SPOILER ALERT: The following contains spoilers from Mayor of Kingstown Season 4, Episode 8.

Mayor of Kingstown fans are still reeling from Tracy McLusky’s death, with very good reason. Tracy was an island of goodness in the sea of pain that is the Paramount+ series, whether it was her loving relationship with husband Kyle or the family they were building with baby Mitch. And then it all went away in one terrifying, soul-crushing scene.

In Season 4, Episode 8, Tracy was murdered by Merle Callahan as an act of revenge against Mike McLusky. She gave her life to protect her baby, and viewers are just as heartbroken as Mike and Kyle over it. Actor Nishi Munshi joined TVBrittanyF.com to talk about how she felt about Tracy not surviving Season 4, and what it was like for her to film that scene in which Tracy stood up to Callahan. Plus, what stands out to her about her time on Mayor of Kingstown?

Brittany Frederick: When were you made aware that Tracy wouldn’t survive, and what was your reaction to that news?

Nishi Munshi: We had a conversation about it for sure. And of course, you can’t play that in the character’s work up until the day of. I knew pretty early on, but I didn’t allow it to really sway me from what was happening in the moment.

How did you feel about how she went out? Because her last scene is incredibly powerful; she’s not a damsel in distress.

I think Tracy went out as Tracy. She went out with a lot of that underlying—you always sense this fierce protectiveness that’s in her. She tried every mental trick in the book. When it came to my work with Richard Brake, I love that last fight and that lunge. I think that’s true of the protective mama bear nature of Tracy.

Speaking of mental tricks, there is that moment where Tracy tells Callahan if his issue is with Mike, he should kill Mike. Is that just to try and get him away from her, or is there any part of her that is upset at Mike for bringing this threat to her door?

I think family loyalty runs so deep for [Tracy]. Mike and I have seen eye to eye quite a bit, and then we’ve also just not at all. But that was just a statement that I made in that moment of desperation, to say if I can just get him away from my kid and I and convince him to do something else, maybe I can buy some time. That’s what was going on for me.

But as sad as her death is, it’s another example of how Tracy has never been just Kyle McLusky’s wife. She’s a strong and well-rounded character on her own. What have been your proudest moments in playing Tracy?

I had a lot of great stuff. I come from a stunts background, so it was a heavy day where it was the assault scene with C.O. Breen, but I got to do a lot of the physicality.

Another proud moment was Kyle and [Tracy] in Season 1, and our first scene happens to be the shower scene—when I tell him to touch my belly, that I’m pregnant. That was great, because we didn’t know each other. We just walked in and I said hey, I’m going to go for it. [Laughs.] He said okay, let’s do it. So that was another great one.

And then the most heart-wrenching one is when I finally have to accept that he’s going to prison in this season.

Since so much of your scene work has been with Taylor Handley as Kyle, how different was filming Mayor of Kingstown Season 4, where you two were mostly kept apart?

It was disorienting for a moment, because I do relate to him as a strong grounding for me too. But I found that another part of Tracy was discovered, where when shit hits the fan, she’s going to step up and take care of things. So I really liked that strength that came about in Tracy.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Kyle and Tracy were the happiest part of this show. So with Tracy gone, do you think there’s any chance for happiness left in the McLusky family?

Tracy was starting to get coined the beacon of light, and then my husband’s the last good cop. He’s gone off the other end. I wouldn’t say I was the total stabilizing force, but I think I was a voice of reason between the two brothers and in our family dynamics. So I think they’re going to hell. [Laughs.]

But what makes the series work is the incredible amount of talent on it, not just on-screen but the personalities that gel together. As you leave the series, what are you going to carry with you?

So much. We’re all just creative weirdos, you know? And I say that with so much love. Sometimes in our line of work, it can be a little isolating, and you’re in a different state by yourself. But almost every cast member has multiple talents, a lot of humility, a lot of work ethic, a lot of levity.

I love to observe, so even when they let me come drop by set to shadow a director, it was a very nurturing environment, I just picked up a ton, and it was great to play. When people come in really prepared, and there’s people that are just of amazing caliber, you get to play, and you get challenged and you get supported. And it was great.

Is there anything else you want to say about your Mayor of Kingstown experience?

I would just say it was really impactful for audience members, especially women that were writing into the show. I think it really helped all of us to layer the female characters even more, to have that openness and receptivity. Just big ups to Taylor Sheridan and Hugh [Dillon]. They incorporate all of that, so I found that really cool.

Mayor of Kingstown streams Sundays on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Paramount+.

Article content is (c)2020-2025 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram. For story pitches, contact me at tvbrittanyf@yahoo.com.