WEBVTT - 316: The Fluffer w/ Kelly McCreary 0:00:00.360 --> 0:00:03.040 Unpacking the Toolbox is a production of Shondaland Audio in 0:00:03.080 --> 0:00:27.040 partnership with Higheart Radio scandh Katie. 0:00:32.400 --> 0:00:39.320 Oh my gosh, we have the greatest guest on today's episode. Hey, Kelly, 0:00:41.240 --> 0:00:43.879 I feel like you come on to Scandal and you 0:00:43.960 --> 0:00:50.120 are such a star, like a seen stealing shiny beacon 0:00:50.360 --> 0:00:52.159 of stunningness. 0:00:51.640 --> 0:00:57.640 Black leather jacket, wearing hair up like Lang, no way, 0:00:57.840 --> 0:00:58.680 helmet Lang. 0:00:58.920 --> 0:01:01.840 Forgetting it, won't get it because I knew I was 0:01:02.680 --> 0:01:06.000 that my fate would change when I came back as 0:01:06.040 --> 0:01:09.280 the character. When they had me in All Saints, it 0:01:09.400 --> 0:01:11.399 was like last time they had me in Helmet Lang. 0:01:12.000 --> 0:01:19.280 I was like, that is so funny, that is amazing. 0:01:20.040 --> 0:01:22.280 So for those of you listening who don't know her 0:01:22.520 --> 0:01:25.959 by voice, you should or whatever social media picture we 0:01:25.959 --> 0:01:27.840 put out. But the guest today is the one and 0:01:27.880 --> 0:01:33.080 only Kelly McCreary. Yes, who was on season three of 0:01:33.080 --> 0:01:34.800 Scanne or did you start in season two? 0:01:35.440 --> 0:01:35.560 No? 0:01:36.120 --> 0:01:36.360 Three? 0:01:37.200 --> 0:01:41.880 She started in episode Yolo, which is yes, yeah, that's 0:01:41.920 --> 0:01:43.160 when we first see Claire. 0:01:43.319 --> 0:01:44.120 You played Claire. 0:01:44.480 --> 0:01:48.040 She played Claire bad Ass Claire Badass B. 0:01:48.160 --> 0:01:53.080 Six thirteen agent who calls Harrison h and works for 0:01:53.200 --> 0:01:56.080 Maya pope. But wait a second, first and foremost, was 0:01:56.120 --> 0:01:59.320 this your first foray Intoshondaland it was. 0:02:00.440 --> 0:02:01.640 Yes, yeah, yeah, it was. 0:02:01.720 --> 0:02:06.320 So I had a meeting with Lynda Lowe just like 0:02:06.360 --> 0:02:10.040 a general a couple of months before that. Yeah, And 0:02:10.120 --> 0:02:13.880 so like when this audition came in, it was in 0:02:13.919 --> 0:02:16.120 the midst of like episodic season when that was a thing, 0:02:16.480 --> 0:02:18.520 So it was like really busy, and this was just 0:02:18.600 --> 0:02:21.280 like a couple of little lines, and I was like, oh, 0:02:21.560 --> 0:02:23.800 I want to play. I want to do more than 0:02:23.840 --> 0:02:26.600 this on Scandal. I should wait until like better role 0:02:26.680 --> 0:02:29.919 comes along. And then I was like, no, but Linda 0:02:29.960 --> 0:02:32.880 and I had such a great rapport that I should 0:02:32.880 --> 0:02:35.280 just say yes to this opportunity. And I went in 0:02:35.320 --> 0:02:38.320 to just read my little two little lines, and it 0:02:38.400 --> 0:02:40.120 turned out that the scene I was reading was not 0:02:40.200 --> 0:02:42.320 the scene I actually did in that first episode Yolo 0:02:42.400 --> 0:02:44.520 in the first place, because they always had dummy sides, right, 0:02:44.960 --> 0:02:48.480 and then after that, you know, it was intended only 0:02:48.480 --> 0:02:50.519 to be a single episode, but then came back and 0:02:50.960 --> 0:02:52.000 did another one. 0:02:52.480 --> 0:02:54.679 So when you audition, did you know that it would 0:02:54.760 --> 0:02:56.640 recur or you didn't even think it was that. 0:02:57.520 --> 0:02:59.639 No, it was not supposed to recur. 