By Christina Radish

Joanna Garcia at the CBS/The CW/Showtime All-Star Party held at Boulevard 3 in Hollywood, Calif. on July 18, 2008.

MediaBlvd Magazine recently caught up with the co-stars of Privileged, who were excited to talk about exploring the relationship between their characters.

MediaBlvd Magazine> How did each of you end up playing these roles?

Joanna Garcia> I read the script, having had a lot of long-standing relationships with the people over at The CW. It took awhile to get all the ducks in a row, but I ultimately had a meeting with (executive producer) Rina Mimoun and fell in love. I knew all the players that were involved, and I was really excited to do some business with Warner Bros., and I was excited to go back to The CW.

Brian Hallisay> For me, this is my first series. I had been down that road and tested on a few pilots with the fine people at Warner Bros. before. Actually, I was out of town for a week when this audition first came up, and they were not sure if they were going to be able to reschedule it. I came back into town, late one Sunday night, and they had rescheduled it for 9 am on Monday morning at Paramount. I was actually contemplating not even going to the audition because I was really tired and not really in the mood. It was at a time when not a lot had been going on. It was in June, so I was preparing for a really slow summer. But, I went in on a Monday morning and met with Patrick Rush, the casting director, who had always been very kind and generous to me, and Rina, who I had met with on a pilot, the previous year. I read with them one time and, a week later, I was in front of the studio, testing. It all seemingly came out of thin air and happened pretty quickly, and I was thrilled to get the job.

MediaBlvd> Was there something specific about each of your characters that made you want to play these roles?

Joanna> Everything about the script and the way that Rina brought the tale of the book to a tele-play made me want to do it. From the moment I read it, I knew that I had to play Megan Smith. There were so many gems to everything that she had been given to explore and work through. For me, it was really the whole package, and understanding Megan, in a very real way, from the moment I met her.

Brian> For me, they were in the process of rewriting the script, so I had a very limited knowledge base of the full character. I didn’t have as much time to think about it or spend with it and, to be honest, it really came down to the fact that I had a few auditions and they offered me the job, and I was happy to take it. Most of the discovery has come in the last few months, since we’ve been working and the storylines have developed. But, in terms of the immediate decision to take the job, it was just as simple as that.

MediaBlvd> What is your favorite part about playing your characters?

Joanna> I just feel like I connect with Megan, on so many levels. I’m really proud of her. She’s a young, strong, independent woman, and a really strong female voice on television. Along with the partnership that I have with Rina, in creating this character, and elaborating on the original book that was written by Zoey Dean (called How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls), I am really impressed by her, on so many levels. She represents the woman that you hope to be. She’s just a really neat girl.

Brian> I’ve enjoyed the mellow, cool, calm and collected aspect of Will Davis. With most of the TV work that I’ve had in the past, there was a lot more intensity and drama going on. And, a lot of the theater work that I’ve done was much heavier. I’ve found that I’ve become a much more relaxed person, in the last few months, because when I show up to work, my job description is basically to be cool and just really good with everything. Nothing bothers Will, and that’s somehow found its way into my personal life.

MediaBlvd> If someone who hasn’t seen Privileged before, asks you why they should watch, what would you tell them?

Joanna> We’re a young show. We deal with a lot of current issues. We definitely offer a little bit of escapism into a world that is a little bit intriguing, with the massive wealth of the girls and Will. But, we tell these real stories with a lot of heart and humor. What I hope for, with the show, is that people tune in because it makes them feel good, but they’ll still feel like they’re getting all of the juicy drama that you want when you’re taking an hour out of your day to watch some television.

Brian> I would tell people to watch because they’ll be surprised at what they will find. A lot of people out there know of 90210 and Gossip Girl, and the soap operatic melodramas, but there is a really sharp, biting, comedic tone to this show that I don’t think is present in the other shows. The writing is so smart, the characters are so well-crafted, and everybody really hits their mark. As the season goes on, we’re really starting to hit our stride, so if people were to tune in now, they’d really get a sense of what the show is about and, hopefully, like it.

MediaBlvd> Joanna, who do you think Megan should end up with, romantically?

Joanna> I definitely think that there is a lovely chemistry with Megan and Charlie having known each other for so long. He clearly cares a lot about her, and knows about her and where she comes from. With what’s been aired, and with what people know of the two characters, there is going to be a lot that will surprise people. At the end of the day, I think Megan is coming into her own. She’s trying to shake the skeletons in her closet and fall in love and open herself up to that world. With the hope and longing for that in her life, you’ll be surprised to get to see all of that. As for Will, there is the potential to be a huge love story there for Megan. They discover things within each other that they didn’t really know about themselves. Charlie has a girlfriend now. Who knows where he will end up, what he will end up doing, and what his feelings ultimately will be for Megan.

