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The 'Veronica Mars' star joins The Hollywood Reporter In Studio to talk the fourth season of the series, which dropped a week early on Hulu.
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00:00Hi, I'm Jason Doering, and I'm in the studio with The Hollywood Reporter.
00:06Hi, Jason Doering.
00:08Yeah, what's up?
00:09Okay, so we're going to talk about all things Veronica Mars, clearly,
00:13because the new season has just dropped on Hulu today.
00:20Everyone's watching today.
00:22Big surprise.
00:23Okay, before we get into the new season,
00:26I tried to find information about you,
00:27and you're kind of, I couldn't find a ton about maybe like how you got started in acting.
00:34I don't know if you went to acting school.
00:35I'm just very curious about where you came from and when you first wanted to act.
00:39Okay, great, yeah.
00:40So my mom was in a building with a talent manager, her company,
00:45and I have twin brothers who are identical twins,
00:48and I have twin sisters that are identical twins.
00:50So when kids are very young, they can only work them three hours a day.
00:54So they get three hours of work from one of the twins and three hours of work from the other.
00:59They can't work them overtime or anything like that.
01:00So the agency found out that, you know, we had this extraordinary twin thing in the family,
01:07and they wanted to bring them on, and I tagged along.
01:09That's how it went.
01:10Oh, my gosh.
01:11And I'm the only one still doing it.
01:13That's so ironic.
01:14There were two of each of them, and you were the lone one.
01:16I know.
01:18So then I thought I saw maybe some TV roles or TV movies or something when you were pretty young,
01:24like maybe 11 or 12.
01:25Yeah, yeah.
01:26I did a movie with Jason Robards and Brenda Fricker, who were like Academy Award people,
01:31and so that was really cool.
01:33I had one line in Deep Impact where I got to say the word sex when I was 13,
01:36and I was super famous at my prom, and everybody knew my name.
01:41It was pretty cool.
01:41And I did a commercial with Britney Spears for Pepsi, and then it was all downhill.
01:47Oh.
01:48Well, I don't know about that.
01:49I think you're doing okay.
01:51Okay, so then you go in, and presumably you auditioned for the show Veronica Mars.
01:56This is in the early 2000s.
01:57That's right.
01:58And what did you know about the character Logan Eccles when you were auditioning?
02:04Did you know he was a series regular?
02:05What was that like?
02:06Yeah, right.
02:07I originally auditioned for Duncan, who was kind of the male lead, and he was, you know,
02:12the good boy and stuff like that, but I was watching a lot of James Dean movies,
02:15so I went into it super dark and, like, cool, and they're like, no, that's not good.
02:19Why don't you read for this guy?
02:20And he's, like, the guy with the abusive father, and I did well with that one,
02:26and it was my first series.
02:29And I was originally supposed to be, like, a guest star, and the opposite to Veronica.
02:33And then about six episodes in, a few episodes in, the writers, they liked what was happening
02:38with the chemistry, even though it was antagonistic, that they said, you know,
02:42we're going to, you guys are going to be together.
02:44And we were both like, you know, what are you talking about?
02:47You know what I mean?
02:47And they're like, yeah, you've got to start warming up to each other because we're going
02:49to link you up romantically.
02:51And I remember having to, like, as we were warming up, like, my character has to put his
02:56hand on her shoulder, and it took me about four rehearsals before I could actually do it.
03:00It was just, like, could not bear to do it, and because I had built up this hate for
03:05this character.
03:05Oh, no.
03:06No, it was okay.
03:07But what was so cool was that it was never intended to be that way between the characters.
03:13So it comes out of left field in a very organic way, and then it had this wonderful romantic
03:19element to the relationship.
03:21Yeah.
03:22So did you not realize that you and Kristen had such good chemistry?
03:26No, I mean, I, you know, she's obviously very easy to have chemistry with because she's
03:30just right there, and she's, you know, wonderfully, you know, present, and so we always enjoyed
03:37working together, and especially in the scenes when we were against each other, it was always
03:40like, I can be worse to you than you can be to me, and we would just try to top each
03:45other with who was meaner or whatever, you know, and then the writers liked that sort of
03:51banter that they decided to put us together, which is crazy.
03:54Yeah, it's, you really are, your character really is sort of like the anti-Veronica in
04:00the beginning in a lot of ways, and she needs that, though.
04:03I think that's, I have, you know, a little theory about why Piz didn't work out, and
04:07I'm pretty sure it's because, you know, she needs someone who can kind of like put her
04:11in her place or, you know, just stand up to her, because she's very small but very
04:15powerful.
