‘The Punisher’: Deborah Ann Woll Wants to Tell More of Karen and Frank’s Story

Though Karen Page got her first big break with the Law Offices of Nelson and Murdock in the Marvel series Daredevil, she has since become a part of Frank Castle’s world.

Actor Deborah Ann Woll recently spoke with Collider about her character and how she hopes to return to The Punisher in the future.

“When they knew they were going to do a Punisher show, I hoped that I would get to be a part of it,” said Woll. “And then, eventually they call your reps and ask for your availability, and all that stuff.

“When I found out, I was so glad ’cause I really love the relationship between Frank and Karen, and I’m certainly not done telling that story yet, not even after The Punisher Season 1. There’s still more that I’d like to dig into. Any opportunity that I get to strengthen those stories is a good thing.”

Woll said she enjoys working with Jon Bernthal and loves the approach he brings to Frank Castle.

“The Punisher is a character that hasn’t really had an arc yet. I don’t know his comic book history, as well as I do some of the others, but it seems easy for him to be the killing machine anti-hero,” Woll said. “Jon has that natural vulnerability and sensitivity that can make you scared of him, as well as love him, at the same time. It’s an exciting show for him because he plays the character in a way that hasn’t quite been done before.”

The show treats Karen as a sort of emotional anchor for Frank, who is typically devoid of such a luxury since his family was murdered. Woll said she enjoys the quiet, emotional moments between the two characters.

“One of our favorite moments is in one of the very first scenes, when she hugs him, out of the blue,” Woll said. “I liked that because, in reading the first two episodes, you’ve been through so much and learned so much about all of the horrible things that have happened to him that by that moment, the audience wants to give him a hug. You want to reach out to him and be like, ‘It’s okay! You don’t have to kill!’ I liked that, in that moment, I could speak for the audience. I could reach out and treat him like a human being, in a way that a lot of the rest of the world won’t.”

Karen Page will likely make her next Marvel appearance in Daredevil Season 3. A second season of The Punisher was recently announced by Netflix.