The TV Chick

Huge has become a big summer hit for ABC Family. It centers around teenagers at Camp Victory, a weight loss camp, and their trials and tribulations. At the core of this show however, is not weight, it’s learning to be happy with yourself, and start a new lifestyle. The show has drama and romance and some hilarious moments to boot. I have really been enjoying it, and I wish there were more than just a few episodes left in the first season. I recently had the chance to chat with the absolutely lovely Harvey Guillen about his character (one of my favorites) Alistair. We talked about Alistair’s sexual preference, his relationship with his sister Chloe, and how sometimes the skinniest person in the room carries the most weight.

What originally drew you to the role of Alistair?
The first time I auditioned, I auditioned for Ian. When I read the pilot, after I knew I was going in for Ian, I fell in love with Alistair because in the original pilot he had three different scenes where [his] layers were just peeling away. And I thought “Wow, this guy has a lot going on inside,” like a lot of secrets, and there’s a lot of things he’s dealing with, as do all the other characters on the show, but there was something about Alistair that just stood out to me. And I wanted to play him, I was like “I have to play this part.” So I told my manager “I want to play Alistair,” and they were like “Well, you’re going in for Ian.” So I went in to read for Ian, but I read Ian as Alistair (laughs). I was hoping it wouldn’t backfire. Sure enough, I got a call back for the next week to read for Alistair. And I read for Alistair in front of Winnie Holzman [Creator] and she’s like this fairy godmother, she has this angelic voice and she goes “I’m sorry, but I have to give you a hug.” She gave me a hug, and I felt accomplished.

Aw, that’s so cute. So your plan worked!
Yeah, my plan worked. I don’t know if you can call it a plan. I took a risk and it paid off.

And Alistair as you mentioned has so many layers, but at the same time he’s very comfortable with who he is, and he’s very innocent. Is there a lot to him that we don’t even know yet?
Absolutely. People are always asking what’s going on with him, or why is he so weird or why is he so different. There’s [a lot of] speculation about his sexual preference, but the truth is, if the problem was his sexual preference, that would be the least of his secrets, that would be the least of his problems. He has so many secrets that people don’t know, and hopefully you get to see them all come out. There’s a big shift coming in episode 8. Alistair like you said is sweet, and he’s innocent and we all were at one point or another. We were all children, and we were all brought into this world and we were all innocent. And it’s at some point along the way that we all got jaded. But he hasn’t. And he’s holding onto that, and I think we’re going to see what people do to him. [They] say we don’t accept when you are too nice and too good and what not, and it might make you cry.

Aw. And it is sort of implied that Alistair might be gay. Will we see this addressed in the upcoming episodes?
Absolutely. The next episode is when we see that question asked and answered and shown.

Will we see maybe a crush?
You will definitely be seeing a crush, and you will especially be seeing something done to him by another camper unexpectedly.

Interesting. How will his relationship with his sister Chloe continue to develop as the season goes on?
The thing with Chloe, is not only are they blood related, but they are twins. And having that connection hidden away from you is really heartbreaking. I’ve been hanging out with Ashley Holliday a lot, who plays Chloe, and it’s so hard because I built that rapport with her off the set and when we’re on set, I long for it and I want it. You want to be next to your friend. It was like when you were in school, and you had a best friend and you wanted to have all your classes together, and you wanted to spend lunch together, and you had to spend after school together. It’s that instant rapport that you have with someone that I build with Ashley. So when we’re on set, and we can’t be next to each other, it kills me. Because not only are you my twin, [but] you’re not acknowledging me. It breaks my heart when I read the episodes every time, to have to come and do that to Alistair. But everyone has their reasons, and she has her reasons. They may not be justified, or maybe they are, but that’s her idea and her understanding of it.

 That makes sense.
There’s a moment in episode 8 where you actually see the human side to Chloe, and her feelings may change a little bit. Maybe they change too late for Chloe and too late for Alistair, so the clock’s ticking and things are going to happen and maybe someone’s not going to be able to salvage what they had before.

