ABC Family Presents: The Lying Game
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JUMP TO: Allie Gonino Q & A | Alice Greczyn Q & A | Adrian Pasdar Q & A
ABC Family’s “The Lying Game” Brings to Life Sara Shepard’s Book Series With Intrigue, Romance and Fashion
Inspired by the Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars) book series of the same name, The Lying Game follows long-lost twins Emma and Sutton. Separated under mysterious circumstances, Sutton was adopted by the wealthy Mercer family in Phoenix, while Emma grew up in the foster system. When the twins reunite as teenagers, they keep it a secret.
While Sutton goes in search of the truth, Emma takes over her life and discovers more secrets and lies than she could have imagined.
It's a season of secrets, seduction and life-and-death stakes as the twins continue to expose the skeletons in their family closet. Emma and Ethan's love is stronger than ever, but their relationship is tested by questionable motives and accusations. With Sutton's disappearance, Emma and Ethan don't know whether Sutton is missing or dead. Meanwhile, Char's aunt Annie has returned to town after many years, bringing back old memories and secrets that Alec and Ted would like to keep in the past.
“The Lying Game” airs on ABC Family Mondays at 9PM ET/PT
Meet Allie Gonino
Allie Gonino is known to television audiences for her recurring role on 10 Things I Hate About You. Other TV credits include Unfabulous, Cody in the House, The Suite Life on Deck and Lie to Me. Born in Texas, Gonino started singing at age nine – later performing at various country music venues throughout the state. As a teenager, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting and music career. Soon after, she was asked by singer/producer Vitamin C to audition for a pop group called The Stunners. The group eventually released a single (“Dancin’ Around the Truth”) and went on tour with Justin Bieber.
Allie recently spoke with press about her character, bringing her singing talents to the show and her love of her character’s fashion sense. Check out what she had to say below.
What do you continue to enjoy the most about playing the character of Laurel?
I think the thing I enjoy the most about playing Laurel is that with every episode, as her storyline develops, she's learning new things about life [and] I'm learning new things about life with her and new things about myself too. I feel like I have a chance to grow myself by playing Laurel.
What do you feel it is about a show like The Lying Game that resonates well with viewers?
I think there are so many elements. I think the romantic love triangle between Sutton and Ethan, you know, is probably stirring up some excitement. And obviously, the fact that like we have no idea whether Alec is a creep or if he's a good guy. And we have really cute clothes which I'm going to say is probably a big reason why young girls watch it or even, you know, women.
There's so many elements, though, and just like the mystery aspect. I think there's so much going on in every episode and I think that's what keeps the viewers coming back for more.
Now that Sutton is back in town how will that sort of change things in the Mercer house?
Well, I know in the next episode they're still wanting to keep the twins anonymity. Like, they don't want anyone to know that the twins are twins and out and about because there's a killer on the loose and they don't know if that's provoking the killer to go out and find them. So the next episode is basically just both of them taking turns playing Sutton.
What has been the most challenging episode that you had to do so far?
That's a good question. I guess probably the episode that was just aired. That's the first time that I've ever had to really break down in a scene and cry. So, I'd have to say that one. It was just a very emotional episode for Laurel.
She never really shows that side of herself. She's usually very strong and happy and zealous. So I'd have to say that one. I just plugged in my iPod and put on a sad song and thought about something really awful and then the tears came.
Is there going to be a repair in the relationship between Laurel and Justin?
Yes. There's definitely some trust issues that will be coming up in the next couple of episodes you'll be able to see.
What makes your character so appealing to the fans? And how do you identify with your character; similarities and differences?
I think what's most appealing about Laurel is that she is such a real character. I think young girls can identify a lot with her. She's just a regular girl trying to get through life and still remain true to herself, while also trying to be a good sister to a nightmare of a sister. I think there's a vulnerability to Laurel that I felt when I was 16.
So I think she's just really relatable. I guess our sense of humor is sort of similar. So I would say it's a similarity. But the difference between us is, I guess, probably just our lifestyle. Laurel goes to high school and I've been doing music and acting for my whole life. That's probably the biggest difference.
Do you think maybe in the future Laurel will affect Sutton as realizing she's kind of snotty? Or do you think that maybe with all the stuff going on with Justin, Laurel might do some of the lying games herself?
I know that the real Sutton and Laurel have a conversation. And Laurel says something to the effect of like, you've been different lately. And I think Sutton is taken aback by it because she's just now figuring out what a cool person Emma is and, of course, that only like sparks more jealousy.
I'm not really sure if Laurel is going to be in on the lying game. I'm sure she probably will at some point. Everyone on the show is playing the lying game. [laughs] So I don't know about that one though.
Do they spend a lot of time with you guys in the fitting rooms with your wardrobe?
Yes. We do have a great stylist, Mimi Kaupe. She, basically, just pulls in a big rack of really cute things. We get to try them on, play dress up for like an hour and say what we like best. And then, it just all kind of comes together. We don't have like a huge budget for our clothes. So I think it's really, really amazing that we've been able to stylize the show so well.
In which direction would you like to see your character go in? What would you like to see your character do more of?
Well, I think she's been very enthralled with the boyfriend sort of situation lately. And in the next episode you'll see she gets to perform on stage for the first time. And so, I'm really glad that she's kind of getting back into being Laurel, you know, not Laurel plus boyfriends. And she's getting a little bit of her sass back and getting to express herself through music. So, I'm hoping in the future that they'll show that it's possible to balance both having a boyfriend and pursuing your own thing. I think that would be really cool for the viewers.
Is there anything else you can tell us about future episodes? Any tidbits you can spill about?
Yes, without giving too much away. Laurel finds out in the next episode on Monday (1/16) what the big secret between Justin and Ted is. So it has to do with the bracelet and it's going to rock her world. So definitely look out for that. It's a pretty jarring episode.
So, Laurel is going to find out what Justin's hiding. Can you tell us a little bit more about that? Does that mean they're going to repair their relationship after she knows the truth?
I can't exactly say. I have to be very careful. But it's definitely going to put a huge a dent in the relationship. You know, they just broke up. So now the truth is coming out and Laurel is going to have to decide whether to trust him again and try to repair the relationship or dump him.
You also mentioned that you're performing on next week's episode. Are there any plans in the work to come back and perform again with your band?
Yes. We are performing in episode, I think, it's 116. So, like three episodes after this Monday we'll be performing again.
Are you ever surprised when you get your next script, who else is holding a secret and who else is involved in this whole game?
