Kaitlyn Dever transforms for each role, using subtitles to say much more than words can. Look at her characters in 'The Last of Us' and 'Apple Cider Vinegar', same actress, two completely different personas. The actress discusses taking on challenges throughout her career - choosing to play very different characters - a chameleon. She disappears into her roles. It goes well beyond accents, wigs, or costumes, but through her physical and nuanced performance she inhabits their very being, allowing viewers to be lost in her work.
#THELASTOFUS #Abby #PedroPascal #BellaRamsey #Godzilla #AppleCiderVinegar #FYC #Emmy #Interview #Television
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Episode Transcript
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(00:03):
Hey, where's the remote? It's time for TV Topics, where
those who love television discuss the series and
performances that should be on your radar.
Hi, and welcome to TV Topics. I'm your host, Stephen
Przykowski. Today's guest is a chameleon.
No, not a physical chameleon, anacting chameleon.
(00:24):
As discussed during our conversation.
I've known her work for decades and every time I see her she's
someone different. It's how she captures the soul
of the character she portrays. You'd probably recognize her
from Book Smart or Dope Sick or a dozen other project, but she's
currently starring in The Last of Us Season 2 and an Apple
cider vinegar as I watch both series in a very narrow time
(00:44):
frame. Never did I think, oh that's
Caitlin Deaver, it was Abby or it was Belle Gibson.
Whoops, I guess I gave it away. My guest today on TV Topics is
the great Caitlin Deaver. Hi, I'm Caitlin Deaver.
Today I'm hanging out with Steven Prusakowski for TV
Topics. Welcome to the show.
Every episode or I'm sorry, every project you do, you take
(01:05):
on. You always take on such risks.
You're such a chameleon, which is one of the things that
surprised me because I, I knew you work early.
I saw you in things before I knew who you were.
And then once I started to realize who you were as an
artist, you know, as you grew older and take on more complex
roles, like you'd never do the same thing twice.
You're there's nothing easy, which is great to see.
I mean, yeah, thank you for saying that.
(01:26):
I, I, I definitely try. It's, it's definitely something
I try to do. I really am.
I, as I, you know, I think as I've gotten older and, and been
given so many opportunities to, to work so much, I think that I,
(01:47):
I really do seek out projects that feel very different from
each other and feels like I'm really exploring new avenues and
working my brain in a different way.
And I think that that makes it feel, it just feels really good
for me to be able to do that kind of work because it feels
(02:08):
like it's, I'm really digging into something new and, and
diving deeper into, you know, new territory that I haven't
explored yet. And I think I've really grown as
a human being and as an actor, getting to do all of the
different kinds of roles that I've done.
But I definitely do it on purpose.
You know, I really try to like, I, I, I try to do different
(02:32):
projects. Yeah.
I mean it'd be tough for you notto do it on purpose with the
extremes of some of your your project you take on.
If this one you're not talking, this one's a road buddy trip
coming of age story then you have you know, zombies etcetera,
etcetera. So.
Yeah, yeah. If you didn't do it on purpose,
I'd have to have a talk with you.
(02:54):
So before we get into your work on apple cider vinegar and your
work on The Last of Us, I want to talk some TV topics.
So remember there no pressure, there's no right or wrong
answers. It's just a bit of fun.
So looking back over the years, what is your relationship with
TV been or your TV junkie watches everything very
selective. Or do you have go to shows?
(03:15):
My relationship with TV has always been pretty repetitive in
that I watch my favorite shows over and over again.
And then it wasn't until like the last couple, like I guess
maybe even the last year that I really started to like I was the
(03:36):
person that never was like up with Game of Thrones.
Unfortunately, I just like, and when everyone's talking about a
show or it's just shows like really in the news, I have not
been one to be a part of that conversation in the past.
And like, I can tell you all about Gilmore Girls and
Seinfeld, but so. But in the last year, I'd say
(04:01):
that I've really started to like, OK, I'm going to start
like I just started watching True Detective, which I know
people were talking about years ago.
I started with the Matthew McConaughey season and I'm
obsessed with it. It's so such great TV out there
that I've missed out on. But I think, yeah, I've, I've, I
(04:22):
like what's like what feels comfortable and what makes I
like shows that like make me like fall asleep at night and
are comforting in that way. So that's sort of been my
relationship to TV for most of my life.
But as of as of recently I've been diving into newer shows I
(04:43):
guess and shows I missed out on.Better late than never.
So what was a prime time show? That was the first one you
remember loving. No matter how good or bad it
was, it was your show. Prime time show, probably New
Girl, yeah. What about the series connected
with you? Well, it was one of those things
that again, I was a little late to it, but it was still like I
came in on it's like second season or something while it was
(05:05):
still airing on TV and my sisterwas obsessed with it and she
kept this happens a lot with my sister where she'll be like, you
have to watch girls, you have towatch girls, you have to watch
girls. I'm like, I'm going to get to
it. I just never got to.
I'm going to she's like, no, youwill love girls.
And finally years later after she mentions it's over and over
(05:26):
again to me. If I finally watched, I'm like,
Oh yeah, I'm obsessed with the show.
The same thing happened with NewGirl.
And that was the first sort of Ifelt like when you ask, like,
did it feel like you were show? It felt like me and my sister's
show New Girl that we we watchedtogether and kind of obsessively
watched it because it was our it's our favorite show.
(05:48):
So good, so funny. That's great.
I'm kind of like your sister. I'm always recommending things
to people. And they go, oh, yeah, yeah,
yeah, they, I'll try it. And then next time I see them,
they haven't. Years later, they haven't.
And then one day they're like, oh, yeah, I'm watching this new
show. It's great.
And they tell me what it was. I'm like, yeah, I told that.
That was my recommendation. And they're so proud of
(06:08):
themselves. I'm like no credit.
I'm like Ronnie Dangerfield. So what show makes you laugh the
most? Is there a show that you put on
for a pick me up? You said you you have your go
TOS. Is that one of them?
That certainly is one of them. I think for a pick another pick
me up would probably be, yeah, probably Seinfeld.
(06:35):
It's that that was always just like in the background at my
house and my parents. It was a show that like after,
you know, dinner, me and my sister went to bed and we could
hear it in my parents bedroom and my mom would just be
screaming, laughing all the time.
She had a very specific, like really when she thought
(06:56):
something was really funny, she would like, and it would echo
throughout the whole house. And we're like, oh, she's
watching Seinfeld again. And she knew every episode.
She knew every line. And, and she, they, my family
references it all the time. My mom used to say there's a
Seinfeld reference for everything in life, which I
(07:18):
think is very true. So I'm, I'm obsessed with it
now. It brings, that's another
comfort show that I love. And also, yeah, it's super funny
and it puts me in a good mood. Do you have a favorite character
and do you have a favorite episode?
Oh gosh, favorite episode? How do I do that?
(07:42):
I think the Festivus episode is always a classic.
It's so good. And I think my favorite
character is probably George. George also kind of reminds me
of my dad. Some like they have like similar
(08:03):
delivery and humor. And then I I I do love George's
parents too. I.
Was just going to say you can. It's not just the main
characters. You can go layers deep into that
show and they're also well written.
You can pick way beyond that that mean the core characters.
I, I also look up, Oh my God, I'm blanking on his character's
(08:25):
name, but George's dad, he, there's a incredible blooper
scene between him and Elaine andhe's saying, what the hell does
that mean? And that's all he's saying.
And Julia is losing her mind just in tears.
And it's the best thing in the world.
And I, I'm, I find myself like YouTube being that specific
(08:48):
blooper a lot because it, it really does put me in a really
good mood to see them laughing like that.
And Julia just couldn't get through the scene and it was
hilarious. It was one of my favourites.
Yeah, it's one of those shows, like you said, it's
generational. Your mother watched it.
My I talked to people older, youknow, mainly people who are a
little bit older. The younger audience, I think
they're, I think they're still catching on, I think.
(09:09):
But once they see it, I think people will gravitate toward it
and and and appreciate it in thesame way that you have and and
others have. Yeah, yeah, for sure.
I really agree. Did you start watching Curb Your
Enthusiasm, which is kind of like?
You know, I never got, I haven'tgotten to that one yet.
I mean, I've watched, I've obviously, you know, I've caught
a few episodes. So funny thinking I was actually
(09:31):
talking about, I was talking with Walt and Goggins the other
day. We were talking about Justified
and and how I haven't to this day, I haven't seen the whole
series because technically when I was in the show, I wasn't
allowed to watch the show. So same thing with Curb, like I
did that one episode and I wasn't allowed to watch the
(09:52):
series as a whole. So a lot of these things I have
to go back and and revisit. But maybe Seinfeld, I mean,
maybe Kerb will be my next one. Yeah, not to sound like your
sister, but you have to watch it.
I think as someone who loves Seinfeld as much as you do, the
connections, the there's like a same.
They're they're related. You know, there's that, of
(10:13):
course, that Larry David blood didn't, but there's something
about them that's like they are.If you like 1, you most likely
are going to like the other. And it's excellent.
It's excellent. It comes up all the time during
these conversations. What about crying?
Do you cry while watching TV? And if so, what's the last show
that made you cry? Oh, what have I seen recently?
(10:41):
Trying to think I do cry for sure.
I mean, I'm not, I'm not necessarily crying when I watch
Gossip Girl or when I watch Gossip Girl a lot.
That's another show I do tend torevisit often.
I'm totally blanking on like allof the show because I've, I've
(11:01):
watched a lot of the shows from like this year.
I mean, I, I haven't. It takes a yeah, I guess maybe
that's the one. I think that's probably what I
that's probably what I cried when I cried last.
(11:22):
I was watching that. Yeah.
I think it was episode 2, The Last of Us.
When I saw episode 2. I mean, both of them were really
emotional, certainly cried when I watched apple cider vinegar
because all of the, you know, the, the, the storyline with
Alicia's character, Mila and her, the relationship with her
(11:42):
mom really got me. But that I watched that before
The Last of Us, I guess to name the one that was most recent
would be The Last of Us, just because that that scene was, you
know, awful. And even though I did it and I
was there and I watched that happen in real time when they
(12:03):
shot, I'm specifically talking about when Bella goes over to
Pedro and wraps their, you know,arm around his body.
I saw that like happen as it happened.
And it was really sad on the day.
But with the whole episode and how epic that entire episode
(12:24):
was, and it was so it was so much or just like sitting on the
edge received that entire. It was like one of the craziest
episodes of television I've everseen in my life.
And I couldn't believe it because I was like, I can't
believe I get to be in this, butI don't like it.
