Someday is Today

good every it really does. You guys are more beautiful than you've ever been, and I'm so excited we're back in the same room together. This is amazing. It feels like a homecoming. It really really does. Like as long as we played high schoolers, we might as well have our own like letter jackets in high school reunion and we just o, my god, we deserve pink lady jackets. Yes,

what eyes would be blue? Right? And the draw? How many times over the years have people come up to you two and said, like, when is there going to be a reunion? So much so many I've lost count Honestly, it's probably the number one question, and it's fans of the show. It's even like the sweetest reporters we've ever spoken to, people you wouldn't expect to be saying, please

give us a reunion. Do that a lot. I really like it when, like people who are from countries, we had no idea the show aired in come up, we learned English watching your show. I know, that's nuts. It's been a comfort food for so many people. And it's because of those fans, because of all you guys listening, that we're even able to do this right now. We're so grateful and super super excited to be back together. It's true though, you know, for us, and we've all

talked about this in private. You know, there were years where when we finished the thing we did for a decade, we were like, no, we're done with that. And I think at the passion that the fans have carried out has actually allowed us to fall back in love with

the show. You guys have given us nostalgia. You have enabled us to maintain our friendships, and honestly, our friendships are deeper and more ferocious and delicious than they've ever been because, like we do get to travel to all these cool places together and meet, you know, the people who love our show. And you've reminded us that we love our show, and so now we're bringing you a new show. Did you guys ever imagine when we were like lockdown in Wilmington, North Carolina in the early two

thousand's that there would be a global fan base? Never? Never? I mean you always hope that, but you never actually, I mean, you can't just sit around dreaming that there's going to be some global like rush that we're going to become a major piece of pop culture and then suddenly it happens. And I mean, but you know, you're you're so what was two thousand and three? Was it when we started? Didn't even know how the internetworked back then?

Still dial up? I mean, were you using like a I am, yeah, you at home phones back then, I'm gonna call Joy on her landline. That's right, landlines. When it was rude to call people on their cell phones because you don't want to bother someone when they're out. I'll just call you when you're home. Now it's like the other way around. What do you guys remember the most about Wilmington's like let's talk about when we first I mean, do you guys remember when you first showed up,

like landed in it that tiny little airport. Yes, well, and always a connecting flight because there's no direct fight into Wilmington's, so you'd fly to Charlotte and then you'd go get on the little plane. And I remember landing in Wilmington's and getting off the plane and I was like, oh there, Oh, there are six gates and there's rocking chairs out front. I was like, can I sit in one of those? I love it here. Have you guys ever been there before? Now? I was like a Virginia kid,

so we would vacation down there growing up. And there was a there was a place was like Bubba's Car Lot, you know, and it was all antique picture cars that had been used in movies that had shot there, starting with fire Starter, you know. So it had been a film town since the eighties because Frank Capra built screen gems there. Yeah, and seventies or eighties, right, Blue Velvet shot there, so like David Lynch came in and did super creepy stuff and byre records shot there, which wasn't

David the best? I mean there were so many cool things that had shot there before we got there, and so for me it was like, oh, I get to go live in a vacation town where Bubba's Carlott is you know, like cool, and Dawson's had just like reigned supreme in Wilmington's. Were you guys allowed to watch Dawson's because I wasn't. You weren't. It was a bad kid show. I wasn't allowed to watch like Beverly Hills, I know, but where Melrose placed God forbidden. Still to this day,

I'm like, what I watched? I watched nine O two and oh to a point, and then there was an episode where uh Luke Perry and Jenny Garth had like an affair behind Shannon Doherty's back or something, and I remember seeing commercials about that. I didn't even see the episode. I was actually like, a way, this is so embarrassing. I was way at space camp and had awhile it's fine. But my parents watched the episode, and when I got home, they were like, we can't believe we've been letting you

watch the show with your babysitter. She's a bad influence. And I got a new babysitter and I was banned from watching forever. So I think because that show was so bad is maybe why I was allowed to watch Dawson's. Because it was like small town kids figuring it out, dude. I remember having girlfriends over to watch like the pilot of Dawson's, and when Pacy had sex with the teacher, my mother came. Yeah, that too. It was like the

first storyline. I came in on Dawson's way, though I didn't start watching until the season like three or four, or when they had sort of mellowed out. It wasn't so much of the trying to shock everybody, because Kevin Williamson was definitely in a shock zone at that point when he started. But maybe I must have done the same.