Definitely. I'm just as surprised as the viewers are with each new episode. We don't really ever know what's going to happen until we get the script. We'll hear like rumors about what's going to happen and then they'll change their minds and write something totally different. So yes, it is the mystery sort of surprise element to the show is what makes it so successful.
Do you think that these characters are a pretty accurate depiction of 15, 16, 17 year olds today?
I hope not. You know, television we exaggerate everything. But that's why we do it is to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. And entertainment is there for us to just let go and forget about everything else and get involved in lots of drama without actually doing it in real life, you know. I think that's the good thing about it.
I have one more question in regards to the wardrobe. You guys wear some pretty high heels. Is that tough on you guys on your long shoot days?
Well, I've been wearing high heels for awhile. I'm a dancer. So it's not too bad unless the shoes themselves are really uncomfortable and then it's a pain. But, you know, I like wearing heels. They make me feel sexy.
When you first heard about the role of Laurel, what was it that made you want to play her?
I think it was just that I saw so much of myself in her. And I probably just felt some deep desire to live that stage in my life again and probably relearn some lessons that I didn't necessarily remember. And learn new things about myself. And I just love her wit.
She's so funny and energetic. That's just like the type of character I want to play. And it is my first, like, big role. So I wanted to pick something that would really allow me to learn acting and being in front of the camera and all that kind of stuff.
Do you have a behind the scene moment or memory or something that you could share with fans that they wouldn't know about from filming or just some little tidbit?
Well, I guess, we rarely get to do scenes where it's all of the cast in one scene. But the scene where we had the dinner party when the parents went out of town. We were joking and it's just a fun set. Like, we really do get along and all the actors are really intelligent people and want to do good work and are here to tell a story. I think the fans would like to know that all these characters that they're seeing are not as evil as they appear to be on television. They're really–they're really good people.
You started off appearing on Disney Channel shows Cory In The House and The Suite Life On Deck. How did that help you get your role in this show?
Well I think every role I've ever done, up until now, has helped me even since being on stage in ballets as a little girl. I think with every new job that I get it's really about just being more comfortable to be in front of the camera as opposed to get in front of the camera and feel tense or something. Those roles, like The Suite Life On Deck role I guess that was my first big guest star. And it just helped me to loosen up, make choices and stick to those choices as an actor and believe in my ability as an actor.
What exactly would you like see happen with Laurel's character in relationship to Justin?
They don't even know where they're going with that storyline. But I think if she does decide to stay with Justin it needs to be like full-fledged trust. Relationships are difficult. If you are going to choose to spend at your youth with someone, like, that's such a big decision to spend your high school years with someone.
So, I think I just want her to remain true to who she is and true to her passions. And I want her to be ambitious and go off and do her own Laurel thing. And be able to have a boyfriend. But I don't want it to be all about him.
According to Episode 16 that's going to change. You're going to be playing a Dixie Chicks song I think. Are you excited about that? Can you tell us which one?
Yes. I'm going to be playing “Top of the World” which was written by Patty Griffin, but sung by the Dixie Chicks. They're the reason I got into music in the very first place when I was like four years old. So to be able to play one of their songs on a TV show is, like, really weird but really awesome. And I feel really honored to be able to do that. It's like, it's my own little homage to them. So I'm excited.
What was your first love; acting or performing as a musician?
I would say music. I think it has always been something that I've just been in love with. I think it's universal for everyone. You know, it's been around since forever. But I was, like, probably three years old when I watched The Wizard of Oz for the first time and that really, I think, inspired me to be an actress. And I would come home from day care every single day and dress up like Dorothy, watch the movie and act it out. So I was, like, definitely an actress from a very young age. But I don't think I knew it until I actually started booking. But I would have to say music is where my heart will always be.
Besides the violin what other instruments do you play?
I play a little bit of Mandolin. And I can play a little piano but not very well. Just a little by ear.
Have the fans recognized you more since The Lying Game and is there any fan experience that stands out in your mind?
I definitely have been recognized a bit more since the show came on. The one I was most surprised to find out about that she even watches the show. My band and I when we were in L.A. we play music for this private children's hospital, and I walked in to this one girl, Angela, who we actually wrote a song about.
So we walked into her room and she was just chilling and watching ABC Family and our guide was like, "Angela, this is Allie." And she was like, "Were you on The Lying Game?" I was like, "Yes, you watch that show?" She was like, "Yes." And she was like really star struck but not like freaking out. But just like happy that we were there to play music for her. So that was like a really special moment for me that people I wouldn't have even imagine who'd get to watch the show gets to watch it. So that made me really happy.
What about your own, have you ever fanned girled out on anyone yourself?
Yes. I didn't let them know it. But I saw David Schwimmer, Ross Geller, from Friends at a restaurant one time and I was freaking out. He was sitting like in the table right next to us. It was actually when I was in The Stunners and everyone else just looked at me like I had lobsters, like, crawling out of my head or something. But that was a pretty big moment for me. It's Ross, you know?
Could you tell us if you had a favorite episode from either what we've seen or the shows that you've shot that we haven't seen yet? If there's one episode that stands out to you?
Honestly, the episode you're going to see this week is my favorite because I get to play the Dixie Chicks song and I get to perform with my real life band. It's like a dream come true and I'm excited for myself. But I'm also excited for the fans to see it because I think the music element is interesting and I don't think any other show is really doing it. So to have all this drama with like a backdrop of music is fun. I'm excited for this one.
Being on The Lying Game and having your band, you're very busy, very full of life, how do you balance it all?
I don't know. I really just try to take it as it comes and not try to stress out too much which is, honestly, the hardest thing in the world to do is not let it overwhelm me. But we've been in the studio and in film. So you just got to take it as it comes and then treat yourself every once in awhile with, a dessert or a drink or something which I don't suggest to people under the age of 21.
So we know now that in The Lying Game signature was the white and black bow surprise and we've already seen one. Will there be anymore of those coming up?
We haven't seen anymore as of yet. But we're about to do a table read of the next episode so maybe on that one. But that's all we've seen of the black and white bow.
In terms of the mystery of the lying game, is there a person you think you could expand to also target? Like Ethan or will they exclusively stick to just going after Emma?
I know Ethan gets in trouble for something but it doesn't really have to do with the twins. The episode we just shot is going to, like, shock people. But that's all I can say right now.
meet alice greczyn
Alice Greczyn portrays Madeline (“Mads” for short), a cool, intelligent high school student and one of Sutton’s best friends. She recently faced the departure of her beloved brother, Thayer, who moved to Los Angeles to live with their mom – leaving Mads with a disinterested father who may or may not be abusive towards her. Mads doesn’t know that Sutton’s been replaced by her twin, Emma, but she senses something is up.