0:03:00.520 --> 0:03:02.600 Wha, that's how good you did. 0:03:04.800 --> 0:03:08.240 She was, wait, so like you even when you were 0:03:08.280 --> 0:03:10.960 shooting it, like you didn't know that it was going 0:03:11.000 --> 0:03:12.239 to come back another episode. 0:03:12.600 --> 0:03:15.760 Yeah, no, you know I went to college with Ramlah Muhammad. 0:03:15.840 --> 0:03:16.280 You did. 0:03:16.639 --> 0:03:21.800 I didn't know that this episode with Chris Vans, Yes. 0:03:21.760 --> 0:03:25.240 Right exactly. And ram La was on set that day 0:03:25.240 --> 0:03:26.600 and I was like, oh, yead hey girl. 0:03:26.639 --> 0:03:29.200 I had no idea that she was even writing. I 0:03:29.240 --> 0:03:29.960 had no idea why I. 0:03:29.960 --> 0:03:32.919 Lost track of each other after college. And so we're 0:03:32.960 --> 0:03:35.360 catching up and it's great and she's like, well bye. 0:03:35.560 --> 0:03:40.200 When I was I was like, so good to. 0:03:40.160 --> 0:03:41.120 See you bye. 0:03:41.480 --> 0:03:44.080 And then yeah, it turned out that I guess like 0:03:44.120 --> 0:03:46.560 I passed a vibe check or something, and she was 0:03:46.600 --> 0:03:49.160 able to confirm for Shonda that I wasn't going to 0:03:49.240 --> 0:03:52.280 cause them problems, and I came back for another episode. 0:03:52.920 --> 0:03:55.240 Ushanda reached out to her to find out it was 0:03:55.280 --> 0:03:56.960 worth bring me back, and so she vou. 0:03:57.360 --> 0:03:59.360 Like, no assholelog. 0:03:59.440 --> 0:04:03.280 Yeah I did say bad, but yes, I guess I 0:04:03.400 --> 0:04:05.920 literally causing no asshole policy. 0:04:06.240 --> 0:04:07.040 That was really good? 0:04:07.440 --> 0:04:09.920 Were you when you came on the Scandal set? Had 0:04:09.960 --> 0:04:13.120 you watched Scandal before or you had never seen it or. 0:04:13.400 --> 0:04:16.840 Yeah, no, of course. Yeah, I remember sitting in my 0:04:17.120 --> 0:04:20.919 New York apartment because it came on late mid season. 0:04:21.440 --> 0:04:22.440 Yeah, it was April. 0:04:22.920 --> 0:04:25.880 Was the starting date April, which is so late for 0:04:25.920 --> 0:04:27.080 even a mid season show. 0:04:27.360 --> 0:04:30.120 Yes, but I remember sitting on my brown sofa in 0:04:30.600 --> 0:04:33.320 my New York apartment and watching with my roommate at 0:04:33.320 --> 0:04:35.960 the time. Like, I remember watching those early episodes and 0:04:36.000 --> 0:04:38.640 being like, oh my god, this is so cool and 0:04:38.720 --> 0:04:42.080 exciting and flashy and sexy and glamorous and elegant and 0:04:42.160 --> 0:04:45.040 so fun. I watched it in the very beginning, and 0:04:45.160 --> 0:04:47.600 then I fell off for some reason. Oh I was 0:04:47.680 --> 0:04:49.960 like living in Vancouver shooting a show or something, so 0:04:49.960 --> 0:04:53.080 I was gonna watch TV. But yeah, I was just going. 0:04:53.080 --> 0:04:54.679 To say, were you a fan of Grays as well 0:04:55.320 --> 0:04:55.920 early days? 0:04:56.000 --> 0:04:58.240 Yes, I was an early fan of Grace. I went 0:04:58.279 --> 0:05:01.599 through a very long period of I hope when I 0:05:01.600 --> 0:05:02.960 was saw one of those people, Oh I don't really 0:05:02.960 --> 0:05:04.359 watch TV, but like I really. 