Runaways Season 2 Interviews: Lyrica Okano (Nico Minoru) and Virginia Gardner (Karolina Dean)

The Marvel Report had a chance to sit down with the cast of Marvel’s Runaways at New York Comic Con to talk about Season 2. Read on for highlights from our interviews with Lyrica Okano (Nico Minoru) and Virginia Gardner (Karolina Dean) and check out the videos for the full interviews. 

Lyrica Okano (Nico Minoru)

Given the fan interest about the blossoming relationship between Nico Minoru and Karolina Dean (dubbed “Deanoru” by fans), that seems like the obvious place to start when talking to Runaways star Lyrica Okano.

“From the first season that’s how I wanted them to react with Nico and Karolina. We weren’t quite sure where the writers were gonna take them, but I was a huge fan of the comic books and I knew that all the fans of the comic books also were a fan of Deanoru.”

“I’m very, very pleased with how it’s been going”

As far as her powers are concerned, Okano was more hesitant to reveal too much especially regarding whether the Staff of One will have any magical properties.

“For the first season it’s definitely more technology-based, science-based, but I don’t want to spoil anything for y’all. I’m just gonna say that the staff is capable of a lot of things”

While the staff looks great on screen, Okano gives all the credit to the props department who’ve created multiple versions of the staff. 

“It’s not quite as magical as you see on the show, it’s a lot of imagining… you say your spell, you pause and then there’s someone from props switching out the short staff with a long one and then you pretend that you just did the spell.” 

This season will find Nico stepping up into a leadership role on the team, despite her reservations.

“She’s very reluctant in this leader role. She doesn’t understand why she has to be the one to take charge but she’s just a capable leader.” 

Okano explains that it’s Nico’s empathy that makes her a great fit as leader for the team. 

“I think as much as Nico hates to admit it, she is super empathetic as a person. She’s gone through a lot so she understands a lot of emotions that I think most people her age don’t quite understand yet.”

This leadership role will also force her to work closely with Alex and get over the awkwardness between them. Okano adds despite the heartbreak, there’s still a lot of (platonic) love between the two characters. 

Read on to the next page for our interview with Virginia Gardner who plays Karolina Dean.