S2E16 You’ve Got Yale! with Laura Breckenridge

digging into season two, episode sixteen. You've got Yale, Chuck and Lily team up to try to take the company back from Jack, while Blair risks her future to scheme against the new teacher, Miss Carr, who gets into a few scandals of her own. Speaking of that new teacher, Laura Breckinridge, who plays Rachel Carr, is joining us today and I can't wait to ask her about her time on the show and dig into the steam are storylines that she has coming up. Okay, everyone, here's Laura. Hello, Hi,

how are you? How are you good? I'm so excited to like actually see your face in a little bit too. It's a crazy rainstorm and I'm like you should see my studio and in like a dark hole, but you're making it feel much brighter because it's been forever. It's time me too. Shannola sends her love by the way, I need to saying that. Yes, oh my gosh, you have to give her a big How great is she? She's fabulous, She's the best fabulous. She really mean, she's

just she just lights up every room she does. And she's directing a lot now. She she directed an episode of Shameless. Her episode was girl, We need to tell her she needs to do to be directing you and I in something. Yeah, I would love that. She's so good. I work on auditions with her sometimes. She just always has such good advice. She's she's really she's really great. Yeah, And I mean that whole cast of Shameless was so incredible.

It was like, you know, so many storylines like Gossip Girl, but every time you went on like her storyline was crazy, and then you would go to Emmy's and then you go to Jeremy's and every time that they all just brought so much like heat to the screen, you know what I mean. You're always like, whoa, that's crazy and they made it all work together, and um, you always needed to know what was happening next and it was a crazy ride. Yeah, and and talk about a show

that just kept going. I mean they did like eight or nine seasons. I think they did eleven or in the You're right, because I did. I did season eight and they went on a couple of years after after. Okay, yeah, so I can't. I still remember when she booked the pilot and I was like, how did eleven years ago by already? Well? Yeah, and the kids were so I mean they literally grew up on that show. I remember going to the table read and I was like, wait,

I don't know who these who everyone is? And then I'm like, oh, wait, that's because they were twelve years old when you watched season one this last week. Jessica, Yeah, I know. I mean time flies, It just does. I mean, even like with us, like it's been years, it's been crazy years. Wait. I want to introduce you because I got so excited. We just comped right in. This is Laura Breckinridge, and she's gonna be rewatching season two episode sixteen.

You've Got Yale, which is the title is based on the romantic comedy You've Got Mail starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. Um So that's what we're going to get into. But I want everyone to kind of get to know about you if they don't already, which I'm sure most everyone listening does. By the way, Before I do that, do you hear the thunderstormer or no? I feel like I heard a rumble, but I wasn't sure. I mean, it is like the craziest thunder I've ever heard in

my whole life. Anyways, it's actually like very like cozy. But I'm like, jeez, I a thunderstorm me too. I remember my mom used to be like, so and so is bowling today in in Heaven And I'm like, Okay, I like that. They definitely just got a strike with that, like huge thunder right there, right yeah, um, okay, So we have you here to rewatch with us and you play Rachel Carr, Miss car Um. Can do you remember

your casting story? And at this point, obviously season one had come out, so had you heard of the show? Did you know about it because of yeah, there wasn't a ton of shows on TV then, or because you are an actor in that world, like what was your what was going on? Yeah? I remember my casting story very well because it's a story of you know when you think something goes really well and then you don't hear and you're like, oh, I thought I thought it went well. I get and you forget about it. I

knew about the show. I actually had auditioned for the pilot. I auditioned for Blair, so I knew about it. And then I went back to college. And because I had taken time off to work and wasn't that in tune with I knew what was airing, but I wasn't in tune with how things were doing. Maybe I would say um, because I just didn't. I didn't have time to watch TV, so I wasn't aware. And then I auditioned. I actually

auditioned again. I was looking I have in my email like all my old audition emails, you know, with and I was like, I know, I wanted for something else, and I went in for the college student when they went to visit Yale, and then I got sent this audition and it was like teacher, who looks young? I was like, oh, yeah, okay, I look young. Um, I'm told all the time I look young, and was it? And it just you know when you read sides and you're like, oh, I get this like it. It makes

it kind of clicks for clip. Yeah, and I just felt like I kind of got her. But you know, it was like a week in New York and there were other auditions, and I think that same day I had another audition for thirty Rock and Tina Feye was in the room. I was like, very nervous about that audition, but this one was with casting. When you were casting, it's like a cozier audition experience. So I did it, and I just did the scenes I did. There was

two scenes, I think, and there was no notes. It was just a well that was great, thanks, thanks, and you're kind of like, wait, did you like it or you never know that, like give me something right. You're like you don't know if that means you nailed it or like they were like that was good, but it's not going to work. And I moved on. And I feel like with guests, it said it was a guest spot, it didn't say it was a recurring and they cast it was pretty quickly, you like here in the next

couple of days, I didn't hear anything. So I moved on, and I think it was like honestly, was like two weeks later, maybe there was Thanksgiving between some for some reason. It was a long time, and my entire team called me one afternoon. They're like congratulations, like for for what you got it and they're like gostep girls, like wait what I got it? And they're like, yeah, it's gonna

be a few episodes and and that was that. And I called my best friend from college, who at the time it wasn't she she had graduated and she works in finance and she's very put together woman, very you know, in control, and suddenly I called her, was like, so I booked an episode of Gospiel girl, you watched that show, right, And she just starts like hyperventilating and she was like, oh my god, I gotta hold on, hold on. I

was like, what is happening. She's like, I just I had to find a conference room because I'm freaking out, and I just I this is like some of the most exciting news I've ever heard. It is my favorite show and you're gonna be on it. And that was my first taste of just how like fans toward it.

Yeah yeah, um, she was super super excited. I was gonna say, from this is speaks of how much they must have liked you from the beginning of meeting you, auditioning for the pilot, then bringing you back for someone else, and then bringing you back a third time again like they were basically waiting to find something to connect, you know, put the pieces to the puzzle together for you, because they don't keep bringing you back if they didn't love what they saw. It's you know, it's a waste of

people's time. So that just speaks volumes that you kind of shined from the beginning. Maybe they didn't see you as Blair, you didn't feel the connection with Blair, whatever

it may have been. And and to be honest with you, like your list of credits of what you've done, and then like going to Princeton like I'm so like I presston enamored and everything with what you you know, like starring opposite Laura Lenny and Liam neeson Um and also Gossip Girl herself Kristen Bell, like on on Broadway, Like that's incredible, Blue Bloods, Gray's Anatomy. I Mean, you've done

such amazing work. So it's like, I just that's awesome, Like for anyone listening as an actor when you keep going back in for the same show. If you're not getting roles, sometimes it does get discouraging, but like if you get you feel good when they're like having you come back for something else because obviously there's something there they liked. So that just speaks volumes of you. It also just feels really thank you. That's very nice, um,

and a really nice way to look at it. It's nice to you know, with casting directors, you go in sometimes they bring you back, and they bring you back for different things. And there in my career there's been a good amount of casting directors who will just kind of believe in you, right, and um, there's something really wonderful about knowing that support is there, even when it gets discouraging, as you said sotially, like it's just I keep it's not it's not fitting. Why is it not fitting?

