! CONTAINS AOS SPOILERS !



[I just want to say that I didn’t like one particular question of which I won’t directly point out, but I’m glad she handled it as well as she did however I still think it’s inappropriate to ask such personal things - just my opinion]



Interviewer: There is that whole thing of unrequited love or a love that just doesn’t quite work.

EH: Yeah, or does it now? I ship them [Fitzsimmons] so hard. Iain doesn’t because he doesn’t want to kiss me and he’s told me that.

Interviewer: Is Iain drunk?

EH: Well he is Scottish. But Chloe and I are really pushing hard for Fitzsimmons so don’t worry. Honestly I don’t mind Simmons having a few love interests, but she should end up with Fitz.

Q: The very last scene *collective moan from audience* what did that last scene actually entail for you as an actress?

EH: Mostly embarrassment because the way we did it was I had to be on some sort of skateboard. I just had to sort of launch myself on with my belly on it and someone would pull it very quickly. And doing scenes like that make you feel like an idiot.

Q: What is your favourite theory about what happens to Simmons?

EH: Well I can’t tell you cause I don’t know. They don’t tell us anything which is quite smart really because I worry that I would sleep talk and tell, walk around the street just talking about it. We had so many theories on set, I kinda like that it’s some sort of time machine and she goes back in time, maybe when she was back when Fitz doesn’t know her and she’s got these relationships with people who have no idea who she is or that sometimes she turns invisible and she’s there but no one knows or maybe she, you know, goes to Asgard…so many opportunities really! Or that she has mega-fighting skills - that would be fun. Although as an actor not fun, they take so many hours to film.

Q: How do you feel knowing your eyebrows have their own fanbase?

EH: *gasps* Do they really?! *strokes her eyebrow* I’ve got some stills of me on the show that I’ve definitely gone too far, I really ask the make-up lady to really get them big and sometimes it is ridiculous! But I’m glad they’re appreciated. Large eyebrows are the way forward.

Q: How did you go pronouncing all the scientific terminology?

EH: Mmm I think badly. I mean I did science at school and I think if you have enough conviction then people think it’s right. I mean I work with a lot of Americans and they just assume that the British accent, and the Australian accent - is very intelligent, so I have that on my side.

Interviewer: So you seriously think that people think the Australian accent is smart?

EH: They do! I’m telling you, you should go to America. You’ll feel very [?] *laughs and apologises*.



Q: I know it’s very unlikely, but if the Kree stone gave Simmons powers, what do you think they would be and what would her superhero name be?

EH: I mean, I feel like they’d be what the stone is right? That she’d be able to go into liquid and then like you know slither somewhere on the floor. You know, break up half your house. I don’t know what her name would be…great stone girl? I’m not a writer.

Q: Imaginary Jemma wore the same outfit that Jemma did when she got the Chitauri virus. What was the official reason for that? Because a few theories went about so what were your thoughts and why?

EH: Ann Foley is our costume designer and she is very —and she definitely had reason. It was because that was the last time that Fitz had a very strong turning point for Jemma so he imagined her - that’s what comforted him and that’s the moment that they really came together. Kind of worked as a team really well so that’s why he imagined her in that outfit. Which is so sad.

Q: Do you have the option to move across to the main movies?

EH: I think so. It’s one of things where I mean we film from July to April so we have a short break and I really think it’s possible. I thought I was gonna watch the Avengers movie and see some SHIELD agents. I was sure Clark was gonna be in it (AoU) and I asked him so many times but he just said no and I thought he was lying because he wouldn’t tell me. Yeah yeah yeah, um no! I hope so, I mean I think it’d be really cool if we were in the movies.

Q: When Simmons is questioned for the lanyard she says she would want the Tardis if stranded on an island. I wanna ask if you are a fan of Doctor Who and what would you want to see on the island?

EH: I am a fan of Doctor Who. I can’t go up against any fans because I just feel that my knowledge is not at the greatest. I’d probably take my dog - not to eat but *shrugs*.

Q: I just wanted to ask about how breaking Fitz’s heart [at the bottom of the ocean] when he told you that he loved you and you having to go “yeah we’re friends!”?