0:05:04.200 --> 0:05:05.200 Knew I did too. 0:05:05.560 --> 0:05:08.520 Yeah, I went through a period where two of my 0:05:08.560 --> 0:05:11.839 apartments didn't even have a television, and I don't think yeah, 0:05:11.839 --> 0:05:13.440 and I don't think I could have for a laptop 0:05:13.480 --> 0:05:16.640 I literally have like a good four year span where 0:05:16.640 --> 0:05:18.720 I never watched a show like. 0:05:19.000 --> 0:05:23.120 Yeah, and this was like before streaming, before binginging for me, 0:05:23.720 --> 0:05:26.280 like I'm dating myself here, but this was back when 0:05:26.279 --> 0:05:28.320 you like had to be home to watch TV and 0:05:28.320 --> 0:05:30.760 I lived in New York. I was running them streets now. 0:05:30.800 --> 0:05:33.440 So when you found out your dummy size or dummy size, 0:05:33.480 --> 0:05:35.680 then you find out, holy shit, I'm gonna come on 0:05:35.720 --> 0:05:39.200 and I'm gonna have scenes with Harrison, Like had you 0:05:39.240 --> 0:05:40.520 ever worked with him before? 0:05:40.920 --> 0:05:42.120 Did you know what that was going to be like? 0:05:42.160 --> 0:05:44.520 Were you nervous walking on a set or were you like, oh, 0:05:44.520 --> 0:05:46.479 I'm so pro with this or what was the vibe 0:05:46.480 --> 0:05:46.680 for you? 0:05:47.279 --> 0:05:49.359 When I tell you it was like an out of 0:05:49.360 --> 0:05:52.360 body experience. I had just shot my first series as 0:05:52.400 --> 0:05:54.960 a series regular. I'd wrapped it earlier that year, so 0:05:55.000 --> 0:05:57.880 I was not completely inexperienced. I knew how to be 0:05:57.960 --> 0:05:59.560 on set, I knew how things went, I knew how 0:05:59.600 --> 0:06:04.600 to I certainly felt capable as an actor. But something 0:06:04.640 --> 0:06:07.400 about being on this set because it was like, I mean, 0:06:07.440 --> 0:06:09.960 you guys, no, Seattle was such a big deal at 0:06:09.960 --> 0:06:12.920 the time, and it was just like, yeah, it was such. 0:06:12.800 --> 0:06:15.080 A big deal, and I was like, wait, it's so 0:06:15.560 --> 0:06:16.960 like normal here. 0:06:17.200 --> 0:06:19.160 And I don't know what I was expecting, but like 0:06:19.400 --> 0:06:21.320 I was just waiting for something like jump out at me. 0:06:21.680 --> 0:06:23.280 I don't know what I was thinking, but I was 0:06:23.360 --> 0:06:27.120 so nervous, pretty sure. I was like, very sweaty. 0:06:27.040 --> 0:06:29.359 Under that helmet lang leather jacket. 0:06:29.720 --> 0:06:33.440 You didn't look at it, so did you when you 0:06:33.440 --> 0:06:34.760 walk down set where you like. 0:06:35.920 --> 0:06:38.680 Oh god. And then Columbus was there and I was like, 0:06:38.680 --> 0:06:42.400 oh my god, he's so handsome, like even more handsome person. 0:06:42.440 --> 0:06:42.920 Oh my god. 0:06:42.960 --> 0:06:46.320 I just but again, everybody was so just this is 0:06:46.400 --> 0:06:48.239 just a normal, everyday work day. So I was like, okay, 0:06:48.920 --> 0:06:52.279 it was so fast, and but of course that's always 0:06:52.279 --> 0:06:53.960 a good thing when you're a guest star. They don't 0:06:54.000 --> 0:06:56.960 have to do take after take for you because you're nervous. 0:06:56.640 --> 0:07:01.160 And you're sitting waiting for them to get to your ceety. 0:07:01.360 --> 0:07:02.440 Oh god, I've done that. 0:07:03.040 --> 0:07:04.120 That's the worst. Yeah. 0:07:04.160 --> 0:07:05.880 What sucks is that we didn't even get to work 0:07:05.920 --> 0:07:09.760 with you, Kelly, Like no, in fact, that's the only problem. 0:07:09.800 --> 0:07:13.080 I worked only the Columbus was the only series Eary 0:07:13.120 --> 0:07:16.760 where I worked with I worked with Candy Alexandelas and 0:07:16.920 --> 0:07:19.520 Nasmy and Bonati and on the other day that I 0:07:19.840 --> 0:07:22.280 or the other episodes I shot, I did the two 0:07:22.480 --> 0:07:22.800 and so. 0:07:22.800 --> 0:07:27.360 I never worked with Billy anything. I'm like, is that true? 0:07:27.440 --> 0:07:29.880 Yeah? It was? Yeah. 0:07:29.960 --> 0:07:31.800 So we can you tell us before we break down 0:07:31.840 --> 0:07:35.280 the episode real quick? Can you tell us how the 0:07:35.320 --> 0:07:40.320 whole because I vaguely remember the whisperings starting of like 0:07:40.480 --> 0:07:46.040 how you got Gray's Scandal? Like how did this all unfold? 