Kelsey Asbille

First of all, you don't know me. We all about that high school drama.

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We have a guest today that Joy snagged that I am pumped about.

This is what we do, you guys. We just text people until they relent, and we finally did it. Joy, you hooked the big one, one of our old time favorites.

Tell them who we got.

We've been chasing you forever, Miss Kelsey Spial. Guys, this is Gigi. It's gg.

The cutest. No, thank you all for having me.

It really means so much to me to be here.

We keep thinking about you, especially the you know you're shown up on the show in and Out. We were on season six now, as you know, because you just watched the episode and you really it's so fun to see these characters like you who who came in, made a dent and then disappeared and then came back and made another big splash. The consistency, the heartwarmingness of it. If that's a word, it's not, but I'm going to pretend it is heartwarminginess.

Yeah that's a word. Sure, Yeah, for sure, I'm going to make I love that word. Kelsey. The like biggest thing.

That we have talked about over the years is this mystery of how old you were when you asked, because babe, like we were all old playing teenagers and you were a real teenager, but we didn't know if you were like a.

Preteen, Like how old were you?

I was thirteen, Oh my god, yeah, and y'all were like these beautiful like because you're twenty four. I think when when I started.

Oh we're like years older than you, I think, oh my god, and.

You were thirteen.

That's my bra For the audition, you stuffed your bra. Oh my god.

I had to, and I thought I remember, I thought I was auditioning for a cheerleader, so I borrowed my friend's cheerleading outfit and they were like, no, no, no, this is the school nerds hysterical way.

You went into the audition with a cheerleading uniform.

Oh yeah, well, I like brought it on the set like with me because I didn't know what I was doing. I had no idea. I mean, it was my first job, so I uh, it's like stuttered my way through the audition, and obviously, like the nerd, it was a better fit.

You did not tell them you were thirteen, though.

I think I don't think I lied.

Maybe I of omission.

Maybe I just wasn't in there. Yeah, they didn't ask you those days, Kelsey.

I have a child that's turning fourteen, and the idea.

Of yeah, carrying the weight the responsibility of a role like what you were playing like is horrified to me.

On a show with a bunch of adults. Maria just turned thirteen last week, it's the same thing, like, yeah, I'll text you photos.

It's insane. Oh my god, you're right, Hillary, the weight of that.

I didn't know at all what I was doing, and I was just so happy to be there. I couldn't believe my luck that I just I do remember getting the note like to stop smiling. You know. I was just so happy to be there. And yeah, so it was such a learning lesson. And you know, because I was so young, my mom and I would drive up because I'm from Columbia, South Carolina, which is like three

Oh, you couldn't have had a better scene partner.

Oh yeah, No. I was in really good hands because.

He was also a child actor and so understanding kind of like you're a part of the team, but you're also still a kid in a grown up world. He really understood how to navigate that. And I think he was really nervous, you know, for all the men for you to get paired with on the show, Lee Norris was like the best and safest place to be.

Had you been doing theater, Like, what was your background that led up to.

This teen drama splash my awkward.

Years on TV? Yeah?

Forever?

I you know, I did school plays and I remember I did my first community theater spot and I remember that being such a pivotal moment, because you know, you have people who work nine to fives who are coming in because they really love it, and and that kind of passion, learning that kind of passion at such a young age was so special. And so I got local agent and this audition came my way, and I mean, never in a million years, you don't ever think it's possible.

Gosh, wait, so had you ever kissed a boy in real life? Or was One Tree Hill?

Like yeah, this is terrible, Okay, so we're diving in, Go Go Dark, Go Dark.

Yeah, exactly.

So my first kiss was on One Tree Hill was with James in that scene.

Oh god, wait what your first kiss is James Lafferty?

Oh god, it was poor.

Like every other man you date from that point forward when your child.

Oh no, no, it was it was I remember I was so incredibly nervous, like kissing my hand, not eating the shrimp speeper that day.

Yes, and I'm been gum.

I remember talking to Sophia and being like, do you kiss during rehearsal?

Like I don't do you're supposed to do.

And the worst part is is that in that scene I jump him and kiss him and I and I have braces, and so when I tell you that I jumped this poor man and punched his face with my face, you can hear the smack and.

His teeth.

Oh my god, that was the worst kids of my life, of his life. Yeah, I should issue an apology. So so sorry.

Wait, which scene was this? I'm so confused.

Why do I not remember this? Was it on the basketball court or something?