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I adore Make It Or Break It. In fact, I am half convinced that someone went into my head and created this television show. I am an avid gymnastics fan (and former gymnast), and I watch an incredible amount of television. Make It Or Break It combined my two loves, and it is fantastic. The show is full of drama, excitement and a whole lot of gymnastics. I have never really been skeptical over a story line until recently. Kaylie Cruz was the golden girl of The Rock and then her family life started falling apart. Perhaps as a result of this and the additional stresses of being an elite athlete, she started eating less and exercising more. I have seen a lot of shows go down this eating disorder path: Full House and Saved By The Bell are the first that come to mind. What bothered me about the way these shows handled it was the way the story was wrapped up in a tight little bow and sent on it’s way. I have the utmost faith in the writers and creative team behind Make It Or Break It, and I trust them to handle Kaylie’s story differently. I reached out to Holly Sorensen, the creator of the show, to ask her what went into the decision to give Kaylie an eating disorder, the research they did into the prevalence of eating disorders in elite gymnastics and I even got a little teaser of what’s coming up as the season wraps up. I can say that after hearing her thoughts, I understand why this happened and why it was necessary to address on the show.

Continue reading “EXCLUSIVE: Holly Sorensen (Creator) of Make It Or Break It talks about Kaylie’s eating disorder and why the show went down that path” »

Pretty Little Liars has become a new favorite of mine. I had high hopes for this show since the beginning because I was a big fan of the book series. Sometimes it’s hard to see a book adapted to a television series or movie because while you read, you form a vision in your head of what the characters look and act like. Sara Shepard’s style of writing is so descriptive that she doesn’t leave too much to be imagined. However, Pretty Little Liars really brings to life these characters in a great way. There are things that are different but as a whole, it really does justice to Shepard’s writing. In the book, one of my favorite characters was Alison DiLaurentis. There was a lot of mystery and intrigue surrounding her (Is she A? Who is A?), and not just because she went missing. On the show, Sasha Pieterse truly personifies Alison. She does a wonderful job of bringing life (or death?) to Ali, and I only wish we saw more flashbacks. I recently had the chance to chat with Sasha (who is quite lovely) about the show, Alison and her manipulative ways (perhaps she is a protegee to Regina George from Mean Girls?) and why everyone should be tuning in.

I’ve read the books, so I know a fair amount. But tell us a little bit more about your character Alison DiLaurentis.
She is very feisty. She’s the queen bee of the school, and the girls. There’s five best friends, and she kind of rules over them. She’s like Regina George [from Mean Girls]. She’s very manipulative, but at the same time, she’s got a really sweet side too. She really does care for the girls, but she kind of has them under her thumb. (laughs)

Are you anything like her at all?
Um, (laughs), I like her style, and I kind of like the way she does things. She’s fun to play. I can kind of relate to her, I guess.

It’d be weird if you were like “I’m exactly like her!” (laughs)
(laughs) Yeah, I feel bad sometimes reading the script and then filming the scenes. And I feel bad because I totally belittle someone, and I’m just like “Oh I’m sorry!” but it’s so much fun. She’s like my guilty pleasure to play.

You have read the books. What about the books have you taken and brought to Ali? And what did you enjoy most about the books?
First of all, I love Sara [Shepard's] writing. Everything is so, so detailed and graphic. You can visualize everything, and I love that about it. And I love how she describes every characters so immensely — it’s just amazing how she does [it]. It’s kind of nice just to bring Alison alive. Because in the books, too, she describes her and so to put a face to Alison is really important because there are a lot of flashbacks in the books. And I think the show is a better understanding of who Alison is, which is good. I think the fans will really enjoy it.

You had mentioned you think Ali is like Regina George. Do you take any aspects from her and bring her to the role?
Oh definitely. You know how Regina George is so manipulative, that she’ll do something in a sweet way but it really has an evil meaning? And it’s just how you twist people’s emotions and get them to do what you want them to. Regina’s really like that, and I think Alison is too. I think Alison definitely has the control on the girls and no one really wants to be controlled by a mean person all the time, but when you’re really sweet about, it’s even more twisted, but it gets them to do what you want.

A scene in the movie that sticks out for me is when Cady’s character realizes Regina’s backhanded compliments, and that she doesn’t like her bracelet.
Exactly!

And do you have a favorite moment from filming the show so far?
There’s been a few. In Vancouver [where the pilot was filmed], it was freezing, it was like negative seven degree weather, which was crazy. And there’s one scene where Troian [Bellisario, who plays Spencer] and I are in our bathing suits outside. It’s supposed to be this nice summer day, we have all the lights on, it looks summer-y from the camera side. And then there’s snow falling in Troian’s hair and my hair but you can see more in Troian’s. So they had to cut the taping, and put something over her. We had to put a canopy over us so you couldn’t see the snow. And then we’re breathing really hard, so you can see the air, so we had breathe through our noses and all that kind of stuff. It was fun, actually.

