After first being released in comic book form by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez in 2009, the source material for Locke & Key took a very long road before finally making its way to Netflix in February 2020. Now in the hands of co-showrunners Carlton Cuse (Bates Motel, Lost) and Meredith Averill (The Haunting of Hill House) and already picked up for a second season, the story follows the Locke family – Nina (Darby Stanchfield), Tyler (Connor Jessup), Kinsey (Emilia Jones) and Bode (Jackson Robert Scott) – as they move to their ancestral home, known as Keyhouse. While dealing with grief and trying to overcome the tragedy of their father (Bill Heck) being murdered under mysterious circumstances, the Locke kids discover that the house is full of magical keys, each with their own unique powers, and that there’s a demon who will stop at nothing to get its hands on them.

During this 1-on-1 phone interview with Collider, British actress Emilia Jones talked about how excited her brother was about her being a part of the series, the “awesome storylines” that are still ahead for Season 2, what she thought of the Season 1 cliffhanger ending, some funny bloopers that happened during the shoot, what it was like to meet her Locke family, what she loves about Kinsey, her most fun and most challenging moments, the key that she’d like to create, and getting to be on such incredible sets.

Be aware that some spoilers for the series are discussed.

Collider: Just to let you know, I’m one of those people who had been waiting for this TV series for a long time. I saw the 2011 Fox pilot, and waited through possible movies that didn’t happen, and then a TV series at Hulu that didn’t happen, before finally debuting on Netflix, and I was grateful that I really enjoyed it because I had been waiting for so long.

EMILIA JONES: Oh, my gosh, yeah. It was a long time coming. My brother’s a big fan of the comic book, so he was so happy when Netflix finally picked it up.

Had you been aware of the long history that this project has had trying to make its way from comic book to screen?

JONES: Yes, I was. Because my brother is such a big fan, he would always announce to the family, “Oh, my gosh, they’re making Locke & Key.” And then, “Oh, it didn’t work out.” When I was asked to audition for it, he was like, “They’re making Locke & Key,” and I was like, “Yeah, I’ve got an audition for it.” And he sat me down with all of the comic books and was like, “You need to read them all.” He picked out my outfit for the audition place. He was so excited. He was excited that Netflix picked up the whole thing, too, and weren’t just shooting a pilot.

What was it like to have your own personal guide with your brother?

JONES: It was super helpful. It was really nice. When I was auditioning, he gave me this wing necklace, as a nod to that iconic artwork of Kinsey flying. He was like, “It might subconsciously tell them that you’re the one." He’s delighted that it’s been picked up for Season 2.

What was his reaction to learning that you’d actually been cast? Did he just completely freak out?

JONES: Yeah, he was freaked out. He doesn’t usually show an interest in my acting, but he was very interested in Locke & Key. He was so happy. I think he screamed more than me, which is saying something.

Congratulations on the Season 2 pick-up. It’s definitely something that everybody’s looking forward to. When I had spoken to your showrunners, prior to the debut of the first season, they told me that even though Netflix hadn’t picked up the second season yet, they had paid for a writers’ room and by January they were already in the middle of writing Season 2, which really does say a lot about the network’s faith and the show. So, as a part of this cast, have you really felt that support?

JONES: Yeah. Finishing up, people were saying, “It would shock me if we didn’t get a Season 2.” And then, they opened the writers’ room and, by the time the show came out, they were on Episode 8 or something crazy like that. I remember thinking, “This is really exciting.” But then, I found out that two shows that didn’t get picked up also had writers’ rooms. Then, I was like, “I can’t get excited or celebrate until I know for sure.” But yeah, I’m so excited that it’s been picked up. I think there are some awesome storylines for Season 2, and it ended on a cliffhanger, so it will be nice to pick that up. We ended in a nice place. Things calmed down and we’re happy where we are. We have friends and we’re figuring out what the responsibilities are, being the keepers of the keys.

What did you think about the way that the season ended? How early on did you know how you were going to be leaving the season, and what did you think about the place that it ended in?

JONES: So, halfway through filming, we read all of the scripts. I was not expecting it. I thought it was super exciting. Kinsey and Eden have finally put their differences behind them, so now that she’s also evil, it’s gonna make things even more exciting and dramatic. That’s one of my favorite storylines, that Kinsey has to suss out that she’s facing a demon. Now, we have two bad guys in the Savini Squad.

Have you already started to have conversations with your showrunners, Carlton Cuse and Meredith Averill, about what you could be exploring and doing in Season 2, and have you guys talked amongst yourselves, as a cast, about what you would like to see?

JONES: I have no idea what Season 2 is gonna hold. Kinsey is gonna have to figure out that they’ve thrown Ellie through the Omega door, and that she’s facing a demon. And maybe she’ll put her fear back in her head, at some point. And Tyler is gonna be 18, so he’ll start forgetting the magic, which will be a good storyline because Tyler and Kinsey are so close. They talk about everything and do everything together. Those are the stories that I would like to explore in Season 2, and I would think they must, but I literally know nothing. I was invited into the writers’ room in L.A., and there were things up on the walls, but I didn’t bring my glasses. I wasn’t prepared, and I was ushered out immediately, so I literally know nothing. Carlton Cuse said that Season 1 is basically about the kids discovering that they’re the keepers of the keys, and Season 2 is about figuring out what that responsibility means.

Were there any particularly funny bloopers or mishaps or things that happened during the filming of the first season?