Alice recently guest-starred on ABC Family’s “Make It or Break It” and appeared for two seasons on the network’s critically acclaimed series, “Lincoln Heights.” She also starred as a series regular on NBC’s “Windfall.” Other TV credits include “Quintuplets, “Phil of the Future,” “CSI: Miami” and “Privileged.” On the big screen she could be seen in “The Dukes of Hazzard,” “Fat Albert,” “Exit Speed” and “Sex Drive.”
Born in Walnut Creek, CA and raised in Colorado, Greczyn dreamed of becoming a figure skater (or maybe a nurse). Eventually, while in college, she was approached by a talent scout, and an acting career was set in motion.
As you will read in the interview below, Alice enjoys traveling, cooking and spending time with her family.
You have a Twitter called @alicefood, and on there you tweet a lot about food.
I certainly do.
What is the most exotic dish that you have ever sampled?
The most exotic dish I’ve ever sampled, probably—it happened when I was a toddler, and I can’t really remember—but according to my parents we were in South Korea, and they fed me dog. That would be the most exotic. The most exotic food I’ve ever eaten of my own accord was probably barbecued alligator in Louisiana, which was actually really good.
Do you ever see in the future of you doing a complete TV show about food?
You know, people have asked me that. People have asked me if I would even do my own web series about food. I’m not very comfortable being myself in front of camera, but I love to write about food. I used to do restaurant reviews as a side hobby in L.A., and I love writing about it. I love food journalism, especially travel and food together. I am working on a cookbook, so I think my passion for food will manifest itself more in writing than in front of the camera. But who’s to say, you know? I am open to the possibility.
How do you think things are going to change for Mads and other characters now that she knows the big secret?
The biggest thing that changes for Mads is that being let in on the secret opens up a door for her to find out a lot more about her dad and his possible involvement in all the mysteries on the show. For the rest of the season, Mads is pretty much just uncovering more and more about him, and it brings a lot of tension between Mads and Thayer, and Emma’s sort of in the middle of it.
Mads kind of acts as an ally to Emma because she’s really upset with Sutton, and now that she knows Emma’s not actually Sutton, she and Emma can be friends. But at the same time, Emma’s also the one telling Mads thing she doesn’t want to hear about her dad, so there’s still some tension there, and that plays out through the rest of the season…
Is ballet a part of your life too?
No, but I am so flattered that they even asked. That means I’m doing something right if it’s not extremely obvious. No, I’m not a dancer. I was a competitive figure skater when I was a kid. I think I did, maybe, six months of ballet at some point in there in my childhood, but when I moved to Austin for the show, that was one of the first things I did. The first two, three weeks were filled with intensive days with a choreographer that the show hired to help work with me, since they weren’t going to use a dance double, and it was pretty brutal.
I’m naturally thin, and people tell me I have a ballerina’s build, but I’m not naturally—my muscles were not trained to hold themselves in the way that they must for ballet. To even just hold your arm right is very difficult and painful. I have so much respect for dancers now after, kind of, putting myself in their shoes for a little bit.
What are the similarities between you and your character on the show?
There aren’t many. I’m from a big family; I have four younger siblings. My parents are still happily married together. I grew up moving around a lot, and my family was certainly not affluent. So on face value, there’s not much I have in common with my character, like the whole—I was going to say we could get into the whole nature versus nurture argument, but that’s a different conversation.
Basically, your environment brings you up when you’re a child, kind of shapes who you are. I think Mads and I had very different upbringings, and so we don’t really have a lot in common. Even if we were the same age and I met Mads, I don’t even know if we’d necessarily be friends. I think we tend to socialize in the circles that we’re raised in to an extent, and I don’t have that much in common with her. But that’s what makes her so fun to play.
I’ve enjoyed putting myself in the shoes of this rich girl who has a father that is the villain of the show. And for the first time (I think) in my career, I’m playing a character that has a sibling, which is really cool. I really enjoy having scenes with Christian, who plays Thayer. It’s a fun dynamic to play with.
I think the only thing, maybe, me and Mads have in common is that we both are very loyal and very keen observers, I guess. Mads, from day one, has always been suspicious of Sutton’s new behavior, and now she knows that it’s Emma. So all the dots are starting to connect, and everything’s starting to make sense.
What do you admire most about Mads?
I admire her sense of confidence and discipline. I think anyone who dances ballet has to be a very self-disciplined person, very motivated, and very hardworking. She’s also a good student, and I think she prides herself on being a good friend. She’s very there for her friends.
Char is not really in the show so much anymore, but I think with Char you really got to see what a loyal friend Mads was to her, and very caring. I think there’s very few people Mads lets in, but the ones that she does let in, she cares very deeply about. So that’s why it’s very wounding to her when, all of a sudden, Sutton is—she’s gotten used to Emma’s version of Sutton, who’s been really sweet and really kind, and I think that’s really meant a lot to Mads—and all of a sudden, real Sutton comes back, and before she knows it’s real Sutton, she’s so thrown because they’re two completely different people, and being inconsistent she’s obviously aggravated her. But now that she knows that there’s two of them, she and Emma can work on their own relationship, and Mads will have to deal with Sutton totally separately.
When you first read the role of Mads, what was it about this character that made you want to play her?
When I first read it, the role was a lot different than it is now. When I first read it, she was sort of the edgy, punky one in the group, and she wanted to be a writer. She had a possibly abusive relationship with her dad. Her brother was gone and she seemed much more like a loner and much more of the darker one of the three girls—of Mads, Char, and Sutton.
Obviously, that storyline has changed a lot. Once a pilot gets picked up, the network gives their notes on what they want to see happen, and so I guess, to be honest, a lot of things that initially drew me to her are no longer very apparent to a viewer. I know they’re there, but the storyline, dialog, and writing doesn’t shed so much light on it. But I’ve also found other things that keep me still drawn to her. I love that she was a dancer. I love playing someone that had a passion and a talent outside of just being an average high-school kid. I like that about her. And like I said before, I like that she had a brother that she really cared about. I loved playing with that sibling dynamic.
I like working on a show that always keeps me in suspense. It’s really fun for me to see what the next episodes are as I get the scripts coming in. So that’s fun, you know? It’s a drama/suspense show, and I think as far as TV goes, that’s probably the main genre I’m interested in.
Do have a favorite memory or moment from either on the show or behind the scenes that you could share with our fans?