I must have started watching it later. And I remember being in college and ahead of a premiere, a season premiere, going back and watching from the beginning with friends, and I think that might have been the first time I saw that my world on fire, and all of a sudden everyone at school knew I wasn't on to watch it. Yeah, but you know, you know, we were all actors at that point or Joy, you started really young. I told

were you when you started works. Well, yeah, I mean I I started professionally when I was twelve, so um, but I was doing some kind of I was doing a lot of theater. We were all we were all drama queens in our own of our high schools and fuels. You know, we all did drama club and school plays and all that kind of stuff. So that was and you, for sure, we're right, I know you did a ton of musical theater. I was initiated into the high school

theater program when I was in third grade. I was eight with a letter jacket because I played greteld on track. And then I founded up in fifth grade with a Marellis in the Sound of Music, And so I thought I was so cool an adult because I was like Ammarellis in the Sound of Music. She's like the little girl that plays the piano while Marion's singing good Night, my someone, and she's like the music man. What did

I say, sound of music? Yes, I was crittle and sound of music and Marillis and the music man a lot of music happening in their home today, years old. Always I learned something about musicals from the two of you. Every time I worked together. I'm like I didn't. I don't know NERD club. I love it well. I didn't start doing theater until I had an arts requirement in

the eighth grade. I tried to get out of it, and I tried to schedule my semester of theater for the same semester I was playing volleyball, and my school was like, you're an idiot. You can't do that. So I had to miss volleyball for the year, which in hindsight is a blessing because I never grew so on, not tall enough to be a volleyball player. I can see you'd be aggressive. You're competitive for sure, but I'm like,

I can get in there, I can help. But I suddenly I was like, yeah, just the short kid, being like give me the long ones. But suddenly I was like, wait a minute, I've been on this like med school track. I thought the daughter like, you will be a doctor or a lawyer, or a lawyer or a doctor. And then I was like, wait, but plays or books come to life. But I missed the whole musical theater. There's still time, baby, there's still time. Will be a musical podcast.

Oh my god, I can't wait. You will write as a musical and it will be fabulous. Okay, all right, I'm ready. I'll start. Now. What show was on the air when we were teenagers that you were like, Oh, that's what I want to do. Felicity. Yeah, Felicity. I got to be in a couple episodes of Felicity. Everyone. Yeah, I was her. Teacher was like, um, seemed like he was hitting on her, and it was there was some episode of teacher seemed like he was hitting on her and um, and then it turned out that he was

actually having an affair with me. And you were also a student and I was also a student. But I also looked just like her, Like my hair was really big and curly, and so I think maybe that there was a tie in there where it was like he was.

It was super weird. I don't know, but I can say everybody was really nice on that show, and Carrie I've always admired her as an actress too, but she was just so sweet and professional and like really warm, and you know, I mean people, and we know, certainly being on a show where people came in and out all the time, it's really hard to keep track of all the guest stars and all the storylines and everything and um, but Carrie was like I always felt comfortable

around her, and she felt really warm and welcome and come on in and their makeup trailer. There was never like snobby nous or anything, so um, you know whatever. I had a great memory from being on that show. But what else was on the w B at the time. The w B was huge at the time, huge, It owned our total age bracket because it was Charmed was a big deal. It was Charmed Felicity Dawson's we grew up on Buffy, wasn't we Rock Mars was up n

until happened in our merger. Well see, yep, that was people was nuts because they were our competitor and we had this like rivalry. Don't you remember the end of Ronica Mars and their credits they had like an icon of a tree burning and we took it so personally. And then we all merged and we were on the same network and it was like, oh hey, it felt like lest side story. It was just like cool, I

guess we're friends now. Yeah. The w B. Like I'd interviewed a bunch of people from other shows on the w B when I was working at MTV, but I was always on the other side of it, like I definitely wasn't the talent. I was just the interviewer, And so it was all the small deal kids and then the one with Gregory Smith everyone that was a big one that Oh my god, they just they printing hits.

Yeah they were, Yeah they were. And so if you were cast on a w V show, it was like, it's just kind of funny that every year we always felt like we're on the bubble. They may not pick you up. You know, we're not really sure if anybody's into let them know that, So explain to them what the bubble is. Yeah, okay, So, uh, the bubble is like you you could burst any moment, you could be you could be canceled at any moment. So better, you know,

stay in line. Better make sure that we, you know, just keep our numbers up and Ginger Piece can do whatever we have to do to sell Cell Cell the show and make sure that we stay on the air. Um. But it's ironic because you know, clearly at that time w B wasn't picking up shows that we're not going to be big hits, let alone keeping them on them on the air for longer than longer than two seasons.

