Rose McIver Previews Final Season of ‘iZombie,’ Including New Brains and a Family Reunion, at Fan Expo Canada

Rose McIver took time out of her busy schedule filming iZombie’s final season in Vancouver to visit Fan Expo Canada last month.

With a packed audience of fans from all across Canada and the U.S. coming to watch McIver’s panel, The CW show’s presence was certainly felt and McIver didn’t hold back as she discussed saying goodbye to Liv and what fans can expect from the final season.

New Brains On The Menu

Rose graciously gave away tidbits about this season despite noting that Rob Thomas would be coming to throw her in jail. The panel pointed out that this her final season and she can’t get fired off the show now, to which McIver joked, “Caution to the wind now I guess. This is what we are doing — [laughs] this is how it ends.”

McIver was able to tease several brains we’ll get to see in the fifth season, including a co-dependant salsa dancer brain. “Dungeon and Dragons brain was up there but this is one of my favorite brains I have ever done. We are in the thick of it right now with costume tests and things,” she explained.

And if you ever wondered what her dream brain persona would be to play, McIver revealed it is coming this season.

“The one I wanted to do that I got to do was the fitness guru brain. You know the bodybuilder or Instagram fitness poster who is always giving you snoot guilt-inducing advice and is always counting your calories. That brain I just did in the last episode and now I am fresh out of ideas.”

Despite having such a diverse menu of brains to choose from, the fake brains used on iZombie during Liv’s cooking sessions and meals are notoriously known amongst the cast and crew for having an undesirable taste. So when asked if the taste of the fake brains had improved, McIver was happy to report they had.

She also shared her methods for coping with the taste.

“Now they put like a mound of them in amongst the food and they end up having to get so many takes because they see me continuously go for the pasta right beside the brains. They’ll say, ‘Rose there’s a camera on you. We know you’re not eating that brain’. So I use a lot of hot sauce — I do love hot sauce.”

And if given the chance to consume a celebrity’s brain on the show in the future, McIver had two very different choices for Liv in mind. “I would go with Bobby Flay or Lebron James.”

But McIver couldn’t let Liv take all the credit for the gourmet meals we see on the show, “Confession time, Liv doesn’t make the brains. A brilliant chef named Juno that works for the show is our prop chef and he is the one that is becoming the master at it.”

And according to McIver, his hardest job isn’t making the brains it’s getting her to eat them. “It’s like tricking a baby into eating its vegetables with me,” she laughed.

The Art of Brain Personas

After years of researching different brain personas, one can only imagine what McIver’s browser search history looks like. “The dominatrix’s brain got a little weird,” she admitted to audience laughter.

McIver went on to explain the process of creating these personas is no easy feat for anyone involved, “It is quite challenging to try and come up within a couple of weeks with a whole character. The writers do so much of it for me and there are all these great references they throw out. A lot of it is them.”

But when it comes to finding inspiration for each role, McIver has her own unique methods — one of which will have you second guessing any interaction you might have with her at a convention.

“Youtube is an amazing resource — and people watching,” she confessed.

“Conventions are great because you meet people from all walks of life and that’s what I love about this environment. It brings together people with common interests of all these different careers and backgrounds. So the inspiration is everywhere. You never know who I could be drawing from when I meet you. I might just be studying and sizing you up,”

As for choosing her favorite brain from the series so far, McIver explained choosing a favorite brain was like choosing a favorite child.

However, one did come to mind that was definitely a crowd pleaser for Canadian fans this season on iZombie. “I loved hockey goon brain because I use to figure skate as a kid. Turns out hockey skates and figure skates are two very different things, but it was really fun and there were lots of jokes the crew loved because our crew was all from Vancouver.”

And speaking of Vancouver, which has served as the backdrop to Seattle for 4 seasons now on iZombie, McIver brought up a unique experience that came up while filming a certain brain of the week.

“What was cool about the real housewife brain was we actually had an actor who’s mother was on Real Housewives of Vancouver. We didn’t even know that was a show at the time — I hadn’t seen it and I was completely star struck,” she recalled.

“His mother actually came in and checked me out. She was very manicured and really lovely. It was nice to meet someone being characterized in a particular way for the show and know they are a great person despite presenting themselves in a different way. Although it was a very high maintenance episode for Liv.”

Liv Moore isn’t just a morgue assistant, she’s an undead zombie who takes on the personality of the brains she eats. But according to McIver, the brains were never intended to be such a main focus of iZombie when she first auditioned for the role.

