The TV Chick

Life Unexpected is one of the best pilots I saw back in September, and a show I have been excited about for quite some time. I was absolutely hooked from the first few minutes. The show centers around Lux (Britt Robertson) who has decided to emancipate herself from foster care at 16. This process leads her to her biological father Nate “Baze” Bazile (Kris Polaha from Mad Men) and her biological mother Cate Cassidy (Shiri Appleby from ER and Roswell). Baze owns a bar and lives above it, and is stuck almost in a state of arrested development. Cate is a local radio star of a show called “Morning Madness” (which Lux listens to every morning) with her partner and off-air boyfriend Ryan Thomas (Kerr Smith from Dawson’s Creek). You can absolutely tell is a well-thought out, passion project. It is quirky, sweet, funny at times, but most of all, it just has a lot of heart. We need more of these types of dramas out there, and I’m so excited for this one. I recently had the chance to chat with Shiri Appleby, about what drew her to the role of Cate, how she relates to her character, and her favorite moment from filming the show.

First of all, I saw the first few episodes, and I love Life Unexpected.

Thank you so much. We’re so excited for people to really get to see it, it’s been such a long time coming.

Tell us a little more about your character, Cate Cassidy.
I sort of like to think that she’s the girl that you see across the room that you would sit and have lunch together, but then when you get to know her, you realize how broken and messed up she really is.

What originally drew you to the role of Cate?
I think the fact that there was a moment where the character realizes that she has responsibilities in life and she has to grow up. And I think that’s a moment that most of us goes through, because I don’t think becoming an adult is something that just naturally happens with age. And I thought she was going to go through a really interesting journey and ride. And I can just really relate to her issues, her being scared to commit to somebody long-term, how do you know if you can trust somebody, and how do you also know that you’re good enough to be there for somebody else.

You obviously are not in the same situation as Cate, how do you relate to the character?
I think it’s something that I talk about with my girlfriends all the time. How do you know that you’re able to commit to somebody for the rest of your life? All of these issues that she has, regardless of the fact that she’s now a new surprise mother, are issues that all my friends and young women are facing and having to grow up and make real life decisions. I think her story and her arc is really relatable.

Cate’s a radio host. Did you listen to any radio shows to prepare for the role?
You know, I didn’t. Kerr was really good, he went on Ryan Seacrest. Once you get to a radio station set, you sort of put those headphones on, and we’re mic’d [sitting] next to each other, we kind of just like let it go. It feels really, really natural. Obviously, I’ve done a lot of radio tours and gone to radio stations in the past for other projects, so I’ve had a little bit of experience in that world, so it kind of felt pretty comfortable.

Just coming off ER’s final season, what made you want to jump back into a TV series? I think the show is really special, but what made it special for you?
Well, ever since Roswell ended about 8 years ago, I was wanting to do another television show. But after that experience, you realize what a commitment it is, so I look for shows that I felt like I would want to spend five years of my life being a part of, and when I read this script instantly I knew that this was a character that I would be excited to go to work to play for years, if we’re so lucky.

Life Unexpected in on the CW, and Roswell was on the WB (its former incarnation). How does it feel like to be back on this network specifically?
It feels really good. I know the way these people at the network work, I knew a lot of the publicists already, and I feel like this network is hungry to us to go out there and do what we can do. They’ve been really, really supportive, and they have been since day 1 of this show which has been a real, real blessing for all of us. But it feels like home — I get it. I know what kind of stories they tell.

Do you still have a fan base from Roswell that you think will come over and watch this show?
Yes! I hope so! They’ve been incredibly loyal, which is such a gift. I hope they’ll come and watch this show. If people like Roswell, there’s a lot of similar themes of being there for each other, and yearning for people, and love and friendship and family. There are some pretty similar themes, obviously set in a different world but I think both of our shows are about being a good person and finding true love.

The show centers around a secret from the main character’s teen years. Did you have any secrets from that age that you could share?
I think the thing that I can share with that character is the high school crush gone wrong. (laughs) You know, I mean I definitely had that guy in high school that you were crazy about and it goes wrong and now Cate is faced with having to deal with him in obviously a major way. But you relate to those feelings of looking at that person and being so nervous and not knowing what to do with yourself, and so whenever she’s around him now, she’s instantly that age. She’s instantly sixteen again.

You have great chemistry with Kerr and Kris. Was that instant when you started filming?
Yes, it’s been pretty instant from the beginning which has been really cool. And when Brittany and I read together, you could feel it. And the same thing with Kris and I. And the second Kerr and I stated working, it just felt really natural. We’ve all become really close. Kris, Kerr, and I went to Whistler this weekend. Brittany and I live together. It’s just like a group of people that have been working for long enough to know that we’re lucky right now, so we’re all just really appreciating it.