04:16Absolutely, yeah.
04:17So I think that they both had a very good sense of integrity, you know what I mean, and
04:21even though he had his own way of where he was coming from, and sometimes morally that
04:26didn't agree with her so much, but then the creator, Rob Thomas, and he's a writer, and
04:31he would always write, you know, that I would save the day or something like that, right
04:35when I did something totally deplorable.
04:37Yeah.
04:38What were you guys thinking and feeling about the show as you're making it?
04:41I mean, the writing is so good.
04:42It's funny.
04:43It's all dark at times and serious.
04:46It has all these amazing elements, and it's starting to grow this fan base.
04:49Were you sort of aware of that, like how good it was, or what were you thinking during those
04:55first three seasons?
04:56I was just, and I think we all were, just trying to be good, you know?
05:00We like, we're just coming out of high school.
05:01We all moved to San Diego, which was not really a home for any of us, so it was really like
05:05a, turned out to be a family, you know, because we're in this foreign place, and we're all
05:09like trying to make this show that, our ratings were marginal to, you know, and Joel Silver,
05:14who produced the show, would send us around to these different malls around, you know,
05:20trying to drum up support and stuff like that, and nobody had ever seen the show, and they're
05:24like, you know, we're signing autographs for people who don't know who we are.
05:27It was crazy, and then, you know, by the time, this is what was really cool, was by the
05:32time we had like three seasons in the can, then it kind of caught on, you know what I
05:35mean?
05:36Like somewhat in DVDs and stuff like that.
05:37So it was cool, because we didn't care, we were just making something great, and that's
05:41all we cared about, and, you know, that it became this huge thing, because I think just,
05:46I don't know, there's just quality around, and all around, and I think especially with
05:51a young cast, it was very unique.
05:54Yeah.
05:54So the first three seasons, that was 2004, 2007, when it was on air.
05:59That's right.
05:59And then, flash forward, six years later in 2013, we get the movie, which had the Kickstarter
06:04campaign.
06:05That's right.
06:05And then another six years later, we have the new season on Hulu that's coming out.
06:12Yeah.
06:12We have now seen Veronica and Logan go from teenagers in high school to now being in your
06:1730s.
06:18Yeah.
06:18I feel like that never happens.
06:21I know.
06:21You know?
06:23Like, how have you sort of been able to jump back in, and what is it like, or actually,
06:30what's the challenge been while you're going through the three seasons, and then it's over,
06:34and then it's like, oh, we might have a movie, and then you get the movie, and then you have
06:38to wait another six years before you get this other season?
06:41Are you constantly sort of hoping for more, or do you just have to kind of let it go?
06:46What are you thinking?
06:46Yeah.
06:47I mean, you know, you never know, I guess, you know, after you're done with whichever
06:52one, if it's really the end, or if, you know, what's going to happen in the future.
06:55But, you know, it's cool, because he started out as such the bad character, and then, you
06:59know, to get to do, to get to be the good guy, and the guy who saves the day, and then
07:03something totally bad again, and then this romance in the middle.
07:05It was kind of a dream role, especially coming out of high school, and then to add these
07:09different elements, like the military, and turning his life around, and stuff like that
07:12with each of the new iterations.
07:15Okay, so let's talk about the new season, which is why you're here.
07:19Yeah, sure.
07:20So, where do we find Logan?
07:23He's just coming back from a tour of duty, and, you know, sees Veronica, and they live in
07:26a 600-square-foot apartment on the beach with their huge dog, who's always, like, taking
07:31up 500 feet of the space, and you sort of see him in the place, instead of being kind
07:37of the bad boy, you know, now with the military, he's kind of, like, you know, friends with
07:41her dad, you know, which never happened before, because he's a good guy, and he wants to kind
07:45of maybe point her in the direction, and, you know, where are you going with your life?
07:51What do you want to do?
07:52I want to help you, but, you know, she's, you know, jaded and cynical.
07:56She's a private detective.
07:57She inspects, you know, cases all day, and adultery, so how that is affecting our relationship
08:02and moving forward, that's where we start.
08:04Gotcha.
08:06And shirtless.
08:07Well, there's lots of shirtless.
08:08Like Rob Hoyt writes.
08:10Action happening.
08:11Rob.
08:11So, one thing that, whenever I was watching the first episode, it kind of took me a second
08:15to realize what was a little bit different.
08:18I mean...
08:19Oh, what did you think?
08:20What did you think?