EH: Guys that was a very strenuous situation - we were about to die! I think that it caught her completely off-guard and she didn’t mean to break his heart. They have seconds to live so she was practically Jemma and tried to make them survive. But that was such a heartbreaking scene to film. Between takes it was just sad, it was just too emotional.

Interviewer: Oh everyone needs a hug now.

Q: How did you feel with Simmons taking a much darker direction this season?

EH: I kind of loved it. Joss Whedon, when we sat down before we shot the pilot, we were talking through the character of Simmons. He mentioned then, at the start of season one, she had a potentially darker side only because she’s so pragmatic and logical and she’s not necessarily emotionally selfish. So I kind of knew it was a possibility and for it to pay off back all down the line I think it was really cool that, you know, you could see the reasons why she had so much hatred for Ward and why in her mind it made sense to get rid of him.

Q: Because we now have Agent Coulson and Melinda May pop vinyls, who do we petition to get Fitzsimmons pop vinyls?

EH: What is pop vinyls?

Q: They’re pretty cute little toys.

EH: OHHH I just didn’t know what they were called. Oh yeah I’d love to be a bobble-head. I thought it was a singing competition and I shouldn’t do that. Um I’ll have a word with someone, I’d love to be a bobble-head.

Q: What was your favourite scene to film ever?

EH: Well someone asked me this before and I said something different but now thinking about it - when Ward came back in season 2, and we were all in the command centre again, all being the original 6 together. It was just so fun to be all together again because the thing about season 2 was we were so fractured and but as actors and friends it’s just really nice to be in the same scene and kind of have a joke and I mean there were all outtakes from that scene and messing up and bursting out laughing than the whole two season put together. So that was nice and we were all kinda ganging up on Brett.

Q: What was the funniest moment on set?

EH: The funniest moment *laughs*. I can’t remember what episode it was, kill me for saying this, it was an episode in season 1 - oh it was “I Spy” when there was the Agent with the camera in her eye and she could see X-Ray vision - and it was me, Skye and Fitz all in the van and there’s a shot of seeing through the van and all people were seeing was X-Ray. Anyway, to shoot that scene we had to wear like all in one Lycra red suits and they made our clothes see-through plastic over it so they used some special camera. Anyway, the point is, Iain had to wear this all in one, very revealing, Lycra suit and it was just so - it was one of the best moments of my life! It was amazing. Just ‘cause he was embarrassed, I’m not a pervert.

Interviewer: This man over here, he’s dressed as a Hydra soldier so be careful.

EH: Oh no.

Q: Is there any possibility that we can get a Fitz and Simmons in Australia at the same time in the future?

EH: I hope so! I’m bringing Iain with me next year.

Q: We know Simmons doesn’t stand with Ward, but do you stand with Ward?

EH: No. *audience laughs* Oh no, I dislike him. Right?

Q: From season 1 to season 2, who’s character do you think has changed the most?

EH: I think Skye. I mean she’s a superhero now, so I feel like that’s a big change. I think we’ve all changed quite a lot. I think May has changed a lot, she’s now in season 2 we’re seeing her softer side and I think everyone’s had a big arc and I would say Skye has changed a lot. She’s discovered a lot. She’s found her mum and dad. She’s found that her dad’s crazy and something happened to her mum. She’s had a lot of stuff happen to her. And I think Chloe Bennet is great at playing her.

Q: What’s your real-life relationship with Iain and what’s a story that you two have together?

EH: Uh well Iain and I are very good friends, he’s a brilliant actor. I mean we all get on really well, and we obviously have a lot of scenes together. I don’t know what my…I guess something we do is he will be singing. Everything. He’ll sing like about brushing his teeth in the morning or going to work and he pointed - I didn’t notice but - he pointed [out] maybe two weeks into set, he’d go “well every time I see you dance” and I didn’t realise I’m doing it. So he’ll just be singing and I’ll just be dancing. Maybe we should start a pop group?

Q: With regards to Ward’s betrayal, was there any hint that anything like that from Ward or anyone else, or was it a complete surprise?

EH: It was a complete surprise. I think they told us all…well they told the rest of the guys together separately because I happened to not be on set that day. And it was like it was some sort of death in that family. And we all would kind of…obviously we couldn’t not be nice to Brett because it’s not Brett’s fault. ‘Cause we were all a bit kinda shaky towards him. It’s funny but you do get so attached to his character and all felt very betrayed. And I remember watching it and I was like “oh there! Oh he’s lying there!”. I mean I’m not over it honestly, I’m still like [broken?].

