At the end of “Virgin River” Season 3, Hope McCrea faced some major health challenges, and when we pick up with the character in Season 4, she’s still adjusting to her new normal. “[I]t’s challenging to take a character who’s so active and independent and to put the brakes on her, so that’s been interesting to play,” Annette O’Toole tells The List.
The usually upbeat and interfering Hope finds herself dealing with some very personal difficulties throughout the new season of “Virgin River,” which O’Toole brings to life. She explains, “A TBI [traumatic brain injury]’s an interesting thing to play. I don’t have very much personal experience with it, thank God. But reading about it, there’s so many variations because the brain is infinitely variable depending on where the injury is, who the injury happens to, [and] where in your head [it is].”
Importantly, O’Toole sought a balance between Hope’s well-known personality traits and the new health issues she’s experiencing. “She’s still Hope,” O’Toole says. “She’s still very impulsive and controlling, but now she’s dealing with all these issues. A lot of it is directed inward, frustrated with herself — like, ‘Why can’t I shuffle these cards? Why can’t I … ?’ That’s incredibly difficult for her and more so for Doc to have to deal with it. It’s very stressful for him. That’s good. [It] makes a lot of drama.”
“Virgin River” Season 4 is now streaming exclusively on Netflix.
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