CW’s iZombie stars are excited about the 3rd Season Premiere
iZombie fans will be happy to hear the popular CW show returns for its third season on Tuesday! Tracy chats with two of the show’s stars, Rose McIver and Rahul Kohli, about what’s next for television’s only rom-com-zom-dram!“iZOMBIE”
(Tuesday at 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET) on The CW
Throughout the riveting first season of iZombie, Liv Moore (Rose McIver) learned to embrace her undead life and use her zombie powers for good. As an intrepid, zombified medical examiner, Liv ate the brains of the morgue cadavers and, under the guise of being a psychic, used her visions to assist Detective Clive Babineaux (Malcolm Goodwin) in solving murder cases. While Liv’s boss and sole confidante, Dr. Ravi Chakrabarti (Rahul Kohli), worked on a cure for her unthinkable condition, Liv battled the evil, zombie-making, brain-dealing Blaine (David Anders) and struggled to protect her loved ones and all of Seattle from a potential zombie apocalypse. Standing directly and unwittingly in the path of the oncoming zombie train is Liv’s ex-fiancée Major Lilywhite (Robert Buckley), whose life spiraled out of control when he uncovered the truth behind the rash of disappearances in Seattle – and what was really being served up at Blaine’s butcher shop.
After months of experiments, Ravi comes up with what he thinks could be the cure for zombie-ism. Due to the lack of tainted Utopium, he’s only able to produce one vial of it. When Major faces death as he meets Blaine in a final confrontation, Liv uses half of the cure on Blaine to keep him at bay, and the other half on Major to save him from becoming the newest member of the undead.
In season two, with Liv’s secret out, she faced new and even more powerful enemies, and old enemies in surprising new forms. And with the zombies of Seattle mysteriously disappearing, Liv and Blaine reluctantly found themselves on the same side. Unlikely alliances were struck, relationships challenged, and the line between good and evil blurred for both zombies and the fully living.
In season three, Liv has discovered there are more zombies living in Seattle than she previously believed. In fact, there’s a private military contractor employing a small zombie army, and that army is preparing for the day humans learn of their existence. Major finds a job and acceptance in this army. Liv and Clive investigate the murder of a zombie family that may just set off an all-out zombie-human war. Ravi’s former boss at the Center for Disease Control shows up in Seattle to investigate the Max Rager massacre. Blaine finds living as a human with no memory of his evil past is more blessing than curse. Peyton pulls at a thread in one of her cases that may lead to the villain that’s pulling all the strings. This season Liv will eat the brains and take on the traits of a dominatrix, a JACKASS-style stunt man, an office gossip, a pre-school teacher, a conspiracy theorist, a dungeon master, and many more.
ROSE MCIVER
Olivia Moore in “iZombie”
In The CW’s fan-favorite Rom-Com-Zom-Dram, “iZombie,” Rose McIver stars as Olivia “Liv” Moore, a rosy-cheeked, disciplined, over-achieving medical resident who had her life path completely mapped out…until the night she attended a party that unexpectedly turned into a zombie feeding frenzy.
McIver was born and raised just west of the city of Auckland, New Zealand. She got her start in acting when her older brother was scouted for a short film called “The Joker,” and she played his infant sibling. Establishing herself as a child who could behave on set and remember lines, she began to get more roles.
Her first significant role was at the young age of 3, where she played an angel in the Oscar-winning movie “The Piano.” McIver went on to pursue acting while at grade school and, during school holiday breaks, she would book small roles in local films and television shows. At 16, she landed the lead in the television series “Maddigan’s Quest.” After that, she juggled school and work for her final two years of high school.
McIver previously recurred on the critically acclaimed series “Masters of Sex,” playing Vivian, the daughter of Provost Barton Scully, played by Beau Bridges, and Alison Janney’s character, Margaret. She also played the beloved character Tinkerbell on the hit series “Once Upon A Time,” and starred in the Lifetime original movie “Petals on the Wind,” a sequel to the highly rated Lifetime original movie “Flowers in the Attic.” On the big screen, McIver starred in the film “Brightest Star” as Charlotte, the romantic lead opposite Chris Lowell.
Other film credits include the multi-award-winning film “The Lovely Bones,” directed by Peter Jackson, starring opposite Mark Wahlberg and Rachel Weisz, and the independent film “Blinder,” starring opposite Jack Thompson and Anna Hutchinson.
McIver is based in Los Angeles, but often goes back to New Zealand, which she also considers home.
RAHUL KOHLI
Dr. Ravi Chakrabarti in “iZombie”
Rahul Kohli plays Dr. Ravi Chakrabarti, Liv’s (Rose McIver) boss in the Seattle coroner’s office, on The CW’s fan-favorite Rom-Com-Zom-Dram, “iZombie.
Kohli was born in London, England, and began acting in school plays at an early age, but it wasn’t until he was 17 that drama became his main focus. After studying film in college, Kohli applied for drama schools and began to learn his trade on stage, performing in various theater productions from William Shakespeare’s “Henry V” to Eduardo De Filippo’s “Sabato, domenica e lunedi.” After leaving the theater and acquiring an agent, Kohli worked on British television, performing in well-known dramas such as “Eastenders” and “Holby City,” as well as working on worldwide advertising campaigns for Heineken and Sony.
While screen acting has always been his primary focus, Kohli still enjoys being on stage, including a stint at The National Theatre working with acclaimed director Howard Davies.