Q: Do you get to go to all the premiers of the big marvel movies and who have you been most struck by since the MCU is filled with so many massive celebrities like Robert Downey Jr?

EH: Um, I mean I have a funny relationship with celebrities and that I can’t really meet them because I can’t…I just find it so strange, I can’t fit it in my head that you know it’s a real person in front of you and you’re seeing them on movie screens. So for me it’s really dangerous to go and speak to anyone that I admire. Um I mean Robert Downey Jr shots the red carpet down. Like he drives himself, which you know most people don’t, and he just gets out of the car and like really helps his wife out of the car. And people go crazy. And then obviously Joss has the amazing ability to just be a normal dude when you’re speaking to him and then he’ll go out on the red carpet and it will be amazing. So I guess Joss and Rob.

Interviewer: Did you just call him Rob?

EH: Bob? *shrugs* Bob.

Q: With the theory of Simmons going back in time, how do you think they would get on if Simmons met Peggy Carter?

EH: Oh yeah. I feel like Simmons would just… *pauses* I was gonna swear. I feel like she would just melt. She would talk, she would just not stop talking and Peggy would probably slap her. She’d just follow her around like a puppy dog. I don’t think it’d go as Simmons would like but yeah I feel like they’d make good little duo.

Interviewer: What does everyone else think?

Audience: *collective cheering*

Interviewer: I think the moment the question was asked I heard the entire collective *gasp* what a genius concept!

Q: At my really Catholic school there was a stage when no one did science, chemistry, biology, woodwork or metalwork. Then Agents of Shield came out and Jemma Simmons was a thing and now everyone’s doing chemistry and biology - there’s 4 or 5 classes in my year and all the other years. And I just wanted to know what your reaction was? And now my religion teachers are freaking out and everyone else is just laughing.

EH: I think that’s brilliant. I think that for girls to be encouraged to go into science is just - also I did science right up until going to uni and thought about going to do medicine and then acting was just too important for me - but I think it’s…there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be 50/50 boys/girls in any science class. I think science is a very empowering medium to have knowledge about and that makes me feel very happy that I kinda find encouraging girls to do that. *audience applauses*

Q: If Jemma had the chance to have a relationship with any of the Avengers or anyone else in the MCU, who would you like it to be?

EH: *smiles and leans back, thinks for a bit* It’s tricky ‘cause she’ll probably like them all. I think the Hulk right, Bruce Banner, probably yeah they’d have that chemistry/biochemistry connection. Yeah I’d probably think him, but then…any of them.

Q: I was just curious because I want to be an actor when I grow up, how did you get into the MCU yourself and how was it adapting to it?

EH: Well how I got the job is I just auditioned and went through three different rounds. Met Joss in the second round. I don’t know how, it was the most awful audition of my life, I thought I ruined my whole career in acting and then somehow I got re-called. And then how you re-adjust, as an actor working is fairly like astonishing. And season 1 was just like being hit by a [word starting with “t” that I couldn’t understand]. It was just amazing but very overwhelming kind of crazy when we get to do this for a living. But now we’ve kinda settled into it. I mean it’s the best job in the world! We just laugh all day, playing all day. So you should keep going ‘cause it’s a fun job.

Q: If you could choose, in the TV show, would you stay a scientist or would you become an action person?

EH: Um I don’t..I don’t know. I used to think doing action stuff would just be amazing but then I see like Ming combat with bruises and Chloe being exhausted. Those fight scenes for a minute it will be 10 hours of really exercising body and really fighting. And so then thinking that probably science isn’t that bad. So I don’t know, I don’t know if I’m cool enough to be an action star.

Q: I’m just wondering if you were a bit surprised by the Inhumans when they first cropped up and you wanted to eradicate them?

EH: Kind of and kind of not ‘cause I think she’s…her base is in the lab where it’s very defined outcomes in a way. So I wasn’t surprised and I was kinda proud of her on having an opinion with sticking with it and she knew it was controversial, but she felt like she had a duty to science to say “this could potentially harm a lot more people than if we just got rid of this one being”. But it was an interesting transition to her when she realised that Skye was more of the people that she was trying to destroy and that allowed her to steer from…a [different] point of view…you know she loves Skye so much and she would never want anything to harm Skye.

