Bates Motel: Vera Farmiga explains the difference between Norma and Mother 

'Bates Motel' First Look: Norma and Norman wear matching robes

'Bates Motel' season 4 First Look: Is Norman going full 'Psycho'?

’s Vera Farmiga has inhabited Norma Bates, the overprotective mother of Norman Bates, a young man with a deteriorating psyche. But when season 4 premieres, not only will Norma experience a shift in how she sees her son, but Farmiga will get to spend a bit more time inhabiting another character: Mother.

For Norma, Farmiga says this season is about coming to terms with the potential truth that her son is actually in the way of her happiness as opposed to the key to it. “She’s going to feel relieved, [and] it’s going to terrify her,” Farmiga says of the “ugly truth.” But she’s not going to have much of a choice when she’s confronted with the fact that she’s scared of her own son.

“She’s come to a point where she’s terrified,” she says. “She’s terrified of her offspring and that’s an ugly thing to feel because there’s no control. She has not been able to fix him and that’s such a miserable feeling for a mom to feel.”

WANT MORE EW? Subscribe now to keep up with the latest in movies, television, and music.

And then there’s Mother, the Norma that Norman imagines during his blackouts. Fans have met Mother on a number of occasions, but this year, there’s going to be a lot more of her. “This is an introduction to a new character that I’m taking on, ” Farmiga says, noting that the difference between Norma and Mother is that Mother “is an invention of Norman’s fractured psyche.”

“Norma Bates is always rooted in striving for integrity and [Mother is] a little more devilish,” she says. “I don’t think she’s as earnest or heartfelt. With Norma, there’s a wholeheartedness there and a sincerity, whereas Mother Norma will be a little bit more wily.” 

WATCH: Rachel Bloom reveals her most embarrassing moment on set

What to Watch Tonight: Norman goes psycho on \'Bates Motel\'

WATCH: \'Community\' season 6 gag reel sneak peek

Hitler\'s copy of \'Mein Kampf\' is going up for auction

Kelly Clarkson: I was \'blackmailed\' into working with Dr. Luke

\'Bates Motel\': Vera Farmiga explains difference between Norma and Mother

\'Downton Abbey\': This Is What the Stars Look Like in Real Life

Oscars 2016: What Will the Winners Do Next?