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Party Down has its last episode 2nd season this week, and what a great season it has been. The season finale guest stars Jane Lynch (who is back, and getting married), and if you haven’t been watching, you really should be! It is a testament to the show that Jane Lynch came back for an episode and most of the actors stayed from season 1. Party Down centers around a catering company of the same name where none of the employees really want to be there. There’s the requisite terrible boss (played by Ken Marino) and the love interests (played by Adam Scott and Lizzy Caplan), the huge sci-fi nerd/wannabee writer (played by Martin Starr), the wannabee actor (played by Ryan Hansen) and of course the stage mom (played by Megan Mullally). I think it is one of the funniest, most clever shows on television that deserves a ton more praise and attention. I recently had the chance to chat with Martin Starr (who plays Roman) about the show, his character and even how far he would go for a season three. After teasing me about The TV Chick (and thinking it was/should be The TV Chic), we proceeded to chat about Party Down. There are many rumors going around because so many of the cast have moved on that there might not be another season, but according to Martin, it’s definitely still a possibility. I also have to warn you that while I did edit a lot of this interview down, it is pretty dirty (and awesome).

What originally drew you to the part of Roman?
I wish there was a more complicated answer that I just received a phone call that I had an offer from a TV show that I knew nothing about but that Paul Rudd was producing, and I said “I guess so. Tentatively yes, I would do it. But I’ll read the script first, I suppose.” So I read it, and of course I loved it.

Are you similar to Roman at all? Do you love sci-fi quite as much as he does?
No. (laughs) That will be a disappointment to all of our sci-fi fans I suppose. Although I kind of doubt that we have a massive sci-fi fan base. I don’t know, I don’t really watch that much TV. I love Star Trek, the original with Shatner and all those guys. I used to watch that growing up on TV Land or Nick at Nite, and that was awesome. Actually I think it was just on regular TV late at night before TV Land and Nick at Nite started.

I feel like it was on UPN or something. [Ed Note: This was a total guess]
Yeah, UPN 13.

If you don’t like sci-fi as much as Roman does, how are you like or unlike him?
Hopefully I’m not as grumpy (laughs) and unhappy and sadistic as he is. I hope!

I’m sure you’re not!
Well, you don’t know me yet.

That’s true. Maybe by the end of this conversation, I will think the opposite. I don’t know.
You will now know the real me.

Do you have any personal experiences or know anyone that you draw from to portray Roman? When I spoke with Ryan Hansen, he didn’t name names of course, but he said he did know a lot of the Party Down types.
You mean like the producers he used to go to the bathroom with to get parts from?

Right (laughs)
Is that what you mean?

Yes!
Ryan definitely used to do that. He’s told me crazy stories about San Diego all the fun stuff that happens on B movie sets. Just joking around!

Have you ever had a catering job? Or do you have a job that was your least favorite?
I wish. I wish I had. I actually always wanted to. I still want to. That’s going to sound so (laughs) — I feel like ignorant for me to say this — but I really want to work in a service industry job, because I feel like you gain a lot of respect for people with patience, once you have to deal with 100 morons a day. I feel like I know so many people that don’t have enough respect for people who take care of them. You know?

Yeah.
It’s just the general idea of respecting the people around you, in your environment. The fact that those people, who you may be disrespecting in small ways in your eyes, have the power to shit in your food. So just based on the fact that I don’t want feces in what I wind up putting in my body, I would like to show respect to all the people are kind enough to take care of whatever needs I have at an establishment that I dine at.

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The third season of True Blood is officially upon us and it’s off to a fantastic start. Tonight’s episode picks up the steam even more (wolves!) in what is sure to be an amazing season. Vampires are certainly the focal point of the show, but it’s the people in Bon Temps that make the show interesting. One of those people is Arlene, the take-no-prisoners waitress at Merlottes who loves her kids, hates vampires and just realized she is pregnant with Terry Bellefleur’s child. I recently had the chance to talk to Carrie Preston (who plays Arlene) about how she relates to her character, her favorite moment from filming the show and working with Alan Ball. I also had to throw in a question about her husband Michael Emerson as well now that Lost has just ended.