I think is a fair space of time to say like by then they know and yet even into season five, six, seven, eight, but we might get we might get canceled. Every season I was there, it was like, you're lucky to have a job, you know, And isn't it funny that now is adults, like all of us producing and directing, we're like, oh, that's that's a scare tactic to keep your employees terrified. And they never asked for anything. God and thanks guys. But as kids we were like, oh my god, we

might lose our job. Up, this might be the year we all find out we're failures. You know what has happened. We've reached that point in adulthood where we're like, fine, I lose my job. It's fine, you know, like the apathy has said in But you know, that was the biggest break ever. And trying to prove ourselves was funny and also like a good way to have those connections that nig lifelong friends. It's like, remember when we all went through that together. It's like having matching tattoos on

the inside. Yes, I almost got a tattoo at your wedding, so I did too, almost, Yeah, I was like, Okay, I still got the be Listen. We had like ninety three people get tattooed at my wedding. We'll do that on a different episode of the show. We'll just like, yes, tattoos. So what were you guys doing, like right before you were cast on the show. What was like the six months leading up to finding out you were on the show? Um? Well, I was. I had just moved from New York. I was.

I had been on a soap opera for a couple of years and and then I just lived in New York City doing nothing for one year. I spent all my money I made on the soap, which you know, I was nineteen or twenty, and like making a stupid amount of money, which is just so unusual, and I just it was kind of great to just blow all of it on like amazing restaurants. And I saw a Broadway show every other night. And I remember you telling me, You're like, do you like champagne? And I was like,

I don't know. You were like, I'm good at champagne. I mean, I was like, I moved out when I was seventeen. I had my own apartment, you know, and so you know, yeah, like I had. I had been kind of living on my own, taking care of myself for a long time. So when I got to l A, I went to l A because I was in New York.

I spent all my money. I went to the at M one day and I had like two thousand dollars left, and you know, I was like, oh, well, I guess I gotta go to l A and trying to get some guest spots, so I just packed up my bags. Did you know where to go now? I mean I had been in l A so much because I had pilot season since I was twelve fourteen years old. I was always flying out there for um, for testing and pilots and stuff. So anyway, once once I got here, um it was it was stupidly charmed, like it just

kept working. I just got here and I got on guest spots and on all these great different shows and started, you know, gun apartment and um, I got the the pilot for Ravens was sent to me and I flipped through it and I just was like, I don't know, I don't know if I want to do a team drama. And there were a lot of other auditions at the time, so I just kind of passed by it. And then six or seven months later, um, my manager called me and she said, UM, watched this pilot. This is a show.

The show I wanted you out a you to audition for a few months ago. But anyway, they're they're recasting one of the parts and if you, if you like it, take a look. So I took the pilot, the tape, the videotape it was. I still had that chunky tape. I took it over to a friend's house and we sat down and watched it. And I loved the pilot. I mean I really really did. Yeah, loved it. I thought, man, I would love to be a part of this show.

I love the way they're weaving in music and the the tone of the characters feels so raw and connected, and like this feels like something I could really sink my teeth into. So um, yeah, I went in and and did my audition. We should all talk about our audition experiences at some point too. But so what were you doing before? Oh? Man, I mean I was a junior in college. I Um, I had done this movie.

I had auditioned for the female lead in Van Wilder opposite Ryan Reynolds and they were like, you looked twelve. You did it. You looked really pretty well. They kept bringing me back in and I like, I eventually tested for the movie and they were like, we just think you looked too young to work. Own man. Yeah, and they were like, but there's a part. There's one scene where there's this freshman in college girl and we'd like to offer it to you. And I was like, wow,

this is cool. And I remember getting to work and they were like okay, so um, you're going to take that mark. And I was like, what is the mark? And Ryan Reynolds was the sweetest person and he was like, come over here, and he gave me like a lesson and was just like, this is a mark of what it means when they say toe up and did da da da and look for this and make sure no one's ever in your light. And I was like okay.

And then five minutes later they were like, so you're gonna like, you know, we're gonna smash cut to her walking in the room and you're in his lap and you guys are making out, and I was like, wow, this is tremendously awkward. Thank god, he's such a nice person, and he's like remained the nicest human. Um. But I did that, and then I did this three episode guest dark on Niptuck the first season That's right, yea yeah, which was so fun and so like salacious and out

of control. And then I was like, it was summer and I was working my retail job. I was working at the Centry City mall. I was working at Bloomy Dale's. I did and I were like, Rachel great, literally, yeah, I was. I was following in Jennifer Anderson's television footsteps and the anxiety that I had every day because like all the other kids who worked there were bad and

they would just take like extended smoke breaks. And I was having a panic attack every day because I was trying to recolor, coordinate and arrange everything on the shelves by size, and nobody else cared. And I was like, I can't take it anymore. Um. And then this came up and it and it was actually really interesting because similarly to you, I had read The Ravens scrimped And by the way, for anyone listening who doesn't know one,

drio was originally titled Ravens. You know the name of the basketball team, and um, I had read the script and I had wound up doing a different pilot for the same production company. Told yeah, and it was very in the line of amazing w B shows, UM, sort of like a Seventh Heaven, like really warm families, and they printed it, I tell you, UM. But it was a pilot for ABC, and ABC was like, we don't really need a family show, like this is cute, but

we're not picking this up. And fun fact, Jeff free Nordling from Big Little Lives played my Dad and my god, he's just been amazing forever. UM, but our show didn't get picked up, and then they were recasting you were part they were recasting Haley. And I got a call from one of the producers who was on my pilot and on One Tree Hill, who was like, you know, we have these four lead characters and all of them when you meet them are really struggling with something and

we need rama. And they were like, we need a character to be like ridiculous and sassy. We need like comic relief. I was like broken, it was real sassy and I was like, that feels fun. And I remember going in an auditioning UM, and then I had like I think two more a callback. And then there was the test where they were remember we were there together.

