December 21, 2022 • 50 mins
The amazing Gina Torres, who played Vanessa’s mom Gabriela Abrams, watches back her debut Gossip Girl episode with Jessica and Zuzanna. They discuss the strong personalities and complex relationship that Vanessa and Gabriela share, the best shoes to wear to a sketchy poker game, and how pastries can bring even polar opposites like Blair and Vanessa together.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Hey, I'm Gina Taures and I played Gabriella Abrahams and
we are rewatching. Enough about the welcome back listeners. Do
you want an only source into all things gossip crul?
You know you'll love it. XO x O. Hellou, Hi, Mama,
(00:33):
Hi's sweet baby. How are you? I'm doing great? Hello? Hi?
We have Gina Taures, who played Vanessa's mother, which I
am so excited about. Gina. This is Gina we never
got to meet. I don't think that's that Thank you
(00:55):
for joining us. Nice to see you as well. Absolutely,
I'm so glad this happened that me me too. I
know you're super busy. You've got a lot going on,
like family, work all over the place, which is I
always think like a great thing. So I really appreciate
you coming on. And we really haven't seen each other,
(01:15):
probably since the show, maybe one other time we ran
into each other. And then you work with Nikki who
did who worked on the orbit with us, who I
just love her. She's such a talent, and she used
to always come to set and talk about how great
you are, and I'm like, she's so brilliant, she's such
a good actor. You are like, I'm just I was
very honored to work with you and to get you
(01:36):
call you my set mom, So I'm just pleased. But
you know what's so funny you never know what your
parents are gonna look like. When for me, when I
get cast, like in Love Wedding Marriage, my parents were
James Brown and Jane Seymour, which is I would have
never pictured those two to be my parents. And Manny
Moore was my sister been on this and I was like,
you're my mom. We never got to meet my dad,
(01:58):
but you never so I'm always I did to see
like what kind of flavor or like way we're gonna go.
I guess me Because I'm mixed, it could be like
anything could go down. So but I really liked it
because we both had curly hair and I could see
the resultants. But I remember James Roland and Jane Seymour
and I'm like, wow, I would have never pictured those
two as my parents. So it's always funny your set
(02:21):
like family absolutely, you know. Yeah, And and being like
being bi racial, being like that sort of like falling
into that ethnically ambiguous sort of arena if you will.
It's it's always interesting to see how other people see,
see what other people's perspective of you is, right, So yeah, yeah,
(02:42):
I wouldn't have picked Josh and Jane and Jane no interesting,
who would you think was let's pick an after that
we know of that you would have been my dad
with you? Who would you put? Oh? I mean right, well,
it's well, so here's the thing, right, Brolin and I
could have absolutely Yeah, I agree that. Actually that makes sense.
(03:06):
I like that. But it's also funny because it's this
younger son. Yeah. I kind of like that too. But
the two of you had such great chemistry in this
episode that we watched that we're watching today. It's like
the you know, the relationship is so fraught, but the
chemistry is so there, and it just seemed like, you know,
a really lovely mother daughter um kind of vibe at
(03:29):
its heart. So I really like you guys together. So
I definitely think throw a little Josh in the mix
and then we can make another movie, right right, yeah,
do it? Let's make that happen. Um full disclosure. Yeah,
I love that you just said that because I when
I was watching, when I was rewatching it, I saw
that and I felt the same way and I absolutely
(03:49):
felt the same way. When we were working together. It
was just easy. It just felt like a like an
easy thing, right, like a good fit. Um. But when
I was at a point in my life when I
my daughter was a toddler and and it was I
was just like in like in baby mode, and I
remember getting like sent all these roles for women who
(04:12):
had these grown ass children. Think I was like ready
right for the mother of a grown ass child, and
it was just sort of okay, chronologically it could be true,
but why and and it was so comforting to kind
(04:34):
of look back on it, and and now that I
have a teenage daughter, I feel like that that worked,
that you know, that made sense. It's also interesting when
you say that, because you look as if we just
got done filming the scene two days. Yeah. Yeah, And
(04:54):
I feel like in this gossipel world that ages are
all messed up anyway. It's like everybody's like four five
years within each other's ages. And yeah, so yeah, it's
a crazy Upper east Side absolutely, yeah world. Gina, do
you remember like you're casting story or situation or how
(05:15):
it came about? You remember, I know we some of it,
like people are like, really it was fifteen years ago.
I don't remember. I'm like, that's fair too. Like I said,
I was, my child was a toddler, so a lot
of that was a blur those toddler years or that
you have children now, so you know what I'm talking about.
It's a lot, you know, it was. I mean, it
(05:36):
was season three, so I had, of course, I had
an awareness of the show. I had. I had a
great awareness of the show because you guys were like
this enormous, crazy hit. It was just on the other
side of you know, like like we're talking about like generationally,
generationally sex in the city, so this would this was
(05:58):
like the next step to that kind of thing. Yeah, right,
So I was intrigued. I was intrigued by by um,
you know, I remember sort of watching an episode prior
to go Okay, what are they doing? What's happening? It's like,
oh it's soapy. Oh it's oh, it's like delicious, all right,
because I gotta know, right, like the world am I
(06:18):
jumping into? But I can't remember. I can't remember if
I auditioned or if it was one of those offers well, ye,
who knows. Let's just say it was an offer good
and I was just I was so I was just
(06:40):
so happy to get it, like to to get to
work in New York. That's always you know, I grew
up in New York. I was raised in New York. Um,
so anytime I would get to work in New York
or on the New York streets, it felt like, oh yeah,
hometown girl. And you know, I always take a moment
(07:05):
to just say, all right, this is happening, this is
this is working out. And Gossip Girl holds one of
those places for me that I get to you can
go home again and actively live your dream on on
the streets where they were still dreams. Right. So that
was fun. Yeah, yeah, well I know we were like
(07:27):
super pumped to have you. And and like, first of all,
you guys, we're rewatching Enough About Eve, which is based
on the movie All About Eve, one of my favorites.
By the way, me too, I love it. I think
it's a perfect movie. Oh my god, love Um. Okay,
so we left off where Lillian Rufus have finally beaten
(07:48):
the odds and tied the knot, while Scott finds himself
closer and closer to forging a connection with his biological parents. Meanwhile,
Serena and Carter are back on the rocks as she
leaves him over the face marriage he wants arranged to
pay off a gambling debt. Georgina gets her just desserts, however,
falling for a scam at the courtesy of Blair. So again,
(08:10):
lots where we came from, and then here we end
up in like Vanessa spiral Land. So in this episode
that we're watching today, Vanessa hoping to finally win her
difficult activist mother. That's one way to put it. Uh,
gabrielle as approval desperately vised with Blair for the honor
of delivering the freshman toast n y U, which is
a big deal here. Meanwhile, Dan invites Olivia to meet
(08:33):
Rufus and Lily, which leads to all sorts of problems. Uh.
And Serena and Nate team up on the side to
help Carter with money at a poker table to free
him from the arrangement of the Buckley's. Nate has a
different plan, so he's scheming too, So we have a
lot of scheming, and that's not really Nate's vibe usually either,
(08:56):
Nate's not. So that's yeah, that was interesting, and he
was like Chase how he was in this episode, so
like how he played it just so serious and sometimes
I can't, even though he did it brilliantly, take him
seriously because I'm like, oh my gosh, this is like
so nice it makes me last. Yeah, just he was
the whole thing with the with Trips campaign and Carter
(09:19):
and the poker like that whole thing. Also just every
time they went to it felt so dangerous to me,
and like this just feels like someone could die, Like
this is not its like in some like shady place.
We got Serena looking like you know, fire again, and
like there was just so much I'm like, something's going down.
That's like not okay. No, I I felt like, why
(09:40):
wouldn't you wear shoes you could run in? Like that
doesn't sense. You're walking into the space where anything can
go down. We're sensible shoes. That's such a good spoint
to me. That entire poker scene was just like about
Serena's legs, Like it was just like legs, legs, legs, legs, legs.
They was shot back like like usually they do like
(10:03):
it over the shoulder shot. This was all you know,
over the list, so you know, pretty fun very high
steaks poker. But I have to tell you right now,
I Vanessa is just on my little nerves. Oh this
isn't crazy Vanessa episode. Well, I'm like, this isn't even
like her. That's why even the moment she has with
(10:24):
you Gina at the end, I'm like, that's right, she
needs to listen to her mom, because what she was
pulling throughout this episode. I'm like, this is why the
parts about Vanessa that I liked playing or that she
you know, was different from the Upper East Side on
the show, and then this one she's just lying and
cheating and it's just doing whatever. I'm like, this is
like not Vanessa girl, Like you might need to go
(10:44):
home with your mom for a little bit. We always
talk about how Vanessa is like the moral center of
the Gossip Girl universe. A lot of times she's kind
of the you know, where we go to follow the
right path, and then here she is just falling down
the rabbit hole. So yeah, it's a really juicy and
she's like just lying like it's nothing. She's just like, oh,
you should make the chicken. Oh his parents don't like,
(11:06):
Oh girl, you don't even lie and you're just lying
on top of lying on top of I'm like, you know,
the steaks were high. I'm not condoning it, but like
watching it in retrospect and seeing what like what you
wanted and what you were trying to accomplish, and you
(11:27):
know you were poorly influenced in that moment in time.
You know, you knew your mom was coming and you
wanted to make a really good impression because I was like,
didn't you know she doesn't like where you were, So
this was you know, the only place for you to
prove that you were making the right decision was being
taken from you. So not that I'm just sying your
(11:50):
horrible behavior, No, And that's what she was really fighting
to show you that all this time and her being
there is the right thing. But I like, wow, she's
gonna lie to Dan, lie to her roommate, lie to Blair.
