From iZombie to Ghosts, Rose McIver can do it all. The star first appeared as the lead in the CW show and now she is showcasing her talents even further in CBS’ Ghosts, in which she plays Samantha, a freelance journalist who decides to convert a run-down country estate into a bed and breakfast with Jay (played by Utkarsh Ambudkar). The two later realize the place is filled with spirits of deceased residents — but Sam is the only one who can see, hear and talk to the ghosts.
The cast always makes viewers laugh out loud, which is why McIver had no qualms about signing onto Ghosts‘ one-hour Christmas episode, which airs on Thursday, December 15. “I had such a great time bringing ghostsmas to life with this awesome cast and crew. I think holidays are about gathering together with people you love, so the experience of making a TV show about the holidays with people you genuinely consider family definitely brings a lot of palpable chemistry and good spirits to the table,” the 34-year-old exclusively tells GRAZIA USA. “I loved the ghost choir! These guys have such beautiful voices, and I’m so happy they got to learn these complex harmonies and give a little teaser of what’s to come one day when they let us do a musical episode finally!”
As for how the special will be different than the series, she says, “It was a chance for our incredible production designer Zoe Sakelleropoulo and our brilliant costume designer Carmen Alie to flex their skills in the holiday aesthetic. They and their teams brought such a vivid and evocative feel to the festivities, and I think it looks incredible on screen.”
The blonde babe is no stranger to appearing in holiday projects, as she previously starred in Netflix’s hit movie The Christmas Prince as well as the sequels. “I love the comfort and support they provide. Christmas can be a really difficult time for a lot of people and a good holiday movie can bring a lot of joy and escapism for an audience. It’s an opportunity to ‘live out’ the best case scenario of what this time of year can be,” she notes.
In the meantime, McIver is soaking up this time in her life, as she adores working with her “talented and funny” costars. “I think it’s such a privilege to get to do this job. I am also immensely grateful that we have the fans we have on this show. There is so much creativity and warmth and inclusion in all the feedback we see — and that means the world to us,” she gushes.
However, the actress admits it’s not always easy to film alongside “ghosts.” “Particularly if there are livings around that aren’t aware, Sam can see them. It makes for lots of farcical moments where Sam is not always very successful at covering her tracks,” she says. “We move so fast on set, and it’s a very technical show to shoot in terms of the green screens and ghost/ghostless versions so trying to get everything achieved very quickly can be challenging for sure.”
Since McIver took on the role of Sam, she has made the character her own. “I like Sam being goofy. I think I’ve really tried to bring some ‘silly’ to her. She could easily read as pretty grounded, being the conduit to this unlikely pack. I also really like finding the moments that she too is a little untethered,” she shares. “I love her desire to make life better for the people around her. Sometimes she achieves that and sometimes she doesn’t, but I think she really operates from that intention.”She adds, “I hope Sam continues to embrace imperfection. I think she really places a lot of importance in taking care of the people around her and having a ‘plan’ to do so. The unpredictability of living with the ghosts is a great lesson for her and one that opens up parts of her she’d never necessarily have tapped into.”
McIver is still in awe at how popular the CBS show has become. “It’s an honor! I think people have found versions of themselves and their loved ones in our show, and I love that we get to hang out in living rooms with people all over the world — and hopefully help people feel some funny sense of belonging!” she states. “I love comedy. To be able to come to work and laugh every day is such an awesome way to spend so much of my life. Sure, it can be tiring, but I truly can’t believe I get to do this for a living.”
The Ghosts Christmas special will air on Thursday, December 15, at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
