook Editor-In-Chief: Alison Hernon
PhotoBook Creative Director: Mike Ruiz
Photographers: Rex Yu and Jones Crow
Fashion Stylist: Jordan Gross at The Only Agency
HMU: Bren Robertson
Fashion Stylist Assistant: Lola Brezin
Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Seana Watson, Associate Fashion Editor, PhotoBook Magazine

RELATED STORIES

Alison Hernon#CW, #The Vampire Diaries, #The Originals, #Legacies, #Amazon Prime, We Were Liars