“In the pilot, I had to do this Romanian hoarder character, but we didn’t know when I was auditioning that the brains would become such a big part of the show. So thankfully I didn’t have to jump through too many hoops to get the job,” she confessed.

Thankfully, everything worked out as McIver has proved time and time again that she is a master of character work.

McIver also shared an interesting tidbit about the show’s auditioning process: “I think I was the last person to audition for Liv. When Rob Thomas cast Veronica Mars Kristen Bell was the first person to walk in and with iZombie, I was the last person.”

iZombie has always done funny well with unrivaled witty banter and unique circumstantial comedy, but very little is actually improvised by the cast.

“We work exactly the script. We did have a couple of lines this season that was not in the script but that is Rahul because he is very good at improv,” she revealed. “We usually have to give what is scripted but occasionally we’ll be allowed to add lines.”

“I already get to have freedom just in the exploration of bringing these characters to life. For example, with this fitness guru, there are so many different versions of the character from a guy with a health smoothie addiction to a yoga teacher that we play with on the first day.”

Off Screen Friendships

With many fans traveling from all across the world to visit Canada Fan Expo this year, everyone was eager for playlist suggestions to keep them entertained on their trips home. McIver had one great option for anyone deprived of entertainment. “Have you heard of Aly and AJ?” she slyly suggested.

For those that weren’t aware, one half of the sister singing duo Aly and AJ is Alyson Michalka, who plays Liv’s best friend and roommate Peyton Charles on iZombie. Hearing how much McIver admires and supports Michalka offscreen is rather heartwarming.

Not only does their friendship in real life translate to a strong dynamic onscreen but it seems McIver has been a long time fan of her band regardless. “I went to their concert and I was rocking out like I was sixteen. Their song Take Me is so good and of course old classics like Potential Breakup Song –– I’ve been blasting that.”

It is truly McIver’s chemistry with Michalka and the rest of the cast that has allowed iZombie to stand the test of time. She elaborated on these relationships and why they work so well later on in the panel when a fan asked if Ravi and Liv’s friendship would develop into more.

McIver assured no romantic relationship between Liv and Ravi will be happening anytime soon. “No, it will not get romantic. Rahul (Kohli) and I could not have a more platonic couple relationship [laughs]. I adore him but Rahul and Malcolm (Goodwin) are more like brothers to me. They are very special friends and they are family to me.”

“And like brothers, in general, their characters don’t really explore that side of things on the show. I like Ravi and Liv’s relationship. You don’t always see that on television and in movies. I have guy friends who are so important to me and who I wouldn’t compromise by risking dating. So it is nice to see that on screen.”

When it comes to her male costars, McIver had nothing but praise for iZombie’s leading men both in front and behind the camera.

“I thought zombified Ravi was brilliant. I loved Rahul on heroin addict brain. He did such a good job on that and he does everything 150%.”

Which is precisely what McIver believes makes iZombie the unique show it is today. “iZombie is such a diverse kind of show and it’s a chance to see different people and different representations portray different people and brain stereotypes,” she elaborated.

A perfect example of this is Robert Buckley as a teenage girl, which happens to be one of McIver’s personal favorite performances. “It was the role he was born to play,” she laughed.

Then there is show creator, Rob Thomas, who McIver says goes by Hot Rob on set. “Because Rob Buckley very generously gave Thomas the name Hot Rob to differentiate between the two of them.”

While there was initial confusion over just what Rob was attached to the project, McIver had nothing but kind words for the iZombie and Veronica Mars creator.

“It was fun working out that he wasn’t the same guy as Matchbox Twenty musician Rob Thomas and then we did get to work with Matchbox Twenty Rob when he was on the show — which was just novel,” McIver said.

“But Hot Rob is lovely and an incredible boss. He’s got a very strong vision, he knows what he wants but you certainly feel like your ideas are still valid and that’s not always the case in network television.”

Coming Up On iZombie

How will iZombie possibly top a co-dependant salsa dancer and fitness guru brain in Season 5? With one very important family reunion.

That’s right — Liv’s mother and brother Evan, who have been absent from the show since an ugly fallout at the end of Season 1, will make their return to Seattle for the final season.

“They are back and you will get to see them again in a really cool way,” McIver confirms.

“The hard thing is we have six series regulars on the show and the writers have to write to them. With Liv’s family, it took the whole story into a tangent that we couldn’t afford to have in an hour of television. So, unfortunately, we didn’t get to explore that storyline enough but they do come back in season 5.”