It was a lot emotionally and I my sister, my littlest sister,
(12:46):
when she watched it, she all shedid was send me AI get a photo
of her face. She sent me a picture of her
face and her eyes were just totally red and full of tears
and she was like, thanks a lot. I'm like, I'm sorry.
You know that episode for sure and episode 6 when he is talking
to Ellie about what he did and saying he would do it again as a
(13:09):
father, that destroys me. And you know both things as
you're seeing, it's the that father daughter relationship
that I think obviously we all have for many of us have the
parental relationship. So you understand and seeing
that, putting yourself in that person's position to watch her
father be taken away before her eyes and then to see him, you
(13:33):
know, to have that confession, this stoic man suddenly
breakdown and just like, excuse me, the chills right now.
It's like quite the quite the range of emotions on a show that
again, people think is the zombie show and stuff like that.
It's originally did. So.
We'll get into that too. Before we we'll do some more TV
(13:53):
topics at the end, but I want todiscuss first your work on apple
cider vinegar. The character of Belle Gibson is
infuriating and I'm just wondering why would you want to
take on such a terrible human being?
What draws you to that role? Well, I mean, I think that that
(14:16):
kind of fury and rage that you have when you read something
like that is almost the fuel to,to get you to do it.
I don't know. I think that that's, that's how
I felt at least about it. I was so infuriated and that I,
I, I felt like I had a certain duty to get the story out there
or to tell this to be a part of the story and in some sort of
(14:38):
way. And because I had such a, you
know, personal connection to it and have personally dealt with
having a loved one that has had cancer.
I, you know, it's it was just madding that that that Belle
Gibson would go through so much to tell that kind of lie.
(15:02):
And how many people she affectedin that scheme and how many
lives were probably lost becauseof the this the information she
was sending out on her on her socials.
And it's really, really crazy. So I was, I think that that
initial, this infuriating feeling was the thing that
(15:28):
actually drove me to do it. And also, you know, getting that
kind of script sent to me and you know, these this very
Australian production company wants me to take on an
Australian woman and do an Australian accent was a big part
(15:51):
of it too. I think that getting asked to do
that is such a rarity. Like it's I feel like I didn't,
I didn't think I'm like, this isnever going to happen again.
When am I ever going to get an opportunity like this felt like
a once in a lifetime opportunity.
And then but the scripts were like really good.
(16:11):
Like the story was really interesting the way that that
all all three of the, you know, Asia and Alicia's characters
were intertwined with, with the Belle Gibson storyline.
And you know, how one was dealing with actual cancer.
One is trying to uncover the, the, the fake cancer story and
(16:34):
how it's toes this like really crazy line between comedy and
drama and this really like twisted kind of way.
And I was reading this script atsome points going like, I guess
it's supposed to be funny or is it supposed to be really sad?
And I love that kind of thing. I love that mystery and I love
playing with that in in the scenes that we we were doing.
(16:58):
So I was really excited about itfor many reasons.
But yeah, I also just felt like it was really a fascinating and
interesting story about, you know what, what makes someone
lie? And yeah.
And I can. And then I had to take that on.
(17:19):
I sort of had to find that reason and find the why I, you
know, and, and because I would, I had to find some sort of way
to empathize with her. I couldn't just see her as an
evil person the whole time I'm playing her in order because I
felt like I had to really just embody her as much as I possibly
(17:42):
could. And, and to do that, I had to,
you know, dig deeper and find those like childhood traumas and
things like that that really shaped who she was.
And yeah, brought her to that lie.
So I mean, that's a probably kind of a big question, but what
drives her? I, I couldn't, I don't
understand her. I mean, I understand there's
(18:03):
some being someone who I don't understand and like I do,
there's a lot of people like that.
I'm like, I could never, would never do what you've done.
Right. Well, I think like what I
realized was that, you know, in in early prep work and
(18:24):
developing the character and kind of getting to develop our
own version of Belle with Sam Strauss, the writer creator, is
that she really was just someonethat didn't quite get the love
that she deserved growing up. And she, you know, there is a
(18:46):
lot of, I mean, again, there's several things, there's so much
about her. But the thing that means, the
thing that Sam and I talked a lot about was just the fact that
we won't ever really know who the real Belle Gibson is anyway.
So that kind of did allow for a lot of room and freedom to build
off of the very little that we had on her, which was, you know,
(19:10):
the, the 60 minute interview. I had like two other videos of
her and that's really it. And then what we sort of
realized was like pieces of stuff that was written about her
on like Facebook and stuff was that she was a part of like,
kind of like a skater group and,and with, you know, with the,
(19:31):
the mother's group that she was a part of and the beginning of
the show. And then when she gets a little
more money, then she starts, youknow, changing.
She's always like changing herself to fit a certain mold
and a certain group of people that she wanted to be accepted
by and involved in. And I think that that speaks to
her immense craving and, and need and desperation for love
(19:59):
and community and. I think that that's what drives
her. I think that she just like
didn't get a certain amount of attention when she was younger
and like just wants to be loved and and she would do anything to
to get that. Even if it's not legitimate
(20:20):
love, Even if it's false pretenses that leads to the.
Exactly. That's a.
That's a lot. That's quite a bit.
I'll get into a little bit more,but you touched upon something
when I first started watching. You get this dance sequence with
Britney Spears Toxic playing. And I'm like, did I read the
description wrong? This is does not seem like the
(20:42):
type of show I was expecting to watch.
But it kind of, I mean, I have my own take on it, but what was
your take on it when you read that and when you knew that
opening was going to be what it was?
And. Yeah, I mean, I was, I was all,
I was all in. It was just that element to it
(21:04):
was just like really exciting tome because it really does.
I mean, that was in the originalscript that I read and I
thought, OK, I it just it sets the tone for the journey you're
about to go on and I with the entire show.
And I think it does really speakto just the sort of chaos and
(21:24):
again, that, that, that line between comedy and and drama and
all of these, like even the, thegraphics, all of the visual
stuff and even like the psychological stuff with like,
you know, something I talked to Sam about when she ends up
(21:45):
getting ringworm later in the inthe like episode 5 or 6, you
know, we were kind of playing with the idea of like, is that
real? Is it all in her head?
We're going to leave it up, you know, to the audience to make
that decision. But like, playing with all of
those things or like, you know, it's talking to camera a lot.
It's like that kind of stuff waslike so exciting to me.
(22:07):
And I think it was like a reallycool way to tell this story.
Wasn't it wasn't like your average way to tell this kind of
story, which I thought was, yeah, I think another reason why
I wanted to do it so much. But even.
Yeah, even stuff like the the singing firework by Katy Perry a
(22:29):
cappella at the book launch, like she was also Sam, she was
also coming up with this stuff on this like kind of on the spot
sometimes. I mean, that that wasn't on the
spot. That was like 2 weeks before,
but still, it was playing. I was supposed to just read this
sort of like cringey poem. And then Sam had this idea two
(22:50):
weeks before we were going to shoot that scene and she's like,
hey, you sing right? And I was like, uh huh, where
are we going with this? She's like, I think you should
sing firework by Katy Perry at the book launch.
I'm like, Oh my God, that it doesn't get any cringier than
that. And I I was.
(23:12):
Going to say that that is one ofthe cringiest moments on TV this
year. It's like, and even though you
despise her, at least I did and do I still felt bad for her.
It's like you, don't you? Someone has to stop you for a
second. Yeah, that's the thing.
She is. So it's so earnest, you know,
and I tried to keep that in mindwhen I did the, the those kinds
(23:35):
of scenes. Is she really does.
There's a she part of those, some of those scenes, at least
she doesn't mean well. And she really is just
genuinely, she's just being genuine.
And then sometimes she's not. And then sometimes she's trying
to get something out of someone.And then sometimes she's, she
really is kind of an actor. I think because she really, she
(23:59):
is such a chameleon and that sheis kind of a different person
and around certain people that she wants to persuade her
seduce. And, and I just found, you know,
diving into this character so fascinating because she really
was, I mean, you can even see itin these, you know, the three
(24:20):
interviews I had access to. She's it's slight, it's really
subtle, but it's but it's, she'sso different in these interviews
and they're really, it's really bizarre how she can like turn on
a different voice and turn on like that big smile and, and be
really charming, really, really charming.
(24:42):
That's the other thing. Like another thing Sam and I
talked about is like if she hadn't she, she didn't lie about
having cancer. She actually was a very talented
and and smart woman. Like she would have been good at
this kind of thing. Like her.
She was a good like businesswoman.
She was really her Instagram andand the cookbook was really
(25:06):
aesthetically pleasing and, and beautiful and had she did, she
didn't lie, she probably would have been very successful in
this kind of world. It's something that we, you
know, we're always talking about.
So I guess that helped with someof those moments of just making
sure it was also just like earnest and not like fake
(25:28):
throughout because it really wasn't for her sometimes, I
think. Well, the difference between a
super villain and a superhero isoften just motive, you know
there. And I think that's what you have
here, somebody who had the toolsand if you used correctly, maybe
she got that hug earlier in life.
Maybe she would have been one ofthe greats.
Maybe she'd be somebody who really, truly did change
people's lives, but for good. Yeah, exactly.
(25:50):
Yeah. So I just want to mention one
thing really quick. Toxic to open, Olivia Rodrigo's
Vampire to close. Amazing music choices and book
ended by just perfection so I don't know who was behind that,
but they deserve accolades. Oh yeah, well, I I agree with
(26:11):
you. I love both of those songs and
the way that they place them in the show.
It's really brilliant. So she goes from a doord to a
pariah and she's constantly hiding behind a facade.
So even when she is, like you said, even when she is being
accepted, she's still and putting out an act through your
performance. I see especially in the moments
(26:33):
when it looks like you're caught, when people start
questioning you, the subtle facial expressions, the way you
know, little twitches, the way your eyes move.
I think it's really amazing how much you convey with truly the
subtlest of of of motions. How difficult is it to play
somebody who's never who she really seems to be?
(26:56):
It was, it was pretty difficult.I will say I I had, I think I
put this whole show on such a high pedestal because of how
great I think it is and how excited I was to be a part of
(27:18):
it. Even though, you know, at times
it was also quite triggering forme in many ways.
And even seeing it as it's in its finished form, you know,
like not the easiest show for meto watch for personal reasons.
And but I, I knew so much about the, about the world of cancer.
(27:41):
And so I felt, yeah, a certain duty.
And so because of that pressure,I put on myself and also, I
think just the, the, the, the trust that the creative team
behind it had on like the, the trust that they had in me.