What originally drew you to the project?
I had the great fortune of working with Alan Ball on his feature film “Towelhead”, and he’s the one who told me about “True Blood.” He said he had a part for me in it, but when I read the script I didn’t know what he was talking about. Arlene was so different from me, and I didn’t think I was physically right for the role. But when the offered me the part, I couldn’t resist it. It was a chance to play a real character and to transform, which is something you don’t usually get to do on television.

How do you relate to Arlene? Are you anything like her?
I’m not as outspoken as she is. I’m also not narrow minded like she is. But I can understand where she is coming from. I grew up with women like Arlene, and I take it as a responsibility to find the humanity in her. On the page sometimes, Arlene runs the risk of being ridiculed by the audience by coming off as a stereotypically racist, ignorant southerner. Yet I think she expresses a much needed viewpoint on the show, which is this: Vampires might be seductive and mysterious and sexy, but they are also killers by nature, so maybe we shouldn’t trust our children with them!

Arlene is a heavily influenced character, as she showed last season with Marianne. However, she is strong at the same time. What has it been like playing her?
I like to find the balance between the humor and the pathos with Arlene. On the page, I get a lot of one-liners or jokes, but I try to find the truth behind them. I always try to build a three dimensional woman with responsibilities and cares and woes that are similar to the concerns of our audience. She’s grounded in the real world, which is a nice balance with the supernatural stuff going on around her.

Is there more to Arlene that we don’t know yet? Will we meet her children’s father?
The audience is going to see a deeper, more emotional side of Arlene this season. However, it’s not the familiar histrionics that she displayed in the first two seasons.  I don’t know if you will ever meet the father of her first two children — I like to think they are two different fathers, actually.

Arlene has had some bad luck with men. Do you think Terry Bellefleur will be different?
Terry is by far the sweetest and most vulnerable man Arlene has ever dated. He’s the first guy who seems willing to drop everything to make her and her kids happy, so even if he’s got some emotional issues due to the war, it seems like she wants to make things work with him.

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Happy True Blood premiere day! Waiting sucks, but the wait is just about over. I am ready for some amazing vampire action! True Blood kicks off its third season tonight and I will be posting a spoiler-free advance review but I will say this: It is amazing. In addition to our old favorites, there are many new characters coming our way. I am always a little wary of being introduced to so many new characters, but last year, Jessica became one of my absolute favorites. One of those new characters is Jesus (played by Kevin Alejandro), who is Lafayette’s new love interest. I recently had the chance to chat with Kevin Alejandro about his new character, working with Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette) and the big differences between his character on Southland and Jesus. He was very tight lipped about season 3 but he still gave some interesting insights into the show.

How did you originally get the part of Jesus?
I had to go through a series of auditions. It was actually quite a long process. I think it was about a month before I finally found out whether or not I was going to be a part of the show. I went through several auditions with producers and call backs and stuff like that, but I think the deciding [factor] was the last audition where they had to narrow it down to a handful of guys, and we all had to go into the room and have what’s called a chemistry read with Nelsan [Ellis, who plays Lafayette] and whoever fit the best [got the part]. I was glad to feel that they thought that I was that one.

We haven’t been introduced to your character yet, but he is the caretaker for Lafayette’s mom. What more can you tell us about him?
That. And he is the love interest to Lafayette, played by Nelsan. There’s a really strong connection that they develop. You can just look forward to a lot of really interesting things that happen. I can’t really tell you too much about it. Other than what you already know.

Had you seen the show before you got the part?
Oh yeah, definitely. That’s what made this whole process really cool is that it was this show that I had already gotten into, and just to get the audition was like “Oh yeah, that would be awesome.” Further d0wn the line, as steps got closer and closer to it, I was like “Wow, this might actually happen.” It’s really super cool to be a part of something that you already know, and that you’re a fan of.

Absolutely. And have you read the books at all?
I have not, actually no. A buddy of mine, who is actually the Godfather to my kid, he works on the show, his name is Luis. He’s a camera assistant. So when it first came out, he was like “This is such a great show…” so we got into it for that.

So you have been for the past few seasons been playing Nate on Southland. How different is it going from playing Nate to Jesus on True Blood?
It’s completely different, like two different worlds. But that’s part of the decision making, what helped me decide to do this was that I’m coming off Southland as a gang detective, as a husband with a couple kids, and dealing with that sort of hard-core life. And then to play a character like Jesus who is going through a completely different hardcore world and life. His sexual preference is different, it’s such heightened – they’re just two extreme worlds, and that was so challenging and very inviting. That’s part of why I wanted to do it.