You know? Crucible? You mentioned Crucible, and I just remember this. I went in for like three different Oh I heard that, Oh that I heard it's crazy that thunder to mute my microphones. It doesn't interrupt our episode. That was crazy. That was that was exciting, big strike up in Heaven. I mentioned cruis Ball was like boom, yeah, like that's

a good show. Yeah, I think I went in for that show four times for different roles in the production, and it was one of the I went in and I remember I said to my agent, I was like, I want to be in this production so badly. I will be the grass in the background if I have to be, because I love the show and I love the actors who were part of it, and it just

felt like such an opportunity. And I kept feeling I was having good auditions, but the you know, I went in for different parts in it and it wasn't fitting. It wasn't fitting. And then I got cast, and which was I still remember that phone call. You remember those phone calls when you get those jobs that you're really excited about. And we get to set and there was actually grass on our set. Was incredible, there was grass in the background. I was like, I almost like I

would have done too. I would have been lying. I just wanted to see them worse. And but you know what you brought, you bring something to I'm sure they learned something from you. But that is a it's great company you were with, for sure. Let me ask you this, had you met Kristin Bell before that, because a lot of times people don't know, like us working on the show.

She did her voiceovers mostly I think in l A. I'm sure there was times she may have traveled and had to go into certain studios, but I mean there was years that went on that I had not met her, right right, Yeah, we worked together. We did Crucible a few it was a few six years before Gossip Girl. Okay, so you met her there, but obviously not on the show. Not on no, no, no, Yeah, It's it's interesting you

it feels like you work intimately together, but but you don't, don't. Yeah, I mean there's times you could do a whole season of a show and not have a scene with another main character. Which is so you and I had no scenes together. We didn't, but I know we shot at the same locations. Yeah, Like there's always that time where we are probably like crossing in the mare and makeup room, or your scene was before mine or something like that,

But we didn't actually work together. No, we didn't have a scene together, which I'm um, so we will have to like get on that will work somewhere else together. Um. So you went to Princeton, Yes, what did you study there? I was a classical studies major, like that's so impressive, Laura. I really like school. So I studied ancient Greek theater and literature. I kind of joke that I was maybe justifying my career choice. I knew when I went I

had already been working. I knew I wanted to be an actress, and I wanted to study things that interested me. I did acting at Princeton as well. But you can't major in theater there. You can major in other Sorry, you can't major you can major in you can't major in a trade. Basically, you can't be like a pre med major. You can't be a business major. But you they encourage that you learn how to be a scholar, if you will how to study to learn, and then

you can have a track. So I had a friend who was an anthropology major on the premed track and went to med school, and so I was on a theater track. There is a great theater program there that has just continued to grow, and there's a wonderful theater scene that's there. But you're not a theater major. You're either an English major with a theater track. And I did classical studies and I was interested in arts place in society. I would say, and how theator changes to

reflect the society in which it's performed in. And I when you look at fifth century BC, kind of distills culture in a time and you can kind of see how they talked to each other. And so I was just fascinating by the way. I find it really fascinating. It's you know, theater Crucible, for example, we revive did after nine eleven. It had been written during the McCarthy era. What is it to do? What was it in two

thousand two? What was it saying then versus what it was saying in nifty and it's saying a lot of the same things, but it has a different relationship in that time period, of course, right with its audience. And so that's what I was. I kind of studied. My thesis was on media performed at different time periods in history. So that's my fancy and so incredible, and no, who cares,

Dorky's cool man. But let me ask you this. Do you think that the show like, especially because we're gonna get into this break it's you've got Yale, it's all about, you know, getting into these Ivy League schools. Do you think that the show portrays prep schools. Yeah, correctly. And now I know it's a show and there's things that are going to be pulled or pushed or plugged a little bit more, you know. But I mean I wasn't applying to like Princeton or Yale or anything. I didn't

even go to school. So like very interested, Like did they portray it well? Like is is the waiting and the hype? And like the is the stress is all that? Like? Yeah, I was heating right on. My high school experience was very different because I didn't I went to a private school, but it wasn't a prep school. I went to professional

children's school and it's in New York. It's kids who were working professionally that need flexible schedules and a lot of dancers and actors and even horseback riders, tennis players, and that school that I love. I love my high school and that's awesome. All of my friends from high school, we were super supportive of each other. Everyone pursuing their own thing, write their own uh what they wanted to do with their life, and so not everyone wanted to

go to college. Some people were going to join a ballet company and just do that. Some people were doing a ballet company and college. Other people were going to be singers. That there's just everyone had their own track and that's what that school support courts. And so I knew I loved acting, and I knew I loved academia and I wanted to go to college, and so I felt very supportive. But there wasn't a competitive Uh. There were other people applying to college, but I didn't think

we were competitive in anyway. It wasn't like, oh, like in this episode, they're like one constant student gets earlier, right that I didn't. We didn't Blair and Serena, Yeah, exactly. We didn't have that at my high school. I was very excited. I really wanted to go to Princeton. I did apply early. It surprised me that it was. It felt like the perfect fit, but um, I went and visited.

I had worked with somebody. They were developing Dirty Dancing at the time for Broadway, and I was playing Baby in the workshop and a woman had just graduated it from Princeton and the writer of the show, her husband was a professor Princeton, and I was like, I don't know if they have an art scene there, Like no, no, no, no, they do and the woman who I was working with took me to Princeton for a night to a theater production by this company, Pig Iron Group. They were fabulous

and I left. I was like, oh that it just felt like a fit for me. And I was very happy that my school helped me find my fit right. And I do think whatever your step is after high school, you're very young at that time, but it is trying to find what fits for you, what's right for you. Yeah, not every path, Not everyone's path is going to college or going to a theater school or going into the right you know, trade like it. It's all very individual, but we do, you know, and I think really people

need to know that for sure. That's so good. Once I got there, and then you hear stories about the prep schools, you know, it does sound those it does sound intense, more intense than I mean, I feel like it's intense. It's intense like because I think sometimes if you're at a certain school, there's pressure to then continue

on to a certain type of education if you will. Yeah, and so that was not my experience, and so I do feel like I was a little bit like outside looking and being like is that really what it's like over there because it didn't feel that way for me, right, Yeah, I think I think it does get competitive at certain schools,

certain high schools. I mean, I'm I'm sure. I mean, I know this is gossip Girl and there's always like some crazy breath being dropped, but like there's I think there's definitely an element in real life of waiting and the right for sure. Actually, we have a fan question for you. It's in real life, would Laura be more like Miss Car, Serena or Blair? And I'm only jumping right to that because Blair and Serena are so different trying to get and then the fact that Serena gets