0:07:46.240 --> 0:07:50.280 Tell us how this hasn't okay? My the narrative, like 0:07:50.320 --> 0:07:52.720 the story arc. From my perspective, it looked like this. 0:07:53.120 --> 0:07:55.640 I had the meeting with the general with Linda. She 0:07:55.720 --> 0:07:58.600 brought me in for the small part on Scandal. She 0:07:59.000 --> 0:08:00.480 that turned into a a. 0:08:00.440 --> 0:08:03.800 Small recurring and then she brought me in for a 0:08:03.840 --> 0:08:08.880 pilot that I wound up shooting a role on, not 0:08:08.960 --> 0:08:11.679 the role I originally went in for, but that pilot 0:08:11.720 --> 0:08:14.240 got picked up. It was Peter Horton, who was the 0:08:14.440 --> 0:08:20.760 oh wows the director Anatomy, Yeah, and an early ep 0:08:20.840 --> 0:08:23.240 on Grey's Anatomy, and he it was a project of 0:08:23.280 --> 0:08:25.360 his and oh my god, I feel so bad. Let 0:08:25.360 --> 0:08:28.120 me tell you something that I had the time of 0:08:28.120 --> 0:08:31.640 my life shooting that in Boston in the dead of winter. 0:08:32.120 --> 0:08:34.640 I was so excited about that show. And then this 0:08:35.160 --> 0:08:37.719 Gray's Anatomy Park came out, which when they put out 0:08:37.720 --> 0:08:39.239 the breakdown for it. 0:08:38.960 --> 0:08:41.560 It was it might have been a guest star, but 0:08:42.480 --> 0:08:42.800 I knew. 0:08:42.920 --> 0:08:44.360 I knew it was recurring. I knew it was going 0:08:44.440 --> 0:08:46.839 to recur, and so I went in for it. And 0:08:46.880 --> 0:08:49.320 then I booked that and I was like, cool, got 0:08:49.320 --> 0:08:51.800 this this recurring role on this pilot. I got this 0:08:51.880 --> 0:08:55.720 recurring role on Grays. Although I knew that the offer 0:08:55.800 --> 0:08:58.680 was coming in the firm Grays, my manager and Linda 0:08:58.720 --> 0:09:01.520 had been in communication. They were like, it's you. You're 0:09:01.520 --> 0:09:03.960 have to pick, You're to pick. I didn't get this contract, y'all. 0:09:04.000 --> 0:09:10.280 I was supposed to shoot on a Friday. I finally 0:09:10.320 --> 0:09:14.480 got the contract on Wednesday night at nine pm, and 0:09:14.679 --> 0:09:18.080 the contract was for a serious A series regular option 0:09:18.800 --> 0:09:23.760 and I was like, excuse me, and I didn't know 0:09:23.800 --> 0:09:25.319 what to do. And I was like, but I want 0:09:25.360 --> 0:09:27.520 to do this other show, and I did not know 0:09:27.559 --> 0:09:30.680 what to do. I have no time to make the decision. 0:09:30.679 --> 0:09:33.600 And I was like, I'm gonna kiss somebody off, like 0:09:33.679 --> 0:09:34.320 no matter. 0:09:34.920 --> 0:09:37.360 And you know what, Grays, Yeah, you know what, Grays 0:09:37.400 --> 0:09:40.240 are going to be there for like thirty eight years. 0:09:40.520 --> 0:09:43.120 This is for sure going to go listen. 0:09:43.600 --> 0:09:45.640 I did not know that because you guys at the time, 0:09:45.760 --> 0:09:48.520 Grays had been on the air for ten seasons already. 