Emily VanCamp sheds her Canadian ‘good girl’ image for ‘Revenge’

Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

Canadians have a reputation of being really nice. We smile, say "sorry" for anything and everything, and we cap off statements with a cheery "eh?" We might as well be the country next door.

That's probably why Port Perry, Ont., native Emily VanCamp played the good girl so well in her roles on "Everwood" and "Brothers and Sisters." Of course, her shiny blond hair, big smile, and ballerina poise didn't hurt either.

But in her current role as Emily Thorne/Amanda Clarke in ABC's retaliation drama "Revenge," VanCamp takes on a completely different character -- and that's exactly why she likes it.

In an interview with Maclean's Magazine, the 25-year-old says she was dangerously close to getting typecast for life.

"I was pretty worried," she said. "The bulk of scripts I was getting were about being this same kind of shiny gal-pal or protagonist."

Left: On "Everwood" (2002). Right: On "Revenge" (2011). (The WB, ABC)

So when she got the chance to portray the complex character of Emily Thorne, "Revenge's" hero/villain, it was a no-brainer.

"My biggest challenge is to balance the likeability of my character. She's doing some horrible things, and my job is to get people to root for her," VanCamp said.

The Canadian starlet has had to spend more time in the Hamptons for the show, which follows Thorne as she tries to settle an old score with a rich, powerful family. But she's probably not getting too homesick, since co-star and boyfriend Josh Bowman is never far away.

We understand wanting to shed the "girl next door" image, but maybe we should send VanCamp a bottle of maple syrup or two just to make sure she doesn't completely lose her Canadian sweetness!

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