into Yale and Blair quite doesn't. And then you know, you have Miss Car that comes in, who's like so wonderful and suite, you know, in the very beginning, and then we see some like devious things come out later. But who would you be most like? Is what the fan question is. Um, I am a rule follower and I'm not cool, so so does I'm like I think you know, I'm like, oh no, they said we have to even you know, I was parking at the parking garage here and I'm in an suv and there's all

these like compact spaces. I was like, I'm in an suv. I can't park in there, like I'm following the rules, and so maybe Miss Carpet then I'm like, but not where Miss car goes, right, there's there's pieces of miss like I'm a little bit of each of them. Yeah, yeah, I I'd like to think, Um, I'm not as rigid as a Miss Car right if if if you know what I mean, Like, I'm more relaxed. I don't feel like everyone else needs to. She's like, I am going to I follow the rules and I'm going to teach

you that you need to as well. And I don't feel a connection to that part. I would say, you know, you do you? Right? I like that you do you because listen, when we all do us, it's we're okay, just be nice and do you be nice? To be considerate of others, be thoughtful. And then although, how about Blair in this episode when she's talking to m Car and she's like, I just what does she say to you?

It's when she's kind of coming to apologize, but she's kind of always what Blair does, She's like still got an angle yeah, it's it's so good. She's like, and then when she's like, I'm trying to do better that part at the end, Oh yeah, she's a great line. What is that line? Um, I can't not I was It's something like I can't not do that right, It's yeah, I'm watching it. It's so beautiful and me too, and

I was, I was hiking her zingers are great. But what she says to you was like she just this is the way she works, like she has to like kind of dig into people and kind of do all that and she doesn't know, but she's trying to do it. She's trying to be better. So here, let's let's talk about where we left off and get into this episode because there's so much that happens. I want to hear your thoughts on things. I want to break some stuff down.

So here's where we left off. After reading Bart's will, Chuck finds out that Bart left the entire empire to Chuck, but Jack plotted to get it taken away. Nelly Yuki stole Dan's phone and told Gossip Girl about Lily and Rufus's baby. Blair told Chuck it's over for good. Serena and Eric find out about the secret love child, and Lillian Rufus are told that their son has died. That's where we have left off, and here is what this episode.

Here's the logline. It's that time of year when Constance Billard and St. Jude's students find out who is and isn't worthy of an early admission to Yale University. Serena bonds with her new teacher, Rachel Carr, who quickly becomes an enemy of Blair's. Meanwhile, Chuck pairs up with an unlikely ally in his war with Jack over Bass Industries, while Nate and Vanessa have a romantic night at the opera.

So we're talking about Yale, and our episode starts with Blair excited for the Yale Early acceptance day and she's, you know, at her home, and Harold asked if Chuck is going to be coming to the opera with them that night, and she also has a dog, which was so cute, that bulldog. I'm like, first of all, I want that bulldog to come on on the podcast as well, just so I can like. And they had all the food was the Gale colors. It was all blue. Oh my god, it was just all of it was amazing.

It was so like so much but so on point for Blair, Yes, oh my gosh. Was was that anything like your acceptance day? Like did it come with a dog? Did you have like people wearing sweaters and colors? I wish it came with a dog. It did not. I you know, when I got in at that point, you still got a letter in the mail, so you didn't know exactly what date was coming. You were told it was coming by a certain date. I think this, I

think it's December fifteen. Is that I have like a date seared into my head um and I think I had been running home that whole week and it hadn't been there. And at that time, I was working in New York and I was We had the apartment I was staying in, we had a doorman. I was eighteen, and I I didn't run home that one day because the college counselor at my school was like, no, no no, it's not coming till Friday. It was like a Wednesday or Thursday. I was like, oh, I've been running home

every day this week. And so I like went about my business and did what I had to do that evening and I got home at eight o'clock, nine o'clock at night and my parents weren't there, and the doorman was like, the envelope came and I was like, what do you no, No, it's not it's not no, that's different envelope. It's not coming till Friday. He's like, no, it's a bits and it was a big envelope and I opened it and I started at that time. They wrote just yes, and I just started screaming and it

was really excited. And my mom calls because she wants to know where I am. And I'm like and I'm like vallowing. She's like, what's wrong, what's wrong? Where are you? Tell me where you are? I'm coming right. I was like, no, it's prinstance. She's like, it's okay, sweetie, it's okay. Because you thought I was saying I didn't get in. It's like no, I couldn't see. It was like, no, I got in. And then everyone's jumping and shouting and people were in the lobby like congratulating. So it was a

big moment. But there was no dog for sure. It was Oh my god. And I love that your doorman was there. He was yeah, yeah, that's so cute. Yeah, I love that. Still talk about it when I go home. Oh my gosh. Okay, so now we we are, like here's like Dan in the episode is coming to the penthouse to bring Stina some coffee on Yale Day, and then coming down the stairs is Rufus and Lily and

they seem closer than ever. And I mean, can we talk about this for a minute, Like can you imagine like you're on again, off again boyfriend or girlfriend and then you're over at the house and like your mom or dad walks down with their mom or dad and it's just I'm not saying anyone saying it's supposed to be okay, but it's just like so complicated and a

little messy right now. And then the fact that there has been a child in the mix where they you know, and you never know with Rufus and Lily or Serena or Dan, like if they're on or off or or either one of them. So it's like, yeah, I don't know, and I don't know who you root for it? Do

you do? You? You root for Lily and Rufus now that Bart's out of the picture, even though I feel like it's very soon to be moving on from your partner who passed, or do you you know, root for Serena and Dan because they have this like love story that we've been following for a season and a half. Now it's it's like a it's hard, and it's like I want to root for all of them, and I

wanted to just be that it's not their parents. You can't do yourself, you can't date, you can't can you you can't I know, And it's just I think they're both couples. The chemistry is so good and it's so you want them to be together. And so when this moment is such a great moment of wait, can we all have what we want in this moment? And it poses that right there, it's a very stark like wait a minute, we thought this. Both both couples were like, we're on right and then it's a wake up call

a little bit right in this moment. And then it almost repeats later when they're at the opera and they see their parents like fully together together. But I also feel like this is a moment where maybe just a Srina Daniel were like, Okay, we've tried it, and we went back and forth on and off and like, okay, there we potentially have we have a brother and sister, like a half sister or brother somewhere in the world.