Also, I think added an added bitof pressure because I was like,
(28:02):
why do they think I can do this accent?
I don't know that I, I, I didn'teven know if I could before I
start, I'd, I'd never even attempted to, to try doing that
accent. I mean, of course I've tried,
I've tried here and there, but like to actually fully do it and
for it to sound authentic and good like I was really, I'm so
(28:25):
to be so honest, I was like terrified and really nervous to
take on this role, mainly for the, I mean, for so many
reasons. But the Australian accent was a
big one. And to speak on the, you know,
the emotional level you're talking about.
There was so much going on in her head.
(28:48):
And I think what Sam and I settled on was just the fact
that maybe, you know, she just started off as a, as an innocent
lie, just to see what that sort of attention felt like when she
first types it out into the mother's block.
(29:11):
And that, that flood of love andthe, the emojis just like
surrounding her body in a, in a hot, like a warm hug.
It just like, it's like a drug almost for her.
And I think it, but it started off at this as this innocent
thing and then sort of snowballed into something so
(29:32):
much bigger and so much bigger that she couldn't.
I think it was almost out of hercontrol.
What times. And then sometimes I think she
even started to believe it and maybe believe the lie, believe
that she was sick because she did have one doctor that didn't
tell her she was sick that one time didn't run any official
tests on her. But he told her that you are
(29:54):
sick and you are unwell. And I think she believed that.
And I think that there was so much to juggle at times that I,
yeah, it was definitely really hard.
But I think because of the text and because of what was already
there on the page, I really feltlike I was in good hands and I
felt safe to sort of go to thosemore insane places.
(30:18):
Feel like a lot of her storylineis kind of funny, too.
So I really liked doing those really, really sad,
heartbreaking moments. And then also the kind of the,
the cringier, funnier moments too, and balancing all of that.
And, and, and to balance that, Ifelt I also needed to have some
(30:39):
sort of structure with it. So I did create a spreadsheet
for the show and I broke it downscene by scene and was just kind
of like, I would take notes of what I want wanted to do and
like before I had done the scene.
And then obviously as you shoot these things, things change and
(31:02):
you do different versions of this scene.
And so I wouldn't make notes of where we ended up going for that
particular scene so that I wouldn't forget.
And then, you know, I could justkeep track of her emotional
levels that way a bit bit more. So we're also jumping so much
and like we're going back and forth in time.
(31:24):
So that that was very helpful too.
But yeah, I was, I was really nervous and probably like the
most nervous I've ever been for a job.
Yeah, it's amazing because the words that are coming out of
your mouth are one thing, but that there's you can kind of see
the gears moving in behind your eyes.
And the only peek at what she's really feeling are these little,
like I said, these subtle expressions and and bits of
(31:46):
emotion that come out and and you're watching her while her
world crash down around her and she still has to go out and then
play the character she's been playing and and deceive people.
It's it's pretty amazing. I congratulate you on that.
I think it was so much more thanyou would expect.
Is is delivered. And as you watch it, if you
really, you know, observe and take it in, it's like.
(32:10):
Thank you so much. I really appreciate you saying
that. Really.
So I want to get into the Last of Us talk about a chameleon. 2
characters, 2 completely different characters.
And when I watch them, I don't think the same actress and the
way you carry yourself as Abby, you know, the of course the
accent is, is big, but it's justthe way you carry yourself.
(32:32):
There's a certain weight to her,a certain physicality, anger and
and fierceness to her. And Belle has something
completely different. I'm wondering what how the
preparation for Abby differed incomparison to plain Belle.
Yeah, well, I mean, yeah, it's just tapping into another
mindset really. Like I felt like for Belle, I
(32:58):
was, I was tapping into this more like calculated mindset
kind of that like there's so much going on behind her eyes
thing and like she's very, she'svery charming and sexy and very
(33:18):
different from Abby and that Abby what and what drives Abby
is just I I think anger and rageand real grief.
And I think she's been sort of take.
(33:39):
I think she's just seen so much in her life and, and has had to
go through a lot. And I wanted to like feel that
weight like in her presence. And so yeah, I certainly like, I
feel like I just changed the waythat I, they walked and I sort
(34:00):
of, I, I, I feel like I meditateon these things a lot.
Like I'm very much an internalizer.
I've internalize everything and and yeah, for Abby, I think just
to just really wanting to get again to the same thing I did
for Belle, but like, get to the core of what that motivation is
(34:22):
and why, you know, she did what she did.
And, and I think that what I realized is that she is, yeah,
she's just a very, very, very broken person.
And how, you know how much of A mirror she is to Ellie too.
(34:44):
And, and that part of the storyline is really interesting
to me. And, and I'm excited to get to
sort of explore that in Season 3and, you know, I guess explore
more of that and what what that's going to feel like, but.
I watched both series finales inthe same night and it was night
(35:05):
and day to completely, you know,it's like honestly, I you don't,
I never thought that's the same actress.
I just was so into the characters or you were so into
the characters that. You watched Apple Cider and and
season finale for The Last of Usin the same night?
What you're saying? Yes, those are very different
finale's. Yeah, I mean, that's I, I guess
(35:31):
I was just talking about this the other day when taking on a,
a role. I think that to me, what is such
a, what is so apparent all the time on every job that I'm on is
that it's just how lucky I am tobe here and to be where I am and
(35:52):
to get the opportunities that I've got and in my life.
And you know, you have this one shot, you know, to, to play
about Gibson, to play Abby. I can't see it any other way but
to literally go for it. So if that means I bawl my eyes
out and embarrass myself for a living, like that is what I that
(36:14):
is technically, I feel like I think about this a lot.
I'm like, I embarrassed myself for a living basically.
Like I'm constantly putting myself in these, you know, Belle
Belle Gibson cringe moments likethat's it's just, it's
embarrassing. And sometimes you have to be
like, like a show, like ugly sides of, of, of a character
(36:34):
and, and get like dirty and, andscream and yell and I, but I
feel like I have to go. I have to really give it my 100%
effort because I just feel like I don't have any other choice.
Like I don't see it any other way.
I just have to give it my all. And, and when I'm, I'm, I think
(37:01):
I'm, I'm very passionate about these two projects.
I'm very, you know, excited and so again, so grateful to be a
part of The Last of Us. You have no idea, like how cool
it is that this, I've talked about this and many interviews,
but you know, I was a part of The Last of Us years and years
(37:22):
ago. It was, it came into my life and
I was talking to Danielle Drachman about potentially
playing Ellie in the movie version of The Last of Us.
And that obviously, as the industry goes, didn't happen and
kind of the project fell away and then found its way back into
my life in this new form. And if it really felt like this
(37:46):
project was even kind of like meant to be in my life at some
point or another, and it just happened when it was supposed to
happen. And I, I feel so grateful for
that. So I'm just happy to be here.
And I, yeah, I feel like I have to give.
I have this one opportunity and people are putting their trust
in me and I have to give it everything I've got.
(38:07):
And you'd spoke about the ugly sides of your characters.
Talk about ugly. What was it like having to beat
the life out of Pedro Pascal? And you know, you have to sit
there and, and take this belovedcharacter.
What was it like shooting that day?
And then how do you get into that mindset?
Oh gosh, I know. I mean, I, what was funny is I
kind of, I, I realized this the other day.
(38:28):
Me and Pedro kind of, I guess we're, you know, when you're
doing something that heavy and sad together, you almost sort of
end up trauma bonding. So we, we were, you know, it's a
big moment for him and his character, the end of a chapter
for him in the Last of Us. And it's and many weird, twisted
(38:54):
ways. It's just it's a beginning of a
chapter for this character, Abbyand discovering who she is and
and it's it's a lot And like that scene is a lot and and so
emotionally heavy. And so I think when you are in
(39:14):
that sort of zone with another actor and Pedro is someone who
is just so immediately like welcoming and, and supportive
and grace gracious and just likeeasy, just like so easy to talk
(39:37):
to, easy to communicate with. Like I really haven't ever had
like an experience like that where the stakes were sort of
that high. And so like the, the, the, the
setting was so emotionally charged and I just connected
with him on such a special level.
(39:58):
I've never had that kind of experience before in my life
with another actor. I just felt so carried, even
though I'm sort of the one like that's dominating like him and
this and dominating like this, this, this whole room, I guess
(40:19):
it really felt like. Pedro and everybody in that
scene, we were just carrying each other and such an amazing
way. I mean, it was I think it's also
be due to, you know, the Craig Mazin and and our director for
that episode. I just have to mention this
really cool because I haven't mentioned a lot, but I really
might Mark Mylot, our director, He it's amazing thing he did for
(40:42):
that scene was, you know, we stopped the scene over 2 days.
So it's a big, big, it's a big scene.
A lot of lot of shots, a lot of people to cover, a lot of so
many moving parts. Big deal.
And instead of, you know, on most projects that, you know,
director takes each actor aside after each take and we'll talk
(41:06):
to them and give them their notes privately.
And Mark didn't do that for the scene.
I don't know if it was because of, you know, efficiency and
just trying to get as much done each day because there was a lot
to cover or it was the way he works.
I've, I've been meaning to ask and I haven't seen him since the
episode, but like, I was so I was so I admired that so much.
(41:32):
I was obsessed with it. He came up to all of us as a
group, called us All he got, he was actually calling.
He's like, OK, Fireflies, everybody, everybody like huddle
around basically like we were like a sports team and gave us
all of our notes in front of each other.
And it was amazing. And it really made everybody
(41:53):
feel like, OK, this isn't this isn't a scene about just Abby.
This isn't a scene about just Bella or Pedro or this is
everybody plays a part here and we're all carrying each other
and we're all A-Team. And that really made me think
about just like, you know, filmmaking and as a as a whole,
(42:17):
really this is a big, big team effort.
You know, it's not just one person or two people in a scene.
It's everybody involved. So I thought that was the
coolest thing ever. I just had to mention it because
I haven't mentioned it yet, but it's awesome.
It was so cool. It's like I'm obsessed with
that. I love that.
You give me the chills because I've just, you know, as you're
talking about, I'm thinking about how everybody is lifting
that weight. They're all carrying their own
(42:40):
pain. And like for Joel, he pretty
much knows this is it. This is the last time he's going
to see Ellie, vice versa. And for you, it's ending.
Trying to maybe heal that pain of this character who had her
father stolen from her. And it's like, man, the the them
and then the people observing it, watching this brutal attack,
(43:02):
There's so much going on there. It's so, so powerful.
Right. Yeah.
It just speaks to, I think one of the many themes of the show
is that we're not all that different and that I think that
the show really showcases that idea well.