Q: Do you get recognised when you’re out and about and what’s your strangest fan encounter?

EH: Um, I mean sometimes, not really honestly. I don’t necessarily look great when I go to the grocery store so I’m not sad about that. I think the worst *laughs*, or the funniest, is where someone is so passionate about who you are and such a huge fan and want a picture, all this stuff and they just call you the wrong name. That just crushed my spirit, so I guess things like that are the worst or when you’re so hungover. Honestly, I get recognised most in the bathroom. People will, you know, wait for you outside the cubicle or at the sink, sort of strike a conversation which is fine and I’m always happy to speak to people, but there’s just funny something about speaking to people in the bathroom. And it makes me a bit uncomfortable, I don’t know. So don’t follow me into the bathroom.

Q: How much of your personality of yourself do you actually put into the character of Jemma and vice versa if you take anything out of her character?

EH: I sort of say “ugh” a lot because I feel like in season 1 all she said was “ugh Fitz”. So that’s come into my vocabulary. I think you can’t help but bring a bit of your essence into the character that you’re playing, that you spend so much time with them and I think that the reason why you’re cast for your character is because you’re similar in some way. She’s definitely…you know she’s very inspiring to me and I feel like she’s very strong and kind of opinionated. So that’s something that sometimes I can be a bit…shy. So she like helps me to feel more empowered. So I guess, yeah, we have similarities for sure. She looks a lot like me.

Q: I just wanted to know if you…now that Joss is gone with the Avengers is if he gonna come back to the show?

EH: Yeah I don’t know. I mean he is very involved in the show and always has been. Um, but obviously he’s been on set a lot around the world. I don’t know…he pops in now and again and reads all the scripts and has a lot of input in it and we see him quite a lot so…that’s an interesting question maybe he can come back and direct a new episode…that would be kind of amazing. I’ll text and ask him.

Q: I was just wondering on your thoughts for a possible musical episode?

EH: *laughs* I mean Chloe used to be a pop star in China so maybe Chloe Bennet. I don’t…I mean Iain is singing all the time. Uh…I kinda say no to that one. I’d probably be in the background doing the do-wop. But Maurissa Tanchoren and Jed Whedon, who obviously co-write the show, they used to be in a band and are amazing musicians so maybe could be like music …an episode where they just sing.

Q: If any marvel villain from a movie could come on the show, who would it be and why?

EH: I’d kind of like Loki on the show *crowd cheers* I think I’d just get on with him. And I just *sigh* I just like him. I just feel like I could fix him in some way. I’d just sit him down and really chat, um…and he’s just got a great outfit.

Q: I just wanna first up say I’m a really big Fitzsimmons shipper, but if Simmons was to have a relationship with a female character on the show, which one would you want to be with?

EH: Oh! Skye *crowd cheers* I really equal ship Fitzsimmons and Skimmons. Chloe and I are pushing for that which is great and I see it happening. I think they’d be good together!

Interviewer: Is that like a big thing…do they ship everyone with everyone?

EH: Yes, right? I think there has to be a connection in some way.

Interviewer: Right, so there’s no Coulson and Simmons shipping?

EH: No, no I don’t think so *laughs*



Q: This has taken a lot of guts to ask you this question, but I was wondering if you have a boyfriend?

EH: I do. He was actually in one of the episodes but I think he’s only on the extra DVD. He played Agent Tad, he played a Simmons one-night-stand when they went back to the Academy, but it didn’t make it into the episode so I think he’s on the extras on the DVD. He’s very handsome.

Q: When Tripp died earlier on at the break of season, how that effected the cast because I clearly saw something happen there between Skye and Tripp. That was quite obvious after the betrayal of Ward and how that effected the dynamic of the cast?

EH: We were so sad. I mean BJ Britt is just such an energy, he’s so…he’s just so bright and he’s always laughing and just making jokes and such a lovely human being and that [I couldn’t catch the next couple words]…We had it in a huge conference room - there were so many people that wanted to come. And we couldn’t…we were all in floods of tears by the end - it was really sad. And we do miss him. He was becoming to be, you know in every episode of the second half of season 1…we miss him and it was very sad, it was something that *sigh* I felt mad at the writers for doing that to us.