So maybe that's it. Maybe we just you know, take a moment, stop fighting for this, take the gloves off, and just be friends, right right, and see see what comes later. Yeah, I mean, you wouldn't ever have thought that they have a sibling somewhere. And then like throw in the mix here with potentially to their like related to Chuck. Oh right, they I know, right, it's all

connect becomes very connected. Well yeah, because even the next little bit, the next little storyline that's like so crazy is Lily and Chuck losing Bart are all of them lost Bart rather, but they're dealing with you know, more things with the company. And you know, Chuck doesn't have a mother figure. He's lost his mom and now his dad and now here is Lily to come. I think this is a really beautiful storyline. I really mean it's so beautiful. It's really and I think Lily stepping up

and and Kelly does it so beautifully. They're such warmth to such warmth that's like the exact word. Yeah, it's just warmth of caring. Like she knows that Chuck blames her and is mad at her and right and has all this anger, and yet she's still she gets that, she understands that she's allowing space for that and saying,

I'm here for you, I want to help you. And I think it's really I really liked in this episode how they came together even when Chuck is like pushing her away and and and they have a common enemy now right that they can it's right with Jack. Yeah, I thought it was really I like this storyline. Yeah,

me too. And it's like what you were just saying, though, it's so there's so many layers to like what is going on emotionally for both of them, like losing your husband, losing your dad, not having family, wanting to be his family, then finding out that like you're old, like someone that you dated years ago wants to see the child that

you gave up for adoption. Um. But then both of your kids are dating, but they don't know if they want to date because you might get back with you know, rufus if there's just so much And then Chuck's you know, uncle coming into town and having all these things with past industries and really doesn't have any he's like nasty and he's just you know, so nasty and just selfish and yeah, and he's coming to be his Chuck's legal guardian who's like really there for the money and the

drugs and a girl for him and not for him,

and Chuck just needs to be loved. And then there's just like Blair has been trying to like be there for Chuck these last through all of this, and he's just you know, trying to numb himself because he's like also dealing with the loss of a father that he thought never wanted him in life, like you know what I mean in those last episodes, and and that's messy, right, It's like you think your father never wants to but you miss him, and right there's this uh and didn't

get to say goodbye, like gets to say goodbye. And there's so many emotions going on there. And I think you see it throughout the episode with him and Lily when she wants to help him and be there, and he'll have a moment and then he almost doesn't know how to accept that, right, and he pushes it away, and it's heartbreaking because you just want him to accept that love from the people who want to give it to him, but he's so used to not being able to trust that I think. So it's a I'm skipping

ahead to the end of the episode. But I do love that they like defeat Jack together, right, and they fed out for sure. It's a good moment. And then he saves her from the bathroom. Right, it's in the bathroom, and that's his way of showing thanks, you know, yeah, like being there for her. Yeah. It was insane And I didn't even remember that scene or that happening remember either, And it was really Yeah, it was I was like, no, wait, does that? Does that? Wait? Does that? Does it go there? Right?

I started again, I know, and I'm like, oh my gosh, what is he doing? Yeah? Yeah? And then how about Serena coming? She tells you, she tells Miss Carr that she gets accepted to Yale. Do you remember those scenes? Do you remember filming at Constance? I do remember. My first day was at the art gallery, my first day shooting, and we shot the very last of the name. Yeah. But I remember those hallways and it's a great set.

And what people may we don't know, uh, is that you know when you're walking those hallways it's like four hallways and then you sometimes have to tie them together so you're like walk and then you come in a different angle to make it look like a different hallway or you know, we feel it's all like wood and

and chords exactly where you film. You know, we filmed me coming into the school and the exterior set, and then you have to pick up coming into the interior set, and you know, then movie magic puts it all together. And I do remember shooting. I really liked that day. It was a fun day. That was like my first day with everyone where I really got to know everyone in Brooklyn or and constant, because in Brooklyn it was just with pen really, yeah exactly. Or at the at

the coffee shop. Yeah, and I your character says something, Brooklyn, that's the place across the bridge. Right. It was like always dying because it was always like Brooklyn was so far. But now I'm like that place is expensive. Everyone wants to hang out there. Everyone knows Brooklyn. Now. Back then she was like it's across the bridge. Yeah. I also, I always remember shooting the scene with Blair and I can't remember if it was in the script that she takes my arm when She's like, let me tell you

how it works here. But I remember, this isn't when she first meets you though, No, is that later it's when, yeah, this is this is not this scene, sorry, yeah, this is I first enter with Serena and Dan, and then it's after I give her the b paper and then that's right. She you say something about no one holds the doors like these kids, you know, yes, that's like my opening scene, like no one's opening the door, right, and so they helped me through the door. I had

I had bags. I had a lot of props. I remember that, Like you had bags, books, you have had it all very rood of those kids, very road. You hold the door for people that can't open the door. Rachel. You know she she takes her papers everywhere. I like, she had rolla and her books and all of it.

And I had two bags. But it helped with the clumsiness of that scene and feeling awkward and out of place in the school where everyone is like carrying like cute little purses, Like where do they write their books? Since they have cute little purses, what is in that purse? Raiser? Cell phones? Because they where everyone was using. I love it they had to like, you know, you had a type the texting, you know, three times to get a

times to get a letter. I remember, yeah, gosh exactly, but yeah, it was it was fun shooting that day. It was really that was a fun day. I forgot about those hallways because I didn't film at that school that much, so I've actually forgotten that. That was like a little fun fact. Yeah. Yeah, and the courtyards actually in the middle. The interior courtyard is on a sound stage, but the entrance to the school is actually a building

near Central Park. We would shoot on location at so you would be outside and exterior saying your dialogue in your lines, and then you sometimes would walk up the stairs and then it would cut and then you would continue the scene. Sometimes weeks later be like, okay, where am I coming from? Okay, just talked to Chuck on the stairs, and now four weeks later we're shooting the continuous part of this episode, which is nuts. Exactly. Yeah, I was in those hallways a couple of times, because

one or the other. The second episode I was in I was in those always too, right, And um, what does Blair say at that point too? She's like, seniors get a free pass like pregnant ladies or fourteen year old Chinese gymnasts. Exactly. There needs to be like a card game of just like her little zingers, because it's

like she is nuts man flair sometimes. And I remember late and just in that scene, I don't remember if it was written, but she just grabbed my arm in like we're going to be pals, but it's a little aggressive, but it was so She's grabbed me to walk with her, and it just was such a I remember that moment informed my response so much. I have a strong memory of that of just Layton being like, let me teach

you a lesson and pulling me in and right. It really helped me be like no, no, no, no, no, I'm the teacher, right like it gave your response was like just living in you because of how what you played off of. Yeah, exactly what you're saying, Yeah exactly. Yeah. Layton was really good at those kind of things, throwing you. She would throw you, but it made you be on

your toes to keep it fresh and real. Uh yeah, and she's funny and there was times I was like, thank god I didn't break there, but I hope my performance yeah, yeah, I think I almost broke when she grabbed my arm and I was like, Nope, I'm not gonna be charmed by this. Yeah, and you know what, if it was written then she and she still did it in a way that three you was amazing. And if it wasn't, I think it's great that like she threw that in there because it probably you know, just