Is that like, yes, Abby does this truly horrible thing, but
(43:24):
is she all that different like from Ellie?
Is she all that different from Joel?
You know, like we all have our past.
And yeah, that's, that's I'm interested to explore the, that
you know, the, the, the fact that Ellie and Abby are such
mirrors of each other in a lot like when I first played the
game, I, I thought, I thought when you, I don't know if you
(43:46):
played the game, but I did. When you OK, when you start
playing as Abby, when as soon asJoel dies, I'm not I thought it
was Ellie. I, you start playing as hard and
it's like the the back of Abby for a little bit.
I'm like, wait a minute, who is this?
Is this Ellie? I couldn't figure it out.
(44:06):
So I was just, I'm interested get into more of that.
Same thing. I was kind of lost.
I'm like why? Why are we following this
person? And my daughter?
I play, she watched. She hey, she watched both these
series with me. She also played the games with
me. Come on, I did.
I played with my dad too. That's awesome.
And I, I'll do all the controlling and she's telling me
(44:28):
what, where to go and things like that.
And, and sometimes she's, she's the strategic 1 and she has all
these ideas and, and works me through it.
I'm always like, give me the cheat button.
Where's that? Where's that like question mark
that pops up? The cheat button, Yeah, I have
to. I really have to.
I need most, most of my I mean, my dad does most of the playing.
(44:48):
I'm really not good at it. She played the guitar that was
most of her work. And I every time a guitar showed
up, she'd play, but we were watching the same thing.
I was kind of lost. And then as you're like, well,
why are we following this character?
And by the time you get to the end of it, you're like, you're
seeing as you work your way through it.
So I can't wait to see what you do with the the next season and
(45:08):
how that's conveyed. Thank you so much.
How long away are we from that? It seems like torture to have it
end where it did. Yeah, I don't know.
Honestly, I haven't been told. I mean, I know that it was just
kind of officially talked about a few weeks ago.
I don't know who was it Catherine that talked about the
(45:30):
Season 3. But anyway, Season 3 has been
confirmed and they were picked up obviously, but I don't know
when. I haven't been given dates yet.
So I think I still have a minute.
No, I think I've still got a little bit of time.
OK. Yeah, I'll, I'll, you know, it's
it's unfortunate. Luckily I played the game, so I
do have some of the answers filled.
(45:50):
I'm not sitting there with this all these question Marks and
overlooking Seattle and saying where do we go from here?
I know. So let's close out with some TV
topics questions for by the way,I really loved all that you've
expressed here and and digging into these roles like this
because it you know, it's one thing to watch it and wonder and
then to hear what you put into it.
(46:12):
It's like having a great meal and then them saying, Oh yeah,
I'd use this spice. I did this.
I was, you know, same thing. You you created something that's
that's wonderful to enjoy, but even more enjoyable or more
appreciative of it after hearingyou know what you put into it.
Thank you for saying that. I really appreciate you saying
that, Steven. Thank you.
So let's close with some TV topics and get you on your way.
(46:35):
You grab a remote control and a genie pops out.
He offers you one TV based wish.Your your options are you get to
choose one show that you can getone more season of and it could
be a prequel, an extra season inthe middle or it can be an extra
season tagged on to the end of its run.
Which series would you add a season 2 and why?
(47:00):
Probably it would have to be Schitt's Creek.
I was going to say nobody wants this because I'm, I'm obsessed
with that show, but I, I know that they're doing another
season, so I'm not going to say that.
But Schitt's Creek, love that show.
So good. Where would you have this
(47:21):
episode or the season before, during this, during its run, or
after continuation? I guess it can, I guess a
continuation. Yeah.
I I love that family. I love the dynamic.
I love how kind of we've never really seen characters like that
before. Just like kind of outrageous
(47:44):
people being played at like it'sand it's so cool that like not a
lot. I also just like, love the story
behind Schitt's Creek, like how,you know, kind of flew under the
radar for a little bit and then all of a sudden it just like
blew up and everybody became obsessed with it.
I love like that kind of successstory is so cool.
And I'm a big Dan Levy champion and obviously Catherine O'Hara
(48:06):
is my queen, so I love that show.
Yeah, it's excellent. IA good friend of mine
recommended to me and she was watching it I think on Canadian
TV. She lives.
Oh, really? Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah, so she was watching it
before we had access to it. And then I was like, where do
you find this? I found it and I fell in love.
(48:27):
And then about, you know, I think about a year later,
everyone was watching it. It's to have those that caliber,
those two TV legends, Eugene Levy and.
That was a recommendation to you, not a recommendation you
gave, so that's cool. She yeah, unfortunately she
passed away, but she was one of my good friends who a friend's
mother actually, who'd always just talk TV and movies.
(48:50):
And we'd always every time we'd see each other, it wasn't even
hello. It was like, what are you
watching? And we?
That's special. That's really cool.
I'm sorry for your loss. Thank you.
So let's go with a couple more favorite theme song that you
cannot skip. And if you want to sing it
there's you get an extra point for that.
You don't have to, of course. And I told you I was going to be
(49:13):
this way. You can't ever skip it.
Beautiful. I think that's all.
Like it's the classic. It's kind of when you're when
you're binging it and you're watching it over and over again
and maybe it gets like a tad annoying, but even then, I still
can't find myself to like skip it ever.
I think that's my answer to the Friends theme song.
(49:35):
Yeah, it's a good choice when when you get here on the radio,
I still listen to it. It's like so good.
Can't get enough of it for some reason.
Yeah. How about ATV death that you
would stop if you could? Oh gosh, I don't know about a
lot of TV. What?
What other like iconic TV deathshas there been?
(49:57):
This is a tough one so you can get.
Oh, you know what? You know what?
There was one that, well, my parents, for some reason, I
watched Lost when it first came out and I was like young, I was
quite young to be watching that show.
But I watched the show and the, I guess, was it Charlie?
(50:17):
Was it Charlie where he writes? I just have a vivid, very vivid
memory and lost where he writes like Penny on his hand or
something and sticks. Not Penny's boat.
Not Penny's boat. That's what it says, yes.
And that is that death scene is seared into my brain and I
loved, you know, that character so much.
(50:39):
And then maybe that's my answer.That's an excellent answer.
Excellent. And you get the extra point for
singing before, by the way. Great.
And just a few more and get you on your way.
This is an easy one. The greatest moment in TV
history according to Caitlyn Deaver.
(51:00):
So it can be anything for any reason.
Just what stands out as your personal favorite moment?
Oh man, what are some other shows that I love?
I mean, oh gosh, TV history. This is so hard.
I think probably I have to just go back to Seinfeld.
(51:22):
There's so many iconic moments in Seinfeld that do really like
stand out in a lot of ways. Maybe or maybe it's like
Friends, like, you know, were weon a break, not on it?
Was it a break? Was it a, was it a break up?
(51:45):
That's probably one of the most iconic like when you think of
like iconic like like taught like topics of huge topics of
discussion that really like divided people.
I think maybe that's a good one.Again, I watch a lot of the same
TV. That's my.
I got to start branching out a bit more, but I like what I I
(52:07):
mean, I like comfort. Like that's why it's got your
name on it. It's not, doesn't have to be,
it's not not to be judged. It's just what stands out for
you. And you know, maybe we'll talk
again and see if it changes. I'll.
Think harder on it. That works for me.
Let's try this one. Four TV shows that make up your
TV. Mount Rushmore.
I can guess a few of them. OK, well.
(52:29):
Again, this is not to be judged.This is yours.
This is your personal Mount Rushmore.
OK, so you know what I'm going to say 1.
I mean, I'm, I'm thinking of like when I, when I see my Mount
Rushmore, it's like certain characters and those are the,
they're carved into the mountain.
(52:50):
So it would be actually Margo Martindale and justified because
of, of my, my, my personal connection to her.
Like I, I feel like I loved watching her as I watched the
show, but I got to watch her in real time and I just loved that
(53:11):
character and I found her as an actor to, to Margo as an actor
to be so powerful and, and inspiring to me.
So I'd say Margo Martindale and Justified, I'd say Seinfeld, I'd
say Gilmore Girls. And then I'd say, oh gosh, Force
(53:40):
10 probably. Like that's So Raven.
I grew up on that show like that.
That came out of nowhere. Yeah, sorry, I just mentioned
that at the last second of our interview, but I've forgotten
about. I mean, Even Stevens was another
(54:01):
show that I'm like, I feel really kind of shaped who I who
I am and really was sort of someof the first that's like that's
a Raven. And what she did with all of the
different characters she played in that show is my first like I
(54:21):
think where I first got the likespark to want to to want to act.
I think. So that's great.
Yeah. Big one for me is that So Raven.
I'm glad she's up there. Then I'd expect her, but you
know, I've Raven Simone problem again, So we'll close out on
this one. It's my my closer.
If you had a magic door, one that was in your house, allowed
(54:43):
you to walk into any TV show, popping in and out whenever you
want and your real life just paused.
So you don't miss any anything in your real life.
You just kind of get this break to be in this world, not the
set, not the, you know, hanging out in the world of these
characters and and mingling withthem and etcetera, etcetera.
Which show would it be and why? And.
(55:06):
You get to go whenever you want,so it could be every day after
work you're like, I'm going in, I'm I need a break.
I think probably, I know I said this earlier in our
conversation, but a New Girl I think would be probably the the
show that I would love to just, I just want to hang.
I want to be a roommate in theirapartment.
(55:27):
You know, like Max Greenfield isso funny.
He makes me laugh so much. I would love to just like be
around that all the time and be friends with them and be their
roommate. So that's that's the show and
the why. It's a it's a great, great
answer. It bookends the the whole
(55:47):
conversation. So that works well.
Thank you so much for being a great guest.
I love so much of your work bookSmart dope stick.
No one will save you. Which was another just talk
about expressing a lot with nothing.
You literally didn't have anything to say yet said so
much. Thank you but all that and
beyond. I look forward to seeing what
(56:08):
you do next. Thank you so much Steven.
It was so nice talking to you. I had such a nice time with you
today. Great.
I did as well. Thank you.
Thank you. And hopefully, maybe you'll come
back again. Yes, I would love that.
Excellent. All right.
Have a great day all. Right.
Take care. You too.
Bye bye. That was a lot of fun.
Thanks to Caitlin for hanging out on TV topics.
Be sure to check out her work onNetflix's Apple Cider Vinegar
(56:31):
and on HB OS The Last of Us Season 2.
Keep tuning into TV topics and be sure to subscribe on Spotify
or Apple Podcast or wherever youfind your podcast.