JONES: There were many. I wish we had a blooper reel. There were so funny moments while filming. Two of my favorites were with Jackson [Robert Scott] and Connor [Jessup]. Jackson burping in my face during a scene is definitely up there. He did it mid-line, in my face. It was like acting with Shrek. And then, Connor and I were filming at Keyhouse, and it was freezing cold. It was like minus 17, which was crazy, and there was snow and ice everywhere. My shoes had no grip. I was literally Bambi on ice. So, Connor thought it would be funny to imitate the way I was slipping, but he actually went up into the air and fell. We had to stop filming for a little bit, de-snow him and brush everything off. We were in hysterics. We had so much fun filming. And there was never a dull moment when the Savinis were on the set. We’re so lucky. It’s such a lovely cast and crew, and I can’t wait to be with them all again.

This is a really tricky story to make a work because it relies on how much the audience cares about this family, and at many points along the way, it could have been a disaster, if you guys didn’t click, or if any one of you couldn’t pull off what was required of you. What was the moment that you, personally, realized that not only did you feel like you really could inhabit this character, but that you felt like a family with your co-stars?

JONES: So, I met Connor first. We went for coffee, and then it turned into shopping, and then it turned into a meal. We just go on so well and immediately clicked. We have a lot in common and we got on, immediately. The minute I met him, I was excited because, to me, the relationship between Kinsey and Tyler is one of the most important. I knew that the minute I got on with Connor, that was good. And then, I met Jackson and Darby [Stanchfield] on the first day of rehearsals. I have a younger brother, so I knew a couple of the things that Jackson was into. Jackson is such a lovely guy. He’s very, very funny. He’s so warm, and he gives the best hugs, so we immediately clicked. And Darby is like a mother to all of us. She’s constantly checking that we’re warm and that we have enough food and that we’re sleeping enough. She’s so kind and caring. After I met the Lockes, I was so excited for the ride of Locke & Key.

What have you loved about Kinsey, since day one, and what have you grown to appreciate about her the longer that you’ve played her?

JONES: I absolutely love Kinsey. She’s an awesome character to be able to play. She was incredibly close to her dad and, when we first meet her, her world has recently been shattered by the murder of her father. She’s consumed by guilt because she hid during the attack. She feels like a coward with shame eating away at her. The fearful Kinsey, at the beginning, was super fun to play, but then, also having the complete opposite and a fearless Kinsey to play was such a dream, as an actor. It’s like two roles in one. I like that she’s flawed and she’s not perfect. She was fun to play because, when she takes her fear out, she makes mistakes, but towards the end of the season, she’s learned from her mistakes and she’s dealing with having those fears. So, I really, really enjoyed playing Kinsey.

What was it like to make all of that work, to have her fear be its own character and to see how that would all look, when it came together?

JONES: It was really cool. I’d never done anything like that. Anytime that the fear monster was on set, the scenes were really, really cool. It was fun. Originally, I was gonna play the fear monsters, but having me in two places at once would have been crazy. So, Erica Pickering played my fear monster and she’s incredible. The way she moves, she’s just brilliant. She’s a dancer. She’s not even an actor, but she’s brilliant. She brought the fear monster alive, way better than I could have done, for sure.

Was there a moment that was the most challenging for you to do?

JONES: That’s such a good question. The most challenging was the music box scene because I would not have done that to poor Eden. As mean as Eden was, I think Kinsey took it way too far. That’s what happens when you take an entire emotion out of your head, especially as a teenager. There’s actually a scientific reason why teenagers are erratic, and that’s why teenagers can get themselves into trouble. So, with Kinsey going through this difficult phase anyway, plus she has PTSD and anxiety, and she’s been through this trauma and is grieving for her dad, taking out this entire emotion is a recipe for disaster. So, any scenes where Kinsey is a little bit selfish and erratic were the hardest and most challenging. The way Joe [Hill] and Gabe [Rodriguez] used the Head Key to explore the teenage stage is really, really clever.

Do you have a favorite Kinsey moment, or one that was the most fun to shoot?

JONES: I did really enjoy the music box scene, when the Lockes find it for the first time and Tyler slap himself in the face. That was so fun to film. And then, the caves were really fun. They were more fun than challenging. I’m like a fish in water, so I really loved it. I felt like a Goonie. I hadn’t really done anything with magic before, so that side of things was all new to me. It was really fun, and I learned a lot.

The keys play such a big role in this story, each with their own special powers. If you could find a key that could allow you to do anything, or to learn something about yourself or someone else, what kind of key would you want to be able to create yourself?

JONES: That’s a hard question. I don’t know. An anti-cancer key or an anti-illness key. My favorite keys are the Anywhere Key and the Head Key. We could use an anti-illness key right now.

How did they treat the keys when you were working with them? Were they very protective of them?

JONES: Yeah, for sure, especially with Jackson. They were so delicate and fragile, and there wasn’t many of them, so we had to really be careful. The keys got more takes than we did, to get the angle right, and things like that. I actually have some of the keys, too. Keyhouse, as well, is a character. Both of them are very, very significant.

What were these sets like to be on? Are they very detailed and elaborate?

JONES: Honestly, the sets were incredible. They actually built the caves, too. They had separate caves built with a hydraulic system that could push water from one cave to another, so they would all flood. Also, Keyhouse is absolutely stunning. When I walked in there, for the first time, it absolutely blew me away. The production designers did an absolute incredible job. There are keys in the wallpaper, locks on the tiles, and KH for Keyhouse engraved in the wood. It’s really a work of art. The house is magnificent.

Locke & Key is available to stream at Netflix.