OCS Newsletter January 23, 2023 - The Book of Vincent
Bible Study
Chapter 1: Vincent
ONCE UPON A TIME, actor Tristán Ulloa received a DM from OCS Newsletter Editor Adrienne asking if he would mind answering some questions from his dedicated fan club. A few tweets and e-mails later, the newsletter was handed a five-page interview with the one and only Father Vincent. I suggest you grab some tissues and prepare to spam him with much love as a thank you!
OCS: Can you tell us a little about yourself? How did you get into acting?
Tristán: I was born many years ago (52) in Orleans (France). My grandparents were exiled there because of the Spanish civil war. Two generations of my family were born and raised there but we returned to Spain when I was barely 2 years old. I started doing theater in high school, at 14, as a therapy to get over my introvert character. I continued at the University until I decided to take the entrance exams at the Royal School of Dramatic Art in Madrid. The poison was already running through my veins. What started as a therapy soon became a passion and, over time, a way of life.
OCS: How would you describe Father Vincent and how did you approach this character, particularly his backstory, as it’s not fully detailed on the show (yet)?
Tristán: Vincent is an expert in making bad decisions, it is in his nature to be as he is, like the scorpion in the fable of The Scorpion and the Frog. I really think he's a nice guy but we all have baggage about us that makes us act beyond logic sometimes. As for his backstory, it was not something that I knew from the beginning. As we filmed, they gave us the following chapters, so the information about the character was arriving little by little. Yes, there were previous conversations with Simon and David Hayter. Simon is a very generous guy who takes suggestions to the point of incorporating them into scripts. That synergy is a way of working that I love, it makes you more active as an artist and more involved in the project.
OCS: One of the plot twists of Season 1 is Vincent’s betrayal. Did you know, going in, that Father Vincent would betray the OCS? If not, how was your reaction when you found out?
Tristán: I remember finding out about the betrayal reading episode 10 with the rest of the cast, in the house that Simon had rented in Malaga. At that time we were shooting episodes 7 and 8. They all got to boo me (jokingly, of course). If there is something that has always accompanied us, it is humor and camaraderie. It seems very important to me that both occur when working on a project that spans so long. It is not about frivoling but about not taking anything too seriously, not even ourselves. I think that comes across well reflected in the show. The truth is that I didn’t know anything about what was going to happen, I think no one did (except Simon). My reaction was very positive. I had the impression that a door was opening to an interesting and deeper ground. It didn't seem like a sudden betrayal, but something well thought out. Characters with ulterior motives are always the most interesting for an actor.
OCS: Father Vincent’s faith plays an important part during key moments of the show. In season 1, his faith in Adriel makes him betray the order, do you think Vincent knew all along that serving Adriel would require hurting/betraying the OCS? While in 2, his faith in Ava makes him ultimately lose his faith in Adriel, do you think Vincent has always questioned Adriel or not until that point??
Tristán: Vincent is a tragic character. What I mean is that he strongly believes in what he does above its consequences. Actually, that is the definition of a tragic hero, even if we think of him as an anti-hero. In the same way that Brutus kills his beloved Julius Caesar for the common good (the Republic), or that Hamlet causes several deaths (including his own) to avenge the death of his father. In the first season, Vincent (not Tristan) knows from the start that his faith in Adriel can destroy the OCS, he does so for the greater good. All this causes pain and suffering. That's why he drinks, to numb his senses and not be fully aware of the pain it can cause. In the second season Vincent realizes his mistake after talking to Adriel. He realizes that he is facing a vain guy who is not who he says he is and who has no problem eliminating anyone to achieve absolute power.
OCS: About the divinium tattoos, did the designs have a significance to Vincent beyond their practical use? How do you think Vincent got his tattoos?
Tristán: Out of respect for the writers and a hypothetical future plot, I prefer not to explain this topic beyond what Vincent himself explains to Ava about tattoos in the second season. We are not giving up on the future of the series either.
OCS: What are your hopes for Father Vincent's character in Season 3? Are there aspects of Father Vincent that you would like to explore?
Tristán: Vincent is a character that can give a lot of play in a hypothetical third season. He is the only man of the order to have survived and he is also the only man among all those strong women. Vincent is a survivor. As an actor I would love to see his thug past come to life and have more action scenes. So far, what we've seen the most about Vincent is his more thoughtful side. I would also love to recover scenes of two characters, moments of Vincent with each of the girls as it already happened in the first season… Yes, I know, I want it all
Chapter 2: The Others
OCS: There are some fan theories floating around, mostly about Vincent being responsible for the accident that paralyzed Ava or being her father, do you have any theories about Vincent’s backstory?
Tristán: I've read some, like that other one that says that Vincent is Ava's father. We have a great team of script writers and many of those theories have already crossed their minds at the time. But it's exciting to see how the fans get involved to that extent, they often surprise us..
OCS: As an actor, how did you approach that profound break of trust to the people (the sisters, Ava and the order) that considered Vincent as a cornerstone of their faith, their beliefs, and their fight?
Tristán: Flaws and weaknesses make us human. That is where we recognize ourselves as human beings, as anti-heroes. When I build any character, not just Vincent, that’s the first thing I look for: his darker side, what he does when he's alone. Sometimes the viewer can recognize himself there and many times that is what will make him hate or love a character.
OCS: The dynamic between Father Vincent and the sister warriors goes way beyond what we’ve seen in the past two seasons, particularly with Mother Superion. How would you define that dynamic in particular? Do you think Father Vincent was closest to Suzanne or someone else from the Order?