And if you really enjoy the show, please give it a five star
rating. It really helps.
You can also follow TV Topics onInstagram at TV under score
Topics. Thanks for listening and stay
(56:52):
tuned for more TV Topics. TV Topics is produced by Steven
Przykowski. ZAP.
Hey, where's the remote? It's time for TV Topics, where
those who love television discuss the series and
performances that should be on your radar.
Hi, and welcome to TV Topics. I'm your host, Stephen
Przykowski. Today's guest is a chameleon.
No, not a physical chameleon, anacting chameleon.
(00:24):
As discussed during our conversation.
I've known her work for decades and every time I see her she's
someone different. It's how she captures the soul
of the character she portrays. You'd probably recognize her
from Book Smart or Dope Sick or a dozen other project, but she's
currently starring in The Last of Us Season 2 and an Apple
cider vinegar as I watch both series in a very narrow time
(00:44):
frame. Never did I think, oh that's
Caitlin Deaver, it was Abby or it was Belle Gibson.
Whoops, I guess I gave it away. My guest today on TV Topics is
the great Caitlin Deaver. Hi, I'm Caitlin Deaver.
Today I'm hanging out with Steven Prusakowski for TV
Topics. Welcome to the show.
Every episode or I'm sorry, every project you do, you take
(01:05):
on. You always take on such risks.
You're such a chameleon, which is one of the things that
surprised me because I, I knew you work early.
I saw you in things before I knew who you were.
And then once I started to realize who you were as an
artist, you know, as you grew older and take on more complex
roles, like you'd never do the same thing twice.
You're there's nothing easy, which is great to see.
I mean, yeah, thank you for saying that.
(01:26):
I, I, I definitely try. It's, it's definitely something
I try to do. I really am.
I, as I, you know, I think as I've gotten older and, and been
given so many opportunities to, to work so much, I think that I,
(01:47):
I really do seek out projects that feel very different from
each other and feels like I'm really exploring new avenues and
working my brain in a different way.
And I think that that makes it feel, it just feels really good
for me to be able to do that kind of work because it feels
(02:08):
like it's, I'm really digging into something new and, and
diving deeper into, you know, new territory that I haven't
explored yet. And I think I've really grown as
a human being and as an actor, getting to do all of the
different kinds of roles that I've done.
But I definitely do it on purpose.
You know, I really try to like, I, I, I try to do different
(02:32):
projects. Yeah.
I mean it'd be tough for you notto do it on purpose with the
extremes of some of your your project you take on.
If this one you're not talking, this one's a road buddy trip
coming of age story then you have you know, zombies etcetera,
etcetera. So.
Yeah, yeah. If you didn't do it on purpose,
I'd have to have a talk with you.
(02:54):
So before we get into your work on apple cider vinegar and your
work on The Last of Us, I want to talk some TV topics.
So remember there no pressure, there's no right or wrong
answers. It's just a bit of fun.
So looking back over the years, what is your relationship with
TV been or your TV junkie watches everything very
selective. Or do you have go to shows?
(03:15):
My relationship with TV has always been pretty repetitive in
that I watch my favorite shows over and over again.
And then it wasn't until like the last couple, like I guess
maybe even the last year that I really started to like I was the
(03:36):
person that never was like up with Game of Thrones.
Unfortunately, I just like, and when everyone's talking about a
show or it's just shows like really in the news, I have not
been one to be a part of that conversation in the past.
And like, I can tell you all about Gilmore Girls and
Seinfeld, but so. But in the last year, I'd say
(04:01):
that I've really started to like, OK, I'm going to start
like I just started watching True Detective, which I know
people were talking about years ago.
I started with the Matthew McConaughey season and I'm
obsessed with it. It's so such great TV out there
that I've missed out on. But I think, yeah, I've, I've, I
(04:22):
like what's like what feels comfortable and what makes I
like shows that like make me like fall asleep at night and
are comforting in that way. So that's sort of been my
relationship to TV for most of my life.
But as of as of recently I've been diving into newer shows I
(04:43):
guess and shows I missed out on.Better late than never.
So what was a prime time show? That was the first one you
remember loving. No matter how good or bad it
was, it was your show. Prime time show, probably New
Girl, yeah. What about the series connected
with you? Well, it was one of those things
that again, I was a little late to it, but it was still like I
came in on it's like second season or something while it was
(05:05):
still airing on TV and my sisterwas obsessed with it and she
kept this happens a lot with my sister where she'll be like, you
have to watch girls, you have towatch girls, you have to watch
girls. I'm like, I'm going to get to
it. I just never got to.
I'm going to she's like, no, youwill love girls.
And finally years later after she mentions it's over and over
(05:26):
again to me. If I finally watched, I'm like,
Oh yeah, I'm obsessed with the show.
The same thing happened with NewGirl.
And that was the first sort of Ifelt like when you ask, like,
did it feel like you were show? It felt like me and my sister's
show New Girl that we we watchedtogether and kind of obsessively
watched it because it was our it's our favorite show.
(05:48):
So good, so funny. That's great.
I'm kind of like your sister. I'm always recommending things
to people. And they go, oh, yeah, yeah,
yeah, they, I'll try it. And then next time I see them,
they haven't. Years later, they haven't.
And then one day they're like, oh, yeah, I'm watching this new
show. It's great.
And they tell me what it was. I'm like, yeah, I told that.
That was my recommendation. And they're so proud of
(06:08):
themselves. I'm like no credit.
I'm like Ronnie Dangerfield. So what show makes you laugh the
most? Is there a show that you put on
for a pick me up? You said you you have your go
TOS. Is that one of them?
That certainly is one of them. I think for a pick another pick
me up would probably be, yeah, probably Seinfeld.
(06:35):
It's that that was always just like in the background at my
house and my parents. It was a show that like after,
you know, dinner, me and my sister went to bed and we could
hear it in my parents bedroom and my mom would just be
screaming, laughing all the time.
She had a very specific, like really when she thought
(06:56):
something was really funny, she would like, and it would echo
throughout the whole house. And we're like, oh, she's
watching Seinfeld again. And she knew every episode.
She knew every line. And, and she, they, my family
references it all the time. My mom used to say there's a
Seinfeld reference for everything in life, which I
(07:18):
think is very true. So I'm, I'm obsessed with it
now. It brings, that's another
comfort show that I love. And also, yeah, it's super funny
and it puts me in a good mood. Do you have a favorite character
and do you have a favorite episode?
Oh gosh, favorite episode? How do I do that?
(07:42):
I think the Festivus episode is always a classic.
It's so good. And I think my favorite
character is probably George. George also kind of reminds me
of my dad. Some like they have like similar
(08:03):
delivery and humor. And then I I I do love George's
parents too. I.
Was just going to say you can. It's not just the main
characters. You can go layers deep into that
show and they're also well written.
You can pick way beyond that that mean the core characters.
I, I also look up, Oh my God, I'm blanking on his character's
(08:25):
name, but George's dad, he, there's a incredible blooper
scene between him and Elaine andhe's saying, what the hell does
that mean? And that's all he's saying.
And Julia is losing her mind just in tears.
And it's the best thing in the world.
And I, I'm, I find myself like YouTube being that specific
(08:48):
blooper a lot because it, it really does put me in a really
good mood to see them laughing like that.
And Julia just couldn't get through the scene and it was
hilarious. It was one of my favourites.
Yeah, it's one of those shows, like you said, it's
generational. Your mother watched it.
My I talked to people older, youknow, mainly people who are a
little bit older. The younger audience, I think
they're, I think they're still catching on, I think.
(09:09):
But once they see it, I think people will gravitate toward it
and and and appreciate it in thesame way that you have and and
others have. Yeah, yeah, for sure.
I really agree. Did you start watching Curb Your
Enthusiasm, which is kind of like?
You know, I never got, I haven'tgotten to that one yet.
I mean, I've watched, I've obviously, you know, I've caught
a few episodes. So funny thinking I was actually
(09:31):
talking about, I was talking with Walt and Goggins the other
day. We were talking about Justified
and and how I haven't to this day, I haven't seen the whole
series because technically when I was in the show, I wasn't
allowed to watch the show. So same thing with Curb, like I
did that one episode and I wasn't allowed to watch the
(09:52):
series as a whole. So a lot of these things I have
to go back and and revisit. But maybe Seinfeld, I mean,
maybe Kerb will be my next one. Yeah, not to sound like your
sister, but you have to watch it.
I think as someone who loves Seinfeld as much as you do, the
connections, the there's like a same.
They're they're related. You know, there's that, of
(10:13):
course, that Larry David blood didn't, but there's something
about them that's like they are.If you like 1, you most likely
are going to like the other. And it's excellent.
It's excellent. It comes up all the time during
these conversations. What about crying?
Do you cry while watching TV? And if so, what's the last show
that made you cry? Oh, what have I seen recently?
(10:41):
Trying to think I do cry for sure.
I mean, I'm not, I'm not necessarily crying when I watch
Gossip Girl or when I watch Gossip Girl a lot.
That's another show I do tend torevisit often.
I'm totally blanking on like allof the show because I've, I've
(11:01):
watched a lot of the shows from like this year.
I mean, I, I haven't. It takes a yeah, I guess maybe
that's the one. I think that's probably what I
that's probably what I cried when I cried last.
(11:22):
I was watching that. Yeah.
I think it was episode 2, The Last of Us.
When I saw episode 2. I mean, both of them were really
emotional, certainly cried when I watched apple cider vinegar
because all of the, you know, the, the, the storyline with
Alicia's character, Mila and her, the relationship with her
(11:42):
mom really got me. But that I watched that before
The Last of Us, I guess to name the one that was most recent
would be The Last of Us, just because that that scene was, you
know, awful. And even though I did it and I
was there and I watched that happen in real time when they
(12:03):
shot, I'm specifically talking about when Bella goes over to
Pedro and wraps their, you know,arm around his body.
I saw that like happen as it happened.
And it was really sad on the day.
But with the whole episode and how epic that entire episode
(12:24):
was, and it was so it was so much or just like sitting on the
edge received that entire. It was like one of the craziest
episodes of television I've everseen in my life.
And I couldn't believe it because I was like, I can't
believe I get to be in this, butI don't like it.
It was a lot emotionally and I my sister, my littlest sister,
(12:46):
when she watched it, she all shedid was send me AI get a photo
of her face. She sent me a picture of her
face and her eyes were just totally red and full of tears
and she was like, thanks a lot. I'm like, I'm sorry.