Q: One of my favourite moments on the whole show was that scene on the train where Coulson and Jemma pretend to be father and daughter. How did you get through that scene, those ridiculous back doors you came up with without…how many takes did that take?

EH: I can’t remember, probably a few. The thing about that day is that we were on an actual train that was moving from one station to the other and so we had to do it in the same amount of time before we reached the end of track and had to turn around again, or go the other way and then come all the way back again. So there was kinda pressure to like get it right first time. And also, Stan Lee was in the episode so he was sitting just across from us, next to these two beautiful women. So I was looking at Clark Gregg, doing my lines, and out the corner of my eye I just see Stan Lee like flirting away! *crowd laughs* So like it was kinda hard to concentrate! *laughing says* In my head I was just thinking “that’s Stan Lee! *gestures there*”. That was such a funny scene to film, I mean Clark Gregg is great too - he had a very earnest face while I was saying these ridiculous things so it was kinda hard to film it maybe ‘cause of Stan Lee.

Q: It seems like you have a lot of fun on set, what’s the most memorable thing that’s happened like behind the scenes?

EH: Uhm, I mean one time Chloe’s car got covered in ice and she couldn’t drive it. Well we have pranks on each other and that was one of them. One of them was an obscene…it all seems to happen to Chloe! One time they had a…I don’t know if I can…maybe I can…the props made a license plate that said “balls deep” on it *crowd laughs* And we put it on her car and she’s not the best with her car. So she was driving around for days with no idea and she was like “everyone’s honking at me and I just don’t get it!”. And she was just driving around with this license plate so, I think the pranks that we play…I remember those.

Q: Were you a fan of the MCU before joining Agents of Shield?

EH: Yeah! I was at the midnight showings of the movies and loved the movies! I never really read comic books growing up, but the movies I was really into…and Buffy *crowd cheers* and Firefly *crowd cheers again*.

Q: What cast member is most like their character?

EH: Ooh…I think Clark. Clark Gregg is most like his character Coulson. Mainly because he really does looks after us, like Agent Coulson looks after his team, he’s like a father figure to us. Oh he’s gonna kill me for saying that. He’s like a big brother to us and he really looks after us and if anyone looks a bit down he’ll go straight over to them and ask them what’s wrong and help us out. And he has us over his house for dinner and he’s really nice. The least like their character is Ming. She is the total opposite!

Q: Since you’ve been through a lot of different things in this past season, but now this massive, big cliffhanger has happened. What kind of other things do you want closure for in next season, like maybe what happened to Bakshi?

EH: Oh Bakshi, yeah. Well I killed him. That’s what I did. Boom closure. Um, I want to know…I guess I want to know what the folder was that Coulson handed to Skye and I want to know…I kind of want Skye’s dad to come back. I think Kyle MacLachlan is just so amazing and I’d like to see him. *whispers* He’s had his brain wiped which is kind of unfortunate. And then I kind of just want to know what happened to Simmons honestly. I think there were a lot of cliffhangers and if Agent May is gonna get back with her husband and it was just so many things. And whether we even have a team, like everyone is just…gone off. And what is Ward doing?! *crowd laughs* That’s what I want to know! He’s trying to start his own Hydra I think because all Hydra’s dead now, right? So now he’s starting his gang of [bruhs?] yeah, yeah.

Q: Neighbours or Home and Away? And who would you like to be and have you been asked to do a cameo?

EH: I haven’t been asked to do a cameo! But I think I’d have to get a bit…a bit more well known…they’d go [?] “well who is that?” But Neighbours…I was so obsessed with that…I was so obsessed. Nothing against Home and Away but I feel like you’re one or the other, right? Although as soon as I got into my hotel room this morning I did turn the TV on and found Home and Away and was watching it just to make me, you know, feel like a local.

Q: Are there any mannerisms that you do to get into character and do you have any headcanons about your character like back stories in your own mind?

EH: Yeah I created a back story and talked to the writers. The trouble with creating a back story too intense on this show is that they can just throw something at you like, you know, you killed your dad when you were five by accident. So you kind of have to be very [?] because there’s no end point really. And mannerisms, I don’t know, she kind of…sometimes to get into it I’ll just have my hands kind of high and just raise your eyebrows a little bit and put your chin down. And then I just feel like her. I feel like she’s about to say something really clever and kind of condescending *crowd laughs*.

