iZombie's Rose McIver and Malcolm Goodwin On Season 2

The world of iZombie is a fast-changing one, and nobody knows that better than series star Rose McIver, who plays Olivia Moore on the rom-com-zom-dram on The CW.

At the moment, she's wrestling with an ex-fiancee and an ex(?)-best friend who both have only recently discovered that she's a high-functioning zombie, as well as a litany of other issues relating to her afterlife, all while estranged from her family as a result of the events of last season's finale.

During a set visit earlier tonight, Rose McIver and Malcolm Goodwin -- who plays Clive Babineaux on the series -- sat down with reporters to talk about what's next for the series.

Does it bother you that Clive still hasn't figured out the nature of what's going on with Liv?

McIver: Oh, no. I just think he's the most patient -- and opportunistic -- guy. It's also helping him do his job. Kind of regardless of how she does it, she seems to get pretty good clues. So he's definitely tolerant, but for me at least, I think Liv is glad that it's somebody who she doesn't have to battle with every time she takes the brains. People ordinarily would be judging her but he's really accepting.

Goodwin: I think Clive is just a result-oriented person. I always say he has tunnel vision. I'm sure he has a theory behind it; I think the first season he goes, "Don't be so method." That was his first time commenting on the multiple personality changes but I think as long as these crimes are being solved and these murderers are being brought to justice, that's all he cares about right now.

McIver: I've got some pretty weird friends in my own life. I feel like you can let a lot go.

Goodwin: I've definitely got some crazy friends with some multiple personalities. And that's the only way -- that's how he met Liv in the first place; he doesn't know anything other than having these multiple personalities so he probably just thinks it's multiple personality disorder.

Can you talk about learning magic tricks?

McIver: Oh, that was the most amazing opportunity. It's kind of interesting, though; it's like learning that Santa isn't real. Once you start looking into magic and you start learning about the tricks that they use and how it actually works, in some ways it's a double-edged sword because it's great that I can do a couple of really basic tricks now but at the same time you start to see behind the curtain a little bit, and that's been interesting.

Because I was the kind of person who went to Magic Castle and left sleepless, just thinking, "How did they trick me? They cut a kiwi up and pulled out my name!"

Goodwin: Remember, we tried to get you to teach us one trick -- the Jimmy Kimmel trick --

McIver: Oh, yeah. I'm not teaching you anything!

Goodwin: She's like "No! No!"

McIver: My magic consultant would not be impressed if I went around...

Goodwin: [Laughs] ...giving the secrets away.

McIver: Although you can go to YouTube now. Disappointing. But don't!

Goodwin: I'm doing that right after this interview.

You're going to be singing on Monday's episode. Can you talk a little about that?

McIver: Yeah! I love singing myself. I've kind of always sung bits and pieces and like a few chunks of of bands' or people's music or whatever, but I haven't done it seriously or with any diligence. Again, a great thing about this job is being able to pick something up again for a couple of weeks and dabble.

It was cool! It's a little nerve-wracking singing as Liv. I don't know; there's something about the vulnerability of when you're actually singing, and then putting on a character, and mashing those two was unusual for me. It's not something I had done. But it was a great opportunity and they wrote a beautiful song; they did a great job.

There's a big Clive episode coming up. Can you guys say anything about that?

Goodwin: Yeah. You learn about who he is.

McIver: Clive can cook! I'm giving them that! And I'm hoping that that's a real thing; you haven't invited me over for any dinners.

Goodwin: Oh, yeah, I can definitely throw down. I can cook in real life. Maybe not as good as Clive, but close enough.

But yeah, there's so many cool talents that he had that I didn't know and I found out and it was exciting to learn about. That episode kind of felt like a love letter to Clive; that's what Rahul kept calling it. And it just brings us together -- Clive, Liv and Ravi together -- more closely.