added to the scene. But you guys were both very powerful in that because I was like, wait, what is going to go down? What's happening? Because it was like tug of war again, And whenever you have this tug of war with Blair, if someone can hang with her, it's like, Okay, now you got me, Now you got my attention, you know what I mean? Yeah? Yeah, I think Rachel did not know what she was getting I know Rachel did not know what she was getting into

with Blair. You know, Rachel like she's about there's like a war that's about to go down. Yeah, exactly. She's like, yeah, she does not know what she's stepping into. What about stepping into this opera situation? Which have you ever been? You know? I have not, I have been. I was a ballet dancer for many years and I have been to the Met Opera a bunch to see ballet. But I was thinking back, and I've never seen a live opera. I've seen a lot of videos of opera, but I've

never actually been live. And it's weird because I was like, I've been to the Met a bunch. I was like, but no, I never actually saw opera live. Okay, And I also want to pause for a second, and I meant to talk about this earlier. I used to think growing up and I was a dancer at all. If someone said what you want to be when you get older, I'd always say a ballerina because I just think it's the dopest, coolest, elegant, chic ist thing. So that's amazing that you did that. But can you tell us a

little bit about that is? I mean, that is like the most beautiful and I feel like, very difficult and painful, but so graceful. I don't know. I find saying the ballet fascinating. I love the ballet. I still did when if you if I'm like in a rabbit hole on YouTube, I'm usually watching ballet performances. Um, you know, I don't know how you got into acting and whatnot, but as a little girl, like I danced around the house, I

sang around the house. I like you, was like, I want to be that right, And my mom put me in ballet class and I really liked it. And then I saw The nut Cracker when I was four, and I was like, I want to I want to be in the nut Cracker. She was like okay, uh and uh. And my parents are very supportive, but they were not in the arts themselves, but they let me keep doing classes and whatnot. And I then trained in Philadelphia with

the Pennsylvania Ballet. It's the rock school in Pennsilvania. I mean, you're just super impressive and so amazing, Like, no, you're not. It's the truth though, Princeton Ballet, the roles you've done, and then you're just also like a sweet, lovely person. I mean, yeah, it's so true though, and and I just and then I got to do The Nutcracker and that was like a dream come true. And I danced in The Nutcracker for many years. And I love ballet.

I loved it when I was dancing. There to me when yes, it's hard, there's discipline in it, but there's a freedom in it too. It's kind of like acting, right, Like you drill your scenes, you work on it. You sometimes it feels difficult when you're trying to crack through something in a scene, and then once you're on set and you're doing it or you're on stage, it's just flowing right and you just feel it's like a freedom. I don't know if you feel that way. I feel

like a freedom in a seen. Um, once you've put in the work, and that's like the best feeling. That's the best feeling. And dances the same way, like, yes, you're at the bar, you're in rehearsal, but once you're out there, you're just letting go. Um. When I was about, I want to say, I was like sixteen, I started acting doing musical theater stuff, and you kind of have to decide at that age if you're going to join

a company and just do ballet or not. And um, I knew I wanted to act and do other things. So I stepped back a little bit from dance at that point and still danced and still kind of take ballet bars and classes and stuff. But that's incredible, but acting became my my focus at that age. So that's that's so beautiful and awesome. It's it's great and my friends who are still in it are super you know,

just disciplined. You said that. It's Yeah, there's like this like picture of the inside of the foot of a ballerina and it's bloody and cut. It looks like gnarly, and then there's like the beautiful picture with like the ballet's lebron and it says something like you don't know what all goes into it, you know what I mean. Like it's like when a song comes out, people think like, oh, they just recorded it and not you know, there's well I shouldn't say that, like as if I'm like a singer.

I'm like, yeah, I know exactly how it is to be a ballerine and a singer, but you just don't know. And I always liked that little the picture in the quote because it's true, like you only see the finished product. You don't know like the blood, sweat and tears that go into things. Yeah. But anyways, if they're all going to the opera, I have never been. You have not been.

And I thought that was like a Really That's what was always really cool about Gossip Girl because they we had scenes like this in places like that that we got to spend all day in and dress up and be all fancy and that was great. But let me ask you this, do you think it was too soon for Lily to be bringing rufus out, not even in public, because it's not to say like if you keep it behind closed doors, that's okay. I mean like it's I feel like it's just really soon to be moving up,

Like there's just a lot going on. But then again, these feelings for rufus have always kind of been on the surface, floating around, you know. But do you feel like that was like a lot because I kind of do. Yeah. You know, it's hard to tell people how to grieve and what the right step is and and what had and if that's what she needs to do now kind of like to gone. But and I think in some ways she wanted to say, I stand by this, I stand by us. I'm willing to show you off and

not hide you and hide my feelings. But it was a lot, and it felt very I don't know, it's not just soon, it's just it's a big step and she has her kids, you know, there's there's just a lot of um, I don't know, if it's a choice

I would make maybe, right. Yeah, And again there's it's like right, it's like we were saying earlier, there's just so much going on and the emotions that everyone dealing with, like and not on top of it, they just she just found out that rufus found out that there's a baby, you know what I mean. There's like she just lost her husband, but yet she maybe seeing her child that she gave up for adoption over twenty years ago. Like those are two from one end to the other, Like,

couldn't be. That's so wild. Yeah. I used that word a lot on this on this podcast, wild because I just it's it is because it is wild. Yeah, No, that's a lot. It's like she lost it and like there's so many things going on and that's why. And then she's adopting Chuck. Yes, she's adopting Chuck just you know at the opera, like all right, I was going to adopt you, let me go do that, and it's

and take over this billion dollar company exactly. And so there's so much going on that I think she almost wants the There is something nice in her saying in all of this, I support us as a couple and I want you to know that. But it's just there's so much noise around it. It's almost like maybe waiting a little bit would have been yeah, yeah, take it, just like just you think it's a lot, and like

you think it's a lot. Yeah, I mean even a couple of episodes when she got a call from Bart and hadn't listened to the voicemail yet and after found out, you know, that he had gotten into the accident, and Rufus is like, I'll be there with you to listen

to the message. And I'm like, wait, that's like such a nice thing, but it's also so loaded because I don't even know even if it's like the nicest, sweetest message, that's still like would be so hard to hear from someone that you're not going to see again, you know what I mean. So there's just they do a lot in this show where it's like oh, okay, I get it. I mean I don't get it, but like okay, yeah.

And I think there are a couple that feels like they've been through so much together, right like I mean, they're there are a new couple, but you know they've lived life together parallel in in each other's lives for so long that, Yeah, I feel like they're just feel very connected, they feel very connected that they're willing, they're able to do things that I think other maybe new

couples couldn't do together. Right, Yes, it's very true. And then their kids are like maybe dating at the same time at the same time, you know, as as it's just simple, simple little thing, you know, really easy. Um. And then okay, so they're they're the opera. Then Vanessa and Nate are there on a date and it's so cute because Vanessa goes and gets tickets on her own

Vanessa for you, I know. And then so cute, Nate's trying to like squash or like pushed to the side that he had a box from because he wants her to feel like good about it, which was very sweet and cute. Yeah, and I loved, Yeah, I love that. It was so funny because I was watching back and I had completely forgot about the woman that sits next to us, and she's just coughing and coffing and coffee and I remember thinking, like, that's hard to do because

it's like completely quiet. It's not like when you're watching there's like sounds they put in right the background noise, Yeah, you know, they add a little bit of music there. They add that, you know, people talk sucking. When you're actually filming a scene, it is like so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. So her having a cough like that, and then it drives your throat out.

