Robert Carlyle and Emilie de Ravin on ‘Once Upon a Time’ and Their Characters’ Relationship

Robert Carlyle and Emilie de Ravin Once Upon a Time Interview
Robert Carlyle and Emilie de Ravin from ‘Once Upon a Time’ at the 2014 San Diego Comic-Con (Photo by Richard Chavez / Showbiz Junkies)

How quickly will the honeymoon be over for Robert Carlyle and Emilie de Ravin’s Rumple and Belle in season four of Once Upon a Time? Well, it’s not likely executive producers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis will let the just-married couple spend much time in wedded bliss. And at the 2014 San Diego Comic-Con, Carlyle and de Ravin chatted about where we’ll find their characters at the beginning of season four and whether there’s a possibility of a happily ever after for them.

Emilie de Ravin and Robert Carlyle Once Upon a Time Interview

You look great with dark hair.

Emilie de Ravin: “Thanks!”

Is it for the character?

Emilie de Ravin: “Yes.

What’s going on with her?

Emilie de Ravin: “She just got married.”

Robert Carlyle: “She did.”

Emilie de Ravin: “…under a very deceptive pretense. We’re only up to episode three, we just read three so developmental-wise, there hasn’t been terribly much this season yet. But, it’ll be nice to delve into her past a little more this season. So I hope that is in season three.”

The relationship between Belle and Rumple is one of the more tender on the show. Are they still on the way, ultimately, to delivering what the show has to hope they deliver, which is a happy ending?

Robert Carlyle: “I hope so. I hope so.”

Emilie de Ravin: “At some point. But I think there has to be…”

Robert Carlyle: “It’s difficult at the moment.”

Emilie de Ravin: “…a lot more going on.”

Robert Carlyle: “I think this season will stretch the relationship, I think really stretching it, more than it has been before. Because they’re married now, and he’s lied to her, right off the bat and this isn’t good, you know? So we need to see where that’s going to take it.”

Can these two live with each other? Can they live without each other?

Emilie de Ravin: “With what I know…”

Robert Carlyle: “With what you know…”

Emilie de Ravin: “…because I’m obviously going to find out.”

Robert Carlyle: “You’re going to find out, probably pretty soon. It can’t be good.”

Emilie de Ravin: “Yeah. I mean, that’s the one thing that you could have done to completely give me your trust is give me that dagger.”

Robert Carlyle: “Give you the dagger. I know, I know. He can’t. He’s an addict. This is the problem is that he doesn’t mean to do these things. He loves her and all the things he said in the vows are true, but this addiction is strong. Not only that, he’s been doing it for hundreds of years, literally. So it’s very difficult just to let that go and start a new path.”

Are you amazed at the extent to Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis have mined these stories in order to build this quite complicated adult world? Or is that just a reflection of the fact that buried deep in the stories are actually these extraordinary complex characters?

Robert Carlyle: “I think it’s a very interesting question, I think it could be either, I guess. Either or, I think. Maybe it was, maybe we’re always in there. But I think sometimes the best and the most brilliant ideas are the simplest. That’s what they guys have done; they’ve taken something from a very simple idea that’s brilliant at the same time.”

Emilie de Ravin: “Well, because they balance that well, too.”

Robert Carlyle: “Very, very well.”

Emilie de Ravin: “I think that’s why the demographic is so broad.”

Robert Carlyle: “Yeah, it’s right across the board. Exactly. It’s a true family show.”

Emilie, is it nice having another Aussie on the set now? Do your characters have much to do with the Frozen characters?

Emilie de Ravin: “Well, we don’t really know yet.”

Robert Carlyle: “I’m about to do my first scene with Elsa. That’s the first one.”