Virgin River (Netflix): Lauren Hammersley Defends Fan-Hated Charmaine, Reveals Season 6 Plot
Fans of Virgin River on Netflix are enamored with the love story between Jack (Martin Henderson) and Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge). But the introduction of Charmaine – a woman who is madly in love with Jack and pregnant with his child – complicates the relationship. Lauren Hammersley, who plays Charmaine, has defended her character, despite frequent criticism from viewers.
Lauren Hammersley and the Challenge of Charmaine
Playing a character who comes between the main couple’s relationship is always a challenge for an actor. Lauren Hammersley found herself in exactly that situation in Virgin River. From the very first season, Charmaine has been constantly making things difficult for Mel and Jack’s relationship – a favorite topic of viewers on social media. Initially, viewers knew that Charmaine had an affair with Jack and was pregnant with his child. She then revealed that she was pregnant with twins, forcing Jack to reconsider his priorities. Despite the unpopularity, Lauren took on the challenge with a vengeance.
Lauren Hammersley Defends Charmaine
“When I interact with people in person, most of them are really nice,” Lauren told TVLine. “They may hate Charmaine, but they still love me and think I do a good job. But there are also people who don’t differentiate between the character and the actor, which leads to awkward situations that I don’t know how to handle.”
Lauren also understands why her character is hated by many, but still speaks up to defend Charmaine:
“There are two sides to this story. Charmaine always wanted Jack to be her soulmate, but his heart belongs to Mel. That hurts Charmaine. I understand why people want to write Charmaine off, because Jack and Mel have a very special connection. But Charmaine’s desires are simple: she wants love, she wants a family, and she wants to connect – not just with Jack, but with Hope. She feels like she belongs in Virgin River, but her failed relationships have left her feeling lost. I don’t think it’s all Charmaine’s fault, and now she has to deal with the fact that the father of her children has moved on. It’s really bad,” Lauren confided.
Was Charmaine the one who shot Jack?
When asked about what’s to come in season 3, Lauren shared: “I just hope Charmaine finds happiness, even if she doesn’t have Jack for herself.” As for Jack’s shooting at the end of season 2, Lauren doesn’t deny Martin Henderson’s theory that Charmaine could have been the culprit: “It’s a possibility!” she admits.
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