No, it's when we're reenacting all of Naley's moments.

Yes, yes, at your engagement party?

Yeah, it was season.

Wock okay on the stage?

Right?

Was the season three season? God, that's so hilarious. Listen.

I had so I had such a bad kissing scene with James in season one that they made us reshoot it twice because they were like, they're like, you guys just look like you're hurting each other. So Kelsey, frankly, I'm happy that you really gave him the what for because payback's a bitch.

Well, that's hilarious. Got much better, I don't know. They're always still awkward to you.

Know, they're so awkward, especially having your first real kiss on camera.

That is that's tough.

I had to do that in a pilot that I did when I was fourteen. It was the same thing, and I just didn't I didn't know what to do. It was fine, like I had. I think I had probably kissed a boy at summer camp, you know, like nah, kind of a kiss, but not a real I mean it was supposed to be making out on a couch with a boy. What And my dad walks in. Paul Servino was my dad, and he walks in. He's like,

You were leaps and bounds ahead of me. Wasn't even wondering the open mouth. I should have talked to you before, hid No.

But apparently I did it badly because whatever I did when they said cut, the guy was.

Like, uh, are you okay? That was kind of weird. I was like, I don't know what I'm doing. I'm so sorry.

I love it.

These are my favorite kinds of stories about work, because.

People forget that, like you personally aren't always caught up to what your character does.

I had to play so many drug addicts when I left One Tree Hill, and y'all know I've never done drugs, like I'm not a drug girl, and just trying to fake it like yeah, I guess, yeah, I way.

We listen.

Yeah, I'm so bad.

They maybe had you start off as like the square chick. You were still always way too pretty, but then they turned you into like.

Loo, Yeah, what a progression did they?

I think they tried.

They did, they did.

It succeeded, but it was strange.

I mean, I was curious about your take on it, which I don't know if you want to talk more about that in the episode or now.

But yeah, what we were watching was just like, well.

But yeah, because the five year jump, it I feel like it caught up to y'all closer, closer to y'all's real age.

Yeah, it was further away, further away. Yeah, So wait, how old were you when we were playing the jump?

I think I was sixteen?

Holy christ, yea, oh god, they made you say that stuff and you were sixteen years old.

Yes, and I am so. I'm thirty two and I still don't know how to flirt. Oh my god, watching the episode just now, being like, is that you talk to men? Like?

We had that discussion two podcasts ago. We're like, does it with Austin?

We're like, do what actually?

Like?

Is this ever happened to you? Appearly? Sometimes it does, but it's rare.

I wish I had the balls, but oh I know so Yeah, I was faking it, faking it till it was.

Making Were your parents shocked?

Were your parents like I don't know about this content or were they How did you approach acting and storytelling from a point of where you're comfortable with that at that age?

Yeah?

You know, my my parents throughout my parents were so wonderful. My dad was really Chinese about it, where he was like, look, if you make good grades, you can do.

Right.

It's an experience.

She's on honor roll.

Who cares if she's on a news desk.

Yeah, it wasn't so happy about the time jump, but being a nerd at the gym is tope was totally and my dad and my mom was so I mean, I got to thank my mom because she really was, so she's always given me the gift of possibility. It was like, why not, why not take a leap? And why couldn't this happen? Why couldn't you be on TV or or you know, whatever I wanted to do? And so I think and he was always with me on set, but I think, you know, navigating the time jump too

Did you run lines with your mom?

But I did I run lines?

Like who did you run these lines?

Yeah?

These lines?

Dad? Can you come run these lines exactly?

Can you be mal Oh?

God, you know, I don't remember.

I don't remember.

I remember, Like I also remember y'all being so wonderful and protective as well, especially when yeah, we were shifting gears and she was getting more sexy, you know, like having to take my shirt off and I and I remember being really nervous about all of that and not

You don't until you see someone else do it. Yeah, right, do you see another chick.

Do it and her world doesn't fall apart.

You're like, oh no, I guess I'll just make myself fit into this position. And I think I thought you were fifteen and that was shocking, and you telling me that you were thirteen and then like six team doing this is just.

Blowing my mind, like as a hard time, your level of professionalism.

You know, you were tricking the girls who were already like in the fight, we were already the ones who are.

Like this is bullsh you can't do this, And you came in and you were like, I am totally composed, and I am going to make the best of this situation. Yeah, it's a level of professionalism you wouldn't expect from like a kid.