0:09:48.480 --> 0:09:51.200 Which so you were like that if I do the 0:09:51.280 --> 0:09:53.720 Grays thing and it turned into a series regular, then 0:09:53.760 --> 0:09:55.560 maybe it's just gonna be the last year of Grays 0:09:55.640 --> 0:09:59.520 and then I'm gonna miss that might just be starting 0:10:00.240 --> 0:10:03.600 your journey. And so maybe all of a sudden yeah yeah, 0:10:03.960 --> 0:10:06.240 kindsight of twenty twenty, you didn't know that Grays was 0:10:06.240 --> 0:10:06.959 going to be going. 0:10:06.800 --> 0:10:07.920 For twenty twenty ten. 0:10:08.120 --> 0:10:11.200 I have no idea. I had no idea, So I 0:10:11.320 --> 0:10:16.760 just I didn't. I was like, oh, okay, great, and 0:10:16.840 --> 0:10:20.280 so that's pretty much I made the decision. And then 0:10:20.480 --> 0:10:26.360 like within gosh, five or six episodes of the following season, 0:10:26.400 --> 0:10:28.679 because I appeared at the end of season ten, like 0:10:28.720 --> 0:10:31.079 and that last two episodes of season ten went back 0:10:31.080 --> 0:10:33.920 to recur at the beginning of season eleven, and I 0:10:33.960 --> 0:10:37.280 think within five or six episodes, Shonda called and promoted 0:10:37.320 --> 0:10:38.320 me the series regular. 0:10:38.440 --> 0:10:40.720 So, oh man, what happened with the other show? Then 0:10:41.440 --> 0:10:43.120 it just it didn't even make it to air. 0:10:44.360 --> 0:10:48.800 It did one season. It shot in New York City, 0:10:49.200 --> 0:10:53.319 what I understand was the coldest winter up to that day. 0:10:53.480 --> 0:10:54.920 That sounds brutal. 0:10:55.480 --> 0:10:58.320 Oh my god, what was the name of it because 0:10:58.320 --> 0:10:59.960 it was a different name than what. 0:10:59.840 --> 0:11:03.360 We was damage control? 0:11:03.720 --> 0:11:04.200 Yeah? 0:11:04.240 --> 0:11:07.920 And then how many years did you do on Grades nine? 0:11:08.520 --> 0:11:12.000 Oh my god, my lord? 0:11:12.240 --> 0:11:13.720 Have wow that? 0:11:14.400 --> 0:11:14.800 Yeah? 0:11:14.920 --> 0:11:15.760 Is this true, Kelly? 0:11:15.800 --> 0:11:18.440 That you went to the powers that be and asked, 0:11:18.480 --> 0:11:22.160 respectfully to that you wanted to move on and ye 0:11:22.720 --> 0:11:24.920 done with the show. That's when you know you've been 0:11:24.920 --> 0:11:26.600 on the show a long last time when you're like, 0:11:26.760 --> 0:11:28.240 I think to move on. 0:11:28.440 --> 0:11:30.800 Sandra did that too on the show, right, like she 0:11:30.920 --> 0:11:34.719 does so amazing. That's just an amazing Yeah. Like artistically 0:11:34.880 --> 0:11:35.600 or however. 0:11:35.360 --> 0:11:39.199 Whatever reactly personal or professionally. You know, you're just like, 0:11:39.840 --> 0:11:42.920 I'm wanted to move on, move on or whatever. 0:11:43.720 --> 0:11:47.880 I think that. Look the Sandra has done. Numerous actors 0:11:47.880 --> 0:11:49.640 on the on the show have done it. I think 0:11:49.720 --> 0:11:54.480 that nobody expects any actors job to last like a year, 0:11:54.679 --> 0:11:57.800 let alone, you know, five, let alone nine. I got 0:11:57.840 --> 0:12:00.920 that job at my thirties, so I had. 0:12:00.760 --> 0:12:06.079 Up to the unbelievable. I don't even understand what's going on. Okay, okay. 0:12:08.000 --> 0:12:11.160 Right up to prior to that, I had been like 0:12:11.200 --> 0:12:13.400 a journey woman actor and I'd played lots of different 0:12:13.480 --> 0:12:15.280 roles and been in a lot of places. And then 0:12:15.320 --> 0:12:18.520 I played Maggie Peers for nine years, which was absolutely incredible. 