They were testing, um they were doing the well her name wasn't even get but they were doing the characters in the and the Haley's and it was this weird room. I remember that because it was like a circle couch or something. There was some kind of like two half new moon couches. I just remember walking in. You were in your headphones, and I remember getting, damn it, I hope I'm that girl and I are out for the same people. Because I was having a panic. I was like,

I'm so nervous. I don't think i can talk to anyone because if I started talking to people, I might throw up and that will definitely me and I don't get the job. It was so nervoud No. I'd been in l a like six months before Ravens, maybe even more than that, and I'd had one boyfriend, you know, like I'd only had one boyfriend in my whole life, and his friend was getting married out there. So I

piggybacked like a couple auditions onto this wedding trip. And he was so pissed about it because he had to drive me around. It was l a. It was like before map quest, you know, like it was before we had to read a map to get around. And so I go to this audition for Mike Toland and he was directing radio with Cuba Gooding Jr. And I was auditioning for the part of Ed Harris's daughter. And I went in there and I did it, and it was like kind of bitchy, and he was like, here's what

we need. We need you to be more vulnerable and like tell your dad that you need him. And I remember, like the look on my face because your dad's a green beret, right, And I looked at him and I said, have you ever been a teenage girl before? Like there's no way, no way I would make him think that I needed him. And they were like, well, it's good to meet you. Someone else is going to get this part. And so when I got cast, I barely audition one for One Tree Hill because I think they used all

the old footage from that audition. They're like, we need a bit, like there's this Burton girl and she's awful, and so I just made a tape in New York with the casting director and um I ended up getting the job. But it was all very like I'd never met everyone anyone. So when everyone was talking about tests and things like that, I was like, what is a test?

What are you guys talking about? So when I showed up in Wilmington's, everybody had already met each other because they all read with each other in auditions or tests, chemistry reads and stuff. Yeah, I just showed up and I met Chad on Dawson's Creek. I've done one episode. I've done the hundredth episode of Dawson's Creek. It was an episode where all those kids go to the MTV spring Bread were playing yourself and I played myself, and it was it should have been an in because I remember,

you know, my character's name is Hilary. They spelled it wrong. Um, But Katie Holmes was telling me, like, oh, that Chad's character was one of the handsome brothers. And my line was, thank god you told me I probably would have slept with him. And now, when you're playing yourself, you're very sensitive about that, especially when you're super young. And I was not a promiscuous when I wouldn't have a saying,

and so I said that. I was like, guys, I got a problem with this line, and they're like, who is this healthy thing? I was like, I'm not saying it, and so it should have been an omen for like the continuation of my career and saying this person I'm

stuff is this? Yeah? But Chad gotten to the van our very first day we're like going to the read through for the pilot, and introduced himself like we hadn't met, and I remember being like, this is who, Like angsty, bitchy stuff was legit, Like I was just being, you know, I was a jerk kid. Brought that energy in. It was real, real, Oh my god, I love it. What's crazy to me is you telling that story makes me realize that the three of us had the exact same

experience starting on our show. We all showed up to spaces where everybody else knew everybody because when we showed up, you then had done the pilot and you knew everybody, but you were meeting everybody for all the Haley reshoots for the first time. And then when I showed up to start working, I had already been there for a bit. You had been there for a week because I wasn't

in the pilot. I started in episode one but they brought me out during the pilot reshoot scenes that you were doing and and so it's blowing my mind that the three of us women had the same repeat experience. That's weird, that's crazy, and to learn that today is really weird. I apologize for bringing a chip on my shoulder, will show them. Um, what I think was really fun is that we got to insert little tiny pieces of

our real selves into our characters. Because I don't know that our boss is necessarily knew what they were doing a lot either. It was new for a lot of them, and so we got to influence little bits and pieces of who our characters would become. I actually had been a cheerleader in high school. I was a very grumpy cheerleader in high school. I remember having like pictures of Charles Manson and quotes of his on my megaphone and like just to be And so when they created this character,

