There’s been coverage of AMC+’s new series Moonhaven on Dorkaholics, from the original casting news to a sneak peek of an upcoming episode. This time around, it is a pleasure to share an interview with Chinese-British actress Elaine Tan, who plays Lone on the series.
Neil Bui: Hi Elaine, this is Neil from Dorkaholics. Super excited to interview you about your role on Moonhaven.
Elaine Tan: Hi, nice to meet you. Thanks for having me!
Neil Bui: What was it like representing the Asian diaspora in the world of Moonhaven?
Elaine Tan: It’s set 100 years in the future, so I think it was really important in the show that they had a mixture of all ethnicities. And I was honored to play Lone. I felt like she was a beautifully written character from the moment that I read the scenes for my audition. I was instantly drawn to her, and I just loved her scenes. I remember saying to Peter [Ocko (series creator)] how moving I found them and what a great writer he is.
Neil Bui: What would you say was what you were trying viewers to take away from the moment they meet your character the first time?
Elaine Tan: Lone and Paul have a very deep relationship and connection. They’ve raised three children. Not necessarily their blood children, but Mooner children and I think there’s definitely a lot of love there. They just have some issues and things that they need to resolve or maybe for Lone I think something is missing, which is why she has another man living in the home. And that’s called the net in the Mooner community. And if it sticks, then Fritz will stay, and Paul will leave and that’s obviously something that’s very alien to a lot of us. But you know, in this hippie commune, it works and is quite a good idea really.
Neil Bui: I thought it was so interesting the way that they [introduce] raising children who are not your own in the lunar colony. How important was that to show the maternal side of your character?
Elaine Tan: A big part of Lone is her maternal side and throughout the season, she’s deeply worried and concerned about her eldest son, Wish, who’s gonna be traveling to Earth. I think it was really important that it was a big part of her experience; as a parent, you’re worried for your children more than you are for yourselves. Their family is based upon love and connection, so it was really important that she had those qualities.
Neil Bui: What was that first interaction with Bella like? Do you think it was more suspicious or more kind of open arms to welcome an Earther?
Elaine Tan: She’s definitely suspicious because growing up on the moon, you’re taught we want to help [Earth], but they’re not necessarily safe in terms of [not having] the same culture that we have. They don’t have the same belief system; they don’t have the same purpose. And the message really is that without that, it’s kind of a snapshot of what could happen in the future, Earth’s shown to be a planet that’s just in disarray and there’s lots of fighting and gas masks and darkness. She definitely is suspicious. She’s welcoming because we in general as Mooners are welcoming but definitely she’s not sure. And she’s worried for her husband, being involved with Bella because lots of stuff starts happening when Bella arrives, and no one really knows who’s behind it. She likes Bella but is suspicious and definitely at arm’s length.
Neil Bui: What major takeaways do you kind of want viewers to experience after watching Moonhaven just ’cause there is that interesting relationship between being part of a colony and having this this at arm’s length relationship with your home planet.
Elaine Tan: I hope people enjoy the adventures, murder mystery and the characters because I feel like Moonhaven is a lot about humanity and people, and the characters that are in it, they’re quite complex. I guess the takeaway message would be that [if] we could maybe adopt even just a little bit of what the Mooners are adopting and living, perhaps the Earth and we as a civilization could make a difference and maybe things would be more harmonious and peaceful, that we would care for our planet more. That’s one of the messages behind Moonhaven and it’s a really important message.
Neil Bui: And with such an ensemble cast on Moonhaven, or at least a lot of familiar and diverse faces, were there any actors or actresses on the show that you were really happy to be working with after maybe admiring them from far?
Elaine Tan: Everyone really, I enjoyed working with everyone on the show and I didn’t have a ton of scenes with a lot of the actors. It was mostly with Dominic, Emma and the children and Fritz; they’re all wonderful actors, super grounded people and it was always a joy to go into work. Super nice cast and crew.
Neil Bui: What was it like for you to not just play a character, but be part of this newly created culture and kind of adopting that persona into everything?
Elaine Tan: It was amazing to see it come to life after reading the script. But when I saw it come together, it was so much more interesting. And these colors and the costumes, they put so much work and thought into building this world, and it’s actually magical, I loved it. The dances that they ended up doing and the choreography, the singing, the little rituals that they have and methods for connecting, I just thought were amazing. Our creator, Peter, has created this beautiful world and it was lovely to be a part of and there was so much attention to detail,
Neil Bui: Thank you so much. It was really nice to meet you. Take care.
Elaine Tan: Thank you so much for your time, Elaine. It was great speaking with you.