MediaBlvd> Brian, how do you think Will really feels about Megan?

Brian> Megan is unlike any girl that Will has ever met, in his life. He has been raised with that wealth and the social life that he’s had. He’s never really had to think too much about what it is that he really wants out of a girl. I would imagine that everything has come fairly easy to him, socially and with the co-eds. Then, this girl came, in a bit of a whirlwind, and made a real impression on him. They bring out things in each other that perhaps they didn’t know about. There’s a real synergy there. He’s finding himself thinking about things that he’s never really thought about before, and that’s given him a reason to take pause and really take a look at what’s going on, and perhaps change his ways and start to look at relationships and the possibility of settling down with somebody, whereas he hadn’t before.

Brian Hallisay at the CBS/The CW/Showtime All-Star Party held at Boulevard 3 in Hollywood, Calif. on July 18, 2008.

MediaBlvd> Joanna, how different is it to work on an hour-long show, as opposed to a half-hour show, like Reba?

Joanna> It’s the difference between night and day. It’s the difference between a four-hour day and a 16-hour day. The training and foundation that Reba gave me is something that I will always treasure. It came at a time in my life when I was playing roles where I wasn’t really given the chance to get down and dirty, and roll up my sleeves and be ugly, and just be really funny and go for it. I had the ability to work on a show, at a very early age, that just said, “Throw away everything that you think you are and go for the laugh.” It definitely breaks down a lot of walls that you build up, as a young actress, in this town, and I’m forever grateful for that. The one thing that I always loved about the sitcom world was the live audience and the energy that it gave us, but as an actor, I always responded more to the opportunities that I had to find the subtleties, in the comedy and the drama. When you have a single-camera show, and the mood is right and the sets are lit, you know you have a camera right in there on your face, and you’re able to really act in a different way. I appreciate all that Reba gave me, in the broadest sense, in being able to go there and really know what I’m capable of, and not be afraid to have a little mud on my face or be ugly or fall on my face, or whatever is asked of me. Reba called me recently and was like, “I’m reading a script for an hour-long show, what do you think?” And, I was like, “Don’t do it! You’ve worked too hard in your life. You have a family. You’re successful. I don’t think is the time in your life to be working 70 hours a week.” But, this is certainly the time in my life where I’m enjoying every minute of it. There is a major difference, but at the end of it, there is a lot of heart to both.                                   

MediaBlvd> What is your favorite aspect of the show, the comedy, the drama or the romance?

Joanna> I love the whole kit and caboodle. I love that we have a writing staff that’s talented and eager to allow each actor to explore. They’re not afraid to allow each actor to bring to the table all of the tools that we have in our tool belt and explore all sides of it. It’s all very real. We will always have a lot of heart on our show. We will always have the levity that I am so endeared to. But, we are a total package, in that regard, and I’m definitely proud of that. I enjoy, in any given day, to be able to fall flat on my face, or whatever duty calls for me to do, and then have a really touching moment with one of the characters. Just to be able to utilize all of those tools is a real blessing, as an actor.

Brian> A lot does come down to the writing stuff and the way that they write these situations and these characters, with the comedic aspect, as well as the dramatic aspect. You can revel in all of the quirkiness that these characters are based on. Most of Will’s storyline revolves around that relationship with Megan, and there’s real comedy and fun there, and a real back-and-forth. I’ve also found that being in scenes that are much more subtle and nuanced, there’s a real quietness to it. Having seen the episodes that I’ve seen, the way that it plays, there’s such a sense of realism. There’s the Rose and Sage of it all, but also Megan’s storyline, and where Will comes in. The 20-something plotlines really capture a realness that shines through. To be in those scenes where it is lit for that, and it’s just a very intimate scene with just two people talking it out, living an aspect of their life, that’s what I enjoy.

MediaBlvd> What’s coming up for your characters?

Joanna> For Megan, you’re going to get to know her family a lot more, for all that it is and for all that it isn’t. That’s going to bring out a lot of emotions in her, and how she’s relating to them as an adult, as opposed to a child. She relied on the drama in her life to avoid dealing with other things. You’re going to see a beautiful love affair occur, and get to know Lily (Kristina Apgar), Megan’s sister, a little bit more. You will really see the girls take off and be really proud of the improvements in their grades and how they’re being a little bit more responsible. They’re still naughty and mischievous, but Megan is going to be really proud of what’s to come for those two.

