Patti LuPone only had a cameo appearance in an episode of Season 2 of the British-American horror TV series “Penny Dreadful” on Showtime and she appeared mostly opposite show’s female protagonist Eva Green, playing the role of Vanessa Ives.
But in that lone episode, which is actually episode 3, Patti LuPone was able to show her good working chemistry with Eva Green while playing the role of the cut-wife Joan Clayton.
Cut-wife is a term used during the Victorian era to describe a hedge witch, who decided to sever her ties to her coven and supposed marriage to the fallen angel Lucifer. But when she appeared in that episode of Season 2, Patti was more than just a cut-wife, she and her remote house became the refuge of Vanessa Ives when she was out trying to find herself and who she was.
So although her previous character in “Penny Dreadful” was burned to the stakes by the townsfolks also on the same episode, the producers and showrunner of the show decided to bring back Patti LuPone precisely because of her good rapport with Eva Green.
But instead of being the cut-wife returning from the dead, Patti shall be playing the role of Dr. Seward, an enigmatic American psychiatrist. Her name was derived directly from Bram Stoker’s novel “Dracula.”
In Stoker’s novel, Dr. Seward is a male and one of the main protagonists who are fighting the evil vampire. He was also a head psychiatrist in an asylum where one of his patients was, in fact, working for Dracula.
First official photo
Season 3 of “Penny Dreadful” is now in production and the producers decided to release the first official photo of the show set to debut next year on Showtime.
The image shows Patti LuPone as Dr. Seward comforting Vanessa Ives wearing a straightjacket in what looks like a padded cell, which prompted fans to assume that the female lead star of the TV series will be committed in an asylum, details the Christian Today.
Reports have it that Dr. Seward shall be treating Vanessa through an unconventional approach. It can be recalled that during the Season 2 finale of “Penny Dreadful”, Vanessa’s faith in God has reached its limits and she was even seen burning the cross on the fireplace, notes Variety.
The good news for the fans of the show is that Patti LuPone will not just be returning as a guest star but as a regular cast member of the popular TV series.
In addition to Patti, also expected to be introduced in Season 3 of “Penny Dreadful” are Dr. Henry Jekyll, to be played by Shazad Latif; zoologist Dr. Alexander Sweet, to be played by Christian Camargo; Dr. Seward’s young secretary, to be played by Sam Barnett; the enigmatic native American Kaetenay, to be played by Wes Studi; and Lily’s and Dorian’s young acolyte Justine, to be played by Jessica Barden.
Separate journeys
Also during the Season 2 finale, it was seen that the triumvirate of Vanessa, Malcolm, and Ethan were physically worlds apart after overcoming the challenges that came their way.
Vanessa was left alone in the house of Sir Malcolm in London though it appears that she intends on leaving it too.
Ethan Chandler, played by Josh Harnett, admitted to Scotland Yard officials that he was responsible for all the grisly murders in London as a werewolf and was being expatriated back to America.
Sir Malcolm Murray, played by Timothy Dalton, on the other hand, went to Africa to return the body of Sembene, who got killed by Ethan when they were locked in the witch’s palace and Ethan transformed into a werewolf.
Victor Frankenstein, played by Harry Treadaway, on the other hand, turned to drugs, after he was spurned by Lily in front of Dorian.