I mean, she did a really good job. And like, I don't remember if it took a ton, but I just when I was watching it because it was kind of like a funny situation. But I felt bad because I know that that like doing that in a scene is like not easy. It's hard. Yeah, it wears on your because you also need to make it sound super real. When you don't when you're not coughing, it's you know, it's hard to make it sound real. And she like she built it right where it's like a little bit.

Then it started and I thought she did a great job coughing, And I was thinking that, you know, when we did it, it was like funny just that she's coughing, and it would be annoying. And now in this like COVID world, oh my god, it has like a whole new meaning. I'd be like, I feel like everyone would be like running from that area, ye having like a hand sanitizer math in between, But it was it was very funny moment, and you two were hilarious in that

with your response in the laughing. It just it was she just kind of brought it. It actually ended up being like funny, like actually without having to really do a ton with it, but that whole thing was just like so funny to me, Like she does this, then there's these seats there and then of course you're invited to go from Blair who basically does this whole prank or yeah, where she's like she sends me to a

restaurant that's closed. And you know, when I was rewatching it, I forgot that there's this moment when she calls me to invite me, and Rachel says something like she's saying, no, no, no no, I don't think it's a good idea. Don't think it's a good idea. And then she's like, well,

I have always wanted to go. And I remember thinking that's the moment when Rachel started to break her morals, right, Like she Rachel comes in and she wants to be the moral high ground, right, She's going to teach her students not just academics, but how to be in the

world and how to follow the rules. And I think she really very much played that in such a believable way, Like that was so rad what you did, like even you with with the Serena situation and even coming in when you first meet them, and then your first situation with Blair, like you feel that in every every time she was very genuine. At least I chose to play

her very and I think she was very genuine. But she gets kind of sucked into this world, right, and then in the next episode she's like, well, if I'm already fired, I get right. But this moment which everyone does in this world, like you sawhow like you crossed Blair Chalk and you're you're, you're, you're in for it, and so I think that moment I forgot that. It's

at the end of this episode. It really is just like a moment that the writer is put in of She starts to crack and she's like, well, I have always wanted to go to the opera, right, and then she takes the next step and takes a train to go see her student in Brooklyn. Right. Like there's these like little moments where she starts to crack and I was like, oh, right, right, right, and then then Blair led her astray and she's not happy about that. Right. Wait,

and what was the um? I was talking about it with Shelby, who's like our dear family friend here she I was talking about this episode with her and she's like, wait, she's like, your the student's age. What was the reason? Again, I don't know why I'm blanking right now that you were close to our age and able to be teaching at the school because you explained They explained that in the beginning, which was very smart of the writing, because you really do look at you and you're like because

he even Dan says it. Dan says, yeah, there's Yeah, she's twenty five, so she's already graduated and done a couple of years of teacher America. So she's not she's not actually, but she looks the same age and gets mistaken. I think when Serena and Dan first see her struggling with the door, Serena is like, Dan says, who's the new student, and Serena is like, no, no, that's my Shakespeare teacher. And then one of them says, does she

have Benjamin button? Syndrome or something. So she's supposed to look like a student, but she's actually a teacher and then is still like a young like if you're eighteen and you have a year old teacher at that time when you're a senior, you sin is really old, but like it's really you know, and like though you know, I will say Rachel was the teacher and should not have crossed those lines. But yeah, but I mean, you're

getting sucked into that world. And that's the other thing I can't now, and I can't wait for the next couple episodes because I don't even remember remotely what goes on, but I can only you know with what happens. I mean, it gets clearly there's going to be something with Dan, but oh yeah it was. I'm not supposed to spoil that in this sorry, No, I mean it does because you end up in Brooklyn, like you know, you're not going out there to just literally have coffee at the thing,

you know what I mean. They're like dropping little like easter eggs for us to be like, okay, keep us hooked, do you know what I mean? Okay, so you get when you get this phone call from from Blair, you call the head mistress to basically kind of like give all of this to her, because it's basically you that is, you're like, okay, Blair, you want to play now you're not going to get into Yale. Yeah, basically you just like drop you know, you dropped the mic right there? Yeah, yeah,

I think. Blair runs to call it off because she finds out from the head mistress that I reached out to her to say. Blair is concerned about this be what do I do? And the head mistress says, don't worry. If she continues to get a's, she'll still have an A and get into Yale. And so Blair realizes I wasn't trying to destroy with that one grade her chances

of getting into Yale. So she runs to try to fix it with Rachel, but Rachel's already like no, no, no, no, you just you you went you crossed a line here, even though Rachel says, I accept your apology. Yes, So then she the head mistress to explain that Blair like, hey, later they referred to it as hazing. Has Dr Pranketer sent her into a park that was empty and no one was there. All the situations happening at the opera. It's a it's a busy net of the opera is okay.

And then Jack and Lily so after the news about Bass Industries, Jack follows Lily into the bathroom. Dan asked Chuck at hes seen Lily, and Chuck says she was going to the bathroom a while ago at the powder room and he tries to open the door and it's locked.

Chuck does and then this is the moment we were talking about earlier where all of a sudden, Chuck is like coming in and walking in at a moment that's like very devastating and horrible and no situation that any man or woman wants to be in where you are alone with someone who is trying to harm you. Yes, exactly,

that's very scary. No, it's it's to me, it's yes, it's a violation like that is very very fearful, right, yeah, and terrifying the fact that this was this is her husband who just passed brother, this is Chuck's uncle, this is her brother in law, and he is just so nasty that yeah, he's like and then Chuck comes in and kind of saves the day for her, Yes, yeah, and she's just saved him and he comes and saves her, and just that Chuck knew what it meant that that

door was locked and that Jack had been around and Jack was upset, and that that he put every he put everything in there, He connected the dots, he put it all together. He connected all the dots pretty quickly. And I also think the way that the scene, that whole sequence was edited and directed it it really built

that tension. And just that moment when Chuck is looking around and he puts it together and he's like, I gotta get in there was it's a yeah, he put it together really fast, and it was very tense watching it. It was tense and it was super obviously that's our jobs to make it believable, but in in that amount of time, like walking from this scene to that scene

to put everything together was pretty quick. Say, I totally agree with what you're saying, like the tension that was built up to then feel like, oh my god, someone's got to get in there to savor but how is he going to put it together? But that that's like the wise, brilliant part of Chuck even though he's you know, seventeen eighteen years old, and it was just very Yeah, that was just the way he connected those dots and