I was like, WHOA, that hits close to home. Um, what were pieces of your characters that really stood out for you guys, either that we're there already or that you inserted. Gosh, I'm trying to think about this because I have, Um, well, first of all, I have the worst long term me, Marie ever, you could make sure

that no one would know joy. Um. I mean I remember getting there and being I was kind of, like I said, already used to being dropped into new situations on my own and just having to sort of handle

it and connect with people and make friends. So I've been doing that for a while so and I'm such an introvert that I was also like, Um, I just wanted to spend time in my hotel room and walk around on my own, and yeah that you know, I'd walked around just like being poetic and writing poetry and back of napkins and things in my mind, writing songs and like just so awkward and didn't know how to actually have a real like spending time getting to know

somebody again. So I think a lot of my experience was colored by that. Um. But in terms of Haley and and being on set, I mean I remembered remember shooting the scene in the cafe with Karen and the chili and some thing about magazine pages being sticky. We're gonna have to watch this pilot. Well know what I'm talking about, But there was something about that and I'm was like mouthing off to Lucas and it felt very comfortable.

Um Moira and Chibe were both really welcoming and really um encouraging, and um, I felt like I had room to play and uh and I think I resonated with the sense that Haley felt kind of introverted and awkward

and didn't really know how to connect with people. Because even though I'm I'm an extroverted introvert because of my business, I've learned how to um walk into a room and manage a conversation, connecting with lots of people and being charismatic, But inside, I'm crawling into a hole and I can't wait to be alone. So I think there was a lot of that part of me that I recognized in Haley and you know, connected with that what about you? So oh man. It was really interesting because there was

a there was a boldness to Brooke Davis. Well, actually I need to rewind her name wasn't even Brooke Davis. It was terrible, like one percent now that there's anythink there's anything wrong, but like that was not her name. Yeah, you know, like it doesn't it doesn't. It just doesn't feel right. Is an expensive name, you know, it's so funny is. I remember when we were getting everything settled and h one of our writers was like, well, what

name do you like? And they suggested a couple. And my best friend from college is a girl named Brooke, and she is just like one of those people who is so chic, Like she can put on something that is actually like expensive and beautiful, or she can put on a Zara T shirt and it looks like it's a designer like somebody else we know. That's very sweet. I always am like, this is like a nice outfit. Why do I look like a teenage boy in This

is how I feel every day. Also, like every single day I wear a pair of jeans in an oversized blazer. But this is not the point important. I do love a uniform, but I and I just there was something about like her spirit even in college, Like I similarly to you, I think I know how to I know how to show up in a room, I know how to do my job. I'm really really good at being

bold for other people. But I've realized, as a grown up who has spent invested money in therapy, I'm actually historically I have not been good at being bold for myself. And my friend Brook from college. Was so unabashedly bold and was never ashamed of anything, and never embarrassed by anything, and and never worried she was offending anyone. She was so herself and I knew that this character was supposed

to be like that. And I think the interesting thing is that I learned a little more about how to do that for myself because I played Brooke Davis, and I brought like deeply self conscious here and um and and self searching to her. And I think I was able to humanize her because very similarly to you, and I know we all experienced this on our show. There were things that were written for me to do as this person that I just refused to do. I said,

I'm not doing this. Yeah, we all had moments like that. We all had that, and and I think there was something really beautiful that that we got to be inspired by our characters. We got to inspire our characters, and weirdly we stuck up for each other, Like I'm like, oh, Briok Davis and I stuck up for each other every day. Yeah, that's you know. I feel that I feel like Peyton Sawyer is a very different person than I am, and I'm so defensive of her because she's like a broken

winged bird, you know. And and there are other people in our industry who have done teen dramas who try to distance themselves from it. It's like, guys, it's a genre, you know what I mean? And so for me always like owning her and ending her it's been a life's work. But also like, have we forgotten what is their show? Uh? Come on? Claire Danes and Jared Leto's class life, Like there are two of my favorite actors who make the most incredible Academy Award nominated films we've ever seen. Like,

I don't hate a teen drama. I love it. I think it makes you. And you said something that I thought was so smart all day. This is my I know exactly what you're gonna mantra, and I love it. Listen, all these folks out there winning awards with good scripts, I'm not impressed. Because if you script and make it relatable and watchable and like make somebody cry, you're a winner.

I agree, And I think about that so often, and I'm like, if we can make you weep and have a deep talk with your family after an episode of our show on a very mediocre script the we can we can jump sharks and you still love us, Like, come on that that takes some real metal, if I may say so, for all of us. So in watching,

in watching this, guys, I have listened. I have not seen anything since I left either, like no, not and I never saw the last three seasons because I was like off having babies and like you know, just on a different plane. And so frankly, I'm nervous watching because it's like, I know it's going to be painful to watch myself learn how to act on camera like I wasn't in class. I've taken classes for years, I've done theater forever, but TV acting is so so so different,

I am. I am also nervous to rewatch because I I know where my personal life was during those ten years, and I I know what you're literally health face just turned red. What you're literally healthy? Um, we got a lot of comedy. Yeah, But like I when I think back on there's so many parts of myself that I

also have invested money in therapy. Have you know, done a lot of works as you do when life kicks your ass and U And when I think about the sort of superiority complexes that I have am like how judgmental and like how there's just so many things that I look back on my younger self and you I don't know if you guys do, but I cringe at a lot of those moments. I mean, I'm still learning to forgive myself for just being human and growing and learning.