Brian> For Will, along the lines of the relationship with Megan, there’s going to be steps to be taken and there’s going to be a new vulnerability to the character. He’s going to be walking in unfamiliar territory and, perhaps, feeling certain ways for the first time. He’s going to continue to learn more about himself through this relationship with Megan and, as that relationship becomes more prominent in the storyline, you will inevitably find out more about where Will is coming from, his family, a little bit of his past, and some things that you may not necessarily expect.

MediaBlvd> Are there going to be any guest stars on the show, coming up?

Joanna> They just hired Sharon Lawrence to be my mother. Michael Nouri is playing a love interest for Anne Archer. And, David Monahan will play Marco’s (Allan Louis) boyfriend. We’re chock full of great talent.

MediaBlvd> Had either of you read the book this show is based on before getting the role, or have you read it since being cast?

Brian> I had not read it beforehand. I’ve read portions of it since. I stopped reading it because it was actually very different. They have taken some creative liberties with how they’ve changed the characters and stories, and it’s for the better.

Joanna> I have not read the book either, mostly because, when I was approaching this role and realizing the undertaking that it was going to be, the whole expositionary process of developing the character and the relationships, and how my role, in particular, would play into it all, I was a little concerned that I would get confused. I was having a hard time remembering my name, when we first started filming. That’s why I chose not to read it. Although, I’m eager to. My mom has and loved it, so I’m ready now to take a dive.                                                                                                                                             

MediaBlvd> Joanna, do the writers give you any idea what might happen with Megan, in the future?

 Joanna> We get inklings. It’s a pretty collaborative, creative process, so we’re all laughing, and still wanting to see where our characters are going and how they’re going to interact and the relationships that are going to form. You’re going to really get to know the drama element of our show, and the melodrama, if you will, is going to be increased exponentially, in the next few episodes.

MediaBlvd> Has anything happened differently on the show than where you thought things were going to go?

Joanna> Things happened a little bit quicker for Will and Megan than we thought they would. The chemistry and the connection was undeniable between those two characters. And, t’s been really fun to see the girls flourish. They’ve knocked the comedy out of the park. The dynamic duo that they are has really inspired a lot of storylines and created fuller characters. When you start a show, you are always a little surprised to see where the arc that you lay out inevitably ends up. You have real people playing these characters with all of the nuances that they bring to it.

MediaBlvd> Joanna, do you feel like the big sister on set, working so much with the girls who play Rose and Sage?

Joanna> Definitely! Those two peanuts are extraordinarily gorgeous, talented, kind, sweet, innocent and lovely. I just can’t say enough about them. I respect them tremendously as young women. I have been around the block a time or two. I’ve been doing the network television thing for awhile, so when there’s a lot of questions in the air, I definitely feel like it’s my responsibility to be there for them, and help them process and understand what this whole thing is, if they need it. But, they’ve got incredible heads on their shoulders, so it doesn’t take a lot. There are moments where I step in and make sure they know that they need to be treated right by the boys in their lives. I’m not afraid to open up a can of whoop-ass on anyone that screws with them.

Brian> Me neither!

Joanna> When you meet those two, you can’t help but just really fall in love, in a big way.

MediaBlvd> Do either of you get a chance to watch much TV? What shows do you like to watch?

Joanna> I watch a lot of Animal Planet and HG-TV, but I’m also starting to get into True Blood on my TiVo, and I used to be an avid Grey’s Anatomy fan. I love a lot of the true crime dramas, like CSI.

Brian> I don’t watch a ton of TV, but I have been watching True Blood this season. That just keeps getting better. And, I did watch Mad Men as well. Most of the television that I watch, I get caught up on, after the fact. I’ll sit there and do a few marathon weekends and watch some shows on DVD. One of my favorite shows, in the last few years, has been The Wire. And, I do admit to getting down with Lost. I haven’t seen Reba yet, but I have all of the seasons on DVD and I look forward to watching them all.

Joanna> He’s not allowed to watch certain episodes, though.                                                                                                                                          

MediaBlvd> Do either of you have any other projects coming up that you can talk about?

Brian> For me, right now, it’s just Privileged. We’re waiting to see what happens with the season because that will determine at what point we’ll stop working. And then, I can see when my availability is to pursue some other things.

Joanna> I have a movie coming out, this holiday season on Lifetime, which syndicated Reba. I love them and would do anything for that company. And, I have another movie that has a release date that is still up-in-the-air, called Extreme Movie. It was a series of vignettes and cameos that we all did, and I was lucky enough to get to work with Michael Cera. That was a wonderful working experience.