Well let’s see, last summer when we shot the first 10 episodes, that was a really special time because we were all new to Austin. We were exploring all over the place and getting to know each other. On Fourth of July, we rented a boat on Lake Travis and went tubing, and that was a blast. We all really do have a lot of fun together.
Let’s see, I think we might be going off-roading this weekend as sort of a little last hurrah for ourselves. Texas has a lot to do and a lot to explore, and so we all have fun doing that. And of course, I’ve made everybody explore every possible restaurant that they can. If anyone’s going to go eat with me, there’s lots of eating to be done. They’re all used to me taking pictures of their food before I allow them to eat it so I can either tweet about it or just have it for my own personal collection to inspire me in my cooking.
As far as the show goes, I really had fun shooting—I remember I had a lot of shooting the homecoming episode. That was really fun. I think that was episode 105 or 106. But really just—I mean, it’s hard because I feel like I know each of the cast members so well individually, but I work with very few of them. I have very little scenes with Allie, and Allie and I are very good friends off-screen, but we hardly ever get to work together. If we’re in a scene together, we never have dialog.
I have a lot of dialog with Christian and Alex. And Alex, (poor thing) she’s the one who works more than any of us, so I rarely see her outside of work. I see Christian quite a bit outside of work and Tyler, who plays Dan, he and I hang out. I mean, a lot of the guest stars that come through—like Randy—I’ve known Randy for a while, Misha—who’s playing Ryan right now—she and I hang out. And then one of my best friends from L.A., Andy Fischer-Price—he plays one of the guys in Laurel’s band and has no on-screen dialog—but when he’s around, he and I hang out too.
So I don’t know. I wish the fans could—or I should say I wish the writers—could give a little a lot more scenes where all of us are together. I’d love to be able to have more dialogue with Allie. Blair and I were laughing the other day; I think we said two lines to each other in the entire season, and we hang out a lot outside of work too, so it’s like—how do you know that if you’re just watching the show? But it is fun. We are all very close.
You recently did a guest-starring appearance on Make It or Break It, where you performed as an anorexic character. Can you tell us about that experience and how it may have affected you personally?
I certainly did not realize what I was walking into when I did that role. Obviously, eating disorders are a very hot topic, and that’s one of the things that fans asked me the most about on Twitter or Facebook. It seems everyone wants to know if I have an eating disorder, and playing an anorexic character on Make It or Break It probably didn’t help much.
To set the record straight, I certainly do not have an eating disorder. I think as anyone can gather, I love food, and it is not just a front to cover up the fact that I don’t eat any. I do like that. I think that arc on Make It or Break It—I was in there for three episodes—it was interesting to play that character because she did have an eating disorder and was in total denial about it and had been in and out of rehab for anorexics and bulimics and knew how to work the system and play along so that she could get out, and then she’d go right back to being anorexic again.
I’ve never played a character like that before, so that was really interesting for me personally and the aftermath of that was what affected me personally. I had girls tweeting me saying that they—one girl, she taped a picture of me on her water bottle when she went jogging to inspire her to stay thin, and that made me feel really sad.
On one hand, I think it’s great that people are talking about it. I always try to encourage everyone to be happy and healthy and fully accepting of who they are, but it’s a very sensitive subject to talk about because it’s very easy for someone like me who’s naturally thin to be like, “Oh, well just eat in moderation, blah, blah, blah.” But a lot of people don’t look like me naturally, and so they must assume that there’s something very wrong with me mentally and physically, and that’s been difficult for me to deal with personally.
There are times that I feel very angered by a lot of the responses and questions, and I think a lot of people project a lot of hateful jealousy in their comments. I’ve definitely gotten some nasty ones, and I’ve gotten some very troublesome ones (some disturbing ones) of girls who were trying, like, “Oh, I need to make sure my ribs show like hers do, then I’ll know I’m skinny enough.” It’s not about ribs showing or not. If they show, and you’re a naturally healthy person, you just have really prominent bone structure or you’re just naturally healthy. Just be healthy.
That has been a very troubling topic to me. I could go on at length about it. It’s a very big deal, and I recognize that. I don’t take it lightly. I don’t take viewers’ comments lightly. It definitely does affect me, and there’s not much I can really say except to just encourage loving of yourself, and there are bigger things to worry about than whether or not your ribs are showing.
How did you get into acting?
I never anticipated being an actor. When I was a kid, I competed in figure skating, and I thought I might go that route, and then by the time I was high-school aged—I got my GED when I was 16, and I was in college for nursing school—and I really wanted to be a nurse and travel the world and do that. But then I fell into acting through modeling—because I’ve done quite a bit of modeling as well—and a talent manager from L.A. was like, “Oh, you should be an actress. Come to L.A. for pilot season.” So I did. I did not plan to stay. I did not plan for anything really to happen, but I started booking work. So long story short, I just thought, “I guess I’ll just see where this goes and see what else I book,” and it’s been a very fruitful career.
I’ve been very fortunate not to have to have a second job since I started, which was nine years ago. I’ve made my living from acting, and a little bit of modeling too every now and then for fun. Yeah, I think I’m pretty committed to it now. The longer I’m in it, the harder it would be to imagine doing something else as my primary career, even though I have a lot of other different interests.
When you found out you booked the role of Mads, how did you research to play her? What preparation went into that, and is it different from the ways you’ve researched your other roles?
It is different. One thing I always do for all of my characters is I—I’m not sure if you’re familiar with the Myers-Briggs temperament test, but I’m kind of obsessed with psychology, and I love taking personality quizzes. The Myers-Briggs test, I take as each one of my characters, and it kind of tells me, in a nutshell, what type of personality they are, how they’re like in life and family and work and love, and I kind of start from there.
So when we were filming the pilot, I kind of felt like, “Oh, I think Mads is an ISTP artisan. I know that’s a very clinical-sounding word, but basically I thought she was more of an introvert and a lot more observant. She’s a dancer, and so she’s very technical and very artistic and very disciplined. That kind of filled me in a little bit about her.
In the beginning of the season, I had a crush on Eduardo (my dance teacher) who I probably grew up having a crush on, and as we all know that ended disastrously. So I think Mads is at a very fragile time in life right now where she’s still learning about herself, as many teenagers are, and I think these events are happening to her right now in this season—losing Eduardo, having suspicions about her dad, not being able to trust her best friend—I think all of these are very much going to shape the woman she is going to become. I think Mads is an internal processor and thinks about things very deeply, and things affect her very deeply even if she doesn’t necessarily let it show.