But I think back and I know I inserted so much of that into Haley, And so when I watch her, when I have seen clips or things come on, I always cringe because I'm just like, oh God, she's so like that's is that what I was like, Oh God, I'm so sorry. I oh man, Well, you know what's so interesting to me about it, though, is I also feel like, and we've had this experience, the three of us, over the years, and you know, we've talked about this

with the fans. So many of you listening at home probably no facets of these stories, but there was so much not only of us as young adults, who, by the way, knew nothing, we were learning in real times the first time a lot of us were away from our parents. Yes, like it was kind of like being pushed off a cliff and trying to get your like sky diving back back on. At the same time, it was really it's a wonder none of us is dead,

So congratulations. Like as you we said last night at dinner, we all had dinner last night, and you said you were talking about the benefit of being in Wilmington's when we weren't being able to be snapped by paparazzi coming out of a restaurant. You know, like that stuff messes with you when you're that yeng and no wonder, a lot of a lot of you know, kids without guidance, without their parents still there, just kind of went off

the rails, you know that. And I don't know that we would have been any different if we hadn't been protected by our location in a lot of ways. I mean, even the aspects of it that we did experience were really traumatizing for me. Like I it was so hard to handle this notion that everyone wants you to fail so they can make fun of you. But also you're meant to be perfect, but no one knows how to

be perfect, let alone an adult. Because we were twenty years old, and like I mean, you know, the only thing that ever because I was always like drunk, hungover, like gonna be the hard part of watching this for me is like I was, like I was a brute um, but the only paparazzi mess I ever ran into was at this hotel. Well, we are at the W Hotel in Westwood, and I came out in like season five or season six to start pitching TV shows that I'd created with my little brother Billy, and so Billy had

worked on our show. Billy and I are staying here, maybe even in one of these rooms because I knew it had like two bedrooms here. And the next thing I know, like the magazines reporting Hillary Burton seen laughing over dinner at the W Hotel with a mystery man my brother so late, you know, and I felt so violated, and that happened to me once, you know, And so I can't imagine. You're right, the kids that are just

under the microscope all the time. But it's so interesting because when we think about it, there was that external attention. There was the very real world of what we were learning on set and being human beings making mistakes and you know, being hung over and figuring out and and you know, never never, it's part of my problem. By the way, we'll get you there, we were making up

for it, but I've done since then. I think that there's something so interesting also about our ability now the privilege really of getting a version of a do over of this female friendship that is so important to the

three of us that has been such a lifeline. We do have these tattoos on the inside that nobody else has, and we've been able to be like, oh wow, weird to learn that there were some adults who didn't want us to be friends because they thought we would negotiate together, so they like pitted us against each other at twenty

that's dark like. And yet no matter what anybody ever tried, the ways they wanted to mess with us, with the way the industry was trying to mess with kids in the early two thousands or anything, like, the three of us came out like Jones of arc like just out of the fire, like white can't with us, and I really I love it. Yeah, all of us got involved

in advocacy. We're all a little surly um And I would say to us, you us no, never, No, I mean I think rewatching it together as a group is going to be fun because I didn't know what you guys were going through the show and all we could do, especially at that ages, assume like it's one of the things that we don't at that time. I guess when we were being raised different generated text, like we couldn't

even taste each other. I had a motor role of Razor, and I thought it was so cool, slip like wow, that t mobile one that was like a stiver, the sound of the sidekick opening and then the soft keys, the like taught how to be like the value of being vulnerable with each other and so that it was okay to just be like, guys, I feel insecure when I'm around you and all you're doing is talking and bouncing off each other, and I don't know what to say and I can't keep up, and like, can you

just like make space for me? Like nobody would have taught me to say that when I it's just not wasn't part of the generation we were raised, so we

can't know. And it feels so special. And I think about all the young women who reach out to all of us all the time, who are watching the show now and who talk about how important our on screen friendships are, and I'm like, man, we're getting the better version of any version of a friendship we had on screen or otherwise, we're getting it now in our adulthood, in this new era. To your point, Joy of like women actually being taught to go to bat for each

other and for themselves. Yeah, like we're not each other's competition where each other's greatest champions. But back then everyone around us wanted us to compete with each other. And I don't know, I think that all this stuff that's so scary to watch, Joys the talented one, Sophia is the gorgeous one, and you're the angry one. And I was like, yeah, I made horrible things. It's not wrong. It's like it's pretty angry. You're also beautiful, and we

all do okay for ourselves. But well doing this, I think those titles are a fun thing to poke at. Yeah, like we're going to have our friends on the show. Lee had his experiences, Antoine, James, all of our peers also had those experiences, so throughout the course of this whole series, Like, I'm excited to have them on because they're gonna have a totally different experienced things we never did.

