Mayfair Witches: Tongayi Chirisa Teases "Rogue Element" for Ciprien (Exclusive)

The Season 1 finale of Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches saw major changes for everyone involved in the story. With previous episode revealing that Rowan was the key to fulfilling the long-held prophecy about Lasher and seeing Rowan call on Lasher after Tessa's murder, the stakes were higher than ever for Ciprien to intervene and protect the woman he's come to love. In the finale, "What Rough Beast", those efforts take an interesting turn for Ciprien and now, Tongayi Chirisa is opening up about the big shift for his character and how he could be a "rogue element" in Season 2.

Warning: spoilers for the season 1 finale of Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches beyond this point.

After learning that Rowan is pregnant in "Tessa" as well as learning about the Talamasca's involvement in helping bring the prophecy to fruition, Ciprien moves to get involved, planning to take the newly born Lasher from Rowan to give to the Talamasca to observe. It's something that he sees as a way to protect Rowan from devilish entity, but Rowan resists, seeing this as his efforts to control her and her power. Chirisa tells ComicBook.com that the whole series of events is world-shattering for Ciprien.

"I think the biggest thing is that his world is completely shattered. What he was led to believe, what he stood for, the person that kind of roped him in, took care of him… when all is revealed, he has to start to really question who he is," Chirisa said. "I think for the first time you start to see Ciprien actually taking on his own thoughts, his own decisions as to how he needs to now navigate in this world where pretty much everybody has been guiding him to become or do certain things. So, I think that' snice when you start to see his own personality really starting to manifest in the finale."

But even with his personality manifesting, Ciprien is willing to do something that seems terrible — taking Rowan's child from her — in the name of protecting her. It's a move reminiscent of Carlotta.

"That's the thing," he said. "It's like there's this saying, every dictator has his interest to do what they're doing. They believe with all their heart that they're doing the right thing. And I think because he's been by the book for such a long time, it's almost like we start to see him operating from a very instinctual place, which is actually very interesting because yes, there is a genuine concern and care for Rowan's character. And knowing what he now knows, about the thirteenth witch and everything that's manifesting, it's like, 'Well, I still have my role to play. And that is to protect Rowan, to save her from Lasher however way possible.'"

He continued, "So, it might start to look a little unorthodox because it is. He's going against everything he's being taught. And I think I like where that's going to see how much of this rogue element is Ciprien going to have come Season 2. Will he still conform to the Talamsaca? Does he still become this jaded agent because of the lies that he's been told all in the name of preserving the integrity of the Talamasca?"

Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches is now streaming on AMC+.