It wasn't just like, oh, in this episode we see
a little flavor of Vanessa like stepping into like what
Blair would kind of pull. He was just doing it
(12:11):
like on every level. And I was like, oh my god,
and this is gonna fight you in the butt hard
and how it ends. I was like, I couldn't but
you know, sometimes it's like I think a visit from
mom can really set your first spin. So it's like
it makes sense to me that you know that. It's
like because the parental relationships on this show are always complicated,
and I feel like watching Vanessa unmoored because you know,
(12:34):
her mom all of a sudden steps into the equation,
I feel like it's kind of relatable. So you know,
I gave her. I gave her a little bit of
a rope there. I was like, you know, I get it,
I guess. And it was also just like just really
sweet to watch how it's not easy for you, like
(12:55):
you're fully aware of what you're doing. Like Vanessa is
fully aware that she is crossing a line. She keeps
crossing it, but she's fully yeah, and it keeps It's
like keeps like chipping away at you. It doesn't sit
well with you at all, which I guess is the
is the silver lining here is that this isn't just
(13:15):
like okay, whatever, she can brush it off. It was
affecting her. And even the moment when she calls when
you're on your way out of the city, like you
can tell her worlds like crumbling that like because she
didn't mean to hurt her mom, she was just trying
to show her. But meanwhile she's hurt really the closest
people to her, which I think a lot of times
in life sometimes does happen. I don't know if it's
because you know, there's trust there something, but don't they
(13:37):
Isn't there a quote that's like you always heard the
most or something? Yea. Also here it's like her bad
choices to the's such a snowball effect, So I feel
like that's kind of funny to watch too, is like
the amount of snowball like gains speed as it's rolling
down the mountain here, So it's like one lie, one manipulation,
one mistake turns into ten, and it happens curbing Usa
(14:00):
and Blair and the two of them being such sort
of foils or opposites right normally in the show, and
they're kind of on the same track here Downhill, which
is well constructed. Definitely absolutely This episode begins with this
(14:27):
like awesome black and white sory sequence, which I have
to say, like I've always said, when people ask me
about Gossip Girl and they asked about the cast, and
they always ask, you know, you know, who's like what
or whatever. I always say. One of the things I
always say is that Jessica Zor is the most beautiful human,
so that when you meet her in person, it just
(14:47):
like blows you away, and that you know that. And
this vers turn, I was like, holy CONNOTI how gorgeous
for you in this black and white fume world. Oh
my god, you have to do a period piece. I
think you have to go. You know, you have such
a great Flori's face, like they you and I was
(15:09):
like perfection. Absolutely, the hair so nice. You guys are
making me blush. Was there anything different about the shooting
of that? I mean, did it feel like you were
doing a thing or do you remember? I don't fully
remember shooting, but I remember because Vanessa is never really
and put together dresses like gowns like that, or having
her hair pulled back and makeup really done like the
(15:31):
Winter Ball like she had makeup and more certain dress.
But never do you see Vanessa like this. I even
really liked how the dress she wore when she when
you come in, Gina like a lot of her looks
and yeah that was a good dress, Yes that was beautiful. Yeah,
but I don't I remember loving it because it was
about all all about Eve the movie. So I was
(15:53):
like already into the episode before we started filming because
I love that movie so much. But I I don't
really remember if I think black and white everyone just
looks better and black and white because it just there's
like this elegance and like chic nous to it, and
then the hair and makeup teams are just great. But
it definitely was like one of those moments like that
sticks out to a look for for Banasa for sure.
(16:15):
So I don't know, I would actually like to know
what what they did that was so different case I'm like, well,
Vanessa look at Yeah, but it's also because she's always
got so many ear rings and layers and colors. She's
always got a lot going on. So I think it
was just like more and just simple. Yeah right right, Um,
(16:36):
but I do love those those sequences. But how about
when Blair's She's like, well, I'm always Audrey Hepburn, I'm
never Betty Davis, She's yeah, so we basically, yeah, we
started the episode with Blair being insecure somehow she's like
losing herself and it's like this sets us up for
disaster here. Um. Yeah, and then we have this whole
(16:57):
storyline that's like the Freshman toast, which is the big thing,
and then we have this Nate and Serena with dealing
with Carter Serena and two pronged episode. So I guess
it's like, well, and then let's not forget the Blair
and Chuck of it all. In that moment that happening,
how she set that up, I was like, this, not Blair,
We'll just do anything. She yeah, and like thinking she
(17:23):
wasn't she wasn't gonna get caught right right well, and
if she dies, I mean, he's just as ruthless. So
I understands. But when she did that, I didn't think
it was going to come to that she actually set
(17:45):
it up with him. I thought she knew that he
was in Two Guys and this yes, So it was
like a double twist for me because I'm like, oh,
she's just doing that because she outsmart at everyone again,
Like she just knew that Josh Ellis is gay, and
so she's gonna because is not gonna like Chuck Bass,
you know what I mean, Like, and that's just how
I thought it was gonna be. I'm like, oh, she
actually went and had a conversation like That's why I
(18:07):
thought she was watching, because I thought she wasn't sure
how it was going to go down. Little did she
know she had every little thing like she's like had
the conversation. She was willing to risk her relationship she
cured that exactly How funny was Josh Ellis too, because
like what was what was his position? He was like
a dean or something like, I don't know what his
(18:29):
position in the college was, but he was basically like
the social liaison whose entire career revolved around picking someone
for the freshman toast. But you yeah, everybody's showing up
in yeah crazy? Did you think that when it was
another girl? When Vanessa was like on the call. This
(18:50):
was in the beginning of the episode. I actually was
just thought straightaway it was going to be Blair. Yeah,
I forgot about Olivia. It was Olivia. It was like Olivia, right,
yeah yeah. And then how about when they get to
the freshman toast And now, because of all Vanessa's lies,
Olivia thinks they're not going to meet Rufus and Lily
because Vanessa told Olivia they wouldn't like her, right, Dan
(19:14):
wanted to do the whole thing. She sets up Dan
to play this whole dinner. I mean she's just left
and right, scheming and making up all these lies. But
how about when Olivia gets to the Freshman toast and
it's just acting like an assholes like Hollywood, right, it's
so nuts, and she's like in her mind, she's like,
I'm playing these assholes and actually you look like one
(19:37):
a little Yeah, it's just a little little bit genius there,
just a little bit like and you gotta wonder, it's like,
you think that's a good idea, Like yeah, even right,
even if that's going, yeah, even if his parents were
big jud judgmental you know, uh, anti Hollywood parents, how
(19:57):
is that going to serve her in the end? But
what it was funny um hious. But in this episode,
it's everything is is hanging on this freshman toast. So
it's basically like an honor for like this you know,
freshman who's ahead of the pack or or leader. And
so we see in the beginning of this episode that
Vanessa has been written about in the school paper that
(20:19):
she's the cover story that she's like, you know, doing
good stuff and for the environment and for other students.
So it seems like she's a shoe in and we
end up kind of having this battle how her play
between her and Lydia and Blair. But um, I think
what's most important is the fact that this this freshman
toast brings Vanessa's family to the four and Vanessa's you know,
(20:41):
sort of identity and how it's defined by her own
role relationship with her mother. So when it's it's introduced
as this idea that you know, Mom's gonna come. But
mom doesn't approve of n y U because it's a
private institution, right, So the politics there of mom and
dad are very specific, right, very specific, because education should
(21:03):
not have to be bought. Yeah, and the irony too
in this episode when I'm watching, I'm like, because of
their how they view it and look at it, and
then here is Vanessa trying to prove it. And just
that's why I think it was so powerful when you
said that to Vanessa out when Gabriel, when her mom says,
(21:25):
you should really consider the person you'll becoming here, because
I think she sees that this isn't how her daughter
was And so now you're paying all this money going
to this school and you're really like bringing people down
and just doing things that you wouldn't do. It's like wrong,
you know what I mean, like telling lies and do
like all the things that go on is just like
so I think the irony and and her not wanting
(21:46):
me to go there and then coming and really seeing
a different side of Vanessa that that probably my mom
hasn't seen is like not the greatest situation for me.
That thing is She's also not so wrong, but not
necessarily about you, but what you're driven to because the
fact is that Olivia didn't earn that spot, right they
(22:08):
I mean, they were absolutely playing to the fact that
she was a celebrity. She was a freshman celebrity, and
she didn't care. Oh I'm not gonna make it. Oh
I am gonna make it. Oh. I was just like
it was just one of the important It just wasn't
important to her at all. And it was absolutely important
(22:29):
to Vanessa, and she was being considered not because she
played the game, but because she was genuinely being this
person that she was raised to be, which was why
she was on their radar. So it's also it's it's
too pronged, right, That's that's what's so great about It's
like these these two things can absolutely be true. The
competition of it drove you insane, But the fact is
(22:52):
it would have been yours if not for the celebrity
component of this, of this institution, of this money making institution.
And that is like, that's right, it's like the two
side of it. So it's not Yeah, that's so so true.
And that's honestly, Gina. We because we're rewatching all the
time now, everyone's always like, just the writing and the
show is so brilliant because it it's not in your
(23:15):
face the way it has to be. You know what
I'm saying, it's just what you said, because I really
didn't even know that it is. It is true. Olivia
didn't get didn't care and she's like, oh you're giving
me something else. Oh that's yeah, I'll do it. It's
a little surprised for Dan. Yeah exactly. Well, there's this
(23:36):
there's this fantastic scene when Vanessa's mom shows up at
the Humphrey Loft, I mean not the vander Woodson Loft. Uh.
There's this great sort of like culture clash with the
jam Yeah yeah, Billie and Rufus and how and I
mean I really related to Vanessa in this scene because
(23:57):
not that my you know, just just I just idea
of being like Mom, come on, you know that, like
mom's living embarrassing and like Mom's not, you know, doing
what you wanted to do. So like that I think
is universal. Um, do you guys remember shooting that scene
at all or how? I don't know if you've ever
worked with them, Matthew or Kelly in the past. Now,
(24:19):
I yeah, I'd never worked with them before. But it's
one of those It's one of those situations right where
you where you sort of walk into the world of
this show. It's like I'm in the loft, I'm right
these characters and so that in and of itself is
is overwhelming. And what I had forgotten was that what
(24:40):
they also wrote into the show was this prior relationship
that Gabriella had Rufus, Like they were they were like
buds in Brooklyn right together, you know, they we were
like hanging out. She knows where a couple of bodies
are buried, and she's like, really, you bro, you ended
(25:00):
up on the everast side, right. So so now you
have to as an actor, you have to sort of
create this history and this short ye come with this
character and you know, he doesn't even know how he
got there, which was kind of like, like so great
about this relationship. He just happened to fall in love
with this woman from the Ever east Side. And so
(25:23):
we come into I come into their relationship where they're struggling,
they're struggling a little bit, and then then my daughter's
kind of struggling a little bit um in this world
that I really don't have much patience for, right well,
because it's such a different It just is a different world.
