An interview with Candice Patton for season one of the flash

From the Arrow creative team of executive producers Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg, The Flash is a fast-paced super hero drama that follows the high-speed adventures of the ‘fastest man alive’. With the thrilling action drama about to launch, actress Candice Patton – who plays Iris West in the show says..

How much did you know about The Flash before you signed up for the role of Iris West?

To be honest, I didn’t know too much. Personally, I grew up as a big fan of Batman. Batman and Superman are, of course, the big stars of DC Comics for the most part – but The Flash was new to me. However, when I read the pilot script, I knew this was something I had to do.

I loved everything about it. And when I got the part, I couldn’t wait to pick up some comic books and start doing research. I went to my local comic book store and I asked for their help, so I read a couple of comic books to get the tone of what Barry Allen and The Flash was about. After that, I just trusted the scripts that were being created for the show.

Why does the story of The Flash appeal to you?

For me, the first Flash comic I read was Flashpoint and I was in tears on a plane by the end of it. I thought to myself, ‘If we can do this with every episode; if we can bring the heart that comes with Barry Allen to every episode, then this is going to be one of the greatest shows on TV.’ Whether you know a lot about The Flash or not, I think the heart is what’s going to draw people into the show. The story on TV is what’s important and there’s so much story and action in every episode.

How does the television version of your character compare to the comic book version?

She’s pretty similar, except that I am black and she’s not in the comic books. Iris is fun loving, fast-talking and quick-witted. She’s Barry’s best friend and she’s a great girl. I love playing her. She’s the girl next door, and I think everyone wants someone like her in their life. She’s Barry’s light at the end of the tunnel.

Do you share any real life qualities with Iris?

I think we’re both giggly and fun loving, but I love the fact that she is overly confident at times. I wish I were a little more confident about things like she is. She’s a strong woman and she’s very smart, which are two qualities that I hope I have, too. She’s a great character to play.

What can you tell us about Iris’ career plans in the show?

Iris wanted to be a police officer, but her dad – who is a police detective – put his foot down on that idea. Her dad is very overprotective. We toyed with the idea of Iris being a criminal psychologist, but we have stuck with the comic books, so she’s a reporter in our story. Iris is very inquisitive about this red streak that keeps showing up in Central City and why everything is changing. Barry is changing, the city is changing and all of these crazy events are happening. She’s very inquisitive and very smart.

In the pilot episode, Barry lies in a coma for nine months – but life for his close friend, Iris, has carried on. How will they cope with the changes that have occurred during those nine months?

Obviously, Iris is elated that Barry didn’t die from the lightning strike because she loves him so dearly. At the same time, her life has changed a lot during those nine months and that’s hard to explain to your best friend.

It’s like, ‘By the way, I’ve picked up a new boyfriend and he’s going to be hanging around a lot. It’s not just going to be you and me watching TV together any more; there’s another guy in the equation now.’ Barry has feelings for Iris and he’s ready to tell her how he feels, but then this lightning strike happens. It’s hard for him to watch her move on.

In the eyes of a lot of comic book fans, Iris West is ultimately the girl for The Flash. How would you like to see their relationship develop?

Like any faithful TV watcher, I think we all like a slow burn. I think there are other love interests for Iris and there are other love interests for Barry coming up in the show. I think that will make for great TV – but at the end of the day, Iris is definitely the girl for Barry. Hopefully we’ll get to that point in the show. And when it does happen, it will be great.

What’s been your biggest challenge in tackling the role of Iris West in The Flash?

Adjusting to this life has been my biggest challenge. With any other TV show, people don’t know about the story until it airs – but The Flash has a built-in fan base. People already know about Barry Allen and Iris, and they have strong opinions about it. I got thousands of new followers on Twitter the day I got the job. I have to be careful what I say on Twitter now. I can’t be too crazy!

Can you tell us about your favourite scenes to shoot?

The best scenes are with Barry and Iris’ father Joe because there’s a really fun family dynamic that we’ve been exploring on the show. It’s really fun to watch that blossom. Grant Gustin [who plays Barry Allen/The Flash] and I have a great natural chemistry together, so I love the way they’ve written the scenes between us.

At the end of the pilot episode, two of the most important men in Iris’ life – Joe and Barry – are keeping a huge secret from her. Have you thought about her reaction when she uncovers the truth?

I don’t know where we’re going to go with that storyline, but I imagine it’s not going to be good. Barry is her best friend. When they were children, they never lied to each other and they always protected each other. It’s the same with her father. To find out that the two men in her life have been lying to her about the same thing will deeply upset her, and I think that will change the family dynamic. It’s going to be really interesting to see that plot play out.

Are you upset that you don’t get to play a kick-ass super hero in The Flash?

If I’m being completely honest, I am a little upset about that. I like latex, leather, cowls and capes – but who knows? It’s television and we can do anything with the show. Right now, I’m excited to be playing Iris. She’s loved for a reason, so I’ll stick with that.