You were a kid, but listen, I had so much support through y'all and through the crew because I grew up also with the crew, like from I think thirteen to seventeen when I was on the show, So I did feel I always felt really protected in that way.

Yeah, you brought so much good energy in Like it makes sense that everyone was like protect her at all times.

Yeah, it was like little sister energy. We did want to protect you, especially because you were so beautiful. We saw the content that was coming your way. We knew the person who was writing it and the person who was like putting you in those positions, and yeah, I think we all were feeling protective and wanting to just make sure that you're okay, like just hanging around on set a little longer when you had your scenes and just making sure that you were comfortable. I remember having

This?

Is all? This okay.

And I'm sure you had those conversations with probably Hillary and Sophia too, but yeah, we were talking about it behind the scenes and making sure you were good because that's just such an uncomfortable position for thirteen sixteen.

And Barbara too. I remember Barbara also being like is she okay?

Everything all right?

Yeah?

Oh yeah. We were like orcas.

We would all just kind of like circle over, so whether or not you could see us, the Orcas are there, yeah, ready to flip boats.

They also needed help with just like the girl like you know, of like I remember I had to dance in one scene, which is all so terrifying.

Yeah, that's a comfortable know how to deal with.

This or like you know, yeah, it was a lot of a lot of growing up and navigating, you know.

But we also had this cool pack of younger girls on the show at this point, like you, I think we're the youngest of them.

But we had Kate Vogel who was there.

We also had Ashley Ricords who was there, and all of a sudden, I'm.

So happy because I think, I think because I don't know if Kate and I ever crossed, but Ashton I did, and I was like thank god.

There's another one.

Yeah. Yeah, but but it was kind of like Peyton and Brooke all over again. Because if you're the Brook and you're the slutty one taking her shirt off, and she's the angry Peyton one who's climbing out of windows of being grumpy, you know, like that that's fun to watch.

Yeah, she's incredible in this episode too.

I'm curious just from an acting standpoint, because you weren't given too much meat on the show, you know, you you it was pretty fluffy material and you always were just so sincere and you made the most out of I think just because you were kind of so in your body and you maybe because you were so young, you weren't really quote unquote acting, You were just being there and present. But it is the material was just

My husband doesn't believe that I know you.

Jeffy's always like, you don't know her, Hillary, No, She's like important, you don't know her.

Tell him I can't believe. I know you.

Don't know her, but no, you're a beautiful dramatic actress.

Y'all got to come to Montana because we got one more season left.

Oh, I'm glad to hear that.

Joy has been talking about being on Yellowstone for years.

If you don't put her on a horse, oh my god, it would be amazing.

Should be in the background.

We're not gonna put in the background. Enjoy going right front and center.

Please, I'll just ride a horse through the background. But anyway, I'm just curious about your your progress as an actor. How you went from this sort of surface and then you're on a Disney show. And it's really unusual, I think for actors who start out in that tier to move into something that's so well respected and really the quality of your work is so so, so excellent and nuanced, and it can be hard to, I think, to drop into that place when you're used to sort of doing

No, It's like when Michelle Pfeiffer did Grease Too, and then she did you know, Scarface right after that. You know, like it's making the jump from the giggly to super serious work.

Oh that it.

Means so much, first of all. I mean really, I think me at thirteen, they couldn't believe that I'm sitting here talking to you all, like you should be over the moon right now. So it's so special. I yeah, I think when I was on one trail, I couldn't believe I was there. I was just lucky to be there. And so you kind of and you're taking in as much information as you can because you're learning how sets work. And I think that is, first off, such a valuable lesson.

In and we try again, and so fun and you're.

Playing dress up. It was. It was so wonderful and I don't know, I mean, to this day, I I feel like I'm pulling the wool over for once.

I So you didn't do any dramatic training or anything.

I think I need to.

I really should I need something?

No, don't you know we all do.

We just wear sponges. We just try and pick up as much as we can from our fellow actors and and trying new things and and and what's really fun too, is I mean your relationship with the work changes constantly. And I even found you know, I found auditions just horrible and I couldn't stand it. And then with the self tapes and stuff, I finally just thought, you know what, this this is part of the job too, and like,

But well, you can see the level of seriousness that you brought to Gigi, because she could have just been a punchline. And when she's hurt by mouth, when she's younger, and when there's like this validation she's seeking from him, there is a level of sincerity there that's not on the page. That's something that you infused into the character and made her very human and very girlish and likable. And you know, even if she's trying to seduce poor Millie's boyfriend.