(25:44):
I mean, like you like you step in and right
you're like, wow, we're in the Upper east Side. This
is a far you know, long way from Brooklyn rufus
Um and just everything that goes on in there. And
I'm sure even in our backstory a little bit, like
I'm sure I've talked to you about Dan dating Serena
vander Watson and how like things have shifted in our
relationship at times. And Chuck Bass and Bass Industries is
(26:05):
somehow related now to the Humphries because of you know,
Lily's relationship with Bart Bass. So you definitely have heard me,
you know when I call home or call to tell
you what's up, that like there's a lot going on
up here, and whether you have met Lily Van Watson
or not, you've heard about it and most people you know,
and that like we're aware of this social lite mother.
(26:26):
So it's a it's a very different walk of life
from where we came from, Like I come back from Vermont,
you know, like it's a very different world of walking
out that. Yeah, that dad is living here and this
is where I come to see you know, Dan sometimes
now is wild. It's like not at all what we
know of the Humphries. So but the way you guys
(26:49):
played that scene was so because you felt the tension,
but you can feel that like they didn't really know
what to do and you were just being nice. You
just brought something that you made from home. Only because
I have manners, actually, g And I wanted to ask
(27:09):
you about that because I think was so compelling about
this character too, is that she doesn't adjust or cover
any of her passion or her point of view or
worldview in this scene, you know, out of like politeness,
but she is polite and a nice guest brings the thing,
and you know she's open and willing to have a conversation.
So it's an interest she's like a no bullshit person
(27:29):
in a way that's like really kind of admirable and
fun to watch. I'm wondering if that's something you find
yourself playing characters like that a lot, or was that
a fun shift for you? Did you like her? You know?
I did like playing her. She was so like forward, yeah,
like not backing away from a fight. This is what's
(27:51):
on her mind. I mean, it's like transparency to the
nth degree. Yeah, and so there's something so beautifully liberating
about sort of being in that skin and this and
and it's it's something that you hope that you can
take a little bit away from because it wasn't I mean, yes,
she she was judgmental, but not in a in a
(28:15):
an uninformed way, right, you know what I mean? It
was it was this, this is this is what this
is what I've learned from walking the walk that I walk.
And so yeah, so either you know, and this is
how I choose to live my life. So but but
she of course makes space for you know, for her
(28:37):
daughter's choice, she makes space for her old best friend's
choice her you know, she's not living in a world
by herself. It's a it's a world that she's chosen,
but there's still space for other people. So you know,
that's that is absolutely I think a lesson that we
can all continue to take give, even you know where
(29:01):
we are in the world right now, that you can
absolutely be tethered to your ideas and to your beliefs
and to your way of life and not have that
encroach on other people. You know, and it doesn't. It
feels like when you played it, Gina, when you're watching her,
there could have been another way, like if someone played
(29:23):
it where it really felt judgmental, where you were like
irritated with it, but you weren't because you were never
judging the person for their choice. It was just what
you kind of what you were just saying. So the
way you played it was very you just kept I
wanted you on screen more like. I just like the
way you did, because I did feel like there was
like a grace to it and a real like gentle way,
but but a matter of fact, like you, there was
(29:45):
a fine line of like saying what you meant, but
like not trying to be like because you thought you
were better to be honest. Some of the things you
said I think hit hit so close to home for people,
it's what the other person was maybe thinking but doesn't
really want to say. Sometime it was just very it
was I thought it was excellent because it's easier to
just play the judgmental I don't like you kind of thing.
(30:08):
To play it where you're not is what's I think challenging.
So what I'm saying is that I thought it was brilliant. Well,
thank you, thank you. I think it's it's it's fun
and it's I mean, you're trying to find like the
juice in it, right, and so what you try to do.
It wasn't that I was concerned with her being likable
(30:28):
or not, but it was it was more about her
being understood. You didn't have to look like that, you
just had to understand understand, yeah, where she was coming from.
And and so what happens is and what's what's great
sort of in retrospect because we've been teenage daughters. I
now have a teenage daughter, and and and so watching
(30:53):
this relationship play out on screen now all these years later,
having you say that, as now a parent of a
teenage daughter, I can look at my character and go,
so she's not so bad, And I can look that, right,
and I can see it from like my daughter's point
of view, because I get a whole lot of piss
(31:15):
and vinegar, you know, every day, that embarrassment of Mom,
Why did you say that she can't my girl own business?
Why shouldn't mind? You know, you know, it's like that
whole that embarrassment, And so, like I said, it's like
the duality, like all of these things can be true.
She's not a bad person, but she's just not the
(31:36):
person that Vanessa needs her to be in that moment,
you know, and then you find out later that you're
all the things that I've been raising you to be,
So you can't you know, what what is it that
you're fighting against? Like what is it that that character
is fighting against? Really? And just you know, fighting for you,
(31:58):
just your your space, your you know, your identity. And
that's what's so beautiful about it is is my identity
this Now, No, that's that doesn't sit right for me,
that's that can't be who I am, you know, and
watching and watching you go through all those changes, watching
you feel the sacrificing of something that's that's important to
(32:20):
you and precious to you, you know, your own moral
center that was that was fascinating. Yeah, it was Will
because again, this this episode shocked me. I was so
excited because I remember this is when we met you,
so I was like excited to see that again and
take that walk down memory lane. But then I'm like, whoa,
the whole thing was Vanessa. That was just like I
couldn't believe this episode. But vanessas comes from, you know,
(32:42):
when she gets to M y U, I feel like
she wanted she wants to do this fresh start. She
talks about it with Dan in the beginning of this season,
even when they see Georgina, and she wants that. And
then she finds out that Blairs, you know, at M
y U on the same hall, and they have this
like tension and they don't really see eye to eye
on anything and don't like each other care for each other.
So I think not only is was it for Vanessa
that she was proud to have you there and proud
(33:04):
to be chosen to do this, and then she has
this thing with Blair where Blair comes and it's just
going to take it and do it. And that's why
when Vanessa has the microphone and she's like outing Blair
to everyone, like everyone can now finally really hear what
Blair is about. Um, I forgot that she did that.
In the scene, I see Vanessa like lift her purse up.
(33:25):
I'm like, why would I do that? She is recording
her I forgot that, which I thought that was like
the one thing. I was like, I kind of I'm
okay with that, you know, this the whole thing. I
was like, oh, And Blair's like, oh no, She's like,
I gotta go give my speech, and Vanessa is like,
you just didn But also we had that moment, that
(34:05):
really heart holy moment when Vanessa says that she wishes
the Lilian Rufus were her parents, you know, because and
and you know, and you're over there listening and overhearing
that like vulnerability. It's like all because I feel like
a lot of times, especially when we're in a teen
centric world, it's like you forget about the humanity of
the adult characters or the parents characters, and this show
(34:27):
often brings it up to the fore. I mean, we
kind of we get into it Lilian Rufus, and so
I think that moment when you see the impact of
her words, and it's very beautiful played, it's very nuanced
and like you know it, it happens, and it's so real,
and I was like, oh, Vanessa, no heart dropping feeling. Yeah,
I felt that too. Yeah, I was. I was in
(34:50):
my mind of like, oh my gosh, if I if
Bowie would say that, I would like follow it was, yeah, teriffy.
And it's also in the relationship with like s Rena
and Lily and rufe Is coming in and being the
father figure to Serena and all the things that we
just went through in the last couple of episodes. Asanna
is interesting to me because it's it's one of those
(35:11):
things where the grass isn't always greener. So I think
when Vanessa saying that, it's like, wow, she knows that,
like Lily wasn't always there the way that I think
Vanessa's mom was, you know, so at the moment, in
the heat of you know, feeling bad that she did this,
I think she said some things that she didn't mean,
because I definitely think Vanessa wouldn't change spots at all,
but she didn't say like, yeah, it's just you know,
(35:36):
like there's like a couple of episodes from ago, Serena
just gets on a plane and goes to Spain, like
on a private jet. I'm like, she's seventeen. She doesn't call,
she just goes to another country and then comes back.
And Lily's like good, like there's no consequence nothing. I'm like, Okay,
that is wild. I'm pretty sure Gabriela is not would
(35:58):
not allow that with with Vana. No no, Yeah, that
brought it back because I had completely forgotten that part.
That was a gut punch, that was a real gut punch.
And yeah, I just felt like, okay, just mom up,
you're here. You know you're you're here. Just mom up,
(36:19):
and then you know, then you can go suck it
and you can have your Croissan because I'm out. Um,
I'm going back to where people like me. Isn't it sad?
How not sad? But funny that in the end of
(36:41):
the freshman party, Olivia's up getting the mic and doing
the toast and then we don't even see it because
the toast itself so inconsequential. It's like, yes, the matter
of like what it means for people's identity, like we
just cut to you know, She's like, hey, I'm Olivia
and smash cut that is so true true, And then
(37:04):
I guess it makes sense because no, one cares, No
one really cares. Yeah, and then you have I mean,
so the fallout of the event is that, I guess,
Olivia and Dan are okay, and Rufus and Lily understand
that she's not really a crazy Hollywood gal and she
comes over for brunch and everything's fine. So they're good.