0:12:18.559 --> 0:12:21.080 And do I think that Maggie Peers may still have 0:12:21.200 --> 0:12:24.080 some stories left to tell? Absolutely, Like it's not like 0:12:24.200 --> 0:12:26.240 there was nothing else to do or say in the role, 0:12:26.280 --> 0:12:28.520 but it was just time for me creatively to like 0:12:28.960 --> 0:12:31.000 get back on my horse. And also I'm in a 0:12:31.000 --> 0:12:34.440 different place in life and like just things have changed, 0:12:34.440 --> 0:12:37.760 and I thought, I think that I need some space 0:12:37.800 --> 0:12:39.520 from this to figure out what the next step is 0:12:39.600 --> 0:12:43.080 and to build up the rest Knockwood, the rest of 0:12:43.120 --> 0:12:43.960 my career. 0:12:45.640 --> 0:12:48.160 To build it out with this incredible foundation. 0:12:48.559 --> 0:12:51.120 Oh yeah, I can remember when Scandal was ending, Like 0:12:51.480 --> 0:12:55.040 Jeff Perry said something to the extent of, like, it's 0:12:55.120 --> 0:12:59.800 incredible if you can land an acting job in any 0:12:59.800 --> 0:13:05.240 way that is secure or consistent for so many reasons, 0:13:05.520 --> 0:13:09.520 you know, mentally, financially like all of those things, but inherently, 0:13:09.640 --> 0:13:14.200 like being an actor is so nomadic, and what's exciting 0:13:14.200 --> 0:13:16.960 about being an actor is playing lots of different things 0:13:17.000 --> 0:13:20.120 overall a period of time. And so he would say 0:13:20.120 --> 0:13:22.040 that when we were like getting bummed that scandal was 0:13:22.120 --> 0:13:24.480 ending at year seven, because I think he was like, yes, 0:13:24.520 --> 0:13:27.240 it's sad, but also we have to be excited about 0:13:27.440 --> 0:13:30.400 the journeymanute being a journey actor like to play different 0:13:30.440 --> 0:13:32.480 parts and whether you know you make that decision for 0:13:32.559 --> 0:13:36.000 yourself or your show is ending after a really long run, 0:13:36.080 --> 0:13:39.760 which you're so lucky to get, there's something creatively about 0:13:39.760 --> 0:13:40.679 playing different parts. 0:13:40.720 --> 0:13:42.240 That's what's big about the job. 0:13:42.800 --> 0:13:45.440 For sure. I think that's what we all signed up for. 0:13:45.840 --> 0:13:49.200 And like I said, like it's incredible, Like gosh, Ellen 0:13:49.360 --> 0:13:55.160 has been playing Merreth Gray for over twenty years and 0:13:55.760 --> 0:13:56.840 that's crazy. 0:13:57.240 --> 0:13:59.320 Imagine playing the same character. 0:14:00.120 --> 0:14:02.959 You're going through changes in your life and the character 0:14:03.080 --> 0:14:05.080 comes along with you, and they inform that. 0:14:05.120 --> 0:14:08.440 I'm like, that is unheard of. 0:14:08.559 --> 0:14:12.199 When you they keep adding those zeros, they keep adding 0:14:12.240 --> 0:14:13.040 those zeros. 0:14:14.240 --> 0:14:18.640 That's what makes it possible. Let's be real in this piece, I'll. 0:14:18.480 --> 0:14:21.560 Tell you that's what makes it impossible. 0:14:20.760 --> 0:14:22.680 To impossible to leave exactly. 0:14:23.640 --> 0:14:26.880 I love how all our lives crossed paths while we 0:14:26.880 --> 0:14:30.000 were doing press for our shows. You started doing a 0:14:30.040 --> 0:14:33.240 ton of for the upfront and the TCAs, and we'd 0:14:33.280 --> 0:14:36.200 see Kelly at all these events, and we all just 0:14:36.280 --> 0:14:38.960 had this mutual like shondaland love for each other because 0:14:38.960 --> 0:14:40.920 we were fans of your show, You're fans of our show, 0:14:40.960 --> 0:14:43.280 and it was just so it was so wonderful seeing 0:14:43.320 --> 0:14:45.680 you out and chilling with you and hanging out. 0:14:45.760 --> 0:14:46.520 That was always it. 0:14:47.960 --> 0:14:50.280 I love the show. I loved you on the show. 0:14:50.360 --> 0:14:51.600 I loved you on Scandal. 