Yes, it does. It tells us you put a lot of thought into it.
I do. I do. And of course, it changes too, because sometimes I think like, “Oh Mads wouldn’t handle a situation like this,” then I read the next script and it’s like, “What? Now she’s emotional?” I’m like, “Oh, wait a minute, now she’s strong?” It’s a little confusing sometimes because the writers—we have a lot of different writers—and I think episode to episode, Mads evolves, which people do.
But sometimes it’s a little bit frustrating and I find inconsistencies with character, but fortunately we have a great team of writers who are very collaborative, and we can talk it out and work on it, and find a happy medium where the network is pleased or the director is pleased, the producers, and me as the actor. And I really value that about this particular TV show. It’s very rare to have that in TV.
How is it that food became your passion? You can seem very passionate about it from a lot of different aspects.
I am. I was raised in a family where food was very central to our lives. I have a mother who’s a great cook, and she was always trying new recipes from all different worldly cuisines. We’d have Moroccan food one night, and then the next night she’d try a Vietnamese soup, and then the next night it would be a casserole.
My mother’s half-Asian, and she grew up with a lot of Asian food, and so therefore I grew up with a lot of Asian food, mainly Korean dishes. We love bulgogi, and there’s a Korean potsticker, and that was a family favorite. So I think from a very young age, even though I grew up mainly in the Midwest, I was exposed to a lot of different types of ethnic cuisine, and that sort of set the bar for my palate as an adult. And then now as an adult, I try to take it even further.
I love traveling. I think travel is probably how I found my own individual love for food separate from my family because when—you don’t know what you’re missing until you find it, you know? You don’t know what you don’t know about. I didn’t know that I didn’t know about schnitzel or … until I was in Austria, or blood pudding in Ireland, and I think food symbolizes culture to me because food is the centerpiece of any social gathering. It would be very weird to have a social gathering where there’s not food, and so I think food is just a symbol.
Yes, I love food in and of itself. I love flavor. I love texture. I love fragrance. I love playing with all of those. I think it’s a beautiful science. It’s a perfect example of art and science merging in one, and it’s something that you can share. So I think what it symbolizes to me is the facilitation of social gathering, and then in that, I find it to be—I love observing people. I love learning new things, and I think food is a great way to do that. It shares someone’s history. If you ask anyone what’s on their family’s Thanksgiving menu, you learn a lot about their culture and where their family comes from, whether they’re Swedish or Turkish or anything. So I think that that’s why I love it. I love what it symbolizes, and I also just love it for its own sake.
Do you have a favorite dish that you like to cook for yourself or friends, or anybody?
For friends, I love cooking—I guess my go-to recipe if I know I’m going to host people over for dinner, and it’s sort of like a last-minute thing, and I don’t have time to browse over new recipes, I love making a butternut squash ravioli with a sage and brown-butter sauce. I use the recipe from Todd English—that’s a chef and owner of Olives restaurant, which has the dish. My favorite Olives restaurant is in Vegas at the Bellagio. That dish, when I eat it, it was—stars were in my eyes. He was a generous chef enough to share the recipe online. Anyone can find it.
It sounds really overwhelming, but it’s actually fairly simple to make, and it’s always a hit with vegetarians and carnivores alike. That’s a pretty easy recipe. Then I love baking. Baking is my favorite thing to do. I love making pies, cobblers, cookies, cakes, anything. I’ll try anything. I subscribe to a lot of food magazines, and so those always give me new inspirations and—so yeah. It’s fun.
I love hosting. I rarely cook just for myself. I always have to have a group to cook for to really motivate me. If I’m just by myself, and I’m home at night, I usually order takeout Thai or Indian food or I’ll just have cereal or Ramen Noodles. I’m shameless about it. I love Ramen, loaded with chemicals, but I love that parmesan chicken Ramen. I love it.
Perhaps maybe you should think about opening your own restaurant later.
Oh, I have plans one day. One of my big dreams is to have my own bakery/tea house. I’m equally obsessed with tea as much as I am with food. There’s not enough tea houses, and the ones that there are, they’re usually, like, stuffy and English-themed and just not that great, or they’re too Zen Buddha-themed. I’d like to have an international variety of tea and a beautiful setting, and I’d also like to have baked goods. So that’s one of the things on my list of things to do. I figure, maybe, when I’m in my 50s. I got to save something for me to do later on in life, can’t do it all now.
You were talking about Mads’ suspicion of her father. Do you think she will ever figure out that Alex had anything to do with Eduardo’s accident, and how will she react?
I’m not sure. I think, maybe, she probably already has, but you would not see that on the show. I think the way the disaster with Eduardo ended, she did find out that her dad did pay Eduardo to leave town. Emma, as Sutton, confirmed that. I’m not sure. I imagine it must have been a story line issue where they couldn’t devote that much time to Mads’ story line because there were so many other things going on with the other characters on the show as well.
I think we just have to assume that Mads does know her dad paid Eduardo to leave town. I don’t think she thinks he deliberately ran him over with a car, but I think Mad chose to move on, deal with it. Eduardo’s gone. I think she has a very steely resolve, and I think family’s important to Mads, and she just wanted—there was a scene with Thayer at the end of the first 10 episodes where she was like, “Look, you know, let’s just be a family. Let’s just get along. That’s all Dan wants. That’s all I want. Let’s just stop thinking these bad things about Dad.”
I think Mads, she’s very aware her dad’s not a very savory character, but I think she has just sort of accepted it and would rather focus on more positive things and just not deal. I think it’s very difficult as a teenager, especially one who’s so close to leaving the house—I know for myself, you just kind of go into just dealing mode, and if you try to challenge and it doesn’t get you anywhere good, you just stop, and you just deal with it internally. So I imagine that’s probably, to an extent, what Mads is doing with the suspicions about her father and his character.
Meet Adrian Pasdar
Fans of the longrunning series "Heroes" might know Adrian from his portrayal of Nathan Petrelli, and many might know his voice from several superhero animated series ("Iron Man," "Ultimate Spider-Man" and "The Superhero Squad," to name a few), but most are getting to know him as Alec Ryback, father to Mads (Alice Greczyn) and Thayer (Christian Alexander) and love interest to the newest saucy vixen in town Rebecca (Charisma Capentar). Below, Adrian tries to give just enough information about the season finale of "The Lying Game" without spoiling the surprises for all of us...read on!
The wedding proposal seemed to happen so quickly. Is Alec suspicious of Rebecca’s motives, or has he completely fallen in love with her?