You know that episode for sure and episode 6 when he is talking
to Ellie about what he did and saying he would do it again as a
(13:09):
father, that destroys me. And you know both things as
you're seeing, it's the that father daughter relationship
that I think obviously we all have for many of us have the
parental relationship. So you understand and seeing
that, putting yourself in that person's position to watch her
father be taken away before her eyes and then to see him, you
(13:33):
know, to have that confession, this stoic man suddenly
breakdown and just like, excuse me, the chills right now.
It's like quite the quite the range of emotions on a show that
again, people think is the zombie show and stuff like that.
It's originally did. So.
We'll get into that too. Before we we'll do some more TV
(13:53):
topics at the end, but I want todiscuss first your work on apple
cider vinegar. The character of Belle Gibson is
infuriating and I'm just wondering why would you want to
take on such a terrible human being?
What draws you to that role? Well, I mean, I think that that
(14:16):
kind of fury and rage that you have when you read something
like that is almost the fuel to,to get you to do it.
I don't know. I think that that's, that's how
I felt at least about it. I was so infuriated and that I,
I, I felt like I had a certain duty to get the story out there
or to tell this to be a part of the story and in some sort of
(14:38):
way. And because I had such a, you
know, personal connection to it and have personally dealt with
having a loved one that has had cancer.
I, you know, it's it was just madding that that that Belle
Gibson would go through so much to tell that kind of lie.
(15:02):
And how many people she affectedin that scheme and how many
lives were probably lost becauseof the this the information she
was sending out on her on her socials.
And it's really, really crazy. So I was, I think that that
initial, this infuriating feeling was the thing that
(15:28):
actually drove me to do it. And also, you know, getting that
kind of script sent to me and you know, these this very
Australian production company wants me to take on an
Australian woman and do an Australian accent was a big part
(15:51):
of it too. I think that getting asked to do
that is such a rarity. Like it's I feel like I didn't,
I didn't think I'm like, this isnever going to happen again.
When am I ever going to get an opportunity like this felt like
a once in a lifetime opportunity.
And then but the scripts were like really good.
(16:11):
Like the story was really interesting the way that that
all all three of the, you know, Asia and Alicia's characters
were intertwined with, with the Belle Gibson storyline.
And you know, how one was dealing with actual cancer.
One is trying to uncover the, the, the fake cancer story and
(16:34):
how it's toes this like really crazy line between comedy and
drama and this really like twisted kind of way.
And I was reading this script atsome points going like, I guess
it's supposed to be funny or is it supposed to be really sad?
And I love that kind of thing. I love that mystery and I love
playing with that in in the scenes that we we were doing.
(16:58):
So I was really excited about itfor many reasons.
But yeah, I also just felt like it was really a fascinating and
interesting story about, you know what, what makes someone
lie? And yeah.
And I can. And then I had to take that on.
(17:19):
I sort of had to find that reason and find the why I, you
know, and, and because I would, I had to find some sort of way
to empathize with her. I couldn't just see her as an
evil person the whole time I'm playing her in order because I
felt like I had to really just embody her as much as I possibly
(17:42):
could. And, and to do that, I had to,
you know, dig deeper and find those like childhood traumas and
things like that that really shaped who she was.
And yeah, brought her to that lie.
So I mean, that's a probably kind of a big question, but what
drives her? I, I couldn't, I don't
understand her. I mean, I understand there's
(18:03):
some being someone who I don't understand and like I do,
there's a lot of people like that.
I'm like, I could never, would never do what you've done.
Right. Well, I think like what I
realized was that, you know, in in early prep work and
(18:24):
developing the character and kind of getting to develop our
own version of Belle with Sam Strauss, the writer creator, is
that she really was just someonethat didn't quite get the love
that she deserved growing up. And she, you know, there is a
(18:46):
lot of, I mean, again, there's several things, there's so much
about her. But the thing that means, the
thing that Sam and I talked a lot about was just the fact that
we won't ever really know who the real Belle Gibson is anyway.
So that kind of did allow for a lot of room and freedom to build
off of the very little that we had on her, which was, you know,
(19:10):
the, the 60 minute interview. I had like two other videos of
her and that's really it. And then what we sort of
realized was like pieces of stuff that was written about her
on like Facebook and stuff was that she was a part of like,
kind of like a skater group and,and with, you know, with the,
(19:31):
the mother's group that she was a part of and the beginning of
the show. And then when she gets a little
more money, then she starts, youknow, changing.
She's always like changing herself to fit a certain mold
and a certain group of people that she wanted to be accepted
by and involved in. And I think that that speaks to
her immense craving and, and need and desperation for love
(19:59):
and community and. I think that that's what drives
her. I think that she just like
didn't get a certain amount of attention when she was younger
and like just wants to be loved and and she would do anything to
to get that. Even if it's not legitimate
(20:20):
love, Even if it's false pretenses that leads to the.
Exactly. That's a.
That's a lot. That's quite a bit.
I'll get into a little bit more,but you touched upon something
when I first started watching. You get this dance sequence with
Britney Spears Toxic playing. And I'm like, did I read the
description wrong? This is does not seem like the
(20:42):
type of show I was expecting to watch.
But it kind of, I mean, I have my own take on it, but what was
your take on it when you read that and when you knew that
opening was going to be what it was?
And. Yeah, I mean, I was, I was all,
I was all in. It was just that element to it
(21:04):
was just like really exciting tome because it really does.
I mean, that was in the originalscript that I read and I
thought, OK, I it just it sets the tone for the journey you're
about to go on and I with the entire show.
And I think it does really speakto just the sort of chaos and
(21:24):
again, that, that, that line between comedy and and drama and
all of these, like even the, thegraphics, all of the visual
stuff and even like the psychological stuff with like,
you know, something I talked to Sam about when she ends up
(21:45):
getting ringworm later in the inthe like episode 5 or 6, you
know, we were kind of playing with the idea of like, is that
real? Is it all in her head?
We're going to leave it up, you know, to the audience to make
that decision. But like, playing with all of
those things or like, you know, it's talking to camera a lot.
It's like that kind of stuff waslike so exciting to me.
(22:07):
And I think it was like a reallycool way to tell this story.
Wasn't it wasn't like your average way to tell this kind of
story, which I thought was, yeah, I think another reason why
I wanted to do it so much. But even.
Yeah, even stuff like the the singing firework by Katy Perry a
(22:29):
cappella at the book launch, like she was also Sam, she was
also coming up with this stuff on this like kind of on the spot
sometimes. I mean, that that wasn't on the
spot. That was like 2 weeks before,
but still, it was playing. I was supposed to just read this
sort of like cringey poem. And then Sam had this idea two
(22:50):
weeks before we were going to shoot that scene and she's like,
hey, you sing right? And I was like, uh huh, where
are we going with this? She's like, I think you should
sing firework by Katy Perry at the book launch.
I'm like, Oh my God, that it doesn't get any cringier than
that. And I I was.
(23:12):
Going to say that that is one ofthe cringiest moments on TV this
year. It's like, and even though you
despise her, at least I did and do I still felt bad for her.
It's like you, don't you? Someone has to stop you for a
second. Yeah, that's the thing.
She is. So it's so earnest, you know,
and I tried to keep that in mindwhen I did the, the those kinds
(23:35):
of scenes. Is she really does.
There's a she part of those, some of those scenes, at least
she doesn't mean well. And she really is just
genuinely, she's just being genuine.
And then sometimes she's not. And then sometimes she's trying
to get something out of someone.And then sometimes she's, she
really is kind of an actor. I think because she really, she
(23:59):
is such a chameleon and that sheis kind of a different person
and around certain people that she wants to persuade her
seduce. And, and I just found, you know,
diving into this character so fascinating because she really
was, I mean, you can even see itin these, you know, the three
(24:20):
interviews I had access to. She's it's slight, it's really
subtle, but it's but it's, she'sso different in these interviews
and they're really, it's really bizarre how she can like turn on
a different voice and turn on like that big smile and, and be
really charming, really, really charming.
(24:42):
That's the other thing. Like another thing Sam and I
talked about is like if she hadn't she, she didn't lie about
having cancer. She actually was a very talented
and and smart woman. Like she would have been good at
this kind of thing. Like her.
She was a good like businesswoman.
She was really her Instagram andand the cookbook was really
(25:06):
aesthetically pleasing and, and beautiful and had she did, she
didn't lie, she probably would have been very successful in
this kind of world. It's something that we, you
know, we're always talking about.
So I guess that helped with someof those moments of just making
sure it was also just like earnest and not like fake
(25:28):
throughout because it really wasn't for her sometimes, I
think. Well, the difference between a
super villain and a superhero isoften just motive, you know
there. And I think that's what you have
here, somebody who had the toolsand if you used correctly, maybe
she got that hug earlier in life.
Maybe she would have been one ofthe greats.
Maybe she'd be somebody who really, truly did change
people's lives, but for good. Yeah, exactly.
(25:50):
Yeah. So I just want to mention one
thing really quick. Toxic to open, Olivia Rodrigo's
Vampire to close. Amazing music choices and book
ended by just perfection so I don't know who was behind that,
but they deserve accolades. Oh yeah, well, I I agree with
(26:11):
you. I love both of those songs and
the way that they place them in the show.
It's really brilliant. So she goes from a doord to a
pariah and she's constantly hiding behind a facade.
So even when she is, like you said, even when she is being
accepted, she's still and putting out an act through your
performance. I see especially in the moments
(26:33):
when it looks like you're caught, when people start
questioning you, the subtle facial expressions, the way you
know, little twitches, the way your eyes move.
I think it's really amazing how much you convey with truly the
subtlest of of of motions. How difficult is it to play
somebody who's never who she really seems to be?
(26:56):
It was, it was pretty difficult.I will say I I had, I think I
put this whole show on such a high pedestal because of how
great I think it is and how excited I was to be a part of
(27:18):
it. Even though, you know, at times
it was also quite triggering forme in many ways.
And even seeing it as it's in its finished form, you know,
like not the easiest show for meto watch for personal reasons.
And but I, I knew so much about the, about the world of cancer.
(27:41):
And so I felt, yeah, a certain duty.
And so because of that pressure,I put on myself and also, I
think just the, the, the, the trust that the creative team
behind it had on like the, the trust that they had in me.
Also, I think added an added bitof pressure because I was like,
(28:02):
why do they think I can do this accent?