(37:25):
But but Blair and Chuck are left devastated because she
broke his trust. Um, Vanessa is left alone with two
cuissantes except for then Blair Peason, and now the two
of them are weirdly you know, mirror. And then Serena,
I guess kind of not dumped, but she does. She
(37:47):
like basically betrays Nate, who betrayed her in order to
save Carter. Carter's like, I don't want saved. I want
to go prove myself and be yeah wait Texas to
an oil fee He's Carter looks at Serena and says,
I'd rather you hate me then feel sorry for me,
And I was right, yeah yeah, and that so yes,
(38:10):
well he's gonna get his wish. How about when um
the picture so the picture of Trip vander Vanderbult, He
never was smoking out of a ball, no, I think, Yeah,
So it was like Nate was trying to give a
fake picture to the to the opposite team so that
they would use it and then be out at as
(38:32):
like and then and then say it was the Buckley
family and that's what they would do to win. Yeah,
that the Buckleys. I mean, this is I have no
integraty and the fact that it all comes down to
this poker game with this whatever Buckley kid that is,
um right, it's J Buckley, h p J Buckley. But yeah,
(38:52):
so if I feel like, you know, we have high
high stakes drama and then we have very um not
low stakes, but we have very down down to the
home and identity drama with you know, the mother daughter
relationships and you know, so it's like we really have
the whole Gossip Girl gamut in this particular episode. I mean,
by the time I got to the end of the episode,
(39:13):
I was like, y'all are not gonna make me go
back and watch this entire show. I don't have to
go back and get all the way back. I've got mad.
Oh my goodness. Yeah, it's it is. You know, it's compelling,
(39:36):
and then you're like, well, what what happens next? In fact,
I don't remember what happens, Yeah, because they leave you
feeling no and now what's streaming? You know, we didn't
have Tom right back when this show was on, so
now it's just like, well, if I turned away, Oh
look another episode started, Well what am I to right
and find the remote? Right? Well, I feel I think, Gina,
(40:02):
you come we do remember that Thanksgiving episode we did
that that wasn't because there were so many people and
it was but you come back for that. But at
the end of this, I'm like feeling so sorry in
a way for Vanessa because I'm like, I know she
didn't want to hurt her mom, but she was like really,
she did some hurtful things this whole episode. But then
(40:24):
when Blair walks in it, they almost leave you hanging
as if like, oh, is there going to be a
connection now at M y U with these two because
they're both sitting there awkwardly with these croissans. Blair would
normally never but you know, there's that really nice moment
at the end end of the party, Blair says to
Vanessair normally would have never sat. Did we do all
of that or whatever? So it's like this moment of
(40:45):
clarity where it's like both of them have like shot
their own selves in the foot and hurt Flare, hurt
their own cause by being duplicit as a manipulative and
for what you know. So I feel like there's a
nice kind of a resolution and that they have to
face off with each other over the Croissan and they're
both like left sad and alone. So it makes you know,
(41:06):
it makes a lot of sense actually a gossip girl
she said something funny too, like what's hissory loves company
because they're both like it was something like misery loves
Company as it's pulling out, because it's basically like they
were both willing to lie, cheat and steal to get
this toast that we don't even end up seeing how
it goes, right, They're just willing to do whatever. And
now they're just sitting there like miserable together because they
(41:29):
were like not right right right, They're just they're just
gonna take a breath and regroup. Can't see yeah over Croissans,
so sad? Are we going to talk about you being
knocked up? Are we going to get there? We can
(41:50):
later And that's giving episode whereas Susanna me, yeah, yeah, yeah,
I don't yeah, I and I'm twice twice I get
pregnant on the show because yeah, and both times it's
like because somebody had to put like a pregnancy test
in a trash can and it had caused a lot
(42:10):
of drama, and then it turned out to be to Ronda, right,
So yeah, I have a baby on this show, like
a like a birth scene and everything, and then and
then another baby later because they needed like a a
storyline with the pregnancy test, so up to right, but
there's there's so there's you have two babies. Then something
(42:34):
happens I think in season three because I remember working
with a baby with Georgina and Penn. Georgina has another baby.
Georgina has that, Okay, I thought, that's what you meant,
you know, when we're working with the baby. I'm like,
it wasn't okay. I don't know. That's a lot of
no I have babies. And then Georgina has I think, yeah,
I feel like I don't know if it's she tells
(42:55):
says Dan it's Dans or so I don't remember that, right,
but there's definitely another yeah. And then it's not until
the very very very end where you see that in
the future. Other people have babies. But yeah, Doroda is
about to get knocked up in like five or six
very soon, Yeah, coming up, which is why she gets married. Yeah,
she gets like a you know, shotgun wedding or whatever
(43:18):
they call it because of her parents are coming. It's
similar to Vanessa. Her parents are coming and she doesn't
want to disappoint them. So he has to get married
and doesn't and doesn't, um don't. Doesn't Blair's mom pay
for the wedding. I think Chuck does, and I think
the ideas that Chuck throws to Roda a lavish wedding
(43:40):
to get back and Blair's good graces and then but uh,
but but I'm I'm not doing it. I'm not doing it.
I'm not going to go back and sit there with
a giant family size bag of lace and watch. I
can't aid to get to it because Susan, I've never
(44:02):
I never saw your weddings or the kid. Yeah, the
wedding coming to fantastic because it's it's like a full
I mean, there was like hundreds of background. It was
a big wedding and you know, I walked down the
aisle on Wally Shawn's arm on Cyrus's arts really funny. Yeah,
that was a fun fun word. A lot of good
events in the Gossip Girl and up, but this was
(44:26):
a great episode. I really enjoyed it. It was like
very fraught and it had a lot of meeting meeting
your character. You know. I was like, because Vanessa is like,
you know, a beloved person in the universe and also
a little bit different from everybody, so to see where
she comes from, and you know, it's always it's really
nice to go down that, you know, almost felt like
a little capsule episode for Vanessa, which I really liked. Yeah,
(44:48):
it was a good one. It was fun to watch
and really fun to talk to you about it. I Oh,
also there was some questions from some fans about suits.
Did you like working on suits? I think a lot
of people obviously loved you on that. And also there's
anything you want to tell us about that's coming up
if you and what you have stopped coming up to you,
(45:09):
So yeah, let's talk about the stuff. It was fun.
It was a lot of fun. It was It was
actually the first series that I got to be on
that had a life. You know, a lot of the
shows that I've done prior to that, whether they were
you know, critically acclaimed or the fans loved them just
kind of went away. Um. So it was nice to
(45:30):
to have that job security for a while. UM. And
and she was an incredible character to be able to
play just this powerful woman, UM who always looked fantastic.
You know, it was the smartest resident in the room.
Learned a lot, just learned a lot about serious television
and and the importance of you know, writing, but also
(45:53):
just storytelling. You know, we're always we're just always remembering
to to you know, tell that story and and tell
that give that point of view, and and that chemistry
is so important important as well. You know, if you're
if you're expecting people to invest an hour of their
lives in you, and uh, then you you want them
(46:15):
to to feel like that wasn't a waste of time. Yeah,
and that's that show was on for a while. We did.
Uh well, I left. I left halfway through season six,
came back on and off season seven, and then they
went on and did it like another two so nine
all told Yeah, and what about Pearson, Well, it was
(46:38):
it was my idea. I left the show and then
I kind of missed this character and things were kind
of getting, you know, quiet in my brain, and I
started dreaming about her. I started thinking about her, like
what is she doing now? Like if she wasn't attached
to that world, what would she be doing? And what
was interesting to me? What was both interesting and frustrating
(47:01):
at the same time, Like as like as an actor,
is that she was the biggest mystery on the show.
She she she really didn't have any friends, she didn't
really have any family. Is like, she existed for the
narrative of the firm and the other characters, right, like
those two boy beads and so she so that character
was always sort of of service to that story. So
(47:25):
there were so many places to go with her that
even after six and a half years, people were like, well,
who is she? Right? And I would often joke I said, well,
she isn't anybody. She just she plugs herself into a
pod when she walks through that door that leads to nowhere,
and you know she charged, yeah, and you know she
(47:46):
walks back through the door and there she is again. Um, So,
when the idea and when the chance, the opportunity came
up to to give her her own voice, to give
her her storyline, to give her her world. I was
just so pleased that the network went for it and
I got to, you know, cut my teeth as an
(48:07):
executive producer and loved, loved, loved every minute of it.
That's so great. That's really cool. I love that. Yeah,
you get a character a little bit and then you
do the deep dive. Yeah yeah, it's like a dream. Yeah.
And what, um what are you working on with Nikki? Now?
I'm doing one lone Star. Okay, are you enjoying them?
(48:29):
I really am. Yeah, They've written a great character for me.
She's you know, she's that hybrid. She's like a badass,
but she's also like she has a home life, she
has children, she has like twin girls, and like in
a romantic life. And then you know, and then it's
like you see that that that you know one what's
(48:49):
your emergency? And then boom, we're not like a whole
other different show. Yeah. Yeah, so I get to get
the signs of it. So that's a lot of fun.
And I have a great cast that I'd love to
work with. I love that. And where can we Where
can we all check that out? For anyone listening that
hasn't seen it, so you can see all seasons on
Hulu that are streaming now, and then we start season.
(49:12):
Our season four premier is January se Fox Fox. Yes, amazing.
That is perfect new show for a new year for
anyone that hasn't seen it yet. And I just again
can't thank you for being here. This was so great. Yes, um,
but yeah, thank you, thank you. Thanks for asking. Of course, Ausanna,
(49:34):
do you want to do the closing? Shall I read
the Gossip Girl quote? Here's the closing Gossip Girl quote,
take us home. Um. When it comes to family, we're
still children at heart, no matter how old we get.
We always need a place to call home. Because without
the people you love most, you can't help but feel
all alone in the world. Fortunately, misery loves company, well
(49:58):
for now at least. X x golwsome girl part warming
a little bit foreboding. Such a pleasure to talk to you.
Thank you, Gina, thank you, thank you, My beautiful set.