She's likable.

Man.

Yeah, like you can't be mad at her. You did that?

Oh well, bless you, Troy.

I tried.

I think it was being in high school. You just you know, I was saying, ear like, you just feel everything exponentially, So it was so easy to kind of put all those raging feelings into this. I think that's why people connect with this show. So my sister was so young when she she never she's eight years younger, so she didn't watch it when it came out. Wow, watched it from start to finish.

It's so funny like.

Seeing these new generations watching the show, how it really resonates with them. I mean, my sister was like, the next convention, oh my god, yeah, that way, I'm inviting myself.

Bring her ring her.

Do you still get recognized from ASGG.

The fans to this day are the best fans of any project I've ever been.

On the fact that you the fact that the.

Fans remember my lines, when I'm just a blip on the show is unbelievable. So yeah, I mean I think that was why I was in a bar and someone came up to me and said one of my lines, and I couldn't believe it. But they are going to those basketball games and seeing for the charity basketball games. Yeah, the fans come from all over the world. I mean, it must have been so crazy for y'all, like such a wild experience.

Well, the fans have questions for you.

We just put out a query last night on social media and there was a flood because the everybody.

Is attached to your character. If Peyton Sawyer.

Had thrown herself at someone's boyfriend, she would have been philified and was. But when Gigi does it, she's a doll baby. Everybody loves Gigi.

I love it. I love it.

Yeah, somehow you manage that, you managed to like get your wege yourself into one of the favorite fan relationships mouth and Millie and still people just love Gigi.

How did you do it?

Well?

I was watching last night being like this is not okay, Oh my god. And yeah, I really fell for Millie. I'm so sorry that she was It was really against me. Kelsey's wilts.

So we'll tell her, We'll tell her that you said that.

Yes, okay, So Carly wants to know did you relate to Gg's character at all?

Or is she just like the complete opposite of yourself?

I think I am. I may be more comfortable being the school nerd versus being the second two point.

Zero, the fembot. Well, I don't know if.

I was quite so you know, poorn me as Gg? I know? Yeah?

What was her deal?

Yeah?

Yeah, okay, let's see.

Carolyn wants to know if you could have created your own storyline for Gg, what would that have been.

I think I would just want to be in more scenes with y'all, to be honest.

A girl time.

Yeah, why didn't we ever get like a Gigi, sam uh Mia, peyton Brook and Haley weekend?

Because they knew that we would tell the younger girls run That's.

Right, I guess that's true. Block that number on your phone. Run.

No. We did have a good time though at the hundredth episode party you were there?

Were you?

It was that that was the party where everyone was all dressed up?

Was that some party?

Yeah, we had a big party that you were at, because I remember you showed up with a couple of the other girls. Yeah.

I think it was that boathouse restaurant, like one hundredth episode party.

Right on the at the beach.

I don't know.

I mean I remember going to the season three wrap party and you know, like wearing the ugliest dress that I thought was gonna.

Be so cute.

We all regret our fashion back then and don't feel bad.

A lot of those Empire waste like bubble dresses.

Yeah, the bubble dress. Half of what we talked about on this show.

Why did we wear that?

No, Yeah, that would have been fun to have an all girls thing. I know Peyton needed an intern, peydon't have an intern. I frankly, I'm really jealous that, like Lee had not only an intern, but she was so popular she had a going away party.

Like yes, well, actually, speaking of that, keV wants to know what your favorite memory is from working with Lee.

Oh gosh, my favorite memory? Well, okay, this one is so this one's so funny because it's like, I'm so lame in this story, but I remember it was. It really has to do I think with kind of what we were talking about before, of like how kind and generous. Lee was like knowing that I was so young, and then also and just being like so welcoming and protective and patient and so for his birthday, I remember I got him. I mean this really dates me, but I bought him iPod socks.

Ah, my pod socks?

What is that?

Apple had just released iPod socks in like multiple colors.

And I got these socks that have iPods on them or are they socks that you put your iPods in?

It were like socks your iPod And I thought it was gonna be really cool. And I like, it's the lamest gift ever.

And I was thoughtful, making me.

Feel like I had gifted him a round. It was just so he was like this is so cool, thank you so much. Like he was such a sweetie about it. Like I think back on it and thank god he was. Yeah, that was so way too generous of a response for that.