For sure, this is what you were saying. Sophia's I think one of the it's the biggest reason why we wanted to do this podcast because as as fun as it is to reconnect, I love doing this with you girls, and you know, yeah, this is this is such a cool revisit to a major pop culture moment. Yes, but the fact that now as as older women, you know, Hillary and I are moms raising young girls also, um, just being able to offer to the younger generation a

vision of what a sisterhood can look like. Um, for women who grew up watching the show, to be able to revisit that maybe with some of their girlfriends. You know, maybe you'll you out there listening, will learn along with us some of the things that we are some of our takeaways, some of the things that we're learning as we heal in some ways, which I think this is

going to be healing in a lot of ways. Second season mullet, I had, I don't know if yeah, But anyway, I just think I think it's going to be great, And I think I'm really excited because I think that's going to be really helpful for a lot of a lot of young women tuning in. Yeah, I do too.

All right, let's get weird. UM, Sorry you can always count on me to be I know you can always count on me because I'm like I love to lean in any other reason, I got a joke, some funny feelings where yeah, this is why I was always over. This is why we're a good unit. Yeah, it's it's

we were cast really well. And it's weird to think that there was a person out there who is responsible for choosing our friendships for us, um and for me as a kid that was hard because I was like, you can't tell me who to be friends with, but like they did a really good job, Like we all turned out great in the conventions we do are so fun and so this is an extension of that should be great. Um. So yes, we're you know, we've got a whole how many seasons nine? We have a hundred

and eighties seven hours of television we do it. It's so many hours. That's a lot. It's a lot. Like when we get those messages and someone's like I'm rewatching it from the start for the fourth time, I'm like, thank you. And also do youre or like a job? Are you really us? Okay? Food? Yeah, who's going to be the person you're most excited to have? On and pick their brain. Paul's gonna be a blast. No, Lie,

that's gonna be fun. I've got a lot of energy. Also, I can't wait to hear Moira's perspective because like she was our age when we started our show. Yeah, and now I'm like, were we I just want to look at her and be like, were we idiots? Did you? Like? He's going to have Barbara too. Antone for me is so fun because his perspective on Antonina had like kids who were teenagers when we were seeing the show, and so he also was removed from it in a way where he could just watch us like spin our wheels

and be messy and loved it. Like when anton called you and just like you need to go out tonight. We're going to sidebar, you know, like you all right, I'm going to get a lecture tonight. And he would just make sure that everything was cool. He was like a good negotiator. Yeah, Anton's the party, he really is. And for anyone listening at home who might not know, Paul played Dan, Moira played Karen, Barbara played up and

Antoine played Skills. When you think about the sort of epic feeling of oh my god, I've been cast on a w B show. Do you guys remember, Because when I when I think about landing at you know, our sweet little six Gate Airport, which, by the way, when we've gone back for conventions and win Awa, I just love it here. It still smells the same, perfect. But I remember leaving the airport and I had to go

straight to the studio for like a first meeting. And when I pulled into screen Gems, the side of one of the stages had that huge Dawson's Creek mural on it, and I just remember thinking, Oh my god, I'm here, and it was so great is happening. I was just kind of the day. Still our own big old heads got put up on the side they put and they did, but it wasn't like the side of the cafeteria, the

entire sidewall. Yeah, I was down with that. We all landed in different parts of town to like when you first get cast on a Warner Brothers show, you all stay at like the river View Sweets in Wilmington's you know which is the Sweets. It's like an extended stay hotel. But then we all went off and picked our own places to live and at the beach, right, didn't you got to the beach? Oh my gosh, I think I did, because that was the year we got that those dogs.

Remember so fair we got those dogs. Oh we went on a Saturday and got plane. No. Um, yeah, I wasn't invited to Poppy Day. I was hungover party. I think the beach so angry that moved downtown second season, So yeah, I think where did you go? Well? I had the very first place I got because they put me up for the pilot. And then it was like, okay, child, here's a chunk of money. Go find a place to live. You don't want to. Like I'd never signed a least on my own before, I didn't know how to do that.

