Agents of SHIELD Star Elizabeth Henstridge on the Big FitzSimmons Reunion, the Future of the Happy Couple, and More

Finally, after waiting for a over a year real-time, fans of Agents of SHIELD were finally treated [...]

Finally, after waiting for a over a year real-time, fans of Agents of SHIELD were finally treated to the reunion of Leo Fitz (Iain de Caestecker) and Jemma Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) in a mind-bogglingly touching episode. Throughout the hour, fans saws an episode that was equal parts funny and scary, nerve-wracking, and more. In anticipation of the major episode, ComicBook.com spoke with Henstridge on the much-anticipated reunion and the future of her character yet this season.

Full disclosure: major spoilers for the latest episode of Agents of SHIELD up ahead! If you have yet to see "Inescapable," proceed with caution!

ComicBook.com: After much anticipation, after much ranting and raving on Twitter, fans finally get the FitzSimmons reunion. Is this finally the happy ending after six and a half years?

Elizabeth Henstridge: I mean, it's a happy ending. I think, I mean it's definitely the deepest we've explored into FitzSimmons and their relationship, bot as individuals and together. I think if there were to be no more trauma, that would be great. This is their reuniting episode and I think, moving forward they're strong as ever and they're back together now...so long may it continue...

Now, we've seen Jemma a bit cutthroat a few times before, but then this season, she kicks it up a notch, right? Is this hardcore, no-nonsense version of Jemma going to be something that sticks around or do you think she scales it back now that she's with Fitz?

I think she'll continue to be pretty strong-minded and strong-willed and I think he helps to balance that side of her out and maybe bring out more of a sensitive side as well. I guess yes and no. She's definitely gained friends throughout all the seasons and her confidence in her ability at being strong and so, I think that will definitely continue going forward. Honestly, moving forward there's just so much that happens from this point on that being strong and ready for battle is sort of the only option. I think yes, she will maintain her strong attitude to survive.

In this episode, we get into a pseudo-Framework scenario again with the Chronicom tech. You get to play two, three, four different kind of versions of yourself, including a pre-season one Gemma Simmons. In preparation for this, did they make you go back and watch a couple of Season One episodes so you've got the mannerisms down or did you just jump right into it?

I've watched some stuff from earlier seasons, but I think it's funny because as soon as you put those costumes on you're kind of transported right back to where you were. The difference was I was a lot less nervous as an actor this time, putting those clothes on. It was such a cool thing to be able to do because when we filmed the pilot in 2013, I had never done anything...I had done a pilot in America and that was it. It was five days of filming and it was the best thing ever but I had never done anything on this scale or as a TV series and Joss Whedon was there. It was just the craziest experience and so to be able to put on those little Converse and remember how I felt, at that moment, it was really cool.

It's just such a nice reminder of gratitude and the opportunity that we were all given, what seems like a lifetime ago and how much has changed in our lives because of that one opportunity. It was just really cool and so to be given, and then to be able to play Simmons but have no trouble at this point was very freeing.

Absolutely. Another part of this kind of mind game stuff is a young version of Jemma. Ava [Mireille] absolutely crushes it as a young Jemma, right? How was it like working with the younger version of yourself, quote unquote?

She was so brilliant. I mean, she was so professional and she always had all her lines, so smart. She's lovely and her mom, they were just so wonderful to have on set. She worked really hard on the accent, and recorded her lines and as soon as she got cast, we were kind of connected and hung out. I was on set for her scenes and things and she's just so fun and devastatingly good that makes you think, "Oh God, I'm in trouble because if this is what's coming up, then I've lost." Yeah, it was so cool and to have her be in the mini versions of the clothes I was in, it was just really, it was really fun. And the fact that she was brilliant made it just a pure joy.

I think it might have been one of the last lines of the episode when Simmons drops the whole grandson bombshell on Fitz. Obviously, without giving too much of what's to come, how would you describe that initial meeting between Fitz and Deke?

I think it's more bewildering. It's a lot to take in, but it also allows Deke to kind of reinvent that relationship if he wants it to. They had a slightly strange relationship before that I think, this gives Deke a do over and we'll see if that makes the outcome any different in terms of how well they get on. But yeah, it definitely has a lot, a lot to catch up on.

Let's take it back a couple of episodes. We have to talk about the whole Kitson acid trip episode. Did working on that show for that week or 10 days, light a new fire within to pursue more comedic storylines or perhaps comedic roles elsewhere in your career?

Oh, yeah! I love comedy. It's something that I think Marvel does so well and it's one of the reasons I love Marvel so much is the quips that you get that kind of underlying everything and cutting through the very heavy emotional stuff. I think it's incredibly hard to write like that and for it to make sense but Marvel just does it so well. I think, in turn, our writers do it really well and definitely this season has been given a lot more comedic moments that it felt a bit more like season one. I feel like season one FitzSimmons were kind of a comedic relief in a way and then, they did horrific stuff to us and with the couple, like the trauma bringing past. So, yeah, I mean I love comedy and yeah, it definitely lights up that flame inside of you, that kind of you want to pursue that more and it's definitely something I'm thinking about.

*****

What's your favorite Jemma Simmons moment? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or by tweeting me at @AdamBarnhardt to chat all things SHIELD!

Agents of SHIELD airs Fridays starting at 8/7 p.m. Central on ABC.

0comments