Yeah, iPod socks are like a thing that should be like we should have like iPhone socks.

I don't have an iPhone sock. If someone brought that.

To me on set, I would use an iPhone sock.

Yeah, I keep your screen all fresh and clean, girl, Yes, sounds great.

My other favorite memory of him is probably seeing him at the convention now, because this was when I was I was probably like twenty five or so, and I brought my mom and my sister and you know, just being like old enough to like grab a drink and just hang out.

Really, had you watched him on like Boy Meets World or you were Were you even alive when that.

Show was on?

Oh my gosh, yeah, yeah, of course he was like yeah, big Minks fan. So it was like really bonkers to be working with him.

Hold on, I need to go off on a tangent question here, because it's dawning on me that, like you were our target demographic when the show was on the air, and so before you joined the cast, were you.

Like a Lucas girl? Were you a Nathan girl?

Like?

Who did you as like a girl have a crush of?

It was very easy for me. I was completely a Nathan girl.

And you got to kiss James your first out scrape kiss.

Oh my god, it's such a crush on James too.

So then like it was he's so nice, yeah, oh.

My gosh, so nice and so yeah, oh god, yeah, it was cruel, the whole kiss thing.

And you guys were closer in age too.

You don't want to get what you want for you know, Well, that's it.

The horror of having like a childhood crush and then actually kissing that person on camera.

Oh no, horrifying.

I couldn't ever, that's an actual nightmare you'd wake up from and go I hope that never happened.

It didn't like six different ankles being back on it. Now, why did you did we need that?

Oh?

God, too many times that he probably had to ice his mouth.

Oh honey, those are just love bites.

This is fine, Yeah, fine love brace lesions. Oh it's so good.

Fine, he's healed, he's healed, He's fine. I don't worry about him.

Okay. Do you typically watch the work that you do?

Like?

Are you have you watched Yellowstone?

Are you a fan of Obviously you're a fan of the show, you're on it, but like, do you watch it all?

Or are you like I can't watch my work?

I oh, I think I'm I love watching, like even rewatching this episode today. I love seeing I love seeing.

All of you.

I loved watching the show. Yet it felt so good I could skip over my thoughts. What's up a little too much. I was like texting my sister and was like, oh my god, Hey, this is so.

It doesn't get better. We're six seasons in and I'm still like, oh god, I'm on screen.

Doors are brave for what for?

Yeah, just like it's painful. You're all so much better actors.

No, babe, you honestly, if somebody else could have come in and really made all of that stuff just loathsome you know, and you Gigi always has a twinkle in her eye even when she's saying hainish, and there's this element of mischief and like, I'm just gonna see if I can push this boundary and what I can get away with. And yeah, it's not great for poor Milly, but I don't know another actress who could have made it likable.

You know, you handled that.

I totally agree, Yeah, somehow it was still wholesome. Well, you were like, let's have sex and your girlfriend doesn't need to know.

She's so likable because she's a child.

Oh god, oh god, it's so Yeah.

Did boys at school think that you were fast because you were playing a fast character on TV?

Fast?

Fast?

That's my old timy word.

That's such a good question. I mean I do remember one of my one of my best friends moms being like why, like to my mom, like, what are you letting her do this? Say these things television?

And what control would your mom have? Like who is she going to say?

No?

You know, like exactly like it was so my gosh no, but I think that my mom just kind of let that roll off, or she was like, but I do the the boys thing. I mean, I was so not fast, so very.

Slow, same glacial over here, so good.

Those are the things. It's like, Yeah, it's like when I had the I had to grind up on some boy in an episode. I was like talking to my best friends being like, okay, let's get up on the table, like, you know, show me what I'm supposed to do. I don't know.

It's so cute.

Your friends coached you.

Oh yeah, your fast friends, your fast.

Friends, My fast friends.

Oh man, I want to beat your fast so good.

Hey Gina, you're fast, come on over here, Shelly, so good. I like best friends, oh friends. On this note, we're going to ask you to tune in. Next week. We've got another episode with Kelsey Asbial. We're going to talk about episode twelve from season six and super excited to have her back with us. You can hear lots lots more from her coming up.

Hey, thanks for listening. Don't forget to leave us a review.

You can also follow us on Instagram at Drama Queen's ot.

Or email us at Drama Queens at iHeartRadio dot com.

See you next time.

We all about that high school drama girl, Drama Girl, all about them.

High school queens.

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