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Waiting sucks. But on Sunday, the wait for season 3 of True Blood is over. I have seen the first three episodes and I can tell you they are fantastic. If you have read the books (or even if you haven’t) you know that Lorena (Bill’s maker, played by the lovely Mariana Kleveno) takes on a bigger role this season. There’s also werewolves and witches and more crazy action (and also some clothes-less Eric). Whatever the season brings, I am extremely excited for it. I recently had the chance to chat with Mariana Klaveno about Lorena’s complexities, how she’s able to relate to a vampire, and what makes Bill (and Stephen Moyer) so special.

What originally drew you to the project?
When I first read for it, it hadn’t started airing yet. So I all I knew was that it was Alan Ball’s new show, which that in and of itself was enough of a draw. I knew it was his new show, and that it was about vampires, and that it was set in the south. And that’s kind of all I knew, but I was such a fan of Six Feet Under, and I just love his creative genius, that I was drawn to it immediately just because I knew he was behind it.

Obviously, Lorena’s not human, but there are human elements. How do you relate to her?
I try to focus on — in any scene with Lorena — I always try to go back to what’s at her core, what motivates her. And sadly, it’s a tragic love for Bill. And that’s behind everything, and that’s what makes it easier for me to participate in a scene where my character’s doing something really evil (laughs) or really morally questionable. That’s really who she is. She’s a tragic, lonely, desperate character who may be a little unstable as well. And it all stems from her need to be loved and to have this connection with this  man that will never be returned.

She’s also an incredibly powerful  female character– not just because she’s a vampire — so what has it been like playing her?
Oh that’s just been a dream. (laughs) It’s fabulous enough to play a vampire, but to play a very powerful vampire, and exactly — to be in these power scenes with men, and go toe to toe with them, and sometimes literally throw them across the room (laughs) is a fantasy of mine. It’s an insane amount of fun to play her. Again, I have to give Alan the respect that he deserves for giving so many on the women of the show such powerful and complex parts. That doesn’t always happen.

Absolutely. And what has it been like working so closely with Stephen Moyer?
Stephen is fantastic to work with. He’s an amazing guy, and a brilliant actor, obviously. He’s an incredibly generous actor. He’s always concerned about how you’re doing, and even if it’s somebody who’s only there for the day, who has a couple lines and is there for the day, he’s always concerned about if they’re being taken care of, if their experience is as good as it should be on the show, and that’s the qualities of a true leader, when you’re looking for someone to lead a cast and I have to say that Anna’s the same way. And they’re just the most wonderful people and a wonderful couple and extremely funny. And it’s just a joy to be around them and work with them.

That’s good to hear. And you touched on it a little bit, but Lorena is a very complex character with many layers. She’s still a bit of a mystery to us. Is there more to her that we don’t know yet that we might find out soon?
Yes! I can’t give too much away, and not too much is revealed, but you do get to see a little bit more in season three and you see some new sides to her, which I’m excited to see how it comes out, and excited to see how the fans receive that. Some new shades of Lorena, and a little bit more information in terms of who she is.

I’ve read the books, so I know that Lorena has a pretty big role in season 3. Did you read the books before you started the show?
I did, yes. Lorena doesn’t really have a strong presence in the books. Luckily for me, Alan and the writers have changed that when it comes to story lines in True Blood. And I enjoyed the books immensely, they’re very fun, but I did read them looking for insights into who my character was and where she comes from, but it doesn’t really give a lot away. She’s even more mysterious in the books. You hear about her a lot, but you barely even see her. So we’ve expanded on that, and taken some liberties. I did read the books, but I kind of had to do a lot on my own of coming up with storyline and background.

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Tonight is the big season finale of Community, the freshman NBC comedy. It started off slow in the ratings, but really found its voice at the second half of the season and took off. The ensemble cast of Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Donald Glover, Alison Brie, Yvette Nicole Brown and Chevy Chase are hilarious. While I wasn’t quite sure what to think of the show when it started last fall, it has turned into a show I really enjoy watching, and causes me to laugh out loud quite frequently. I recently had the chance to chat with Gillian Jacobs (who plays Britta) about her character, the will they/wont they storyline with Jeff, and her dream guest star.