08:21Well, it was, I realized it was the narration.
08:24Oh, yeah, right.
08:24We have some in the beginning of the episode, and then at the end, but we weren't really
08:28going all the way through.
08:30Was it like, when you're reading the scripts, did you feel it was different also?
08:34Yes, totally.
08:35And there's a reason for that, as people will see the show, of why it's a different narration
08:41and why it's done in a different form and stuff like that, which you may notice with
08:49what happens.
08:49Are you trying to be...
08:50You're trying not to tell me.
08:51Okay.
08:51Well, presumably, if people are watching this on the day that the episodes come out,
08:57they've already seen, you know, a couple, so I think it's a little bit okay.
09:00Yeah, okay.
09:01But, yeah, it's also much more grown up, you know?
09:04Even just in the first episode, there's a...
09:07It's a little bit more mature for some language and things.
09:13Originally, there were like 18 fucks in the first script, and the first thing she does
09:17is she's at a call box, and she's like, oh, fuck.
09:20And that's the first line.
09:22And Hulu said, you know, we want to do it for like 14-year-olds and stuff like that.
09:25Gotcha.
09:25You know, in the script, you know, Rob's so creative, so he takes that no answer, and
09:32then he puts it into where her and her dad have this game of who can go the longest without
09:36dropping an F-bomb, and it's really annoying to my character, like they're still going
09:41on after six months of this, but it really adds a humor element in where it could have
09:47been a wall, you know?
09:48So that's kind of Rob's creativity coming out.
09:50Yeah.
09:51Oh, yeah, I thought it was well done.
09:52Yeah.
09:53Can we go back to the narration, though?
09:54Did you want to say something about the narration, about it not being as much as it was before?
10:00Yeah, not...
10:01If there's...
10:02I don't know if you're giving something away, or if you're scared to give something away.
10:04Yeah.
10:05So, you know, I'll let people kind of see or whatever, but, you know, you sort of get kind
10:11of, yeah, there's a particular sadness that comes and stuff, and, you know, you watch
10:18the show, and you find out, you know, things and stuff like that.
10:21Is it in episode four?
10:23I don't think so.
10:24Okay.
10:24I don't think so.
10:25Because at this point, as of us talking, I've seen the first three episodes.
10:29The three, yeah.
10:29And you said earlier that episode four was great, so...
10:32Yeah, episode four is great, and seven and eight are fantastic.
10:35Those are the last two.
10:36Great.
10:36And, yeah, you'll love it.
10:38Let's talk about some of the new cast.
10:41Yes.
10:41So we've got Patton Oswalt.
10:42Yeah.
10:43J.K. Simmons.
10:44J.K. Simmons.
10:45J.K. Simmons.
10:45J.K. Simmons, Jr.
10:45Yes.
10:46Who are you looking forward to working with?
10:49I mean, Clifton Collins is amazing, you know, and then I've never had a lot of scenes with
10:53Max Greenfield, who's not new, but is coming back, and that was really great.
10:57There's some good stuff in that trio of her and him and Veronica and me and Veronica and
11:03how that all works.
11:04Yeah.
11:04And, but these guys are all professionals, and what was beautiful is they all fit beautifully
11:08into the world, I felt.
11:09Like, you know, Patton Oswalt comes in, and he's perfect for this role, and, you know,
11:14he's kind of bumbling and helping this case, and he's just fantastic and has all these wonderful
11:20ideas and creative choices, and it's cool to watch these pros come in and kill it.
11:24Yeah.
11:24He has this, like, this likability, and then also the fact that he's just delivering these
11:30pizzas.
11:30It kind of breaks your heart.
11:32And then he gets, you know, in the first episode, he gets hurt, and the bomb explosion,
11:36that's a spoiler, but you shouldn't be watching this if you haven't seen it yet.
11:38Exactly.
11:39But, but yeah, he just, he definitely brought something really great to that, to the show,
11:44I think.
11:45After these eight episodes, would you just keep doing this character forever?
11:49I actually have a quote here.
11:51I don't know if this was in the heat of an interview on the red carpet, but you said
11:54at one point to a different reporter, this is the best role I've ever played.
11:59Yeah, I think, I think, especially, like, coming out of school and acting class, it gave
12:04me a chance to try everything because, you know, there was ups and downs, and it was
12:08so volatile and playful and, like, you know, he had an abusive dad and, and, you know, this
12:14romance with, I mean, it just kind of had everything in the way that I enjoy playing characters.