Tristán: Vincent and Suzanne have known each other very well for a long time. They know each other's weaknesses and strengths. They love and respect each other deeply. Their relationship is that of two comrades who know each other too well. I think they are two characters who have not yet unfolded their entire history in common. On the other hand, as an actor, I'm always looking forward to doing more scenes with Sylvia. She is an extraordinary actress and very funny. She is a great companion, I love her.
OCS: How do you think Father Vincent can redeem himself in the eyes of the girls and, especially, to Mother Superion?
Tristán: We have already seen something in this regard in this second season. I have the feeling that he has completely lost the trust of Beatrice, his outstanding student, with whom he had a good relationship in the first season. It can be very interesting to see how Vincent tries to regain her trust. Kristina's work is extraordinary, extremely subtle. We had a lot of scenes together in the first season and I've missed her so much in the second.
OCS: Besides Father Vincent, who is your favorite character on the show or what is your favorite storyline?
Tristán: Mother Superior, no doubt about it.
OCS: What did Adriel whisper to Father Vincent in the last episode of Season 1? Was it scripted or did you and William play if off?
Tristán: That’s the million dollar question. It's a McGuffin, a gimmick, a cinematographic device to move the story forward. What's in the Pulp Fiction briefcase? What does Bill Murray whisper to Scarlett Johansson at the end of Lost in translation? I talked a lot about that scene with Simon. Also with William. I was worried that it wouldn't be understood. I wanted it to be clear that things had gotten out of hand for Vincent as well. He betrays the OCS for a greater purpose, what he doesn't know is that it can end many lives. To justify Vincent's confusion, Will came up with the whisper, it wasn't scripted. I think it was a wise move. The viewer is the one who fills in that whisper. That day I felt a little like Scarlett Johansson.
Chapter 3: The Show
OCS: What it's like to work with a multilingual and multicultural cast?
Tristán: I think it is a great success to normalize that there are different accents. And it is a wonderful challenge too. English is not my first language, not even my second. Five years ago I barely had opportunities to speak English. My level was very basic. It’s not that I'm much better now, but I think I have a good ear and a great desire to continue learning anything. I think it is essential in this job to fall in love with what you do. On the other hand, the proliferation of platforms is increasingly fostering this type of co-production, luckily.
OCS: What is your funniest and/or fondest memory on set?
Tristán: I remember that in a fight scene from the first season that I had prepared very well (or so I thought) I had to hit one of Sister Crimson's fellow nuns. It actually hit a cushion on the floor next to the stunt. I was so excited to have an action scene and so caught up in the situation that I couldn't hear Simon yell "cut!" He yelled several times and since I wasn't hearing him they had to come and stop me physically. I remember Chris LaVasseur (DoP) saying: “we have created a monster”. I injured my thumb from punching the ground so many times. I also very fondly remember my two-character scenes with any of the girls, including Toya (Shotgun Mary) who I had great chemistry with and missed in season two.
OCS: William said that you've worked together before. When you heard, you were going to work together again on Warrior Nun, what where your thoughts?
Tristán: I called him right away to congratulate him. I thought it was perfect for the character of Adriel. He did a very complicated job: joining a production already very advanced with an important character but not entirely defined at that time. We worked together on a movie in 2005 in which we barely met on set. We had that account pending and it has been a pleasure. There's something a lot of people don’t know: Will is a guy with a lot of talent for comedy and we always fantasize about doing something funny together at some point.
Chapter 4: The Fans
OCS: From your perspective, can you breakdown what you see happening in the #SaveWarriorNun campaign? For example, as someone on the show, was it overwhelming to see the fandom’s intense devotion and drive especially since season 2 dropped?
Tristán: As I have already had the opportunity to express in socials, I had never experienced anything similar in my almost 30-year career. When I started there were no networks, there were hardly any mobile phones. My ally was the answering machine. Yes, I am already an age, but there are things that never cease to amaze me in this job. I understand that people who have always experienced this see it as something natural but, if you think about it, it's crazy: people from different parts of the world agree on one thing: let this story go on. Something as intangible as being told stories, feeling them and making them our own.
OCS: How would you sum up what you have seen from this fandom before and after the cancelation announcement?
Tristán: I honestly didn't expect this tsunami of strong support. The third season would have to be done if only to thank the fandom for the enormous involvement. If it is not achieved I feel more than rewarded but I want to think that it can be achieved.
OCS: Could you share an uplifting message to the Warrior Nun fandom?
Tristán: No one is going to take this moment from us, the love that we all (both crew and fandom) are receiving from others is extraordinary. The need of some to feel appreciated and the need of others to feel heard. Love is all we need.
Chapter 5: The OFV
OCS: Your dedicated fan club, now dubbed the OFV (The Order of the Father Vincent) have joked they are surprised you haven’t blocked them yet. Would you like to send them a personal message to include in the article?
By the Fan Club, we read: Fantot @Fant0t, Phan @movie_phan, The Black Cohosh @CohoshThe, and Ruthie @Ruthie2114
With Special Additions By: James Thompson @JamesThompsonKS, Jack @jckjcksw, Raquel @AVATRICC, Frogs4KTY @Frogs4KTY, Arlo @ArloNotArlo, Stella @that_starkid, Lu @thisisjustlu, and Alex @beasilva808
Tristán: I am not an expert in social networks, far from it. There are things that I am not even aware of and I try to measure my level of exposure a lot. In these turbulent times that we all live in, it is so strange that someone you do not know says kind things to you that one can only feel lucky and grateful. My message: thank you for giving meaning to what I do. Thanks from my heart.