I think it’s an excellent question. The way these things are written, we service an ongoing flat line. But before all that happens, I had … with Chuck Pratt and the writers. One of the things we can always be assured of is that whenever I think a fellow like Alec makes a move, it seems to be without motive. Nothing altruistic about his intentions. I think there is something behind his accepting it so quickly that we will come to find out in the follow-up to the finale.
Alec may possibly be responsible for the death of Derek, the attack on Sutton and then Eduardo’s car accident. Is Alec as evil as we have been led to believe, or could he be trying to cover up for someone?
I think it’s always a little more interesting when it’s not just good or bad; when there is liquidity to the morality. I think Walt Disney said it best, when he said a show is only as good as the bad guy is bad. This is a different show so it makes it work perfectly for us. When it suits the show, he’s reprehensible in his behavior at times. But I think ultimately we’re going to find out that it’s not all as bad as you think. There is a great deal of protecting going on. Although, for who, I can’t say. I’m not at liberty.
Could you tell us about some of your most interesting fan interactions?
I don’t know if I can say some of the most interesting ones, but some of the most print-worthy ones. People, generally when I run into them, they know I’m not a bad guy. They generally know I’m playing one on TV, but they always seem to keep a good distance between myself and them. Even when we’re coming in for a picture. They’re always looking over their left shoulder, if they’re hugging me, making sure I’m not going to strangle them or something.
I think there is a good deal of believability in the nastiness of Alec. But there is also a vulnerability that we haven’t gotten into yet, but I can assure it’s there. My relationship with the fans on this one, and other roles, has always been positive. It’s great. I haven’t had really weird altercations or anything.
When you were in high school, what series were you a big fan of?
Rockford Files. Gosh, when I was in high school, Rockford Files—that was probably the The Six Million Dollar Man, and then by extension, The Bionic Woman—Jamie Summers. Those were the shows that were big. There were only a couple channels back then, so it’s easy to recall.
Alec seems to be at the center of almost all of the show’s juiciest moments and juicy stories. Is it challenging playing a character that’s really involved at the center and core of the show like that?
No. Challenging? I mean, yes, it’s challenging in the extent that you have to be consistent with your intention, and with your work, and stay on top of your game. For shows like this they pay you really to wait between setups. The acting I do for free. This stuff—the juicier the better. I just happened to watch two shows. I’ve never seen the show before because every time I’m working late Monday nights or I’m at the hotel and they don’t have the ABC Family Channel where we film.
I just saw the show for the first time last night, two of them in a row, the last two episodes. I got to say, man, the cast I’m working with are remarkable. To be at the center of anything that the writers write, I feel an immense comfort because the talent of these actors really supersedes a lot of the stuff that is on TV. It’s really—I feel very fortunate to be amongst this caliber of people.
To be in the center of it, I know I’m going to be able to have a really good round robin with whoever I’m working with. I’m charged about it.
Speaking of the cast, Charisma Carpenter’s character, Rebecca, showed us a new side of Alec this season. You two have really great onscreen chemistry. What has it been like working with her, and how do you think that’s changed your character on the show?
It’s a tough question to come up against a character like Alec. Charisma, she’s got a lot of moxie. She got stones, as my father would say. It’s fun to work with her because she can—I tend to be somewhat unpredictable and she can roll with it. She makes me better, which I think probably is the best thing that I can say about anybody. I feel confident that when we get done with our scene, it’s going to be better than it was before we started it. We lifted off the page and she’s wonderful to work with.
In your career you played a lot of villain-type characters from Nathan Petrelli in Heroes to now Alec Rybak in The Lying Game. Do you feel like you’re being typecast into these roles now, or are you actively seeking them out to play?
Oh, no, sir. I’m looking for them. The real fun in theater, film, or television, I think is playing the bad guy. There is just a lot of weight put on trying to be that super good looking heartthrob, leading man. I just don’t find it very rewarding. I think the reward for me—I’m not saying that those roles aren’t rewarding, but for me, the reward best comes when you can challenge somebody’s concept of what’s right and what’s wrong because it shifts for everybody, depending on what they need. To be the guy that can service that part, that’s exciting for me. I’m interested in that. I have actively sought them out, to answer your question.
Would you ever seek out a hero type role?
I think in the end of every show I’ve done, there has been an element of redemption. Nathan Petrelli, I think was a perfect example of somebody who could be misconstrued as a bad guy. Then in the end you reveal that he’s doing it to protect some people and ultimately the world. He sacrifices himself. At the very end of that show, that series, if you remember, that’s what happens. Yes. I like the idea of sending a good, positive message, especially to my children. But the sole value of entertainment, it’s fun to be the bad guy.
Alec has a great ability to avert questions on the show. He’s able to get out of having to answer for any of his actions. Would you consider him to be a chameleon?
Yes, good question. Chameleon? A guy like him stands out in an arena. I don’t think he thinks of himself—or when I’m playing him, I don’t think of not so much blending in as so much—I guess more blending out is what he tries to do. To remove himself from a situation that could be compromising by not placing himself in it to begin with, having other people do the work for him, is probably one of the things he does best.
He seems to be the reason that a lot of lies are exposed, or a lot of lies are told. How do you think that he gets himself involved in everyone else’s business, why do you think he does that?
Why, as opposed to how? At the root of what we’re dealing with, a story that is much bigger in its enormity that’ll be revealed as to how Alec and everyone else fit into Mayberry, in their little world. Without—obviously I can’t say too much, but I think it’ll be surprising to some. Some may see it coming, although nobody has yet. In all the questions and all the press I’ve done, and all the fan responses, and the blog time I’ve spent, nobody gets quite what they’re after yet, the writers.
I can’t finally comment on your question ultimately because it hasn’t been portrayed. It hasn’t been played out. But, he does find himself—I think there is a certain joy in the activity of being a part of other people’s lives to the extent which maybe they don’t want, but need. I think he sees himself as a medicine man for his tribe. Sometimes the medicine is a tough pill to swallow, but it does the job.
You do the suave, sinister role so well. Do you have inspiration, because you really don’t seem like that’s how you are in real life? Do you have any particular actors that are inspirations that help you tap into that?
It’s funny, as you go on in this business, you end up slowly carving away at the totem poles that informed you earlier about how behavior is disseminated, and how it’s interpreted and digested. There are a lot of great actors and more importantly, I think, a lot of great individuals at the center of a lot of political storms, whether it’s environmental, or ecological, or financial, that you can draw from to create a character like Alec Rybak.
