Emotions Were Real: Virgin River Star's Traumatic Personal Experience Helped With This Shocking Scene

Summary

• Virgin River fans are still taken aback by the amount of tragedy and drama in season 5.
• The installment's most distressing plot line was added later.
• The actress could relate to the story as she'd gone through a similar experience.

Although Part 1 of Virgin River's fifth season was released almost three months ago, it still haunts viewers with all of its events. While the wildfires that devastated the titular town and its neighboring forests and Brie and Dan Brady's breakup largely contributed to the season's eventfulness, it was Mel's miscarriage that proved to be the most shocking.

After the revelation that Jack was indeed the baby's father and their plans to build a home together and live happily ever after, Mel's miscarriage was a major shock that left viewers reeling. Remarkably, it wasn't always planned, but Virgin River's new showrunner, Patrick Sean Smith, and star, Alexandra Breckenridge, came to the conclusion that it was a necessary turn of events.

The Story Had to Be Told

According to the actress, they felt obligated to not shy away from such grim parts of human life and to give representation to women who go through such hardships in their lives.

'We felt like we were doing a disservice to the women who have had trouble conceiving and have fertility issues – which are so many women – and this storyline [miscarriage] felt very real and very powerful for those women. So we both agreed that it was the right direction to go in for the character and to be able to tell that story,' Breckenridge said in an interview.

Pain From Within

Arguably, it was the actress' performance that had the most impact on fans. And while Alexandra hasn't suffered such a tragedy herself, she's had a similar experience that helped her convey the pain and misery Melinda experienced.

'I've had personal experience. One of my children was very, very sick when he was young and could have died so I have a personal connection and understanding of the emotional loss of a child. When you're a parent and you come so close to that edge of not having them anymore – I already experienced that in a different way, so I came into that scene reliving that experience. That's how I approached it, because that's what I know,' Breckenridge revealed.

Admittedly, the actress hadn't spoken publicly about her experience before, which must have been why it was so difficult for her to put it into words. On screen, however, she was able to portray her own fear and despair.

'That was the most real to me, just let myself go back to that emotional point, and how that felt, and being there with it. But then, having to pick yourself up and do something which is also kind of weirdly within the circumstances of what I had to go through at the time,' Alexandra added.

Part 2 of Virgin River Season 5 will be released tonight.

Source: Deadline.