12:20And, yeah, you know, if it, if it goes beyond this somehow, then that would be cool, you
12:26know, and I am always happy to work with Rob, and I've done several of his shows.
12:32Yeah, really pleased with it overall.
12:35Big iZombie fan also.
12:36Oh, killer.
12:37Okay, is there another character, well, I guess you just said Max, Leo, I guess you
12:44got, I was going to ask if you wish you got to share scenes with anyone that you didn't
12:48really get to very much.
12:49Yeah, I mean, Clifton Collins is so cool.
12:51I mean, he's, you know, he's just amazing, like, the way you see him just disappear and
12:56stuff, you know, so that's cool.
12:58We have a, maybe a potential dinner set up or a get-together where we're going to chat
13:03acting or whatever.
13:04I ran into him at the, yeah, just voiceover stuff, and he was really kind, and so, he
13:10just, you can tell, good actors, I love, I love that.
13:13Yeah.
13:13I love to work with him.
13:14He seems really intense, but then I've also heard he's just really nice and cool and chill.
13:18Yeah, he's totally, I mean, from just the one conversation I've had, you know, he was
13:21totally chill, and then he'll drop something very important about acting, and I'm like,
13:24wow, like, there's something else, too.
13:26I love that.
13:27Like, he's very, very professional, cares, thoughtful.
13:30Yeah.
13:30Do you have a favorite scene or moment?
13:33You probably get asked this all the time, and I'm sorry, but I gotta.
13:35No, no, no, that's good.
13:36It could be, like, a scene, a moment, an episode.
13:39It could be with Logan or without Logan.
13:41Right.
13:42I don't know.
13:43I think, for me personally, like, the one that always rips my heart out, like, Veronica
13:49is trying to find her mom in the first season, and her dad is kind of avoiding, and she, her
13:55voice cracks, and as she says this line to her dad, you can find anyone, and I'm just
14:00like, like, it kills me the way she said that.
14:03I was just like, oh, like, it just rips me out.
14:05So, like, I think, um, I love that emotional stuff.
14:09Like, that really kills me, and I search for that as well in my own work.
14:12Yeah.
14:13It really makes you laugh.
14:14It makes you cry.
14:15Yeah.
14:15I cried a lot during the first season.
14:17Okay.
14:17It still makes me cry.
14:18Okay.
14:19Even just watching a clip sometimes.
14:21Yeah, okay.
14:21I think I love, you know, in season three, and I think it was the last episode, or towards
14:26the end, at least, of season three, when you, you guys are in the college, and you're in
14:30the cafeteria, and the guy comes over, and basically, he calls Veronica a name, and tells
14:36her to stay away, or whatever.
14:37Oh, yeah.
14:38And then you walk away, and you go, like, beat him up.
14:40Yeah.
14:41That's one of my favorites, too.
14:42Oh, good.
14:42I know it's not, like, you know, feminist, or whatever, because you're going to, like,
14:47beating this guy up for her, but, you know, she didn't say anything for a reason.
14:50No, she helps me, and I help her, you know.
14:52Yes.
14:52It was just so satisfying, because that guy was horrible, and seeing you beat him up
14:56was very nice for the audience.
14:58Oh, good.
14:59Last question.
15:00Yeah, sure.
15:01Very important stuff here.
15:01Okay.
15:02Which theme song version is your favorite?
15:04Oh, of the show?
15:05Yeah.
15:06Boy, I only know the one from the show.
15:10The original?
15:10Yeah, the original.
15:12It's the best.
15:12Yeah, and I think it's good.
15:14I was in the airport traveling two days ago, and the girl, who was the security girl,
15:19and she's like, you know, checks my bag and stuff like that, and she's like, oh, yeah.
15:23A long time ago, dude, we used to be friends, and I'm like, yeah.
15:25She's like, cool.
15:26Loved your work, you know, carry on.
15:28That's pretty smooth.
15:30It was very smooth.
15:31I was like, very good.
15:32Yeah, what are the odds?
15:33I know.
15:34She just, like, kind of pulled it out of nowhere.
15:35You should hire her.
15:37Well, thank you so much.
15:38It was so nice talking to you.
15:40Congrats on the new season.
15:41Hopefully, we get more, and, yeah, I want to see anything else that you have coming.
15:46Yeah, you're great.
15:46Okay, good.
15:47I look forward to you seeing all episodes.
15:50Me, too.
15:51Okay, good.
15:51Everyone, you can watch Veronica Mars, the new season on Hulu, now.
15:55Thanks.
15:56Bye-bye.
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