Because you find these guys on Wall Street and on Main Street. You find these guys in every town. It’s just a degree—if you dress them up in overalls or you put them in a suit and tie. Very often they can be the same guy. It’s not to make a blank anonymous statement about who these character people are I draw from, but they’re out there. They’re not hard to find. They’re sitting in the restaurant, or on the bus, or in the bar, or on the boat with you.
Wherever you are, you’ll find somebody with that sensibility. The other thing is, the great part is, I get to play it out in a scripted format. I know what the result is going to be with my action before I do it, which gives me the power to play it as strongly as I do. In real life, it’s a little more tricky.
Do you have anything lined up for the hiatus? Or are you just kicking back with the kids?
Yes, I’ve got my family lined up. This has been a tough job on them because I’ve had to commute so much. Then there were two movies that I did in the interim. I did a pilot for HBO and a movie in New York as well that the folks from The Lying Game were very wonderful to accommodate. It’s a feature film that shot in 3D called Run with William Moseley, the boy from Narnia.
It’s about Parkour, which is a whole, brand new concept to American audiences. We saw a taste of it in the beginning of Casino Royale. David Bell and those guys from France came across and did all this stuff for the beginning of that movie. If you’ll remember what Daniel Craig was doing, all the jumping and stuff like that. That is what Parkour is, the very beginning of it.
I’m going to take some time off because the three projects I’ve been juggling for the last four months—my family now looks at me going, Dad, we need you. We want you home, buddy. We love you. I’m like, I’m exactly the same. I’m going to take some time and just be at home until we go back in May.
It seems so far Alec has really been able to orchestrate lots of shady dealings without consequence because of his position of power. But it seems like things are starting to finally catch up with him. Is he going to have to face the music soon?
I think the music that Alec listens to is the string section that nobody else can hear. I really think he’s got so many dogs in the hunt right now that we don’t realize. What’s really cool is that they’ve laid out a lot of clues. One of the best clues that I’ve seen that nobody’s commented on—like I said earlier in one of the questions, I haven’t watched a lot of the shows because I haven’t been able to. I’ve been working or otherwise engaged. But, one of the best clues that nobody has said anything about was two episodes ago when—do you remember—the car broke down by the side of the road?
Yes.
Okay. Thayer asked Emma to hand him the lug wrench, and she says, I wouldn’t even know what that is. It’s the thing right there. The tire iron. You remember that scene? Anyways, it’s kind of interesting. There are so many clues laid out in this show so beautifully that just go by quiet and unnoticed about who may be involved in what. I’m just saying. That picture of me swinging a tire iron, like I said. What I love about the show is the way that they’ve laid out the clues. To be a part of it, that’s about as fun as it gets.
As far as his engagement to Rebecca goes, does he really love her? Or is this another calculated move in his game?
I think for a guy in his position it may be a combination of both. Somebody who’s relied so heavily on Machiavellian tendencies to remove him, or to extricate himself or his loved ones from situations, to actually be confronted with somebody who he admires, not only for their ability to make him feel loved, but to make him feel challenged by their own ability to be duplicitous. I think they’re a really healthy combination. I don’t think it’s one or the other. I think it’s both. I think he really admires/loves her/needs her. Slash.
Can you tell us a little bit about Alec’s first marriage, and maybe where Thayer and Mads’ mother is?
I can. We haven’t really decided exactly, but I can tell you one of the avenues that we’ve considered. Because you know these things are retooled, and retooled over and over again, until they’re finally unloaded. I think one of the great things is that—her name was Christina, let’s say. She may have been a dancer and wanted to pursue a life in the theater.
She may or may not have—how much can I tell you? She may or may not have betrayed Alec’s trust in some fashion. Yet, when confronted with her actions, he still realized that she was the only one that was ever going to have his heart. He was prepared to forgive her. She was not prepared to ask for that forgiveness. Maybe she went away. Perhaps, I’m just speculating—I’m spit balling here—but maybe she was the one that got away and Alec vowed that nobody would ever get close again. Nobody would ever have his heart.
She actually left, and left him with his children, who he obviously loves. That’s been part of the motivation for why he’s been so protective of Mads and Thayer from the beginning of the show. He’s afraid she’s going to try and come back and reclaim—I wouldn’t say afraid. He’s just protecting them from who he knows she really is. That’s kind of the back-story.
Will Alec and Rebecca in the finale actually go through with the wedding? Or will someone try and stop it?
I can’t say. Gosh!
Just thought I’d try.
All I can say is, yes, to everything.
Okay.
I’m sure they’ll try and go through with it. I’m sure somebody is going to try and stop it. I’m sure that it’s not going to go off as planned. It’s not going to end like a normal wedding, let’s say.
When you’re acting, especially with a role like this, are you drawing upon any personal experiences to try to get the feelings, or people you know, or you just go with the lines? How do you go about it?
It’s not science. It’s just you’re up there; you got the words in your head. You’re looking at the people that are standing opposite. You’re both wearing makeup and you’re dressed in other people’s clothes. Once you get all those three things sorted out, the best you can do is reinterpret what you thought you understood in your head sometimes. Acting is such a beautiful lying game in its own. I love the title of the show for many reasons.
But acting with a—I’m wrapped up in right now, has never been more rewarding. This is just great. It’s not based on people in my personal life. But, of course, it is at the same time. How could I extricate anybody? Ultimately, I’m just trying to create something like Nabokov might have for one of his novels. I’m just trying to make something real and interesting and to have something that means something. If it’s lost, it’d be a detriment to that character.
Something has to be at stake, especially in TV. Less so in movies, but every scene in TV, something has to be at stake for an actor. Otherwise, it’s boring. I do believe at the end of the day, if you’re boring, you get punished. I don’t know if that answers your question or not, but it’s how I feel about it.
You’re married to one of the Dixie Chicks, Natalie Maines, correct?
Yes, sir.
Is there any chance that they might be having a musical performance with the Dixie Chicks in future episodes?
I don’t think that’s likely. But what is interesting is that when we first started the show, before it aired, Charles Pratt, the Executive Producer and developer of the show, asked me if Natalie would be interested in writing a theme song for the show. I was on a highway out here in Los Angeles and we were headed to the airport or something and I said it to her. She said, yes, well, yes I would. When does it have to be in? He said by the end of the day, or something like that.