Daughter XO XO is produced by Propagate Content and Meet
(50:31):
Jessica's Or. Our show is executive produced by Linkley. Our
senior producer is Diego Tapia. Our producers are Hannah Harris,
Emily Carr, and Kristin Vermilion and Our intern is Sammy
Cat's original music by Moxie and Lou
Hey, I'm Gina Taures and I played Gabriella Abrahams and
we are rewatching. Enough about the welcome back listeners. Do
you want an only source into all things gossip crul?
You know you'll love it. XO x O. Hellou, Hi, Mama,
(00:33):
Hi's sweet baby. How are you? I'm doing great? Hello? Hi?
We have Gina Taures, who played Vanessa's mother, which I
am so excited about. Gina. This is Gina we never
got to meet. I don't think that's that Thank you
(00:55):
for joining us. Nice to see you as well. Absolutely,
I'm so glad this happened that me me too. I
know you're super busy. You've got a lot going on,
like family, work all over the place, which is I
always think like a great thing. So I really appreciate
you coming on. And we really haven't seen each other,
(01:15):
probably since the show, maybe one other time we ran
into each other. And then you work with Nikki who
did who worked on the orbit with us, who I
just love her. She's such a talent, and she used
to always come to set and talk about how great
you are, and I'm like, she's so brilliant, she's such
a good actor. You are like, I'm just I was
very honored to work with you and to get you
(01:36):
call you my set mom, So I'm just pleased. But
you know what's so funny you never know what your
parents are gonna look like. When for me, when I
get cast, like in Love Wedding Marriage, my parents were
James Brown and Jane Seymour, which is I would have
never pictured those two to be my parents. And Manny
Moore was my sister been on this and I was like,
you're my mom. We never got to meet my dad,
(01:58):
but you never so I'm always I did to see
like what kind of flavor or like way we're gonna go.
I guess me Because I'm mixed, it could be like
anything could go down. So but I really liked it
because we both had curly hair and I could see
the resultants. But I remember James Roland and Jane Seymour
and I'm like, wow, I would have never pictured those
two as my parents. So it's always funny your set
(02:21):
like family absolutely, you know. Yeah, And and being like
being bi racial, being like that sort of like falling
into that ethnically ambiguous sort of arena if you will.
It's it's always interesting to see how other people see,
see what other people's perspective of you is, right, So yeah, yeah,
(02:42):
I wouldn't have picked Josh and Jane and Jane no interesting,
who would you think was let's pick an after that
we know of that you would have been my dad
with you? Who would you put? Oh? I mean right, well,
it's well, so here's the thing, right, Brolin and I
could have absolutely Yeah, I agree that. Actually that makes sense.
(03:06):
I like that. But it's also funny because it's this
younger son. Yeah. I kind of like that too. But
the two of you had such great chemistry in this
episode that we watched that we're watching today. It's like
the you know, the relationship is so fraught, but the
chemistry is so there, and it just seemed like, you know,
a really lovely mother daughter um kind of vibe at
(03:29):
its heart. So I really like you guys together. So
I definitely think throw a little Josh in the mix
and then we can make another movie, right right, yeah,
do it? Let's make that happen. Um full disclosure. Yeah,
I love that you just said that because I when
I was watching, when I was rewatching it, I saw
that and I felt the same way and I absolutely
(03:49):
felt the same way. When we were working together. It
was just easy. It just felt like a like an
easy thing, right, like a good fit. Um. But when
I was at a point in my life when I
my daughter was a toddler and and it was I
was just like in like in baby mode, and I
remember getting like sent all these roles for women who
(04:12):
had these grown ass children. Think I was like ready
right for the mother of a grown ass child, and
it was just sort of okay, chronologically it could be true,
but why and and it was so comforting to kind
(04:34):
of look back on it, and and now that I
have a teenage daughter, I feel like that that worked,
that you know, that made sense. It's also interesting when
you say that, because you look as if we just
got done filming the scene two days. Yeah. Yeah, And
(04:54):
I feel like in this gossipel world that ages are
all messed up anyway. It's like everybody's like four five
years within each other's ages. And yeah, so yeah, it's
a crazy Upper east Side absolutely, yeah world. Gina, do
you remember like you're casting story or situation or how
(05:15):
it came about? You remember, I know we some of it,
like people are like, really it was fifteen years ago.
I don't remember. I'm like, that's fair too. Like I said,
I was, my child was a toddler, so a lot
of that was a blur those toddler years or that
you have children now, so you know what I'm talking about.
It's a lot, you know, it was. I mean, it
(05:36):
was season three, so I had, of course, I had
an awareness of the show. I had. I had a
great awareness of the show because you guys were like
this enormous, crazy hit. It was just on the other
side of you know, like like we're talking about like generationally,
generationally sex in the city, so this would this was
(05:58):
like the next step to that kind of thing. Yeah, right,
So I was intrigued. I was intrigued by by um,
you know, I remember sort of watching an episode prior
to go Okay, what are they doing? What's happening? It's like,
oh it's soapy. Oh it's oh, it's like delicious, all right,
because I gotta know, right, like the world am I
(06:18):
jumping into? But I can't remember. I can't remember if
I auditioned or if it was one of those offers well, ye,
who knows. Let's just say it was an offer good
and I was just I was so I was just
(06:40):
so happy to get it, like to to get to
work in New York. That's always you know, I grew
up in New York. I was raised in New York. Um,
so anytime I would get to work in New York
or on the New York streets, it felt like, oh yeah,
hometown girl. And you know, I always take a moment
(07:05):
to just say, all right, this is happening, this is
this is working out. And Gossip Girl holds one of
those places for me that I get to you can
go home again and actively live your dream on on
the streets where they were still dreams. Right. So that
was fun. Yeah, yeah, well I know we were like
(07:27):
super pumped to have you. And and like, first of all,
you guys, we're rewatching Enough About Eve, which is based
on the movie All About Eve, one of my favorites.
By the way, me too, I love it. I think
it's a perfect movie. Oh my god, love Um. Okay,
so we left off where Lillian Rufus have finally beaten
(07:48):
the odds and tied the knot, while Scott finds himself
closer and closer to forging a connection with his biological parents. Meanwhile,
Serena and Carter are back on the rocks as she
leaves him over the face marriage he wants arranged to
pay off a gambling debt. Georgina gets her just desserts, however,
falling for a scam at the courtesy of Blair. So again,
(08:10):
lots where we came from, and then here we end
up in like Vanessa spiral Land. So in this episode
that we're watching today, Vanessa hoping to finally win her
difficult activist mother. That's one way to put it. Uh,
gabrielle as approval desperately vised with Blair for the honor
of delivering the freshman toast n y U, which is
a big deal here. Meanwhile, Dan invites Olivia to meet
(08:33):
Rufus and Lily, which leads to all sorts of problems. Uh.
And Serena and Nate team up on the side to
help Carter with money at a poker table to free
him from the arrangement of the Buckley's. Nate has a
different plan, so he's scheming too, So we have a
lot of scheming, and that's not really Nate's vibe usually either,
(08:56):
Nate's not. So that's yeah, that was interesting, and he
was like Chase how he was in this episode, so
like how he played it just so serious and sometimes
I can't, even though he did it brilliantly, take him
seriously because I'm like, oh my gosh, this is like
so nice it makes me last. Yeah, just he was
the whole thing with the with Trips campaign and Carter
(09:19):
and the poker like that whole thing. Also just every
time they went to it felt so dangerous to me,
and like this just feels like someone could die, Like
this is not its like in some like shady place.
We got Serena looking like you know, fire again, and
like there was just so much I'm like, something's going down.
That's like not okay. No, I I felt like, why
(09:40):
wouldn't you wear shoes you could run in? Like that
doesn't sense. You're walking into the space where anything can
go down. We're sensible shoes. That's such a good spoint
to me. That entire poker scene was just like about
Serena's legs, Like it was just like legs, legs, legs, legs, legs.
They was shot back like like usually they do like
(10:03):
it over the shoulder shot. This was all you know,
over the list, so you know, pretty fun very high
steaks poker. But I have to tell you right now,
I Vanessa is just on my little nerves. Oh this
isn't crazy Vanessa episode. Well, I'm like, this isn't even
like her. That's why even the moment she has with
(10:24):
you Gina at the end, I'm like, that's right, she
needs to listen to her mom, because what she was
pulling throughout this episode. I'm like, this is why the
parts about Vanessa that I liked playing or that she
you know, was different from the Upper East Side on
the show, and then this one she's just lying and
cheating and it's just doing whatever. I'm like, this is
like not Vanessa girl, Like you might need to go
(10:44):
home with your mom for a little bit. We always
talk about how Vanessa is like the moral center of
the Gossip Girl universe. A lot of times she's kind
of the you know, where we go to follow the
right path, and then here she is just falling down
the rabbit hole. So yeah, it's a really juicy and
she's like just lying like it's nothing. She's just like, oh,
you should make the chicken. Oh his parents don't like,
(11:06):
Oh girl, you don't even lie and you're just lying
on top of lying on top of I'm like, you know,
the steaks were high. I'm not condoning it, but like
watching it in retrospect and seeing what like what you
wanted and what you were trying to accomplish, and you
(11:27):
know you were poorly influenced in that moment in time.
You know, you knew your mom was coming and you
wanted to make a really good impression because I was like,
didn't you know she doesn't like where you were, So
this was you know, the only place for you to
prove that you were making the right decision was being
taken from you. So not that I'm just sying your
(11:50):
horrible behavior, No, And that's what she was really fighting
to show you that all this time and her being
there is the right thing. But I like, wow, she's
gonna lie to Dan, lie to her roommate, lie to Blair.
