Summer Bishil

A fan-favorite on SyFy’s The Magicians, Summer Bishil is a force to be reckoned with. Starring as ‘Margo Hanson,’ the scene-stealing actress delivers some of the show’s best one-liners and keeps viewers wanting more.

Words By Vanessa Salles Photo By Diana Ragland Hair By Harper Makeup By Helen Robertson Styling By Matthew Peridis

12“I was drawn to my character from the very start,” she reveals. “I always had it in mind to demonstrate as much dimension as I could and I knew I wanted to develop Margo into something more.” Describing her mindset during scene preps, Summer makes sure every on-screen decision is intentional. “Your hope is that the writers see your choices, like them, and write more for you,” she says. “I knew I had to work hard if I wanted more material; I was very conscious of Margo not having a lot to do or a lot of time to show her dimension in season one, so that was always foremost in mind when prepping for her.”

Four seasons in, Summer’s portrayal of Margo is the perfect example of character growth. “She’s incredibly strong-willed,” the actress notes. “At the end of the third season, before her memory is wiped, Margo’s determined to do her part in restoring magic and she’s learning to become more of a team player. She has that goal in the front of her mind and it’s what drove her through the entire season. It’s going to be really interesting to watch her in this new season and watch her rediscover that fire and get back on track with the mission that they’re on.”

Having explored a very interesting storyline in the last season, Summer admits she loves the challenge. “I think season 3 was a very interesting time for Margo,” she says. “Going forward, I don’t have a particular storyline in mind; the writers on the show are really good at keeping us on our toes - I just want things to stay challenging; that’s what every actor wants.”

Recalling behind-the-scenes set moments, Summer assures fans that some very special episodes are coming up. “The most memorable time that I’ve had on set was episode 10 of season 4,” she says. “It was a challenge but it wasn’t overwhelming. It wasn’t easy or something that I’d been doing during our four seasons but it was welcomed and I fully embraced it. I really loved working with Shannon Kohli; she is such a special director! It’s going to be such a good episode and I think fans are really going to enjoy it.”

Something that fans might be surprised to learn about set life? “Something that usually surprises people about The Magicians set life is how early our call-times are,” she laughs. “People are always shocked when I say I get up at 3:30am for work! I enjoy the grind because it keeps my mind busy. The last thing you want to do when you move to Vancouver for five months is sit around twiddling your thumbs. If I’m working, I’m happy!”

With an incredibly loyal fan base, The Magicians serves as one of SyFy’s most popular series. “Our fans are so incredible,” Summer gushes. “They are so supportive and we’re just so lucky to have them. There have been so many stand-out moments with fans but I think my favorite thing is when I see women cosplay Margo! That’s just so much fun and so surreal to see.”

Her special message to fans? “If there’s one thing I want to tell the fans, it’s ‘thank you,’” she smiles. “I’m very grateful that I have been able to consistently work and learn on a set for four years – I hope we can keep it going!” Staying accessible to fans online, Summer’s always game to interact and answer questions. “I love talking to fans online,” she explains. “The best way for them to get my attention on social media is when they ask me specific questions about the show; a well thought-out question about how I prepare for ‘Margo’ is always nice!”

As for what’s up next? “My bucket list for this year is to stay as present and as grateful as I can be,” Summer reveals. “I don’t like setting concrete plans or making lists. I like allowing life to do its thing and I just want to make sure I show up for it.”