As for how the show will end, McIver admitted she doesn’t know how Liv’s story will conclude. “I started saying to Rob Thomas to stop writing Liv boyfriends because that is a death sentence, we all know that. But Major and Liv — you know I want it to happen.”

Regardless of if Liv ends up with her pre-zombie soulmate, McIver hoped the ending involved some happiness for Liv Moore. “I hope she gets her version of a happy ending, especially because I think her version of that has changed since becoming a zombie. Liv has learned so much about herself through her trials and tribulations,” she explained.

“I don’t know exactly what that happy ending is for her yet — we are currently filming episode 3 — but I’m excited to find out and grill Rob Thomas for the answer.”

The Fanbase

McIver was very genuine and appreciative when speaking about the fans that have rallied around iZombie since its pilot. And it would seem her respect for the fanbase extends into her love for attending conventions.

“We are in such a vortex when we are shooting. So for me I love coming to these conventions seeing how the show has impacted people,” she stated.

McIver elaborated by explaining, “There are people that have told me they are studying to become morgue technicians and we have a morgue consultant on the show who I respect so much — she has the darkest sense of humor. But it’s such a brave and noble occupation for me that we just don’t hear enough about.”

“Things like that every time I hear them I think how lucky I am to be a part of this.”

The iZombie fanbase hasn’t been shy about letting McIver know how much the show and her character means to them. Conventions have given these fans a chance to share their creativity and admiration for the actress and McIver couldn’t be happier with the projects they’ve chosen to share with her over the years.

“Two amazing fans have made iZombie cookbooks and I’ve got them at home- they are so clever and detailed,” she was delighted to share.

But cookbooks were just the beginning, “I recently saw a Lego Liv and they had customized it so when you take the wig off you can turn the head and Liv is in rage mode. The person had also built a replica of the morgue with Ravi and the bone saw. It was so imaginative. I have so much respect for the creativity in this fandom.”

Life After iZombie

While McIver deserves praise for playing so many different and complicated versions of Liv Moore over the years, she recently found herself in the spotlight for another complex role.

Netflix surprised everyone during the holidays last year with a festive film that had all the cringe and over the top decorations of a classic Christmas romance movie. A Christmas Prince quickly became the newest binge and obsession of anyone with a subscription to Netflix over the holidays.

The question on everyone’s mind was whether or not a sequel to the acclaimed Christmas film could happen in the future. Not only could a sequel happen, according to McIver it’s already in the works.

“I have good news for you. The sequel to the A Christmas Prince is actually coming out this year. So yay to more drinking games and jigsaw puzzles,” she joked.

“We filmed it this year in Romania and it’s a real treat. I love watching holiday films and eating comfort food around the holidays when you don’t want to use your brain too much. So there are plenty of great details in this movie I’m excited for you guys to see.”

As for what she would like to do after iZombie, McIver would love to return to the stage, “I would like to do theatre. I started back in New Zealand and I think that’s a really different and challenging skill set to use, so I would like to look into that. And drama — really heavy drama.”

Now that we know Liv will be hanging up her lab coat at the end of season 5, it’s not only time for us to start saying our goodbyes but to start looking to a future without iZombie.

For McIver, the role isn’t going to be easy to say goodbye to when the time comes.

“This job’s going to be very hard to beat for me,” she admitted. “When you’re a little kid and you imagine what it’s going to be like as an actor and playing all these different characters, this is the job I get to do that in.”

When asked what fans should take away from the show, she hoped iZombie’s overtones would not be overlooked.

“There is quite a lot of stuff about a divisive community and being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and what if it were you. Right now in the world, there are plenty of reasons people are feeling afraid and separated, so we hope this show promotes integration.”

For the New Zealand native, seeing the issues surrounding refuges right now addressed in the show was particularly important for her. “That was something I felt strongly about. In season 4 we had a refugee crisis and as much as it is a silly zombie comedy show and I eat brains, it has been a cool opportunity to touch on thing I feel passionate about.”

In the end, McIver asked that if fans could take anything away from iZombie, let it be this, “We went into this thinking this show will be about celebrating the freak that you are and what is weird about you. That what makes you weird isn’t something you have to change or conform but rather, lean into.”

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Find out more about Fan Expo Canada here.

iZombie is scheduled to return for its fifth and final season in early 2019 on The CW.

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