McIver: And I feel like you've done such a good job of...obviously you have your own story and where you're from that you've been working with, but you haven't had a chance to voice it on the show. We've got such a dense plot anyway and a few different characters that really we've been getting to know. So this is nice that it's your chance to be able to express all the stuff that I'm sure you've been waiting for.

Goodwin: Yeah, it's been fun. And there's been episodes where it's like "Wow! I'm not talking about the case. I'm just having a conversation. And that's been really exciting as Clive, trying to find his voice and just having a day to day conversation that has nothing to do with work. It's a lot of fun.

McIver: You guys will definitely be surprised.

Goodwin: There's a lot of surprising things...

McIver: And I'm going to tell them the one thing that was supposed to be in there, was supposed to be in next week's episode --

Goodwin: Oh yeah!

McIver: -- And I fought tooth and nail. It's the only time I've gone down to the writers' room and been like, "You can't lose this," but Rob [Thomas] ultimately said, "There's just no chance."

When Liv goes to the country music club, initially there had been talk of Clive being already there, and Clive's a line dancer.

Goodwin: I bought a line dancing video game, you know? Like Dance Dance Revolution, there's a line dancing, country dancing version. And I was like, "I'm ready. I've got the game, I'm ready to go if you decide to put that back."

McIver: Diane [Ruggiero-Wright] was all for it but Rob pulled the plug. Missed opportunity that time, but you see lots in the later episodes -- plenty.

Can you explain Clive's insane keyboard at his desk?

Goodwin: That split keyboard? No, I can't explain it! I've never seen that before. I know I would not be comfortable typing on that particular keyboard, but I don't know.

McIver: I think it's ergonomic. I think it's supposed to be better for your wrists and stuff. Maybe they should write that, that he's really ergonomic and he wears like those Sketchers Shape Ups and stuff.

Goodwin: I'm with that. More detail, more texture, I'm with that.

Liv is teaming up with Blaine a bit this year. Can you talk about that more?

McIver: It's such a nice opportunity to work with David Anders. He's one of my favorite actors that I've worked with honestly. He's so imaginative and he brings something new every single time. So for me, I think it's amazing that they were able to do with it and they've tied it in so cleverly and made it work in a way that Liv just completely needs to -- she relies on him, that's her kind of big chance. So it's nice that they have taken care of all the business and the details and made it so that I get to work with the wonderful David Anders. It's an interesting dynamic and it will be a lot of fun.

Can you guys talk about how your characters are interacting with Major in this coming episode?

McIver: Well, I think Liv is definitely -- we leave Season One and things are obviously terrible between them and he's trying to wrap his head around this new version of her and that's certainly a huge ask of anybody.

But at the same time, even as Rose, I get so tired of defending Liv because she's kind of really had a hard run herself, when she's having to explain herself to Peyton, she's having to explain herself to Major, to everybody all the time. She's done the best she can, and the writers have definitely made sure that we can still exist in the same world. I don't want to give you too many spoilers because I think it's too fun to enjoy how that actually plays out. But he lives with my colleague and we're very much exes who didn't want to ever separate so it's not done.

Goodwin: And Clive, he's still putting together the pieces from the Meat Cute massacre. He really can't approach Major until he has sufficient evidence. He's looking into that case on his off time because it's already deemed as solved. So once he gathers up the evidence that I think the audience knows is out there and the truth, I think that's when he'll eventually approach Major on that.

Can you talk about what's ahead for your relationship with Peyton? She sort of made a gesture with the birthday cake.

McIver: Yeah. I think that birthday cake, it's an olive branch. It's a gesture and it speaks volumes for her saying, "I don't know how I'm going to process this or how to make sense of it just yet, but I'm here and this isn't over." Again, these are huge pills for Liv's close friends and intimate relations. All of those people are having to handle a lot and I think I understand that that's not something we can expect overnight.

But she's certainly glad that Peyton's back. We see a lot in the next couple of episodes and there's a really interesting journey with Peyton, too, I didn't see coming at all. I think that one's going to surprise you.