0:14:52.040 --> 0:14:53.160 We'll be right back, guys. 0:14:59.000 --> 0:15:01.760 I do think that I got to join this show 0:15:01.880 --> 0:15:05.160 at such a special time because the year that I 0:15:05.280 --> 0:15:08.040 started on the show was the same year that How 0:15:08.080 --> 0:15:10.640 To Get Away started, and so that was the first 0:15:10.720 --> 0:15:15.080 year of TGIT, so where I was boarding this moving 0:15:15.200 --> 0:15:17.360 train all by myself. By the way, because a lot 0:15:17.400 --> 0:15:19.960 of people have come on to the show along with 0:15:20.000 --> 0:15:24.120 other characters, I came alone, you know. I became a 0:15:24.160 --> 0:15:27.400 series regular on great Or. Katerina became a series reg 0:15:27.440 --> 0:15:29.160 go on Grays the same time, but she had already 0:15:29.160 --> 0:15:29.920 existed in. 0:15:29.920 --> 0:15:32.160 The unifors and been backed and she got. 0:15:32.080 --> 0:15:34.920 On Private Practice, so she was definitely knew at the 0:15:34.960 --> 0:15:36.720 same time as me and the grades, but she was 0:15:36.920 --> 0:15:39.800 not new to the universe or I still felt like 0:15:39.880 --> 0:15:43.880 I was charting new territory on my own. And but 0:15:44.840 --> 0:15:48.320 it was like there was so much celebration around the 0:15:48.360 --> 0:15:51.920 TGIT stuff. There was so much community building between the 0:15:51.960 --> 0:15:54.520 three shows, and it was like, oh my god, I 0:15:54.640 --> 0:15:57.600 just am so grateful that I was able to come 0:15:57.640 --> 0:16:00.520 on at that time because I felt low. I was like, 0:16:00.560 --> 0:16:04.080 I got to Gray's and everybody was wonderful and very 0:16:04.240 --> 0:16:08.240 welcoming and interested in engaging with me and helping to 0:16:08.280 --> 0:16:11.120 develop Maggie and everything like that. It was awesome. But 0:16:11.440 --> 0:16:14.479 at the same time, they're like grown ass people with lots. 0:16:14.240 --> 0:16:18.360 Of kids, you know in the show for a minute. Yeah, yeah, 0:16:18.400 --> 0:16:18.920 And I was. 0:16:18.920 --> 0:16:22.960 Just like nuw to la and nude to the this 0:16:23.200 --> 0:16:25.120 part of the scene and stuff. And it was so 0:16:25.240 --> 0:16:28.880 fun to be able to like have that celebratory party 0:16:28.960 --> 0:16:34.600 vibe provided by our like shared TGI T experience. I mean, 0:16:35.400 --> 0:16:35.800 big deal. 0:16:36.080 --> 0:16:37.960 That put her in that That put Shanda in the 0:16:38.120 --> 0:16:41.600 like the dick Wolf category. You don't get full nights 0:16:41.600 --> 0:16:44.280 of TV and you have multiple shows. 0:16:43.880 --> 0:16:44.880 Happening at one time. 0:16:45.240 --> 0:16:51.360 Somebody better pluck this girl yes into their show, because 0:16:52.360 --> 0:16:55.080 not only are you you're such a beauty and so stunning, 0:16:55.200 --> 0:16:57.760 but like your acting is so good. 0:16:57.880 --> 0:17:00.000 It's like it just seems so trained. 0:17:00.520 --> 0:17:03.200 So I'm so relaxed, like I'm just so oh my god, 0:17:03.280 --> 0:17:05.280 she can do anything, like she's got it all. 0:17:05.480 --> 0:17:06.400 Like it's just like. 0:17:07.040 --> 0:17:10.600 I can't even believe you were on scan. Like it 0:17:10.680 --> 0:17:12.600 was like, no, this girl is like a fucking star. 0:17:12.760 --> 0:17:14.840 Get her out of hereever be the lead of her thing. 0:17:14.920 --> 0:17:17.520 Obviously Shanda and was watching and was like, oh no, 0:17:17.560 --> 0:17:24.600 she's mine anywhere. 