saved her. Was I had all these emotions going on because I'm like, oh my gosh, now he has to go and fight his uncle to help his step mom to you know, and he's still his heart is still in this painful you know. Yeah, it's the sense he's it's situations. We talk a lot, right, He's a he's a kid handling these adult things sometimes very often on his own. Right. He just feels on his own handling

these moments, right, it's very grown up moments, if you will. Right, to have to confront his his uncle in that way, I have to confront his uncle who is hurting his step mom in this like locked bathroom at this very public place. Well, yeah, just just all these layers of that, and like, man, you've got a lot going on, and you're, you know, you're holding it together even though he's you know,

trying to numb a lot of things. He's also holding it together for how much he has on his plate in a way too, you know what I mean, Like, give me one of those things, and I'm I don't

even know, right, you know what I mean? It's yeah, and I think it's just he's such a great character and play him so well in this like he does terrible things, but you have my heart feels for him still, right, It's like it's just it's and this is one of those I just there was a shot on his face after it all happens, and my heart just broke for him for every you know, and just what Lily just went through all of it, right, it's a it was a really it's an intense moment to watch so intense,

and then that the piece between that that happens with them, it's like it spoke volumes of Lily when she says, I don't want the jet, I don't want the company. I just want you. Because there is always this thing of Lily on the Upper east Side and how she she looks, and you know that she did marry bart Bass. There's like a little bit there where you're like, Okay, she likes the money and she likes that even though she's still trying to be the best mom she wants

to be. And there is this love for Rufus, who's this single dad who lives in you know, quote unquote Brooklyn, even though that loft is probably more expensive than some of those East Side places. But I thought that was a big moment not just to take Chuck in and really be there for him, like, but that it wasn't about any of that, because that's a moment in truth most people, even if you aren't in it for that, you're not going to give up a billion dollar company.

Even if you were hands down however, heels in love with Bart, you still may be like, well, hey, I'm gonna probably take a little bit of it, you know what I mean. So the fact that she's like, no, I'm good, like I don't want any of it, I just want yours is like a very gangster of her. I feel like, yeah, I think that moment made me. I had a moment watching it back. I was like, right, Lily is in this world, She's of this world. She

operates in this world. But she has so much heart and as we discussed earlier, warmth, and she cares and she cares about him and she just wants him to be okay. And yeah, she's willing. She's not in it for that. As you said, that's exactly right. Also not to like because this is like a serious conversation and moment in the show. But like, is Lily just going to be everyone's mom. On the Upper East Side, she's like, could be you know, Dan and Jenny's, and then she's

Eric and Sermina, she's taken and chucked. Then there's like another love child somewhere running around like she's she may just be every mom and that's his mom. Do I mean? I don't know, Yeah, right, going to create And I always to watch doing these rewatches, and it's not really a rewatch for me. I don't know if you know this. I'm really watching most of them for the first time. I really love Chuck and Lily's relationship and storyline all the way through all of these they have a really

interesting dynamic. There's a love and a respect, but yet there's still like that step mom steps some kind of thing, and then she calls him Charles, which was a really interesting choice. Yeah, and she kind of talks about that on her episode. But I really like those two. And I don't know, growing up, when I'd watch shows and it would cut to like the parents scenes, sometimes you kind of for me, I'm not not you, I would, you know, can't wait for it to get back to

the kids in high school. I couldn't wait for you know, to get to this storyline that doesn't happen on this show for me, Like when I'm when I'm Lily draws you in so much Rufus does, Bart does, Like all the storylines are so so much going on and so powerful and so daw dropping that it's just, yeah, I just never watching it back this time, I'm like, or watching it, I'm like, wow, I never knew how much I liked their storylines. I remember reading them and thinking, yeah,

that's cute. How they are. You know, here's another dynamic. But I think they both play it so well and I really enjoy it. Yeah, they play really well. And they're also just so woven into this show, right, the complexities of the show when the storylines and it all kind of comes together. They were not like these separate things, if you know which I think I hear what you're saying. There's certain shows where it's like and now it's the parents scene and you're like, just get back to the

next scene. Yeah, not always like on Shameless. I didn't find that either. Shameless. I think they did a great job with it, you know what I mean, Like when they went to Chanola and they went to Frank like you were dialed in. So some shows do a great deals on those stories together really well. Yeah, and some shows I could literally care less, like get back to

the drunk. Yeah, And then it cuts to you at this point, go at Miss Carr in Brooklyn with Dan, which you know you mentioned this a little bit ago, where you're like that probably was inappropriate for her to take Dan up on coming, you know, like heading to Brooklyn and going to the you know, gallery coffee shop.

But did you know at this point when you read the script and you said you didn't know it was a guest star, but then obviously it was reoccurring because you do more um, which also speaks again of how much they like you and how good you did with this role or how well you were as Miss Carr. But did you know where your story was going? Because sometimes on shows you get the scripts a couple of them. Sometimes you only get it week to week, Like did you know when it cut here you're going to Brooklyn?

What was up in the next episode? Or no? Yeah, Well, so I can't remember if I had this script yet or not. At my fitting, Um, I do have a little story which is my my now husband. I just met him when I booked this job, and I said to him, I booked a teacher on this show, and he'd never seen the show. He's like, what student are you gonna hook up with? It was like, oh my, she's like Serena's mentor and she I think she gets into it with this other character, Blair. And he's still

like I was right. He was like, I think if they're bringing a teacher on, there's gonna be I was like no, And then I was at my fitting and I didn't have the I definitely didn't have the next script. And I always like because you could find some stuff out in the fittings, like if the script wasn't ready yet, it could be like, yeah, we know that this is gonna happen, we don't have the scenes. I always kind of liked that because you could kind of get a

little scoop yes exactly. And so somebody was like, this is perfect for when she kisses him. I was like, when I come again, I was like, um, And then I think I maybe didn't have the script. I just had my audition sides and this wasn't in it. And then when I saw this, I knew where it was headed and you know, when you're playing a character and they don't make choices you would make, you still have to justify those choices. And I think I remember it

was a long time ago, but Rachel's lonely. She's by herself in New York for the first time. I think in her mind she was like, he's nice, it's a gallery. I want to see Brooklyn. Like she's not going to see him. In her mind, she's going to the gallery in Brooklyn and he's there, right, But she does feel

some sort of connection to him. But I think it's not acknowledging to herself with that connection as yet, if that makes sense, she's justifying it, but she's already beginning to justify behavior that is probably a little It looked like you can go visit your student at a gallery. It's just she then, you know, yeah, exactly. I think in her mind is like, I'm just like going to the gallery, like you're going to meet your student at

the gallery. Meanwhile, Blair is getting into attention, which you would give your students, you know, like you'd be giving the teacher to attention for the choices she's making. So but we'll flip it on you. You out there and we'll just give to Blair and it's fine. And what does she say? She comes out. Blair walks out, and Deronda is there with the bulldog and she says, oh, is it war And she says, yes, but this one will be different. I need to wait for my moment