It wasn't just like, oh, in this episode we see
a little flavor of Vanessa like stepping into like what
Blair would kind of pull. He was just doing it
(12:11):
like on every level. And I was like, oh my god,
and this is gonna fight you in the butt hard
and how it ends. I was like, I couldn't but
you know, sometimes it's like I think a visit from
mom can really set your first spin. So it's like
it makes sense to me that you know that. It's
like because the parental relationships on this show are always complicated,
and I feel like watching Vanessa unmoored because you know,
(12:34):
her mom all of a sudden steps into the equation,
I feel like it's kind of relatable. So you know,
I gave her. I gave her a little bit of
a rope there. I was like, you know, I get it,
I guess. And it was also just like just really
sweet to watch how it's not easy for you, like
(12:55):
you're fully aware of what you're doing. Like Vanessa is
fully aware that she is crossing a line. She keeps
crossing it, but she's fully yeah, and it keeps It's
like keeps like chipping away at you. It doesn't sit
well with you at all, which I guess is the
is the silver lining here is that this isn't just
(13:15):
like okay, whatever, she can brush it off. It was
affecting her. And even the moment when she calls when
you're on your way out of the city, like you
can tell her worlds like crumbling that like because she
didn't mean to hurt her mom, she was just trying
to show her. But meanwhile she's hurt really the closest
people to her, which I think a lot of times
in life sometimes does happen. I don't know if it's
because you know, there's trust there something, but don't they
(13:37):
Isn't there a quote that's like you always heard the
most or something? Yea. Also here it's like her bad
choices to the's such a snowball effect, So I feel
like that's kind of funny to watch too, is like
the amount of snowball like gains speed as it's rolling
down the mountain here, So it's like one lie, one manipulation,
one mistake turns into ten, and it happens curbing Usa
(14:00):
and Blair and the two of them being such sort
of foils or opposites right normally in the show, and
they're kind of on the same track here Downhill, which
is well constructed. Definitely absolutely This episode begins with this
(14:27):
like awesome black and white sory sequence, which I have
to say, like I've always said, when people ask me
about Gossip Girl and they asked about the cast, and
they always ask, you know, you know, who's like what
or whatever. I always say. One of the things I
always say is that Jessica Zor is the most beautiful human,
so that when you meet her in person, it just
(14:47):
like blows you away, and that you know that. And
this vers turn, I was like, holy CONNOTI how gorgeous
for you in this black and white fume world. Oh
my god, you have to do a period piece. I
think you have to go. You know, you have such
a great Flori's face, like they you and I was
(15:09):
like perfection. Absolutely, the hair so nice. You guys are
making me blush. Was there anything different about the shooting
of that? I mean, did it feel like you were
doing a thing or do you remember? I don't fully
remember shooting, but I remember because Vanessa is never really
and put together dresses like gowns like that, or having
her hair pulled back and makeup really done like the
(15:31):
Winter Ball like she had makeup and more certain dress.
But never do you see Vanessa like this. I even
really liked how the dress she wore when she when
you come in, Gina like a lot of her looks
and yeah that was a good dress, Yes that was beautiful. Yeah,
but I don't I remember loving it because it was
about all all about Eve the movie. So I was
(15:53):
like already into the episode before we started filming because
I love that movie so much. But I I don't
really remember if I think black and white everyone just
looks better and black and white because it just there's
like this elegance and like chic nous to it, and
then the hair and makeup teams are just great. But
it definitely was like one of those moments like that
sticks out to a look for for Banasa for sure.
(16:15):
So I don't know, I would actually like to know
what what they did that was so different case I'm like, well,
Vanessa look at Yeah, but it's also because she's always
got so many ear rings and layers and colors. She's
always got a lot going on. So I think it
was just like more and just simple. Yeah right right, Um,
(16:36):
but I do love those those sequences. But how about
when Blair's She's like, well, I'm always Audrey Hepburn, I'm
never Betty Davis, She's yeah, so we basically, yeah, we
started the episode with Blair being insecure somehow she's like
losing herself and it's like this sets us up for
disaster here. Um. Yeah, and then we have this whole
(16:57):
storyline that's like the Freshman toast, which is the big thing,
and then we have this Nate and Serena with dealing
with Carter Serena and two pronged episode. So I guess
it's like, well, and then let's not forget the Blair
and Chuck of it all. In that moment that happening,
how she set that up, I was like, this, not Blair,
We'll just do anything. She yeah, and like thinking she
(17:23):
wasn't she wasn't gonna get caught right right well, and
if she dies, I mean, he's just as ruthless. So
I understands. But when she did that, I didn't think
it was going to come to that she actually set
(17:45):
it up with him. I thought she knew that he
was in Two Guys and this yes, So it was
like a double twist for me because I'm like, oh,
she's just doing that because she outsmart at everyone again,
Like she just knew that Josh Ellis is gay, and
so she's gonna because is not gonna like Chuck Bass,
you know what I mean, Like, and that's just how
I thought it was gonna be. I'm like, oh, she
actually went and had a conversation like That's why I
(18:07):
thought she was watching, because I thought she wasn't sure
how it was going to go down. Little did she
know she had every little thing like she's like had
the conversation. She was willing to risk her relationship she
cured that exactly How funny was Josh Ellis too, because
like what was what was his position? He was like
a dean or something like, I don't know what his
(18:29):
position in the college was, but he was basically like
the social liaison whose entire career revolved around picking someone
for the freshman toast. But you yeah, everybody's showing up
in yeah crazy? Did you think that when it was
another girl? When Vanessa was like on the call. This
(18:50):
was in the beginning of the episode. I actually was
just thought straightaway it was going to be Blair. Yeah,
I forgot about Olivia. It was Olivia. It was like Olivia, right,
yeah yeah. And then how about when they get to
the freshman toast And now, because of all Vanessa's lies,
Olivia thinks they're not going to meet Rufus and Lily
because Vanessa told Olivia they wouldn't like her, right, Dan
(19:14):
wanted to do the whole thing. She sets up Dan
to play this whole dinner. I mean she's just left
and right, scheming and making up all these lies. But
how about when Olivia gets to the Freshman toast and
it's just acting like an assholes like Hollywood, right, it's
so nuts, and she's like in her mind, she's like,
I'm playing these assholes and actually you look like one
(19:37):
a little Yeah, it's just a little little bit genius there,
just a little bit like and you gotta wonder, it's like,
you think that's a good idea, Like yeah, even right,
even if that's going, yeah, even if his parents were
big jud judgmental you know, uh, anti Hollywood parents, how
(19:57):
is that going to serve her in the end? But
what it was funny um hious. But in this episode,
it's everything is is hanging on this freshman toast. So
it's basically like an honor for like this you know,
freshman who's ahead of the pack or or leader. And
so we see in the beginning of this episode that
Vanessa has been written about in the school paper that
(20:19):
she's the cover story that she's like, you know, doing
good stuff and for the environment and for other students.
So it seems like she's a shoe in and we
end up kind of having this battle how her play
between her and Lydia and Blair. But um, I think
what's most important is the fact that this this freshman
toast brings Vanessa's family to the four and Vanessa's you know,
(20:41):
sort of identity and how it's defined by her own
role relationship with her mother. So when it's it's introduced
as this idea that you know, Mom's gonna come. But
mom doesn't approve of n y U because it's a
private institution, right, So the politics there of mom and
dad are very specific, right, very specific, because education should
(21:03):
not have to be bought. Yeah, and the irony too
in this episode when I'm watching, I'm like, because of
their how they view it and look at it, and
then here is Vanessa trying to prove it. And just
that's why I think it was so powerful when you
said that to Vanessa out when Gabriel, when her mom says,
(21:25):
you should really consider the person you'll becoming here, because
I think she sees that this isn't how her daughter
was And so now you're paying all this money going
to this school and you're really like bringing people down
and just doing things that you wouldn't do. It's like wrong,
you know what I mean, like telling lies and do
like all the things that go on is just like
so I think the irony and and her not wanting
(21:46):
me to go there and then coming and really seeing
a different side of Vanessa that that probably my mom
hasn't seen is like not the greatest situation for me.
That thing is She's also not so wrong, but not
necessarily about you, but what you're driven to because the
fact is that Olivia didn't earn that spot, right they
(22:08):
I mean, they were absolutely playing to the fact that
she was a celebrity. She was a freshman celebrity, and
she didn't care. Oh I'm not gonna make it. Oh
I am gonna make it. Oh. I was just like
it was just one of the important It just wasn't
important to her at all. And it was absolutely important
(22:29):
to Vanessa, and she was being considered not because she
played the game, but because she was genuinely being this
person that she was raised to be, which was why
she was on their radar. So it's also it's it's
too pronged, right, That's that's what's so great about It's
like these these two things can absolutely be true. The
competition of it drove you insane, But the fact is
(22:52):
it would have been yours if not for the celebrity
component of this, of this institution, of this money making institution.
And that is like, that's right, it's like the two
side of it. So it's not Yeah, that's so so true.
And that's honestly, Gina. We because we're rewatching all the
time now, everyone's always like, just the writing and the
show is so brilliant because it it's not in your
(23:15):
face the way it has to be. You know what
I'm saying, it's just what you said, because I really
didn't even know that it is. It is true. Olivia
didn't get didn't care and she's like, oh you're giving
me something else. Oh that's yeah, I'll do it. It's
a little surprised for Dan. Yeah exactly. Well, there's this
(23:36):
there's this fantastic scene when Vanessa's mom shows up at
the Humphrey Loft, I mean not the vander Woodson Loft. Uh.
There's this great sort of like culture clash with the
jam Yeah yeah, Billie and Rufus and how and I
mean I really related to Vanessa in this scene because
(23:57):
not that my you know, just just I just idea
of being like Mom, come on, you know that, like
mom's living embarrassing and like Mom's not, you know, doing
what you wanted to do. So like that I think
is universal. Um, do you guys remember shooting that scene
at all or how? I don't know if you've ever
worked with them, Matthew or Kelly in the past. Now,
(24:19):
I yeah, I'd never worked with them before. But it's
one of those It's one of those situations right where
you where you sort of walk into the world of
this show. It's like I'm in the loft, I'm right
these characters and so that in and of itself is
is overwhelming. And what I had forgotten was that what
(24:40):
they also wrote into the show was this prior relationship
that Gabriella had Rufus, Like they were they were like
buds in Brooklyn right together, you know, they we were
like hanging out. She knows where a couple of bodies
are buried, and she's like, really, you bro, you ended
(25:00):
up on the everast side, right. So so now you
have to as an actor, you have to sort of
create this history and this short ye come with this
character and you know, he doesn't even know how he
got there, which was kind of like, like so great
about this relationship. He just happened to fall in love
with this woman from the Ever east Side. And so
(25:23):
we come into I come into their relationship where they're struggling,
they're struggling a little bit, and then then my daughter's
kind of struggling a little bit um in this world
that I really don't have much patience for, right well,
because it's such a different It just is a different world.
