More than half of the pilot will be reshot, by helmer Thomas Schlamme, in Los Angeles this month (the original pilot was lensed on location in Northern California). After a short break for Thanksgiving, the cast will reassemble to continue production on the initial batch of episodes. Graham made the decision to not watch the original pilot in an effort to help make the role her own. Katims thinks she made a wise choice.
“Certainly, I don’t want her to be in the position of being compared to something else,” Katims says. “It seemed the most fair way to approach it for Lauren.”
Katims says he has no plans to make major changes to the character of Sarah, a woman who’s forced to face up to bad decisions earlier in her life and makes the move to improve the lot of her son and daughter, much to their chagrin.
Katims is eager to tap into Graham’s flair for screwball comedy, but she will not be channeling her “Gilmore Girls” character, despite their hip single-mom similarities.
“We’re looking forward to bringing some of her comedy to the show, but our show has a very different tone and different voice for her. She’s looking forward to doing something different,” Katims says. She will work opposite a formidable troupe that includes Craig T. Nelson, Bonnie Bedelia, Peter Krause, Dax Shepard, Erika Christensen, Monica Potter and Sarah Ramos.
Despite the delay to midseason, the writing staff on “Parenthood” has been at work on the initial batch of scripts since the summer. That has given the show the bittersweet benefit of having all 13 of its scripts nearly completed before production begins anew. They also had more time to work on sets and other storytelling-enhancing creative elements.
Any hesitations about joining another TV show, after Gilmore Girls lasted for so long? You know, yeah. It’s been a great couple of years of freelance and doing different things that I’ve really enjoyed, so there was a little [hesitation]. To me, something was going to tell me it was time, you know what I mean? And this was the first thing where I thought, “I could really live with this for a while.”
Have you shot the pilot? We’re about to do that in a couple of weeks.
Have you met anyone from the cast yet? I know them all! (Laughs) I haven’t seen them in this context, but I know pretty much everybody. That was part of what was encouraging, I really like them all.
Did you watch the original pilot? No, no, no. That wouldn’t help me acting wise. So, no.
The coming of age dramedy, It’s Kind of a Funny story will start production early next month in New York City, and in preparation they’ve finally cast the role of its main character. The film centers on a 16 year old boy who suffers from a nervous breakdown, and eventually checks himself into a mental facility. That role has been cast along with several other supporting parts, which will include the addition of actors Keir Gilchrist, Zoe Kravitz, and Lauren Graham.
Parenthood
It's Kind of a Funny Story
Ellen
