Katrina Law is known by many as Nyssa al Ghul on Arrow. However, she’s now Quinn Liu in Hawaii Five-0. She talks exclusively to Precinct TV about Quinn.
From Spartacus to Arrow to The Oath, Katrina Law is no stranger to changing up the genres. She’s had a successful career that is only growing with time, and that’s certainly the case as she lands the role of newest member on the Hawaii Five-0 team, Quinn Liu.
Coming into a show during it’s 10th season is never easy. There are always going to be fears that the show’s fans won’t accept you, especially when you’re one of the newest good guys. But Law did have the benefit of coming from some major franchises where she’s become fan favorites.
Katrina Law sat down with Precinct TV to talk exclusively about the series, her character, and what she hopes young girls and women can take from her role.
Precinct TV: Let’s quickly touch on coming into Hawaii Five-0 10 seasons in. What’s that like knowing there’s a loyal, vocal fan base out there?
Katrina Law: It’s been a whirlwind, and it’s been so cool. I think Quinn is a bit of a badass and the best part of her is she’s a little bit of a nerd. It’s a fun dynamic to play. But coming into Season 10, it’s been a little daunting, you know?
This is such an iconic show and has such a rabid fan base. You never know how people are going to react to a new character coming in, but the fans have been so welcoming with open arms. And I think that’s an honor. I just want to say thanks to you guys.
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PTV: What was it that drew you to Quinn Liu in the first place?
Law: A lot of times there’s an expectation that when a female character is brought onto a male-dominated show, the female’s going to be a love interest. And not to say that she won’t eventually have a love interest, but I love that as of right now, it feels like the writers are very happy to have her stand on her own and be her own entity without being tied to another character on the show.
I think that’s so refreshing and such a breath of fresh air. It’s really lovely to know that, I guess, a character whose agenda is her own agenda and not just to find love—not that finding love is a bad thing—but that she wants to solve crime just as much as the rest of the team. That’s her true focus.
PTV: Like you said, she has a bit of a nerdy side. I love that we get this female character who seems to be able to be it all.
Law: Yes, I love the fact that she’ll be one of the boys, but at the same time, she is herself.
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PTV: You do mention love and I’ve seen a few comments from fans that Quinn seems to be a love interest for Steve. Do you see that? Is that possible?
Law: That’s above my pay grade. That is the writer’s choice and I don’t know if that is where they even want to go. Right now, it is just full steam ahead on Quinn solving cases.
PTV: So no jokes on set about it so far?
Law: No. I personally would love to see her stand on her own. But yeah, above my pay grade. I don’t know where they’re going with the character, but I would love to be able to go “hey, she’s part of the team and she’s genuinely here because she wants to solve crimes and she has her own agenda to do some good in the world.” I think that would be my goal.
PTV: Can you tease anything about Quinn in any upcoming episodes?
Law: I think you’ll see that Quinn has a funny side ot her. In some of the upcoming episodes, you might get a little kick out of the people she needs to deal with.
PTV: Is there anything you can tell us that we don’t already know about her to tease anything?
Law: No, that would be a spoiler! Actually, I don’t know. To be honest, it’s so new to me that I think I’m discovering her, just maybe a slight bit faster than the audience.
I’ve had lots of information coming to me that I’m like, “Oh, that’s interesting. Oh, okay. Cool.” So I’m surprised by whatever she’s doing as anybody else at this point. Ask me next season!
PTV: Hawaii Five-0‘s audience is so diverse and there will be some younger girls and woman watching this. What do you hope they can take from your character?
Law: I think Quinn is more of a straight shooter. She’s very serious most of teh time, but she does have a quirky sense of humor. I think you’ll quickly find out she is a little bit of a bookworm and a little nerdy, not necessarily one of the cool kids. Not that she was an outcast, but that she walked her own path and kept her head down.
I think the cool thing for, especially, you girls to take from her is that you don’t need to be the girl in high school with the cool clothes. You don’t need to have the fashion sense or the Instagram followers, you know? A lot of times, it is just about how well you sit with yourself in the quiet moments.
At the end of the day, I think Quinn was very much that person. She follows her own path. She’s here to solve crime and do good in the world and make a difference. If people, especially young girls, can keep their focus versus the external, this is the character for them.
PTV: You’ve had a lot of strong, influential characters over the years with Arrow, Spartacus, The Oath, and so much more. Is there any sort of female character or genre that you prefer doing the most?
Law: I definitely like playing strong female characters. But that being said, I love bouncing around from Ancient Roman times, to getting to wear really cool costumes and modern-day Quinn on Hawaii Five-0. I think jumping around is refreshing as an actor.
I think if you’re open to it, a lot of times, what the future holds for you is something that you could never have imagined. A lot of times, it’s better than what you thought you were going to get.
PTV: So finally, as someone who played such an iconic character on Arrow, how do you feel with the show coming to an end?
Law: Oh, it makes me sad, but at the same time, it will always be a great show. It’s had an amazing ride and all good things come to an end. I think the way that I’m hearing it is going out is going to be epic, and it’s just perfect.
I’ve gotten some of the greatest fans out of Arrow. Nyssa is one of the coolest characters that I’ve played and it really shaped my life and my career. I’m eternally thankful to everyone for allowing me to be part of the Arrow family.
It’s bittersweet because, you know, it has to happen but at the same time, it was a great thing to be a part of.
What do you hope to see from Quinn in Hawaii Five-0? Are you ready to see a strong female character focus on the job and not on the love interests? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Hawaii Five-0 airs Fridays at 8/7c on CBS.