We missed that opportunity. Not her so much, she doesn’t need it. But I think the show would have—I love what the theme song is, don’t get me wrong—her tongue is a gun and all that. That’s great. But Natalie, they did offer her the opportunity to come up with the theme song for the show, and I thought that would have been fun. But, no, she’s highly musical so there is no real telling where she’s going to turn up. But I don’t think that the Dixie Chicks are going to be doing a performance in the show.
Who would you like to see as a guest performer, or a guest star?
Musically?
Either a guest star or musically.
I’d like to see Tom Waits. You go ahead and write that script. Who would I like to see? Gosh. Man, the casting directors, they’ve done such a great job. I’m just thrilled with whoever they bring down the pike because the actors I’ve had a chance to work with—Tyler, Chris, these guys are just unbelievable. Every single one of them. Whoever the casting people bring to us I’m happy with.
Alec’s approach to parenting is different than Dr. Mercer. Then there’s Dan, Ethan’s older brother, who’s pretty much a father figure as well. They have different ways of approaching being a dad. Who do you think is doing the best job?
That’s subjective, but I know who’s doing the hardest job. I can’t tell you the answer to that. But, I also know who’s doing the worst job and who’s just getting by. But, I can’t tell you who those people are. You have to infer from what I’m about to say. I think that there is a good deal of paternal involvement in the lives of these young folks.
The path that the individual fathers have chosen early on, I think was decided by mistakes that they made, not successes, which is interesting in this show. These men are dealing with results from actions that they made as boys. I think it’ll come out probably by the middle to the end of the second season. You’ll see who’s a champ and who’s a chump.
That’s actually very interesting. Do you actually ever draw on your experience as a father when you’re playing this role?
I want to give you an interesting answer. I just don’t have one at the tip of my tongue. It’s hard to—my personal and professional lives are so separate that I’m sure I do. I just don’t have an example to give you. I’m trying to give you some good stuff to type up and put in your thing, but it’s such a—working on a show like this with writers like this, there is a solid consistency to my day-to-day on The Lying Game.
But, in real life there is an even better, bigger, consistency that I deal with, which is the love of my family and my children, and the life I live with my friends. I just utterly can’t cross-pollinate there. I’m sure I do. But when asked if I do, I’ll probably say no.
Do you already know the secret history behind what was done to Rebecca by Alec and Ted?
Yes.
Is there any way that you can give a clue?
That wouldn’t serve anybody, really, for me to say what I think that—yes, I can give you a clue. I have to make it really good though. One you’ll never get. Then it’s not really a clue, is it? Let’s see. I would watch the show, as a viewer, with an eye toward the seemingly irreverent details that very often are thrown in an off-hand manner by actors, as they’re instructed to do and as it’s written.
The clues in The Lying Game are buried, but they’re not buried deep. They’re buried at the end of scenes. Very often somebody off-camera will say something, or an actor in a nonchalant way will deliver a line that seems inconsequential. It seems meaningless. It just seems like a wrap-up to a conversation. But it’s there and the writers have very diligently put these clues in every single episode.
It’s amazing actually, because like I said to one of the earlier interviewers, I just watched a couple of the episodes last night for the first time and I was stunned at how much information was actually revealed that nobody probably picked up on because it’s so—the foliage around it is so green that you don’t see the bare stem of truth that’s growing behind it. It’s kind of amazing. It’s Shakespearian in a way.
Actually, it’s beyond Shakespearian because Shakespeare always put that stuff out there blatantly, and then let you back-off and gasp at the fact that no way he could have told the truth in that moment. This series has such a collective team of writers that they’ve really let it go. The secret is already out there. It’s been told three times. I can’t tell you which episode, but the truth has come out three times in the last ten episodes about who is responsible for what. That’s all I can say.
What is it about Alec that you admire?
He’s loyal. That’s it. If you’ve got him as a friend, you have him as a friend.
I think we’ve seen a lot of that with Ted.
Yes. There is a lot more that you haven’t—a lot more that you actually have seen, but haven’t digested, I think. I wish I could say more, I really do. I’d love to be able to sit and talk with you about what’s happening. But at the same time I’m trying—I’ve got these velvet handcuffs on. Yes, there is a lot of loyalty going on.
Do you have a background in comedy?
No. I might have a foreground in it.
You think you might do some comedy sometime in the future?
Oh, man. I’d love to. I tell you what, we crack up on this show like it’s nobody’s business. The funniest thing on this show is the outtakes, because there are moments of me being super serious with all this, and then all of a sudden I’ll just do a spit take. It’s not because I’m trying to do something funny, it’s just because the weight of the ridiculousness that we’re dealing with—basically a soap opera. It’s funny, but we have really good actors, super high-end people. The funniness that you’re talking about is something I’ve learned from just—oh should I say it—decades of doing what I do.
There are many fans that see you as a villainous heartthrob from Heroes, and now in Alec in The Lying Game. Who happens to be your celebrity crush at the moment?
My celebrity crush would be my wife, darling.
What kind of acting role would you love to try that would be opposite of what you’re used to?
I just did it for a pilot for HBO. Doug Ellin, the creator of Entourage, he had a new pilot that was working for HBO that was called 40. It was myself, and Michael Imperioli, and Michael Rapaport. A great show—way out of what I would think most people would think is my kind of role. It was a lot of fun. We had a good time.
I learned that you got to trust your comfort zone. At a certain point you got to go with the trust that you know, and the things that you know are funny, that are serious and dramatic. I’m a grown man. I’m a big boy. At this point in my life, I know what works for me. What puts the beef on the table, as it were. Playing something outside of your comfort zone is fun. I’m not saying play it safe. Comfort zones can be interesting. Most people never go outside of them.
I guess that’s why it’s interesting to actors. I think some of the best performances that actors have given are perceived as steps outside of a comfort zone, but really it’s as close to that person as you can get. That’s when they win an Academy Award, or something like that. Comfort zone—it’s an interesting topic, but I don’t have a clear vision of what it is.
Has Season 2 been officially picked up?
Officially, no, they haven’t said anything to us. But it would be—they haven’t said anything to us at all. But I can’t imagine it not coming back. Can you? It’s a good show.
Has there been any mention of when you would return to start filming again?
We’ve talked about the end of May, beginning of June. Right when it starts to hit its hottest months in Texas, we’ll go back. We were there last year—this is brutal. I think we had 79 or 89 days over a hundred degrees in a row. We were all saying as we wrapped the last episode, we were all saying, why don’t we just keep working until it gets hot and then take those three months off? But the infinite wisdom of the powers that be, they know far better than us about why. I don’t know. To answer you, we have not been officially picked up.
Can you describe the finale in just three words?
Buckle up.