‘Jessica Jones’: New Details on Season 2’s Mysterious Villain

The second season of Jessica Jones is just days away from premiering on Netflix, but fans still have a major question about the new round of episodes: how are they planning to top Kilgrave?

The villain of Jessica Jones Season 2 has been shrouded in mystery, though we do know Janet McTeer will be playing the new character. The actor recently spoke with EW about her role and how she fits into the series.

“It was a very physical character,” said McTeer, teasing her character would be able to go toe-to-toe against Jessica. “To play somebody with her kind of issues was something I’d never done before… The way she looks at life is a little skewed.”

It’s likely that McTeer’s character will have something to do with Jessica’s investigation into IGH, the mysterious company that provided super powers to the hard-drinking private eye. And if she has some fight scenes, it’s pretty unique for an actor like McTeer.

Physical super villain roles aren’t typically offered to older women, and McTeer saw this as an opportunity to stretch beyond her comfort zone.

“When they sent me scripts of the part, I thought, ‘This is a part I haven’t played before,’” she said. “To do something you’ve never done before when you’re my age is really cool. I liked the challenge… I realized that it’s hard enough running around when you’re 25, but when you’re 55, that’s harder.”

But that was one of the reasons why series showrunner Melissa Rosenberg wanted McTeer for the role.

“We’re both the same age, and so we had this immediate bond in terms of where we are in our lives,” said Rosenberg. She also pointed out McTeer’s size as one of the determining factors, as the actor is over six feet tall. “Being a physically imposing person, you go through the world in a different way.”

McTeer said she enjoys that the series tackles issues that aren’t prominent on other shows, much less other superhero shows.

“These characters are damaged by abuse but are nevertheless struggling their way through life, to try and overcome it and be happy,” McTeer said. “They’re strong and weak at the same time.”

The second season of Jessica Jones premieres on Netflix this Thursday, March 8th, in conjunction with International Women’s Day.