Q: Did you get to meet Nathan Fillion earlier?

EH: I’ve met Nathan a few times. Nathan is so lovely - he’s as lovely as he seems whenever you see him anywhere. He’s such a good guy and very supportive because we’re all sort of in the same family so I’ve seen him out at gatherings and then seen him at things like this. There are some people that you’ll meet out at a party or something and then the next time you see them they’ll introduce themselves to you again, and you’ve been introduced the same person five times. When do you go, “hey buddy, we’ve met”. But Nathan is just so lovely and today I saw him, he came over and gave me a big hug and I’m here with my parents and he was talking up a storm to my mum. He is a wonderful person.

Q: I was just wondering if the story of your character getting sucked into whatever she’s getting sucked into , will be like over the course of season 3 or in the first couple of episodes? And what do you think of Coulson and May getting together and do you think that’ll ever happen?

EH: I hope so, I mean I’m a big romantic I just want everyone to get together, right? I hope it works, I mean they’ve been through so much that how can you have a relationship with someone that can never understand what you’ve been through? Plus he only has one hand now. So I don’t know…I think in the first episode you’ll see [Simmons] but then in season 2 we didn’t know where she was until after 5 episodes. Um I think we’ll know in the first episode. I hope so or I’m out of a job.

Q: Do you pitch any ideas [for the script]?

EH: Yeah, I mean we’re constantly trying to pitch ideas and most the time they don’t listen to us. Oh you know they’ve already got…they’ve had the first 5 seasons I think mapped out before I they’d even read the pilot. But I think that…Iain would not stop going on about a monkey and that is why Fitz is obsessed with monkeys because Iain just kept pitching this idea over and over and over and over. And I was just thinking, having a monkey on set would be [?]. So things like that yes, and then things with the script we can say “I’m not sure about that” or “what’s the British word for that?”. So we definitely get input. But they’re much better at writing than we are. So you kind of leave them to it.

Q: How did you feel being rescued by Fury at the end of season 1?

EH: Oh that was so amazing! I mean, to have Samuel L. Jackson on set was mind-blowing and I can’t…he is the smoothest operator ever. Just like glides into a room and he is…I’ve never been around someone who’s had that much presence and he is very lovely and there’s just this aura about him. So yeah, getting to do a scene with him…I mean I think they put me in that hyperbaric chamber during that scene for a reason because I think they knew we needed to have some sort of barrier. I just stayed in there the whole time between takes and everything so I wouldn’t embarrass myself too much. So after that scene I thought like “oh good I was professional, I did my lines, I didn’t mess up” and then for some reason I don’t know why, but I was doing this weird dance and someone was walking down outside the stage and right at that moment Samuel walks out. And I was doing…I don’t know I was like dancing on top of my [?] or something I can’t remember right, and then that broke the ice - he remarked on my dancing. Yeah, we’re firm friends.

EH: There’s a lot of pressure on this last question now. How do you feel?

Q: I’m gonna sit down now. Given that Joss has already done another Shakespeare movie, if he were to do a second one: would you be in it, would you like to be in it, who would you like to play and what would you like it to be?

EH: Ooh great question. I love that movie by the way, did you love it?

Interviewer: Who here doesn’t know what it is? It’s Much Ado About Nothing.

EH: Um, it’s a great movie you should see it. They shot it on a shoestring budget. I think a lot of the [scenes] were at friends’ houses and stuff. Um I think I’d love to do A Midsummer’s Night Dream and I’d love to play Hermia. Just because, she’s rocking. And our statures are similar. Uhh so that movie [Much Ado About Nothing] should be online somewhere, it’s a gorgeous movie. Don’t be scared of it being Shakespeare, it’s very easy to digest.

Interviewer: It’s a wonderful film, and I would love to see [you in one]. Have you done any Shakespeare [yet]?

EH: Yeah I’ve had classes in Shakespeare and studied texts and stuff. I mean I’d love to do some William, you know?

EH: Thank you so much ladies and gentlemen and thank you so much for a warm [welcome] and you’re such lovely people it means so much to me. I never thought that I’d be in this position so I feel very honoured, thank you very much.