(25:44):
I mean, like you like you step in and right
you're like, wow, we're in the Upper east Side. This
is a far you know, long way from Brooklyn rufus
Um and just everything that goes on in there. And
I'm sure even in our backstory a little bit, like
I'm sure I've talked to you about Dan dating Serena
vander Watson and how like things have shifted in our
relationship at times. And Chuck Bass and Bass Industries is
(26:05):
somehow related now to the Humphries because of you know,
Lily's relationship with Bart Bass. So you definitely have heard me,
you know when I call home or call to tell
you what's up, that like there's a lot going on
up here, and whether you have met Lily Van Watson
or not, you've heard about it and most people you know,
and that like we're aware of this social lite mother.
(26:26):
So it's a it's a very different walk of life
from where we came from, Like I come back from Vermont,
you know, like it's a very different world of walking
out that. Yeah, that dad is living here and this
is where I come to see you know, Dan sometimes
now is wild. It's like not at all what we
know of the Humphries. So but the way you guys
(26:49):
played that scene was so because you felt the tension,
but you can feel that like they didn't really know
what to do and you were just being nice. You
just brought something that you made from home. Only because
I have manners, actually, g And I wanted to ask
(27:09):
you about that because I think was so compelling about
this character too, is that she doesn't adjust or cover
any of her passion or her point of view or
worldview in this scene, you know, out of like politeness,
but she is polite and a nice guest brings the thing,
and you know she's open and willing to have a conversation.
So it's an interest she's like a no bullshit person
(27:29):
in a way that's like really kind of admirable and
fun to watch. I'm wondering if that's something you find
yourself playing characters like that a lot, or was that
a fun shift for you? Did you like her? You know?
I did like playing her. She was so like forward, yeah,
like not backing away from a fight. This is what's
(27:51):
on her mind. I mean, it's like transparency to the
nth degree. Yeah, and so there's something so beautifully liberating
about sort of being in that skin and this and
and it's it's something that you hope that you can
take a little bit away from because it wasn't I mean, yes,
she she was judgmental, but not in a in a
(28:15):
an uninformed way, right, you know what I mean? It
was it was this, this is this is what this
is what I've learned from walking the walk that I walk.
And so yeah, so either you know, and this is
how I choose to live my life. So but but
she of course makes space for you know, for her
(28:37):
daughter's choice, she makes space for her old best friend's
choice her you know, she's not living in a world
by herself. It's a it's a world that she's chosen,
but there's still space for other people. So you know,
that's that is absolutely I think a lesson that we
can all continue to take give, even you know where
(29:01):
we are in the world right now, that you can
absolutely be tethered to your ideas and to your beliefs
and to your way of life and not have that
encroach on other people. You know, and it doesn't. It
feels like when you played it, Gina, when you're watching her,
there could have been another way, like if someone played
(29:23):
it where it really felt judgmental, where you were like
irritated with it, but you weren't because you were never
judging the person for their choice. It was just what
you kind of what you were just saying. So the
way you played it was very you just kept I
wanted you on screen more like. I just like the
way you did, because I did feel like there was
like a grace to it and a real like gentle way,
but but a matter of fact, like you, there was
(29:45):
a fine line of like saying what you meant, but
like not trying to be like because you thought you
were better to be honest. Some of the things you
said I think hit hit so close to home for people,
it's what the other person was maybe thinking but doesn't
really want to say. Sometime it was just very it
was I thought it was excellent because it's easier to
just play the judgmental I don't like you kind of thing.
(30:08):
To play it where you're not is what's I think challenging.
So what I'm saying is that I thought it was brilliant. Well,
thank you, thank you. I think it's it's it's fun
and it's I mean, you're trying to find like the
juice in it, right, and so what you try to do.
It wasn't that I was concerned with her being likable
(30:28):
or not, but it was it was more about her
being understood. You didn't have to look like that, you
just had to understand understand, yeah, where she was coming from.
And and so what happens is and what's what's great
sort of in retrospect because we've been teenage daughters. I
now have a teenage daughter, and and and so watching
(30:53):
this relationship play out on screen now all these years later,
having you say that, as now a parent of a
teenage daughter, I can look at my character and go,
so she's not so bad, And I can look that, right,
and I can see it from like my daughter's point
of view, because I get a whole lot of piss
(31:15):
and vinegar, you know, every day, that embarrassment of Mom,
Why did you say that she can't my girl own business?
Why shouldn't mind? You know, you know, it's like that
whole that embarrassment, And so, like I said, it's like
the duality, like all of these things can be true.
She's not a bad person, but she's just not the
(31:36):
person that Vanessa needs her to be in that moment,
you know, and then you find out later that you're
all the things that I've been raising you to be,
So you can't you know, what what is it that
you're fighting against? Like what is it that that character
is fighting against? Really? And just you know, fighting for you,
(31:58):
just your your space, your you know, your identity. And
that's what's so beautiful about it is is my identity
this Now, No, that's that doesn't sit right for me,
that's that can't be who I am, you know, and
watching and watching you go through all those changes, watching
you feel the sacrificing of something that's that's important to
(32:20):
you and precious to you, you know, your own moral
center that was that was fascinating. Yeah, it was Will
because again, this this episode shocked me. I was so
excited because I remember this is when we met you,
so I was like excited to see that again and
take that walk down memory lane. But then I'm like, whoa,
the whole thing was Vanessa. That was just like I
couldn't believe this episode. But vanessas comes from, you know,
(32:42):
when she gets to M y U, I feel like
she wanted she wants to do this fresh start. She
talks about it with Dan in the beginning of this season,
even when they see Georgina, and she wants that. And
then she finds out that Blairs, you know, at M
y U on the same hall, and they have this
like tension and they don't really see eye to eye
on anything and don't like each other care for each other.
So I think not only is was it for Vanessa
that she was proud to have you there and proud
(33:04):
to be chosen to do this, and then she has
this thing with Blair where Blair comes and it's just
going to take it and do it. And that's why
when Vanessa has the microphone and she's like outing Blair
to everyone, like everyone can now finally really hear what
Blair is about. Um, I forgot that she did that.
In the scene, I see Vanessa like lift her purse up.
(33:25):
I'm like, why would I do that? She is recording
her I forgot that, which I thought that was like
the one thing. I was like, I kind of I'm
okay with that, you know, this the whole thing. I
was like, oh, And Blair's like, oh no, She's like,
I gotta go give my speech, and Vanessa is like,
you just didn But also we had that moment, that
(34:05):
really heart holy moment when Vanessa says that she wishes
the Lilian Rufus were her parents, you know, because and
and you know, and you're over there listening and overhearing
that like vulnerability. It's like all because I feel like
a lot of times, especially when we're in a teen
centric world, it's like you forget about the humanity of
the adult characters or the parents characters, and this show
(34:27):
often brings it up to the fore. I mean, we
kind of we get into it Lilian Rufus, and so
I think that moment when you see the impact of
her words, and it's very beautiful played, it's very nuanced
and like you know it, it happens, and it's so real,
and I was like, oh, Vanessa, no heart dropping feeling. Yeah,
I felt that too. Yeah, I was. I was in
(34:50):
my mind of like, oh my gosh, if I if
Bowie would say that, I would like follow it was, yeah, teriffy.
And it's also in the relationship with like s Rena
and Lily and rufe Is coming in and being the
father figure to Serena and all the things that we
just went through in the last couple of episodes. Asanna
is interesting to me because it's it's one of those
(35:11):
things where the grass isn't always greener. So I think
when Vanessa saying that, it's like, wow, she knows that,
like Lily wasn't always there the way that I think
Vanessa's mom was, you know, so at the moment, in
the heat of you know, feeling bad that she did this,
I think she said some things that she didn't mean,
because I definitely think Vanessa wouldn't change spots at all,
but she didn't say like, yeah, it's just you know,
(35:36):
like there's like a couple of episodes from ago, Serena
just gets on a plane and goes to Spain, like
on a private jet. I'm like, she's seventeen. She doesn't call,
she just goes to another country and then comes back.
And Lily's like good, like there's no consequence nothing. I'm like, Okay,
that is wild. I'm pretty sure Gabriela is not would
(35:58):
not allow that with with Vana. No no, Yeah, that
brought it back because I had completely forgotten that part.
That was a gut punch, that was a real gut punch.
And yeah, I just felt like, okay, just mom up,
you're here. You know you're you're here. Just mom up,
(36:19):
and then you know, then you can go suck it
and you can have your Croissan because I'm out. Um,
I'm going back to where people like me. Isn't it sad?
How not sad? But funny that in the end of
(36:41):
the freshman party, Olivia's up getting the mic and doing
the toast and then we don't even see it because
the toast itself so inconsequential. It's like, yes, the matter
of like what it means for people's identity, like we
just cut to you know, She's like, hey, I'm Olivia
and smash cut that is so true true, And then
(37:04):
I guess it makes sense because no, one cares, No
one really cares. Yeah, and then you have I mean,
so the fallout of the event is that, I guess,
Olivia and Dan are okay, and Rufus and Lily understand
that she's not really a crazy Hollywood gal and she
comes over for brunch and everything's fine. So they're good.