How did you originally get the part of Britta?
It was pilot season last year, and you get a stack of scripts. I was very wary about doing a half hour comedy on TV, but the script just blew me away. I actually laughed out loud while I was reading it, and I loved the character and I thought the writing was so smart. So I went in and read for Dan Harmon and the Russo brothers, and I actually had a 102 degree fever, so I was not really feeling my best. I kind of dragged myself out of bed. But I think they responded to me, and then I read with Joel, and read for the network, and thankfully I got the part. It was definitely my favorite script that I read.

Are you anything like Britta at all?
(laughs) You know, it’s so funny because originally at the beginning of pilot season, I was making a movie in the middle of the woods, and I was not auditioning for things. And one of my best friends, whose also an actress, called me and said “I just read this script, and it’s you. And you have to go out for it.” And I said “I can’t do anything about that! I’m in the middle of the woods, I have no ability.” So when I called her and told her that I got “Community,” she was like “That’s the part I was talking about! That’s you!” So I definitely think that there’s a link between me and Britta. And I sort of got her sarcasm, and I got her wary-ness of Jeff Winger in the pilot. And I really felt like I understood her. I think as time goes on, I see the ways in which I’m different from Britta. I think that I’m a little less rigid than she is, and I guess a little bit better at school than Britta is doing. And I hope that I’m not a buzz kill like Britta, but I totally understand her.

And what has it been like working with such a great ensemble?
It’s so terrific. I really feel so lucky, and I think that people do see that on screen, that we really do get along as friends when the camera isn’t rolling. Also, I feel like we’ve developed such good energy and chemistry together as a cast when we’re in front of the camera, that it makes the work day so much easier. It’s just a bunch of really nice, smart, funny people who sit around all day trying to make each other laugh. It’s a great job.

That leads perfectly into my next question. Is there a lot of breaking character just because of the hilarious cast?
Oh my God, yeah! Yeah! We all break. And I used to think that like Danny Pudi [Abed] was a robot and could not be broken, but he started to break down as well. A lot of times when the camera is rolling on Ken Jeong as Senor Chang, I’m so glad that it’s not on my face, and you may catch my shoulders shaking at times because I just lose it. I lose it so much of the time, and you kind of have to bite your lip or punch yourself in the leg to stop from breaking. There are just certain things that get you no matter how many times you do that scene, you’re always going to break a bit at that line.

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My love for Glee knows no bounds, but tonight’s episode, entitled “Dream On,” really outdoes itself in terms of greatness. The episode is directed by Joss Whedon, and guest stars Neil Patrick Harris, but one of the characters that really shines is Artie. I don’t want to spoil everything (although anyone could probably find out if they looked hard enough), but let’s just say that you see Artie in a way you have never seen him before. And it’s fantastic! I recently had the chance to catch up with Kevin McHale, who plays Artie, about his biggest challenges filming the show, dancing in the wheelchair and even his dream guest star and song.

Congratulations on all the success of the show. You’ve definitely had a whirlwind couple of weeks. What was it like being on Oprah and visiting the White House?
Oprah itself was insane on its own, and then only to be trumped by the White House. (laughs) Oprah is big as it is, and then we get to go to the White House. And Amber sang from the White House balcony, and we got to meet the first family. It was so surreal. After that, we were like what are we going to do next week? (laughs)

I was about to ask what was your most surreal experience?
Yeah, it definitely was. I mean Oprah saying [In Oprah voice] “Keeevin” (laughs) and more than meeting the first family, was to see Amber standing next to him [President Obama] on the balcony singing the National Anthem.

Yeah, I watched the feed online. That was quite incredible.
Yeah, she was incredible.

And what has awards season been like for you?
Insane! It was just unreal. Growing up, I was a big awards show kind of person. Like I was the guy in the house who would make my family shut up so I could watch the Golden Globes.

I’m the same way!
And I brought my brother with me, just getting out of the car and seeing the sign of The Golden Globe Awards behind you. It was so surreal. Granted, it was raining, but nothing could have stopped me from being there.

Right, absolutely. And talk a little bit about the audition process and how you got the role of Artie.
It was just like any other audition. I’ve been to dancing auditions, I’ve been to acting auditions, it was kind of both of them combined. It was actually a pretty easy process in terms of the amount of auditions. There were four auditions, but I was one of the first ones to be put on hold to test for it. And so, I auditioned pretty early on, and my callback and first audition were within two days of each other. The worst part was waiting like 6 and a half weeks until I got [called] for it. And like “They’re probably trying to find somebody else for the part, what am I going to do?” And I was hoping I didn’t forget how to play the part. But luckily, it was all worth it.

