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'Law & Order: SVU's' E.P. Spills on Storylines, Guest Stars and Getting Naked
Publié par Korbi Ghosh dans Zap2It le 15/08/08. |
Law & Order: SVU's Elliot Stabler (Chris Meloni) and Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) are mixing it up with some of the best in the business this season -- Ellen Burstyn, James Brolin, Julie Bowen -- and the two leads have a lot going on, too. I spoke with executive producer Neal Baer this week who, as he stated towards the end of our chat, gave me a lot of scoop! God bless him...
There's so much going on in your season premiere. Luke Perry, Julie Bowen and Sara Gilbert are guesting. We’re meeting Michaela McManus' character, the new ADA. What else can you say about this first hour?
It’s also the episode where we get into the stories of our [regular] characters. Where we left off, Fin (Ice-T) was trying to transfer, so we will find out [how that's played out]. Benson is having Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder issues over her attempted rape from last season and Stabler has something bizarre happening with stolen credit cards. This will all play into stuff later on in the season.
How about Munch? Do you think we’ll see a little bit more of Richard Belzer this year?
A ton. Not just a little more. A lot.
Mcmanus What can you tell us about Michaela McManus' new character?
As you said, she's the new ADA. She's coming from Washington, D.C., where she worked for the federal government in the Justice department on victims’ rights, because she wants to be in the trenches. She comes to New York so she can actually work face to face with people instead of just in D.C., governmentally. Also, She’s going through a divorce.
Some of us are familiar with Michaela from One Tree Hill, where she was playing a character in her early to mid 20s. Seems a bit young to be an ADA. I assume she'll be playing older on SVU?
Right, she’s much more sophisticated in this show, you’ll see. Clothes, hair, she doesn’t look like the same person. She plays in her late 20s here.
As a die-hard Luke Perry fan, I'm obligated to badger you for information on his guest role.
Yes, he and Julie Bowen are playing these beleaguered foster parents who are really taking care of a child from hell, who claims that they are abusing him. It takes our detectives on a journey, complete with the usual twists and turns, and it ends in a very unexpected way.
And Sara Gilbert plays the kid's biological mom?
Yes, it's a very emotional role. She was a victim of a rape, which is why she gave up her child. She just couldn’t cope.
Ellenburstyn_nbctca05_240 Of course I have to ask you about the casting of Ellen Burstyn. Is she going to be in just one episode or several?
Episode four, for sure. After that, I don’t know, we’ll see. She’s definitely in the fourth hour, which is going to air in October. And she plays Elliot’s mother, Bernadette Stabler.
And she has some mental issues?
She suffers from a psychiatric disorder, yes.
Long-time fans are wondering why we've heard about Stabler's father in the past -- that he was abusive -- but we've never heard a peep about his mother before.
There’s a reason for that. He doesn’t talk about her.
And we’re going to find out why in episode four?
We’re definitely going to find out why.
How did this storyline come about? Was Ellen's casting first or...?
The story came first, but she was our first choice to play the part. We wrote it with her in mind and we’re absolutely thrilled to have the person we thought of in this really important role. We’re always very lucky that we get phenomenal actors. You know, we have two Emmy nominations this year for guest stars Robin Williams and Cynthia Nixon. Leslie Caron and Marcia Gay Harden were nominated last year and Leslie won. But yes, when we decided to bring Stabler’s mother into the show, it was for a good reason. It has to do with his family, there’s a crisis of faith. CCH Pounder plays his lawyer, which is great. She’s been a lawyer on the show before, but because she’s such a tough shark, she’s now going to come and be Stabler’s lawyer.
His lawyer for…?
That’s the big thing.
That’s what you can't tell me.
It’s a big part of the show.
Teripolo_weddingbells_s1_240 Okay, other guest cast: Josh Charles and Teri Polo are reuniting on the show?
That’s right. I loved both of them on Sports Night and I thought it would be cool to reunite them. They're in episode two with Tom Noonan from Manhunter and Marshall Allman--
LJ from Prison Break?
Yes. He plays Teri Polo’s son, a [suspected] pedophile.
Do you watch Prison Break, were you a fan of Marshall's?
Yes, yes. My son is 17, he’s a huge fan, so I had seen Prison Break and we had wanted Marshall on our show for a couple of years, but he’s been busy every time we had a part for him. But knock on wood, it always works out, because this is the best part and he’s really striking in it.
And how about James Brolin?
Jamesbrolin Jim Brolin and Chris Elliot star in episode where [Jim] plays an astronaut who was Stabler’s mentor and his boss when Stabler was in the Marines. So there’s a connection between the two of them and very much of a flirting connection between him and Benson as well.
Ooh, I like that.
They go out on a date.
Yeah, I was going to ask you about Benson's personal life, because we saw her with Bill Pullman last year, but it was very brief. Do you plan to incorporate more private stuff for her this season?
We’ll see her flirting with Jim Brolin, that’s for sure. And let’s see, in that episode, you’ll see her as a blonde. I haven’t told anybody that!
Is she experimenting?!
No.
It’s a disguise.
That’s right. You’ll see.
How about her half-brother? Will we see Simon at all?
This year, not so far. I think she’s made peace with him.
Alright, well, I have to ask about something you’ve mentioned previously, that we’re going to see Elliot and Olivia in a somewhat compromising position this year...?
That’s true, in an episode called "Wild Life," with lots of animals. You will see them in a compromising position.
Can you expand on that at all?
You’ll see one of them without many clothes on.
Oh, just one of them?
Yes.
Okay, and regarding Elliot, I've also heard that we'll be seeing more with his daughter this season, she's in some trouble, possibly sex, drugs. Does that tie in with the Ellen Burstyn episode?
It does indeed. Remember I told you something about credit cards?
Ahh, I see.
I’m giving you a lot!
And I appreciate it! One last thing: I know that Chris and Mariska’s contracts expire at the end of this season. Because the last round of contract negotiations were a bit rocky, have you begun talks already?
No, not yet. Too early in the season.
If, worst case scenario, they didn’t come back, have you thought about doing the show without them?
No, it's too early [to think about that]. We’ve got to get through some episodes first. |
Article issu de Zap2It et
initialement publié le 15/08/08.
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