Grimm’s Sasha Roiz and Claire Coffee Talk Season 3 Finale and Odd But Exciting Chemistry

Grimm‘s season 3 finale might be its most emotionally explosive yet for our favorite Portland residents. It’s hard to believe that things could have gotten worse in a season that began with Nick as a zombie, but the show has found itself going to new levels and “Blond Ambition” is not short on shock.

The entire troupe has been through a lot, but Renard and Adalind’s intersecting journeys this season — which include a baby — will play a particularly important role in the events of the final episode. ScreenSpy had the opportunity to speak with Claire Coffee and Sasha Roiz, the actors behind our favorite hexen and zauberbeist, about what it was like working together and what fans can expect from their characters in tomorrow’s finale.

A lot doesn’t even begin to cover what has happened between Adalind and Renard this season, but perhaps the biggest and most important moves by both characters have come at season’s end. What began as a temperamental but decently functional relationship has become seriously strained, due in part to two major betrayals.

The first came after Renard took Diana, a move which incited the second betrayal — Adalind taking the potion. Despite both characters’ natures and actions, some still hope the two can find their way back to each other. But is that possible for two people in what Claire Coffee describes as a “sickeningly codependent relationship”?

Both Coffee and Roiz seem to think so. “I don’t know that there’s ever really forgiveness or ultimate trust. But it does seem like the playing field is a little bit leveled with what they’ve done to each other,” Coffee says. Roiz follows up, noting that, “There’s always a possibility of them finding their way back to each other to some extent. But you know, there’s also that baby that bonds them so there’s going to be that bond between them always.”

In spite of that strained relationship, the romantic link between Adalind and Renard was one of the more interesting arcs of Grimm’s third season. That sickeningly codependent relationship has certainly been fun to watch, with the actors generating an oddly surprising and exciting on screen chemistry. It may not have been the intent, but Coffee agrees it’s “a fabulously unexpected result.”

“We do have a lot of fun working together. And Sasha’s — he’s just such a generous actor to work with,” says Coffee.

Roiz shares similar feelings about his Grimm co-star. “Claire and I have a lovely friendship on set and I love working with her. And I think she’s done a tremendous job this season. Her character arc has been enormous and she’s really stepped up. So it’s been fun to watch.”

While they enjoy working with each other, both Coffee and Roiz admit their character’s relationship is interesting at the least. And at the most? “Absolutely crazy,” states Roiz. “It’s really fun to, you know, to always be challenged with that. Because just when you think it can’t get any crazier, they manage to write something new in. So it always remains a little challenging, every single time we face off.”

Both actors acknowledge that the relationship goes to wild places, but Coffee is the first to share that filming it can be even wilder. “I think the most fun [was] obviously when he [was] without clothing. That was a pretty fun day on set. More funny than fun… for both of us because we’re both wearing various weird, you know, flesh colored underthings. Yes, it’s about the least flattering. If they could show behind the scenes, I would say that we – it’s the most unflattering that we’ve looked. But the movie magic makes it look so good.”

Laughing, Roiz adds, “That was pretty funny. It’s funny how the sexiest scenes, behind the scenes are the least sexy things you’ve ever witnessed.”

Season 3’s finale “Blond Ambition” will be pretty devoid of sexy scenes between Adalind and Renard. Each character will face different challenges, and their actions from the last handful of episodes will have a huge impact on both the episode’s events and the characters. Death might be closer to Renard than many fans would like, while for Adalind, baby Diana will be at the center of her finale arc.

Of Adalind’s finale moves, Coffee states, “She’s incredibly motivated to get her baby back. Her baby is – you know, she’s got tunnel vision where that is concerned because I think she just feels a little bit aimless and lost without this child now that she’s learned how to love another human being. So she – I don’t think she fully understands the ramifications of what she’s about to do, but she feels within her right to do it.”

Fans will see Adalind’s level of anger reach new heights, but Coffee leans away from labeling it as purely revenge. “I don’t think it’s revenge, I think she really is – she wants her baby back. Her baby gives her a place in the world really. Her relationship with Renard notwithstanding, she [doesn’t] have any allies, any friends, no job, like really nothing.

She continues, “[Adalind] doesn’t know that Nick and the gang took the baby. If she knew that then sure, revenge would come into play. I’m assuming. But at this point, it really is, she needs this child.”

How much will that need impact the other characters? “Everything that she does she’s like someone with blind ambition. She’s not realizing the way that what she’s doing is going to affect everybody else. And yes, it causes a massive rift in Nick and Juliette’s relationship and it changes them — maybe forever, we’ll just have to wait and see.”

So what does Roiz think of Adalind’s actions, and how might her moves impact Renard? “I think that she, Adalind, has gone too far this time and I think by the end of the episode Renard sees pure rage. It could get pretty nasty between the two of them. But then again you know, there’s always some twists and turns along the way. But certainly you find him at his wits end with her.”

A catastrophic event has been teased as part of Friday’s finale. Fans have been abuzz since last week’s episode wondering if one of their favorites will make it out of the season alive. Roiz noted that his own character’s season 4 future — while seemingly existent — remains unclear. “Unless you see the body you probably shouldn’t completely believe it,” says Roiz, quickly adding, “It’s Grimm, anything’s possible.”

Coffee’s final words act as an interesting follow up to her co-star’s. “I just hope nobody knows where I live,” she laughs.

Catch Grimm‘s season 3 finale “Blond Ambition” on Friday, May 16th at 9/8c on NBC.