(37:25):
But but Blair and Chuck are left devastated because she
broke his trust. Um, Vanessa is left alone with two
cuissantes except for then Blair Peason, and now the two
of them are weirdly you know, mirror. And then Serena,
I guess kind of not dumped, but she does. She
(37:47):
like basically betrays Nate, who betrayed her in order to
save Carter. Carter's like, I don't want saved. I want
to go prove myself and be yeah wait Texas to
an oil fee He's Carter looks at Serena and says,
I'd rather you hate me then feel sorry for me,
And I was right, yeah yeah, and that so yes,
(38:10):
well he's gonna get his wish. How about when um
the picture so the picture of Trip vander Vanderbult, He
never was smoking out of a ball, no, I think, Yeah,
So it was like Nate was trying to give a
fake picture to the to the opposite team so that
they would use it and then be out at as
(38:32):
like and then and then say it was the Buckley
family and that's what they would do to win. Yeah,
that the Buckleys. I mean, this is I have no
integraty and the fact that it all comes down to
this poker game with this whatever Buckley kid that is,
um right, it's J Buckley, h p J Buckley. But yeah,
(38:52):
so if I feel like, you know, we have high
high stakes drama and then we have very um not
low stakes, but we have very down down to the
home and identity drama with you know, the mother daughter
relationships and you know, so it's like we really have
the whole Gossip Girl gamut in this particular episode. I mean,
by the time I got to the end of the episode,
(39:13):
I was like, y'all are not gonna make me go
back and watch this entire show. I don't have to
go back and get all the way back. I've got mad.
Oh my goodness. Yeah, it's it is. You know, it's compelling,
(39:36):
and then you're like, well, what what happens next? In fact,
I don't remember what happens, Yeah, because they leave you
feeling no and now what's streaming? You know, we didn't
have Tom right back when this show was on, so
now it's just like, well, if I turned away, Oh
look another episode started, Well what am I to right
and find the remote? Right? Well, I feel I think, Gina,
(40:02):
you come we do remember that Thanksgiving episode we did
that that wasn't because there were so many people and
it was but you come back for that. But at
the end of this, I'm like feeling so sorry in
a way for Vanessa because I'm like, I know she
didn't want to hurt her mom, but she was like really,
she did some hurtful things this whole episode. But then
(40:24):
when Blair walks in it, they almost leave you hanging
as if like, oh, is there going to be a
connection now at M y U with these two because
they're both sitting there awkwardly with these croissans. Blair would
normally never but you know, there's that really nice moment
at the end end of the party, Blair says to
Vanessair normally would have never sat. Did we do all
of that or whatever? So it's like this moment of
(40:45):
clarity where it's like both of them have like shot
their own selves in the foot and hurt Flare, hurt
their own cause by being duplicit as a manipulative and
for what you know. So I feel like there's a
nice kind of a resolution and that they have to
face off with each other over the Croissan and they're
both like left sad and alone. So it makes you know,
(41:06):
it makes a lot of sense actually a gossip girl
she said something funny too, like what's hissory loves company
because they're both like it was something like misery loves
Company as it's pulling out, because it's basically like they
were both willing to lie, cheat and steal to get
this toast that we don't even end up seeing how
it goes, right, They're just willing to do whatever. And
now they're just sitting there like miserable together because they
(41:29):
were like not right right right, They're just they're just
gonna take a breath and regroup. Can't see yeah over Croissans,
so sad? Are we going to talk about you being
knocked up? Are we going to get there? We can
(41:50):
later And that's giving episode whereas Susanna me, yeah, yeah, yeah,
I don't yeah, I and I'm twice twice I get
pregnant on the show because yeah, and both times it's
like because somebody had to put like a pregnancy test
in a trash can and it had caused a lot
(42:10):
of drama, and then it turned out to be to Ronda, right,
So yeah, I have a baby on this show, like
a like a birth scene and everything, and then and
then another baby later because they needed like a a
storyline with the pregnancy test, so up to right, but
there's there's so there's you have two babies. Then something
(42:34):
happens I think in season three because I remember working
with a baby with Georgina and Penn. Georgina has another baby.
Georgina has that, Okay, I thought, that's what you meant,
you know, when we're working with the baby. I'm like,
it wasn't okay. I don't know. That's a lot of
no I have babies. And then Georgina has I think, yeah,
I feel like I don't know if it's she tells
(42:55):
says Dan it's Dans or so I don't remember that, right,
but there's definitely another yeah. And then it's not until
the very very very end where you see that in
the future. Other people have babies. But yeah, Doroda is
about to get knocked up in like five or six
very soon, Yeah, coming up, which is why she gets married. Yeah,
she gets like a you know, shotgun wedding or whatever
(43:18):
they call it because of her parents are coming. It's
similar to Vanessa. Her parents are coming and she doesn't
want to disappoint them. So he has to get married
and doesn't and doesn't, um don't. Doesn't Blair's mom pay
for the wedding. I think Chuck does, and I think
the ideas that Chuck throws to Roda a lavish wedding
(43:40):
to get back and Blair's good graces and then but uh,
but but I'm I'm not doing it. I'm not doing it.
I'm not going to go back and sit there with
a giant family size bag of lace and watch. I
can't aid to get to it because Susan, I've never
(44:02):
I never saw your weddings or the kid. Yeah, the
wedding coming to fantastic because it's it's like a full
I mean, there was like hundreds of background. It was
a big wedding and you know, I walked down the
aisle on Wally Shawn's arm on Cyrus's arts really funny. Yeah,
that was a fun fun word. A lot of good
events in the Gossip Girl and up, but this was
(44:26):
a great episode. I really enjoyed it. It was like
very fraught and it had a lot of meeting meeting
your character. You know. I was like, because Vanessa is like,
you know, a beloved person in the universe and also
a little bit different from everybody, so to see where
she comes from, and you know, it's always it's really
nice to go down that, you know, almost felt like
a little capsule episode for Vanessa, which I really liked. Yeah,
(44:48):
it was a good one. It was fun to watch
and really fun to talk to you about it. I Oh,
also there was some questions from some fans about suits.
Did you like working on suits? I think a lot
of people obviously loved you on that. And also there's
anything you want to tell us about that's coming up
if you and what you have stopped coming up to you,
(45:09):
So yeah, let's talk about the stuff. It was fun.
It was a lot of fun. It was It was
actually the first series that I got to be on
that had a life. You know, a lot of the
shows that I've done prior to that, whether they were
you know, critically acclaimed or the fans loved them just
kind of went away. Um. So it was nice to
(45:30):
to have that job security for a while. UM. And
and she was an incredible character to be able to
play just this powerful woman, UM who always looked fantastic.
You know, it was the smartest resident in the room.
Learned a lot, just learned a lot about serious television
and and the importance of you know, writing, but also
(45:53):
just storytelling. You know, we're always we're just always remembering
to to you know, tell that story and and tell
that give that point of view, and and that chemistry
is so important important as well. You know, if you're
if you're expecting people to invest an hour of their
lives in you, and uh, then you you want them
(46:15):
to to feel like that wasn't a waste of time. Yeah,
and that's that show was on for a while. We did.
Uh well, I left. I left halfway through season six,
came back on and off season seven, and then they
went on and did it like another two so nine
all told Yeah, and what about Pearson, Well, it was
(46:38):
it was my idea. I left the show and then
I kind of missed this character and things were kind
of getting, you know, quiet in my brain, and I
started dreaming about her. I started thinking about her, like
what is she doing now? Like if she wasn't attached
to that world, what would she be doing? And what
was interesting to me? What was both interesting and frustrating
(47:01):
at the same time, Like as like as an actor,
is that she was the biggest mystery on the show.
She she she really didn't have any friends, she didn't
really have any family. Is like, she existed for the
narrative of the firm and the other characters, right, like
those two boy beads and so she so that character
was always sort of of service to that story. So
(47:25):
there were so many places to go with her that
even after six and a half years, people were like, well,
who is she? Right? And I would often joke I said, well,
she isn't anybody. She just she plugs herself into a
pod when she walks through that door that leads to nowhere,
and you know she charged, yeah, and you know she
(47:46):
walks back through the door and there she is again. Um, So,
when the idea and when the chance, the opportunity came
up to to give her her own voice, to give
her her storyline, to give her her world. I was
just so pleased that the network went for it and
I got to, you know, cut my teeth as an
(48:07):
executive producer and loved, loved, loved every minute of it.
That's so great. That's really cool. I love that. Yeah,
you get a character a little bit and then you
do the deep dive. Yeah yeah, it's like a dream. Yeah.
And what, um what are you working on with Nikki? Now?
I'm doing one lone Star. Okay, are you enjoying them?
(48:29):
I really am. Yeah, They've written a great character for me.
She's you know, she's that hybrid. She's like a badass,
but she's also like she has a home life, she
has children, she has like twin girls, and like in
a romantic life. And then you know, and then it's
like you see that that that you know one what's
(48:49):
your emergency? And then boom, we're not like a whole
other different show. Yeah. Yeah, so I get to get
the signs of it. So that's a lot of fun.
And I have a great cast that I'd love to
work with. I love that. And where can we Where
can we all check that out? For anyone listening that
hasn't seen it, so you can see all seasons on
Hulu that are streaming now, and then we start season.
(49:12):
Our season four premier is January se Fox Fox. Yes, amazing.
That is perfect new show for a new year for
anyone that hasn't seen it yet. And I just again
can't thank you for being here. This was so great. Yes, um,
but yeah, thank you, thank you. Thanks for asking. Of course, Ausanna,
(49:34):
do you want to do the closing? Shall I read
the Gossip Girl quote? Here's the closing Gossip Girl quote,
take us home. Um. When it comes to family, we're
still children at heart, no matter how old we get.
We always need a place to call home. Because without
the people you love most, you can't help but feel
all alone in the world. Fortunately, misery loves company, well
(49:58):
for now at least. X x golwsome girl part warming
a little bit foreboding. Such a pleasure to talk to you.
Thank you, Gina, thank you, thank you, My beautiful set.
Daughter XO XO is produced by Propagate Content and Meet
(50:31):
Jessica's Or. Our show is executive produced by Linkley. Our
senior producer is Diego Tapia. Our producers are Hannah Harris,
Emily Carr, and Kristin Vermilion and Our intern is Sammy
Cat's original music by Moxie and Lou
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