After much anticipation, Virgin River Season 4 is coming to the Netflix platform on 20 July 2022. According to Lucia Walters, who plays Julia, a medical headhunter who comes at Virgin River to help Doc find a doctor who could replace him, it will be a thought-provoking, intense and fullfilling season.
We at Survived The Shows had the pleasure of chatting with Lucia Walters about her experience on Virgin River and in particular what we can expect from season 4!
What is the main element of Julia ‘s character and the show in general that fascinates you the most and drew you to join Virgin River?
LUCIA WALTERS: Julia starts off in season three and she’s the headhunter, she’s helping Doc supposedly find a a new replacement doctor for him because of his health problem. So, you know, you’re all up to date on that, and then things continue in season four. I can’t say much, but things continue and you’ve seen some pictures, right? I have lots of reasons to join Virgin River. First, of course, my husband. Because why not just hang out with him, right? Yeah, leave the kids, hang out with the hubby. I mean, that’s perfect, right?
But also just having watched all the seasons, what I really loved about Virgin River is they touch on so many true issues that people have suffered through like the loss of the baby for Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge), Jack(Martin Henderson) and his post traumatic stress from being in the war.
I mean, there’s just so many – Cancer. One of the characters had so and they’re really moving accurate. That’s the other thing. Very accurate, especially when referring back to Mel, Alex’s character. She’s a midwife or like a a nurse practitioner that deals with babies and all that, and I used to be an obstetric nurse for high risk deliveries. And so whenever I’m watching television, I am looking at accuracy and they’re right on the money and she plays it exactly how a real midwife would play the role. So, yeah, those are the things that impressed me, and of course the scenery is gorgeous. A lot of it takes place in Squamish where I happen to go to high school, so that’s really fun. Yeah, so there’s like so much connection with the show. I was thrilled. Just thrilled to be on it.
What’s been the biggest challenge for you in playing Julia?
LW: Well, initially it wasn’t a challenge at all, right? Just doing the headhunter thing very professional. But with the personal motive. I would say the challenge for season four was to not have too much familiarity with the character that I was just meeting. Somebody who I’ve known for, you know, 20 plus years. So I really had to check myself on that kind of stuff, you know, and put myself back in the ‘how would you be with someone that you don’t know’, you got to take a totally different turn when it comes to that and that doesn’t happen a lot. That’s the biggest challenge, honestly.
Julia is character that enters the world of Virgin River in baby steps, and she doesn’t get much love from both the main characters and the fans, let’s say. What’s next for her in Season 4?
LW: Like nobody, I don’t really think anyone really paid any attention to Julia coming and go in in season three, which I think so funny because I’ve read some of the articles and it says that I just joined the cast in season four. I’m like ‘this is kind of funny’. So without saying too much, you’ve seen some pictures. So I’m definitely talking to Preacher. We won’t get into too many details about all the talking, but I love where her character goes. I think it’s really interesting – I don’t even know what I can say honestly, but I think that it will be an interesting ride to watch what develops, and I think that there won’t be any disappointment that way. I don’t even know what to say – It drops on July 20th and then everybody can see what’s going down.
What was it like for you to work with Colin Lawrence?
LW: Well, like any show that we’ve worked together on, we literally haven’t. We just have a hoot. It’s always good like we’ve played so many fun characters together. I remember we did a guest star episode on this show called the 4400 and he had to be like this really mean kind of husband. And you know, shutting me down and all that. Adam. So fun. Because that doesn’t happen in real life. So he we get to play.
We started doing a commercial together and that’s I think that’s how we started to notice each other way back in the day, we did the Sun commercial and yeah, so through the years we played these roles together and now our big joke is as well ‘If you’re going to get both of us on set and we can just like take a break from kids – because it’s all about the kids all the time – so we can just be together. It’s almost like a date, right? We’re hanging out. We’re having fun. As you can see we were drinking wine. We were in the picture that’s been put out there. We’re surrounded by lavender. I mean, if it wasn’t for like all the camera people, it would be like we were just on a nice date. So it’s pretty fun.
Speaking of relationships, since her first moments on the show, Julia has had various interactions with Doc. How was it like for you to work with Tim Matheson?
LW: Well, let me tell you about Tim Matheson. The first thing you notice when, like my first time, I think, I was sitting across from him: he’s got these beautiful piercing blue eyes and when he looks neat, you feel like you’re the only one in the room. He’s just got that magnetism and then he’s got this beautiful head of hair. So I literally was like ‘your hair is incredible’ when I first saw and he so genuine and present when you’re with him. And he’s wise.
Obviously he’s got this wisdom and it’s funny because I’ve grown up watching him.
I don’t know if you’ve seen Animal House or there was a show he did called ‘She’s all that’ and then there is This Is Us. Oh well, so he was Mandy Moore’s dad on the show, so he plays these really great characters where he can be a bit curmudgeonly or strict or whatever. And then underneath he’s this warm carrying personal. Once you peel the layers away and he does it beautifully as Doc as well. But in real life he’s just a smart, genuine man who is not permitted any in any way. So yeah, what a thrill. I mean, he’s just he’s just adorable, honestly
If you had to choose one character, besides Julia, that you would have liked to play in Virgin River, which would it be?
LW: Well, I mean, I love to play those characters with conflict and I got to tell you, Charmaine, and the actress who does it now it kicks it she’s so good and she’s so funny. And and she’s controversial because the fact is Charmaine was with Jack (Martin Henderson). Let’s face it. OK, so her character, you know, stuff happens right? And I, I really loved the progression of her character and it’s funny like she’s funny whenever she came on, she just she made us laugh with those little quirks that she does. But then she was the character that people love to hate, which is so not fair because she got pushed to the side. […] So I would have just loved to play her character. She’s a fantastic woman in in real life. She’s just smart and and accomplished.
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