0:17:25.320 --> 0:17:27.600 Thank you you guys, No, thank you so much. I 0:17:27.640 --> 0:17:31.879 do I have to say, listen, there's definitely footage of 0:17:31.920 --> 0:17:36.400 me on the internet, possibly on television to this day, 0:17:37.000 --> 0:17:40.199 on my very first on screen acting job. I'm not 0:17:40.240 --> 0:17:43.360 going to name it. I don't want to searching for it. 0:17:43.359 --> 0:17:46.679 I'm going to google it right now, Kelly, I had to. 0:17:47.359 --> 0:17:49.560 I learned a lot on the job because I worked 0:17:49.560 --> 0:17:53.120 really hard and I learned as I went. So much 0:17:53.119 --> 0:17:56.399 of this is timing, and I happened to be like 0:17:56.600 --> 0:18:01.280 really blossoming into my confident at the same time that 0:18:01.320 --> 0:18:04.040 I was bossing into my abilities at the same time 0:18:04.119 --> 0:18:06.520 that you know, I was ready to come to LA 0:18:06.640 --> 0:18:08.280 And so it was, you know, after being in New 0:18:08.359 --> 0:18:09.520 York for so long, So. 0:18:10.040 --> 0:18:12.240 Are you a native New Yorker? 0:18:12.440 --> 0:18:15.679 I grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and I went to 0:18:15.720 --> 0:18:18.400 college in New York and State for a long time, 0:18:18.720 --> 0:18:20.040 and that was sort of my home base. So I 0:18:20.040 --> 0:18:22.480 did like a lot of regional theater and a little 0:18:22.480 --> 0:18:25.239 out bad Way and one Broadway show. But like I 0:18:25.400 --> 0:18:27.840 was just you know, journey Woman, a little bit of 0:18:27.960 --> 0:18:30.679 guest starring here and there, founding the pavement that was 0:18:30.760 --> 0:18:34.080 my training ground. And so yeah, I do I thank 0:18:34.119 --> 0:18:36.240 you for saying all of that. And I do feel 0:18:36.240 --> 0:18:43.399 like it was just a lot of manifesting timing, like 0:18:43.520 --> 0:18:45.439 being in the right place at the right time. And 0:18:45.680 --> 0:18:49.720 I do think also that Linda Lowe was a not 0:18:49.760 --> 0:18:51.159 a guardian angel what do you call it, like a 0:18:51.200 --> 0:18:56.879 fairy godmother, Like she just kept creating, kept like she 0:18:56.880 --> 0:18:57.520 she kept. 0:18:57.280 --> 0:18:59.040 Opening the door for you and putting you in the place. 0:18:59.080 --> 0:19:02.240 But it was you you got there that could like keep. 0:19:02.320 --> 0:19:05.480 And I had really similar Shanna used to say to me, like, oh, 0:19:05.520 --> 0:19:07.560 where did you just come from? Like overnight is Quinn 0:19:07.600 --> 0:19:09.600 And I was like I tested for all three doctors 0:19:09.600 --> 0:19:11.160 of Off the Map last year. 0:19:11.800 --> 0:19:13.520 With you in there. 0:19:14.359 --> 0:19:17.880 Because the Cat's bringing me, shoving me like in front 0:19:17.920 --> 0:19:20.000 of her face because she knew at some point it 0:19:20.080 --> 0:19:23.159 might line up. And did you say Linda was the 0:19:23.160 --> 0:19:26.160 person who cast the other pilot that you were shooting Boston? 0:19:26.680 --> 0:19:27.200 Oh? 0:19:27.720 --> 0:19:28.160 Oh wow. 0:19:28.840 --> 0:19:31.960 Yeah. She was such a champion. She was like, I'm 0:19:31.960 --> 0:19:34.160 going to get this girl a job and she did. 0:19:35.040 --> 0:19:38.520 Oh my god, she is the fucking best. 0:19:38.600 --> 0:19:39.760 Okay she is. 0:19:40.080 --> 0:19:44.720 This is sadly the episode where your amazing character dies, 0:19:44.720 --> 0:19:46.200 but we don't have to be sad because you went 0:19:46.240 --> 0:19:47.200 on to have a nine year. 0:19:47.160 --> 0:19:52.280 Run worked out okay, And it was called although I 0:19:52.359 --> 0:19:59.680