and then I'm going going black black. I'm like Blair. And she's like walking down the hall very slow, like you can see her like thinking of like her brain is just going Deronda with the dog Like it's just too it's too funny and too cute and too good because she did you know, she's kind of already done one thing right and now she's like she's in it. She's going to go all the way and it's such

a good moment. It pulls back and she's like you just said, she's just walking down there, and I'm also like, girl, what are you gonna do? Like you can't do much more. You piste off the person that's going to what's gonna help you? Now, the teacher that could have this other you know, the head mistress could have helped. You've just you're burning the bridges all along. But then all of a sudden, she'll like go get chuck and then they'll both burn every bridge and somehow she'll be at Yale

and like running everything at Yale. Yeah, but she's burned on it. It's it is. It's just like she just had to be she just had to like make sure the next papers were all a's and then she went outside. But instead right making it hard, she's like mad about that one thing. She makes it harder. Yeah, but that's also the fun exactly. Oh my gosh. So here's the closing Gossip Girl quote. The thing about new beginnings is

that they require something else to end. Some endings take a long time to reveal themselves, but when they do, they're almost too easy to ignore. Some beginnings start so quietly you don't even notice they're happening, But most endings come when you least expect them, and what they pretend is darker than you've ever imagined. Not all beginnings are cause for celebration. A lot of bad things begin fights, flu season, and worst thing of all one to be

starting something. XO XO gossip Girl. That was a mouthful. It's a good one, though, it is a good one. Okay, so that was so fun, Thank you so much. But um, do you want to talk about any anything you want us to look up look out for projects, charities, anything like. We always like hearing new stuff and we've all been you know, what everyone's been up to since it's been so long. Yeah, there's you know, some our marriage and kids, some of his work, and some people like get projects.

I can't talk about and either way, but I just really want to thank you so much for being here and being a part of this, because it was a really you just had really good insight on you know, behind the scenes in front of the camera, and just like your whole story and your journey and all the things is just really beautiful and wonderful. Thank you for I really I loved doing this and um going back and watching it and just you know, Memory Lane, it's

always fun. And thank you for having me. It was great. Yeah. I don't really have any thing to pitch right now or you know, tell you to look out for. I have two kids now, and I'm married to kids, and I'm acting. I kind of took a little bit of a I didn't take a break, but I would say a little step back when my daughter, my second was born, and then, um, I have been auditioning. It's all you know, it's all home tape now. It's very isolating in a way.

But um, yeah, it's like nice and not nice. But also I love that you have like a family and all that, because to me, that's like the most important thing in life. Like so it's good to be able to do that and still do what you love. But yeah, yeah, I I love I love acting. I love it so much and I want to be doing it for the

rest of my life. And it was nice. It's kind of a I would say in some ways it's a good acting can be a good mom job and that if I'm not working, I can be with them a bunch and then when you are, you know you're working. You're balancing it. But it's been really great to spend a ton of time with them, Pandemic especially made a lot of time together, uh, and just see them grow because they were so young. They're now getting a bit older and going to school, and I feel like I'm

really ready to get like fully fully back. Yeah. You know, when when I was especially when I was young, and I think I speak, I could say other people are like this. There's so much like go go go, go go, go like go, and not that I'm not still go go, go, go go, but there's just more allowing more space for things, right, not feeling like there's a ticking clock every moment and it'll it's you know, the journey is kind of nice sometimes to just be on it. So I'm I'm excited

for what's coming up. I don't know what it is though, Yeah,

but that's the best part about it. And that's what's also so cool too about what we do, like with you, with how talented you are, in fun to work with and everyone has wonderful things to say about you, Like the right thing will come soon and I'll laugh about this and in the next three or six months or something that you'll be like I'll be binge watching you on something for sure, and then I'm gonna be like, you have to come back on and we have to

talk about it and promoted. Let's put that out there. Yeah. I think it's um you know. And also the thing about auditions on tape is there is a fun aspect to it, right you get to kind of dive into it really deeply, though I then have to let it go at some point. Yeah, that's my problem though. Then I'm like over picking. So then instead of just going in and leaving in the room and doing it that you know, or having them give notes because I do like getting notes when you're in the room because I

love it. Then then you're kind of shaping it the way they want it, but giving your flavor to it too. So when you're I like a self tape because you do have a lot of time to spend on it, and then I don't because I spend too much time on it. And I like the collaboration of people, you know, That's exactly what I feel. And then I like the like you said, notes, You then feel our job is collaborative, and sometimes when you're self taping it does not feel

it feels not that. What I love is when it is collaborative and you're getting notes and yeah, shaping it well you know what's interesting? You know when not interesting. But you know, when Blair says in this episode, being good as subjective, you can look it up. I always say that about art, art subjective. So what I take on if you and I both read a script and are you know we're going out for you know, two

roles in the script. The way I feel like this character may talk or do things may be very different from you, which may be very different from the writing, writers and producers. So to be in a room to kind of bring that together or get notes because sometimes I'm like, oh, I would have never realized you wanted her to kind of have that dynamic or that color in this scene. So that's why self tape is hard

for me, I guess if you like. But the fact that we can do that because of the situation the world was in, I'm glad we did have Yes, we did as technology made a lot of things possible. But yeah, and as you said, you know, I always you said,

like we we could have different takes. It's like I always like, I always think when people felt competitive with other actors that they maybe see at auditions were not I was like, why, like they're going to be It never made sense to me because I was like, they're going to bring something to it that's different than you, And it's that's the it was. I like to go and see what, you know, if I've auditioned for something,

especially something I really like what happens. But what they did with yeah, because I'm like, oh, okay, oh I like that, right, And it's it's great to see a different take on something. So it is we we all have our own thing to bring to the table, and that's the beauty of our job. It totally is, and we learn from it from each role that we do and all that stuff. So yeah, we're very blessed to be be able to do this for a living. And

I'm just like super pumped you came on. You were incredible, Like I know we're going to get off this and everyone's going to be like, we love her. You're so sweet. Thank you. I mean, it's one I've been listening to the podcast. It's it's very addictive. I really love it. You've done a great job. Oh my god, that makes me so happy. That's so sweet. This was so fun. I had such a great time. Thank you for having me on. Yes, I loved it. Wow, that was just

so much fun with you, Laura. You are a breath of fresh air and I'm so happy we got to connect. There are even crazier episodes coming up next, so for all you listeners, make sure you subscribe to the podcast. You'll want to know when the next rebotch drops. Trust me. Until next time. X O x O x O XO is produced by Propagate Content and Meat Jessica's Or Our show is executive produced by Langley. Our producers are Diego Tepia,

Kristin Vermilia, Emily Carr, and Hannah Harris. Original music by Moxie and Luke, and the episode was mixed by Seth o Lansky