And so I found an apartment for like six hundred and fifty dollars a month that was directly across the street from Karen's Cafe. I was living above Fire Belly, and it was the first time I've ever lived alone. And there was this dude next door to me who was so scary. His name was Glenn. If he's listening, I don't even care that you know you're scary, because

you're listening to this, which proves your scary. So the way Glenn was so weird and like with lean out on his balcony to peek in my balcony, and then I found these holes in the wall and I was like, you did not, but I didn't know if it was just a building or like Glenn was like Anthony Perkins psycho. So I was so scary. So that is when I started inviting the crew to come over every time they wrapped at Karen's cafe, just because I didn't want to

be by myself. And so I ended up having like ragers at this little six d dollar apartment um and it was fun. It was a great time. I was not far. I was also off Front Street. The first apartment I found was that apartment. It was just in such a weird little building that I think there were only like four apartments. There was a weird staircase that went up the side of every level, and I think

it was like two apartments per floor. It was basically the unused space that someone realized they could be making money on because it was the other side of the rooftop of the real cafe. It was all that exposed break because I think it had been outside and then they made it inside and they put these four apartments in this random and it was so cool. And I remember having to negotiate with the parking lot across the street because there was obviously like there was no part,

there was nothing. I negotiated with the parking lot that was across the street that was like a you know, pay by day place, and I like ran around until I found the owner, like in a bar, and I was like, hey, like, I live across the street. Is there anyway I could just like pay you every month to park? And I paid nine a month to have a parking spot, which was so much money to me at the time. And I think about like people complaining about how in New York they have to pay a

month for parking. Maybe I shouldn't have been complaining, but we were just so broke, Like, you know, it was all so weird. I remember, you know, you get your like little they give you a couple thousand dollars and they're like buy your own plane ticket and then move across the country with all your stuff, and you're like, okay, okay, scary, But I loved that apartment bunch of scrap booking stuff.

When you're like, this is my scrap booking room. I was so my whole quote, dining room table, whatever that was, was just covered in photo album and I think I was into it for like a year and then I was like, well, well, I just have a I have a lot of I have a what's that called, um decush no card stock, card stock. I'm gonna card stock and I'm going to make borders and it's going to be beautiful. And I was like, no, I'm not. I tried. Listen, We've got a whole TV show that's the scrap Book.

But see this thing, even when it's not gonna last, I'm really committed to the thing. I decided to try to do, even if it's just for a moment. So many hobbies that I've been like, scrap looking, I'm going to do that. I'm going to learn how to I don't know play the guitar. Never did that either, but I have one. Do you heard of being an artist? So I think, you know, explore all these different ideas. Damn it asked Kitting. That's right. We all picked up

weird hobbies to keep ourselves busy on set. A lot of you know, pre social media. Now everybody just like scrolls through their phone back. We actually talked to each other and had the knitting circles kind of not really. The dogs, Yeah, guys, I didn't get a dog. I did little any She was in Carolina, Carolina, remember that little God Little Golden. I was a shoe lab or retriever. I don't know what she was. They were they were dogs. Yeah,

she ended up on a farm. I just wasn't ready to take care of an animal that that juncture in my life. But I am now listen, before we wrap up, I have kind of a little surprise for us. I like surprises. Joy always has good surprises. Yeah, okay, So this was given to me by um one of our executive producers, Greg Range at the rap of the pilot. Congratulations of the It could have been the end of season one. It was a big gift, So maybe it

was the end of season one. I'm not sure. I just for having this moment was definitely like the first at the very beginning. I mean, this is in six box of Don Peignon and it's not a box, it's a bottle. Because the bottle. Yeah, Joy, what did you do that we didn't do? I thought everybody was like, I think you truly like rett I guess that it was at the end of the pilot. So anyway, I've been saving it for, you know, since two three. Don't

make it worse two thousand three. But let's pop it open. Actually, enjoy this bottle. I've been saving for exactly the right moment. There's anything more dramatic and fancy than into girl. I love fancy. And by the way, like, it's so nice to be in a moment when you know it's special like we were kids. I don't know that we recognized all the time, and so reuniting now feels good because we know what special enjoy is gonna. Okay, wow, that was very professionally done. Thank you. I drink a lot

of champagne. Apparently. Look at the color. This is like a nice amber color. Um, you're welcome. Listen. I have moved several times with this bottle, so there's a good chance it's terrible, but honestly kind. I love you guys, drama queens. Yeah that works. Oh well, kids, we're gonna have a great time. Yes we are. We'll see you next week. What are we doing next next week? Where we are watching the pilots? So before you watch our show, I mean, if you, if you want to participate, go

watch the pilot and then and then come listen. We're gonna have a nice chick about all the fun things we remember and who else knows what else is going to come up a little bit, talk, just a little, just a little. We deserve it, Champagne. Hey, everybody, just by, Hey, thanks for listening. Don't forget to leave us a review. You can also follow us on Instagram at Drama Queens O t H or email us at Drama Queens at

I heart radio dot com. See you next time. Were all about that high school drama, Girl, Drama Girl, all about them high school queens and forever. We'll take you for a ride at our comic girl cheering for the right drama Gueen, go up, girl fashion, but you'll tough. Girl. You can sit with us. Girl Drama, Queen's Drama, Queen's Drama, Queen's Drama, Drama, Queen's Drama, Queen's