I don't know that I, I, I didn'teven know if I could before I
start, I'd, I'd never even attempted to, to try doing that
accent. I mean, of course I've tried,
I've tried here and there, but like to actually fully do it and
for it to sound authentic and good like I was really, I'm so
(28:25):
to be so honest, I was like terrified and really nervous to
take on this role, mainly for the, I mean, for so many
reasons. But the Australian accent was a
big one. And to speak on the, you know,
the emotional level you're talking about.
There was so much going on in her head.
(28:48):
And I think what Sam and I settled on was just the fact
that maybe, you know, she just started off as a, as an innocent
lie, just to see what that sort of attention felt like when she
first types it out into the mother's block.
(29:11):
And that, that flood of love andthe, the emojis just like
surrounding her body in a, in a hot, like a warm hug.
It just like, it's like a drug almost for her.
And I think it, but it started off at this as this innocent
thing and then sort of snowballed into something so
(29:32):
much bigger and so much bigger that she couldn't.
I think it was almost out of hercontrol.
What times. And then sometimes I think she
even started to believe it and maybe believe the lie, believe
that she was sick because she did have one doctor that didn't
tell her she was sick that one time didn't run any official
tests on her. But he told her that you are
(29:54):
sick and you are unwell. And I think she believed that.
And I think that there was so much to juggle at times that I,
yeah, it was definitely really hard.
But I think because of the text and because of what was already
there on the page, I really feltlike I was in good hands and I
felt safe to sort of go to thosemore insane places.
(30:18):
Feel like a lot of her storylineis kind of funny, too.
So I really liked doing those really, really sad,
heartbreaking moments. And then also the kind of the,
the cringier, funnier moments too, and balancing all of that.
And, and, and to balance that, Ifelt I also needed to have some
(30:39):
sort of structure with it. So I did create a spreadsheet
for the show and I broke it downscene by scene and was just kind
of like, I would take notes of what I want wanted to do and
like before I had done the scene.
And then obviously as you shoot these things, things change and
(31:02):
you do different versions of this scene.
And so I wouldn't make notes of where we ended up going for that
particular scene so that I wouldn't forget.
And then, you know, I could justkeep track of her emotional
levels that way a bit bit more. So we're also jumping so much
and like we're going back and forth in time.
(31:24):
So that that was very helpful too.
But yeah, I was, I was really nervous and probably like the
most nervous I've ever been for a job.
Yeah, it's amazing because the words that are coming out of
your mouth are one thing, but that there's you can kind of see
the gears moving in behind your eyes.
And the only peek at what she's really feeling are these little,
like I said, these subtle expressions and and bits of
(31:46):
emotion that come out and and you're watching her while her
world crash down around her and she still has to go out and then
play the character she's been playing and and deceive people.
It's it's pretty amazing. I congratulate you on that.
I think it was so much more thanyou would expect.
Is is delivered. And as you watch it, if you
really, you know, observe and take it in, it's like.
(32:10):
Thank you so much. I really appreciate you saying
that. Really.
So I want to get into the Last of Us talk about a chameleon. 2
characters, 2 completely different characters.
And when I watch them, I don't think the same actress and the
way you carry yourself as Abby, you know, the of course the
accent is, is big, but it's justthe way you carry yourself.
(32:32):
There's a certain weight to her,a certain physicality, anger and
and fierceness to her. And Belle has something
completely different. I'm wondering what how the
preparation for Abby differed incomparison to plain Belle.
Yeah, well, I mean, yeah, it's just tapping into another
mindset really. Like I felt like for Belle, I
(32:58):
was, I was tapping into this more like calculated mindset
kind of that like there's so much going on behind her eyes
thing and like she's very, she'svery charming and sexy and very
(33:18):
different from Abby and that Abby what and what drives Abby
is just I I think anger and rageand real grief.
And I think she's been sort of take.
(33:39):
I think she's just seen so much in her life and, and has had to
go through a lot. And I wanted to like feel that
weight like in her presence. And so yeah, I certainly like, I
feel like I just changed the waythat I, they walked and I sort
(34:00):
of, I, I, I feel like I meditateon these things a lot.
Like I'm very much an internalizer.
I've internalize everything and and yeah, for Abby, I think just
to just really wanting to get again to the same thing I did
for Belle, but like, get to the core of what that motivation is
(34:22):
and why, you know, she did what she did.
And, and I think that what I realized is that she is, yeah,
she's just a very, very, very broken person.
And how, you know how much of A mirror she is to Ellie too.
(34:44):
And, and that part of the storyline is really interesting
to me. And, and I'm excited to get to
sort of explore that in Season 3and, you know, I guess explore
more of that and what what that's going to feel like, but.
I watched both series finales inthe same night and it was night
(35:05):
and day to completely, you know,it's like honestly, I you don't,
I never thought that's the same actress.
I just was so into the characters or you were so into
the characters that. You watched Apple Cider and and
season finale for The Last of Usin the same night?
What you're saying? Yes, those are very different
finale's. Yeah, I mean, that's I, I guess
(35:31):
I was just talking about this the other day when taking on a,
a role. I think that to me, what is such
a, what is so apparent all the time on every job that I'm on is
that it's just how lucky I am tobe here and to be where I am and
(35:52):
to get the opportunities that I've got and in my life.
And you know, you have this one shot, you know, to, to play
about Gibson, to play Abby. I can't see it any other way but
to literally go for it. So if that means I bawl my eyes
out and embarrass myself for a living, like that is what I that
(36:14):
is technically, I feel like I think about this a lot.
I'm like, I embarrassed myself for a living basically.
Like I'm constantly putting myself in these, you know, Belle
Belle Gibson cringe moments likethat's it's just, it's
embarrassing. And sometimes you have to be
like, like a show, like ugly sides of, of, of a character
(36:34):
and, and get like dirty and, andscream and yell and I, but I
feel like I have to go. I have to really give it my 100%
effort because I just feel like I don't have any other choice.
Like I don't see it any other way.
I just have to give it my all. And, and when I'm, I'm, I think
(37:01):
I'm, I'm very passionate about these two projects.
I'm very, you know, excited and so again, so grateful to be a
part of The Last of Us. You have no idea, like how cool
it is that this, I've talked about this and many interviews,
but you know, I was a part of The Last of Us years and years
(37:22):
ago. It was, it came into my life and
I was talking to Danielle Drachman about potentially
playing Ellie in the movie version of The Last of Us.
And that obviously, as the industry goes, didn't happen and
kind of the project fell away and then found its way back into
my life in this new form. And if it really felt like this
(37:46):
project was even kind of like meant to be in my life at some
point or another, and it just happened when it was supposed to
happen. And I, I feel so grateful for
that. So I'm just happy to be here.
And I, yeah, I feel like I have to give.
I have this one opportunity and people are putting their trust
in me and I have to give it everything I've got.
(38:07):
And you'd spoke about the ugly sides of your characters.
Talk about ugly. What was it like having to beat
the life out of Pedro Pascal? And you know, you have to sit
there and, and take this belovedcharacter.
What was it like shooting that day?
And then how do you get into that mindset?
Oh gosh, I know. I mean, I, what was funny is I
kind of, I, I realized this the other day.
(38:28):
Me and Pedro kind of, I guess we're, you know, when you're
doing something that heavy and sad together, you almost sort of
end up trauma bonding. So we, we were, you know, it's a
big moment for him and his character, the end of a chapter
for him in the Last of Us. And it's and many weird, twisted
(38:54):
ways. It's just it's a beginning of a
chapter for this character, Abbyand discovering who she is and
and it's it's a lot And like that scene is a lot and and so
emotionally heavy. And so I think when you are in
(39:14):
that sort of zone with another actor and Pedro is someone who
is just so immediately like welcoming and, and supportive
and grace gracious and just likeeasy, just like so easy to talk
(39:37):
to, easy to communicate with. Like I really haven't ever had
like an experience like that where the stakes were sort of
that high. And so like the, the, the, the
setting was so emotionally charged and I just connected
with him on such a special level.
(39:58):
I've never had that kind of experience before in my life
with another actor. I just felt so carried, even
though I'm sort of the one like that's dominating like him and
this and dominating like this, this, this whole room, I guess
(40:19):
it really felt like. Pedro and everybody in that
scene, we were just carrying each other and such an amazing
way. I mean, it was I think it's also
be due to, you know, the Craig Mazin and and our director for
that episode. I just have to mention this
really cool because I haven't mentioned a lot, but I really
might Mark Mylot, our director, He it's amazing thing he did for
(40:42):
that scene was, you know, we stopped the scene over 2 days.
So it's a big, big, it's a big scene.
A lot of lot of shots, a lot of people to cover, a lot of so
many moving parts. Big deal.
And instead of, you know, on most projects that, you know,
director takes each actor aside after each take and we'll talk
(41:06):
to them and give them their notes privately.
And Mark didn't do that for the scene.
I don't know if it was because of, you know, efficiency and
just trying to get as much done each day because there was a lot
to cover or it was the way he works.
I've, I've been meaning to ask and I haven't seen him since the
episode, but like, I was so I was so I admired that so much.
(41:32):
I was obsessed with it. He came up to all of us as a
group, called us All he got, he was actually calling.
He's like, OK, Fireflies, everybody, everybody like huddle
around basically like we were like a sports team and gave us
all of our notes in front of each other.
And it was amazing. And it really made everybody
(41:53):
feel like, OK, this isn't this isn't a scene about just Abby.
This isn't a scene about just Bella or Pedro or this is
everybody plays a part here and we're all carrying each other
and we're all A-Team. And that really made me think
about just like, you know, filmmaking and as a as a whole,
(42:17):
really this is a big, big team effort.
You know, it's not just one person or two people in a scene.
It's everybody involved. So I thought that was the
coolest thing ever. I just had to mention it because
I haven't mentioned it yet, but it's awesome.
It was so cool. It's like I'm obsessed with
that. I love that.
You give me the chills because I've just, you know, as you're
talking about, I'm thinking about how everybody is lifting
that weight. They're all carrying their own
(42:40):
pain. And like for Joel, he pretty
much knows this is it. This is the last time he's going
to see Ellie, vice versa. And for you, it's ending.
Trying to maybe heal that pain of this character who had her
father stolen from her. And it's like, man, the the them
and then the people observing it, watching this brutal attack,
(43:02):
There's so much going on there. It's so, so powerful.
Right. Yeah.
It just speaks to, I think one of the many themes of the show
is that we're not all that different and that I think that
the show really showcases that idea well.
Is that like, yes, Abby does this truly horrible thing, but
(43:24):
is she all that different like from Ellie?
Is she all that different from Joel?
You know, like we all have our past.