Of course! What did you sing for your audition?
I sang “Let It Be,” by the Beatles.

Good choice. Do you know if they were looking for someone who was in a wheelchair?
Well the part was originally in a wheelchair, but they audition able-bodied and disabled people. I think it was just about who got part the part down, [and] what they saw that they liked. They’re all very, very creative, specific people: Brad, Ian and Ryan. So luckily, they saw something in me.

How has it been playing Artie? How do you relate to him?
We’re very different, but at the same time, we’re very, very similar. I mean, he’s definitely more confident with ladies than I am. Because, like last week, he was saying “If you want to get up on this.” I would never do that. (laughs)

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A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending the Nurse Jackie panel at The Paley Center in New York. Check out my write-up here. It was there that I got to chat with Edie Falco and Eve Best who were both so lovely.

I wanted to know first and foremost why people root for Jackie. She is a drug addict who cheats on her husband and it doesn’t make sense to root for her. But the show has a brilliant way of turning her into a hero. Edie wasn’t quite sure. She joked “Oh I don’t know. Because she’s nice. She thinks she’s funny. She’s good at what she does, and I think she aims high. I think she falls short a lot of times, but I think she really does want to do good.” I think part of the reason why we do love her so much is because she is a great nurse. She is constantly helping people (sometimes cutting corners to do so) but has an incredible work ethic and really cares about her job.

However, I wanted to know if anyone would ever catch on to her secrets. I knew Edie wouldn’t spill all the details, but she said “I don’t know. She’s pretty good at covering, so I’d be surprised.” I’ve always thought that if people find out (I guess besides Sam), it could unravel the entire show. So I think it will take a while before anyone truly catches on. I then asked her about what it’s like playing a character who leads a double life. “Fun, because it’s like getting to play two characters in one.”

And I wanted to know who she related more to: Mrs. Soprano or Jackie. I always want to know how people relate to their characters so I though this question made sense given Edie’s decorated career. “You mean as far as their lifestyles are concerned? Oh gosh, I think I fall right smack in the middle of the two of them.”

Shortly after speaking with Edie, I got to chat with Eve Best, who plays Dr. O’Hara. Dr. O’Hara is one of my favorite characters on the show and I absolutely love her friendship with Jackie, her interactions with Zoey and her new romantic dilemmas. She was so incredibly sweet in person, and I was thrilled she was at the event (she wasn’t scheduled to be there).

I first wanted to know what her favorite part of playing Dr. O’Hara is. She laughed and said “The clothes. No seriously, working with the cast. Love it. Love them. Love working with Edie and all of them. It’s fantastic.” When asked if she’s anything like Dr. O’Hara, Eve responded “Like Dr. O’Hara?” she laughs, “I’m exactly like her! No, I’m not at all. I’m naturally a very scruffy person.” (Side note: seeing her in person proves that she is anything but scruffy) “Oh no, I am. It’s kind of strange to me to be cast as [her]. The last part I played before I did this show, I played a pig farmer, and I had bare feet and mud all over my legs and arms, and I took to that role more easily than I took to dressing up in Dolce and Gabbana every day for work, but you know someone’s got to do it.” And may I say, Eve, you do it marvelously.

I asked her if she missed the pig farmer role and she candidly replied “No I don’t. I don’t miss the mud.” I delved deeper into her fashion sense on the show and asked about a favorite designer or outfit she’s worn on the show. “For myself, I like Calvin Klein and I like Burberry too. I have to say that because my cousin works for them.” She did declare herself a “fashion clutz” and that she didn’t know too much about fashion, but she looked fantastic.

Because her scenes with Zoey are some of my favorites, I asked if there would be any more of them. “Oh I hope so, yes. Yeah, she’s fantastic and really fun to work with so I hope we do more.” And I asked for a little teaser of what was coming up in the rest of the season, and she asked if we had met her girlfriend yet. I told her that we had, and that was all she was really allowed to say. In her defense, she had been in England so she wasn’t quite sure what we were up to. Whatever the rest of the season holds, I know that I look forward to it.

Nurse Jackie airs Monday nights at 10 pm on Showtime. Be sure to tune in tonight for a new episode!