Why Audry From The Block Island Sound Looks So Familiar
When most people think of horror movies, the first two things that come to mind are monsters and copious amounts of blood. However, there is the occasional film that doesn't rely on gore, and still manages to freak you out to the point where you need a nightlight in your room again. The Netflix horror flick, The Block Island Sound, falls into that category, and it follows in a recent trend of aquatic-themed scary movies like Underwater and Sea Fever.
The less you know going into this film, the better. However, just to set the stage for you, it involves a character named Harry (Chris Sheffield) noticing a trend of strange occurrences with the wildlife around his town, and in the nearby sea. His sister, Audry (Michaela McManus), gets put on assignment by the Environmental Protection Agency to investigate the disturbances.
McManus is a name you should get familiar with, if you like The Block Island Sound. Her brothers, Kevin and Matthew McManus, wrote and directed the horror movie, which just so happens to be their first feature-length film after working on shows like Cobra Kai and American Vandal. Michaela has a similar amount of experience on the acting side of things, that may have flown under the radar for most viewers, but we're here to jog your memory.
Michaela McManus left her fiance at the altar on One Tree Hill
It's quite likely most people saw Michaela McManus for the first time when she joined the cast of One Tree Hill during its fifth season. She plays Lindsey Strauss, the editor of Lucas Scott's (Chad Michael Murray) book, and the two form a romantic relationship. Things don't go necessarily as she plans: she runs into his old girlfriend, Peyton (Hilarie Burton), and she soon recognizes that Lucas still has feelings for her, and vice versa.
It all culminates in one of the most shocking episodes in the series' run. Lindsey and Lucas are set to marry, but she leaves him at the altar, allowing him to be with his one true love. The last time we see her, Lucas pays her a visit and informs her that he's planning to marry Peyton, which ... gets a little awkward, but ultimately, they keep things amicable.
It may have been a relatively short run on the hit series, but McManus wasn't on the sidelines for very long. In fact, the same year she was on One Tree Hill, audiences could see her on another network.
Michaela McManus fought for justice on Law & Order: SVU
2008 was an eventful year for the actress, as she also had a main role on that season's Law & Order: SVU. She appears in season 10 of the long-running series as Assistant District Attorney Kim Greylek, who works alongside the Special Victims Unit handling sex crimes. She quickly becomes known far and wide by her colleagues for her tougher-than-nails attitude, which even results in her getting assaulted in the courtroom.
Despite being credited as a regular cast member, McManus wasn't on the series for an extended period of time. Out of the 22 episodes of SVU she has a credit on, she only physically appears in 13 of them. No explanation was ever really given for her departure, but it appears as though there were no hurt feelings on either side. In the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Unofficial Companion book, showrunner Neal Baer only had to say this about the character being written so soon after being introduced, "She's moved on. Sometimes the part and the actor just don't mesh. It was a mutual decision."
Luckily, McManus wasn't hard-pressed for work in the aftermath of leaving the show.
Michaela McManus returned to The CW with a brief recurring role on The Vampire Diaries
Michaela McManus' characters on CW shows just don't seem to have the best of luck, considering that whenever she has appeared on the network she's gotten her heart ripped out, both metaphorically and literally. Yes, that actually happened when McManus was cast on The Vampire Diaries as Jules: she attempts to carry out a sacrificial ritual, but ends up on the wrong side of that deal when Klaus (Joseph Morgan) attacks her and tears out that oh-so important organ.
The actress had a chance to talk about her short-lived role to Entertainment Weekly, where she explained the complicated nature of her character: "The thing about Jules is, she has a sensitive side. She has to live with being a werewolf and every full moon transforming into this beast who wreaks havoc, but it's not something she's proud of or happy with. I don't think she's the kind of werewolf that just likes to go around tearing up people. She definitely has a hard time with it."