By James Mottram

Did you think that being in Arrow would lead to The Flash? “Well, chronologically, the episode of Arrow aired before the pilot of The Flash did, but I was actually hired on the pilot of The Flash first, and then they asked me to do one episode of Arrow. Obviously, I had no idea if the pilot would be a success. I remember when the show was first airing, our first premiere date, thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, I hope people watch! I hope people like it!’ And here we are almost two years later.”

Are you surprised by the fan enthusiasm for the show? “Shocked! I’m completely shocked. And totally amazed. I feel so lucky and so grateful. I have been able to interact with them a little bit, more so over my hiatus than during the season. And it’s just so incredible to see their passion for the show. I’ve started to see a couple of people who’ve dressed up as Killer Frost, which really touches me in such a special way.”

What’s producer Greg Berlanti like to work with? “He’s a big reason why I wanted to be a part of the show. He’s an incredible producer and storyteller, so to get to work with him is fantastic. He is responsible for so many of the big decisions. He also has such an incredible reputation – people show up to work for Greg just because it’s Greg. He has cultivated such an amazing crew of people who love working with him. Once you’re in the Greg Berlanti family, you’re in.”

Daniell Panabaker in The Flash
Daniell Panabaker in The Flash

Will there be further crossovers with other DC shows? “Absolutely. I said for a while that I would love to go over to Legends Of Tomorrow. I feel like so many of those characters originated on The Flash. It would be great to interact with them, particularly Firestorm. And now with Supergirl, I’ve been begging to be on that show as well. I love Melissa [Benoist] and that show is great.”

Were you desperate for your character, Caitlin, to make that transformation to Killer Frost? “Absolutely. Ever since they told me that Caitlyn Snow had the potential to become Killer Frost, and that she did in the comic books, I’ve been bugging them and asking them about that. I never would’ve imagined that it would happen in Season 2, just with the possibility of letting me be Killer Frost on Earth-Two. So I’m excited to see, hopefully, more.”

Do you have any wishes for your character for Season 3? “It’s crazy to me that we watched Season 1 Barry disappear at the end of Season 2…I’m anxious to see where they go from there. I love [actor] Robbie Amell – he’s such a great guy and a wonderful actor, so my pitch is always that Robbie comes back and that Caitlyn and Ronnie [Raymond, Amell’s character] are happily married.”

Do you get excited when they send you new scripts? “I can’t wait. Even when we’re at work, I rush back to my chair between scenes and try and consume as much as possible and see who’s coming and what’s coming. We have table-reads every episode and it’s really fun to hear everything read out loud. [Writer/producer] Andrew Kreisberg generally reads the stage directions, which is fun.”

Daniell Panabaker in The Flash
Daniell Panabaker in The Flash

Do you find the scripts confusing? The plot can be quite dense… “I do! That’s why I’m lucky to have people who can explain them to me! It also makes me marvel at how wonderfully thought-out the show is – because they often add in visual elements and that sort of thing that really help inform the audience.”

How do you feel about the fact that there will be a Flash movie, separate from the TV programme? “I feel so lucky to be a part of The Flash, the television show, and that I get to wake up and do what I love and make an incredible show every day.”

Have you had any encounters with The Big Bang Theory’s Jim Parsons, whose character Sheldon Cooper frequently wears a Flash T-shirt? “I have not! I have met one of the creators, Bill Prady, a handful of times, and I knew him before I was on The Flash. I’ve run into him a couple of times and marvelled about what a small world it is. Sometimes The Big Bang Theory airs [in the US] before The Flash. So I’ll catch it and there’s been a couple of times that Sheldon has been wearing a Flash T-shirt and I geek out!”

Has he referenced the TV show? “He did, last season! It was a big point in his relationship with Amy. He was thinking about something very serious, and she thought it was her, and instead he was thinking about whether he was willing to commit to the television show, The Flash. The Big Bang Theory is one of my favourite TV shows – I can sing the theme!”

Danielle Panabaker becomes Killer Frost in The Flash
Danielle Panabaker becomes Killer Frost in The Flash

It must be amazing that The Flash is impacting on pop culture in this way, right? “It’s crazy! I never expected it in a million of years.”

What’s the difference between film and TV? Is it the stamina required? “Yes, but on The Flash, it’s an ensemble, aside from Grant [Gustin], so I get lighter episodes. I get days off, and that sort of thing.”

You were in Shark with James Woods, another long-form TV show. Was that a formative experience? “It was such an incredible experience. He’s an unbelievable actor, and just to watch him work was like an acting class. We got along famously. I adore him. It was a really spectacular experience.”

You’ve also made a few horrors like The Crazies and Piranha 3DD. Was that a world that you were keen on exploring? “It wasn’t intentional that I did so many horror movies, but I did have fun, and I got to work with some incredible people. John Carpenter [who directed Panabaker on 2010’s The Ward] is such a legend.”

Will you look to movies again after The Flash? “Yes, I would love the opportunity to continue working in films. If something came up that fit perfectly within my hiatus, I would consider it. But I love television. I love being on television, I love consuming television, and watching television, so I would also love a career in TV as well.”

You produced the 2005 short, Rule Number One. Is that something you want to do more of? “I’m definitely interested in producing. I’m fascinated by the collaboration of so many talented artists that have to come together to pull something even as fantastic as The Flash off; it’s not a one-man show. It’s a 1,000-man show. I’m fascinated by that process and would certainly be interested in that.”

The Flash: The Complete Second Season is available now on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital.

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