There’s a very poignant moment in the pilot where you tell Lux (Brittany) that everything will work out. What was it like filming that scene?
First of all, it was freezing. We had these heaters going right in front of us, we were like shaking but at the same time, you know, that scene is what the show is about. And just looking at her — when we shot that last take and the camera was across the street and I put my arm around her and I hugged her, it was almost like an older version of her personally telling her no matter what your issues are, it’s going to be cool, so just enjoy the ride.

Do you have a favorite moment from filming the show so far?
Actually, Kris and I shot a scene the other night. We were back in the high school and Cate has to tell him how she really felt about him back then, how she thought that he was going to be her boyfriend, and how crushed she was by him. And what was interesting was being back in high school, and having to do that, and these characters are now moving past hating each other because they are so uncomfortable. They are starting to see each other for the people they really are and I feel like — I don’t know, I feel like the show is starting to go in a really, really interesting, cool direction. And that night was really special. It was five o’clock in the morning (laughs) and we were so tired, there were no guards up. It was a really good scene.

My first reaction to seeing the show was that it reminds me of Gilmore Girls. What’s your thought? Do you like that comparison? Do you think it’s different?
Well, to be honest, I’ve never really seen Gilmore Girls but it had a six-year run. So I’m grateful for that comparison. If we had six seasons, we’d be thrilled. But I think that the show is sort of its own entity–that show–I don’t know much about it. I know it’s about people caring about each other and young mothers, so obviously there’s similarities there but this show I think is really trying to do their own thing.

Liz Tigelaar is a favorite writer of mine.
Oh yay!

What has it been like working with her?
She’s amazing! We just worship her. She’s been awesome from the beginning. She said that she and I are creating this character together, and it’s totally true. If I have a suggestion, I shoot her off an e-mail and the next day you get pages reflecting that. It’s just everyone on this project is just really focused on making this the best thing we possibly can. There’s not a lot of ego, all the drama’s going on in front of the camera which is great. And Liz wants to listen and talk to you and really she’s so open with herself that when she talks about what’s going on with the character, you’re like “got it…I get what you’re looking for.”

You mentioned that you had a big role in the development of your character. What have you told her that you want to see from Cate?
For instance, in the beginning, before we even started shooting the first episode, I said I think it’s really interesting if when Cate is with Ryan (Kerr Smith’s character), she’s an adult, she’s able to be a woman, and be mature and very civilized. But then when she gets together with Baze, let’s really play her like she’s still stuck in her sixteen year old self. She doesn’t know how to relate to him as an adult. And Liz took that idea and ran with it. And it’s awesome because now those two relationships are radically different. So I think that’s just one thing, but it’s comes to the tiniest things, and she’s always totally open.

There are a lot of dramas out there, what do you think makes Life Unexpected so unique?
I think it’s just a show about these specific people. There’s not a lot of flash, it’s a show about people caring about each other without — there’s not the mystery of the week, basically–which is still a nice, great thing, but it’s just about people learning to be there for each other and people of all ages learning to grow up. And I think it’s a struggle that all of us face–how do you do that? It’s a story of watching these people figure it out.

I know you can’t spoil too much, but can you give us a little teaser of what’s coming up this season for your character and the show in general?
I think she’s [Cate] very conflicted about who (laughs) she’s supposed to be, and she tries her hardest. Every time she tries, she fails. And she lets her guard down, and I think it’s a season of watching this character try to mature, is really what happens.

Your character is definitely very vulnerable. Do you think that will show more as the season goes on?
Oh, absolutely. The last episode we just shot was we went to a wedding expo, and the end of the episode, the character’s been holding — she very much has a guard and a wall up at the end of the episode, she lets it down, and you see the character break. So that vulnerability with Ryan she has that’s beyond all the sarcasm, we definitely see it.

I’m already sold on the show. I love it and will be watching. But what would you tell viewers — why should they tune in and watch this new show?
I think they should watch this new show, because it’s a good time, it’s really funny, and it’s also very honest. It’s a story about people being there for each other, trying to do their best. And I think that’s something right now we could all use a little bit of.

Well, we are good unless there’s anything else you wanted to add.
I just wanted to thank you so much. I’m so glad people are watching it and watching it and wanting to write about, so thank you for taking the time.

And be sure to tune in Monday, January 18th at 9 pm on the CW for the series premiere of Life Unexpected!