And yeah, that's, that's I'm interested to explore the, that
you know, the, the, the fact that Ellie and Abby are such
mirrors of each other in a lot like when I first played the
game, I, I thought, I thought when you, I don't know if you
(43:46):
played the game, but I did. When you OK, when you start
playing as Abby, when as soon asJoel dies, I'm not I thought it
was Ellie. I, you start playing as hard and
it's like the the back of Abby for a little bit.
I'm like, wait a minute, who is this?
Is this Ellie? I couldn't figure it out.
(44:06):
So I was just, I'm interested get into more of that.
Same thing. I was kind of lost.
I'm like why? Why are we following this
person? And my daughter?
I play, she watched. She hey, she watched both these
series with me. She also played the games with
me. Come on, I did.
I played with my dad too. That's awesome.
And I, I'll do all the controlling and she's telling me
(44:28):
what, where to go and things like that.
And, and sometimes she's, she's the strategic 1 and she has all
these ideas and, and works me through it.
I'm always like, give me the cheat button.
Where's that? Where's that like question mark
that pops up? The cheat button, Yeah, I have
to. I really have to.
I need most, most of my I mean, my dad does most of the playing.
(44:48):
I'm really not good at it. She played the guitar that was
most of her work. And I every time a guitar showed
up, she'd play, but we were watching the same thing.
I was kind of lost. And then as you're like, well,
why are we following this character?
And by the time you get to the end of it, you're like, you're
seeing as you work your way through it.
So I can't wait to see what you do with the the next season and
(45:08):
how that's conveyed. Thank you so much.
How long away are we from that? It seems like torture to have it
end where it did. Yeah, I don't know.
Honestly, I haven't been told. I mean, I know that it was just
kind of officially talked about a few weeks ago.
I don't know who was it Catherine that talked about the
(45:30):
Season 3. But anyway, Season 3 has been
confirmed and they were picked up obviously, but I don't know
when. I haven't been given dates yet.
So I think I still have a minute.
No, I think I've still got a little bit of time.
OK. Yeah, I'll, I'll, you know, it's
it's unfortunate. Luckily I played the game, so I
do have some of the answers filled.
(45:50):
I'm not sitting there with this all these question Marks and
overlooking Seattle and saying where do we go from here?
I know. So let's close out with some TV
topics questions for by the way,I really loved all that you've
expressed here and and digging into these roles like this
because it you know, it's one thing to watch it and wonder and
then to hear what you put into it.
(46:12):
It's like having a great meal and then them saying, Oh yeah,
I'd use this spice. I did this.
I was, you know, same thing. You you created something that's
that's wonderful to enjoy, but even more enjoyable or more
appreciative of it after hearingyou know what you put into it.
Thank you for saying that. I really appreciate you saying
that, Steven. Thank you.
So let's close with some TV topics and get you on your way.
(46:35):
You grab a remote control and a genie pops out.
He offers you one TV based wish.Your your options are you get to
choose one show that you can getone more season of and it could
be a prequel, an extra season inthe middle or it can be an extra
season tagged on to the end of its run.
Which series would you add a season 2 and why?
(47:00):
Probably it would have to be Schitt's Creek.
I was going to say nobody wants this because I'm, I'm obsessed
with that show, but I, I know that they're doing another
season, so I'm not going to say that.
But Schitt's Creek, love that show.
So good. Where would you have this
(47:21):
episode or the season before, during this, during its run, or
after continuation? I guess it can, I guess a
continuation. Yeah.
I I love that family. I love the dynamic.
I love how kind of we've never really seen characters like that
before. Just like kind of outrageous
(47:44):
people being played at like it'sand it's so cool that like not a
lot. I also just like, love the story
behind Schitt's Creek, like how,you know, kind of flew under the
radar for a little bit and then all of a sudden it just like
blew up and everybody became obsessed with it.
I love like that kind of successstory is so cool.
And I'm a big Dan Levy champion and obviously Catherine O'Hara
(48:06):
is my queen, so I love that show.
Yeah, it's excellent. IA good friend of mine
recommended to me and she was watching it I think on Canadian
TV. She lives.
Oh, really? Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah, so she was watching it
before we had access to it. And then I was like, where do
you find this? I found it and I fell in love.
(48:27):
And then about, you know, I think about a year later,
everyone was watching it. It's to have those that caliber,
those two TV legends, Eugene Levy and.
That was a recommendation to you, not a recommendation you
gave, so that's cool. She yeah, unfortunately she
passed away, but she was one of my good friends who a friend's
mother actually, who'd always just talk TV and movies.
(48:50):
And we'd always every time we'd see each other, it wasn't even
hello. It was like, what are you
watching? And we?
That's special. That's really cool.
I'm sorry for your loss. Thank you.
So let's go with a couple more favorite theme song that you
cannot skip. And if you want to sing it
there's you get an extra point for that.
You don't have to, of course. And I told you I was going to be
(49:13):
this way. You can't ever skip it.
Beautiful. I think that's all.
Like it's the classic. It's kind of when you're when
you're binging it and you're watching it over and over again
and maybe it gets like a tad annoying, but even then, I still
can't find myself to like skip it ever.
I think that's my answer to the Friends theme song.
(49:35):
Yeah, it's a good choice when when you get here on the radio,
I still listen to it. It's like so good.
Can't get enough of it for some reason.
Yeah. How about ATV death that you
would stop if you could? Oh gosh, I don't know about a
lot of TV. What?
What other like iconic TV deathshas there been?
(49:57):
This is a tough one so you can get.
Oh, you know what? You know what?
There was one that, well, my parents, for some reason, I
watched Lost when it first came out and I was like young, I was
quite young to be watching that show.
But I watched the show and the, I guess, was it Charlie?
(50:17):
Was it Charlie where he writes? I just have a vivid, very vivid
memory and lost where he writes like Penny on his hand or
something and sticks. Not Penny's boat.
Not Penny's boat. That's what it says, yes.
And that is that death scene is seared into my brain and I
loved, you know, that character so much.
(50:39):
And then maybe that's my answer.That's an excellent answer.
Excellent. And you get the extra point for
singing before, by the way. Great.
And just a few more and get you on your way.
This is an easy one. The greatest moment in TV
history according to Caitlyn Deaver.
(51:00):
So it can be anything for any reason.
Just what stands out as your personal favorite moment?
Oh man, what are some other shows that I love?
I mean, oh gosh, TV history. This is so hard.
I think probably I have to just go back to Seinfeld.
(51:22):
There's so many iconic moments in Seinfeld that do really like
stand out in a lot of ways. Maybe or maybe it's like
Friends, like, you know, were weon a break, not on it?
Was it a break? Was it a, was it a break up?
(51:45):
That's probably one of the most iconic like when you think of
like iconic like like taught like topics of huge topics of
discussion that really like divided people.
I think maybe that's a good one.Again, I watch a lot of the same
TV. That's my.
I got to start branching out a bit more, but I like what I I
(52:07):
mean, I like comfort. Like that's why it's got your
name on it. It's not, doesn't have to be,
it's not not to be judged. It's just what stands out for
you. And you know, maybe we'll talk
again and see if it changes. I'll.
Think harder on it. That works for me.
Let's try this one. Four TV shows that make up your
TV. Mount Rushmore.
I can guess a few of them. OK, well.
(52:29):
Again, this is not to be judged.This is yours.
This is your personal Mount Rushmore.
OK, so you know what I'm going to say 1.
I mean, I'm, I'm thinking of like when I, when I see my Mount
Rushmore, it's like certain characters and those are the,
they're carved into the mountain.
(52:50):
So it would be actually Margo Martindale and justified because
of, of my, my, my personal connection to her.
Like I, I feel like I loved watching her as I watched the
show, but I got to watch her in real time and I just loved that
(53:11):
character and I found her as an actor to, to Margo as an actor
to be so powerful and, and inspiring to me.
So I'd say Margo Martindale and Justified, I'd say Seinfeld, I'd
say Gilmore Girls. And then I'd say, oh gosh, Force
(53:40):
10 probably. Like that's So Raven.
I grew up on that show like that.
That came out of nowhere. Yeah, sorry, I just mentioned
that at the last second of our interview, but I've forgotten
about. I mean, Even Stevens was another
(54:01):
show that I'm like, I feel really kind of shaped who I who
I am and really was sort of someof the first that's like that's
a Raven. And what she did with all of the
different characters she played in that show is my first like I
(54:21):
think where I first got the likespark to want to to want to act.
I think. So that's great.
Yeah. Big one for me is that So Raven.
I'm glad she's up there. Then I'd expect her, but you
know, I've Raven Simone problem again, So we'll close out on
this one. It's my my closer.
If you had a magic door, one that was in your house, allowed
(54:43):
you to walk into any TV show, popping in and out whenever you
want and your real life just paused.
So you don't miss any anything in your real life.
You just kind of get this break to be in this world, not the
set, not the, you know, hanging out in the world of these
characters and and mingling withthem and etcetera, etcetera.
Which show would it be and why? And.
(55:06):
You get to go whenever you want,so it could be every day after
work you're like, I'm going in, I'm I need a break.
I think probably, I know I said this earlier in our
conversation, but a New Girl I think would be probably the the
show that I would love to just, I just want to hang.
I want to be a roommate in theirapartment.
(55:27):
You know, like Max Greenfield isso funny.
He makes me laugh so much. I would love to just like be
around that all the time and be friends with them and be their
roommate. So that's that's the show and
the why. It's a it's a great, great
answer. It bookends the the whole
(55:47):
conversation. So that works well.
Thank you so much for being a great guest.
I love so much of your work bookSmart dope stick.
No one will save you. Which was another just talk
about expressing a lot with nothing.
You literally didn't have anything to say yet said so
much. Thank you but all that and
beyond. I look forward to seeing what
(56:08):
you do next. Thank you so much Steven.
It was so nice talking to you. I had such a nice time with you
today. Great.
I did as well. Thank you.
Thank you. And hopefully, maybe you'll come
back again. Yes, I would love that.
Excellent. All right.
Have a great day all. Right.
Take care. You too.
Bye bye. That was a lot of fun.
Thanks to Caitlin for hanging out on TV topics.
Be sure to check out her work onNetflix's Apple Cider Vinegar
(56:31):
and on HB OS The Last of Us Season 2.
Keep tuning into TV topics and be sure to subscribe on Spotify
or Apple Podcast or wherever youfind your podcast.
And if you really enjoy the show, please give it a five star
rating. It really helps.
You can also follow TV Topics onInstagram at TV under score
Topics. Thanks for listening and stay
(56:52):
tuned for more TV Topics. TV Topics is produced by Steven
Przykowski. ZAP.
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