Felicity's Friends--and
Creator--Chat You Up (Watch With Wanda) 05.20.02
This week, five Felicity guests are in the house: Greg
Grunberg (Sean), Amanda Foreman (Meghan), Ian Gomez (Javier), Amy Jo Johnson (Julie) and
the man behind all the magic--Felicity and Alias mastermind JJ Abrams. They
tackled your Q's on all things Felicity, everything from Meghan's mystery box and a
costar's stinky habit to the big series finale this Wednesday on the WB.
From
werewhere: JJ, was it difficult letting go of the Felicity
reins when you started working on Alias?
JJ: It was difficult, especially having worked on the
show for three years with people I love, but knowing that Matt Reeves and Jennifer Levin
were continuing on with the show made the transition much easier.
From
aussiesouth: Once and for all--Ben or Noel?
JJ: You have to watch the finale, but in terms of who
she should be with, I think it's more a question of who she should be. The
"Ben or Noel" question overshadows the premise, which is: Who is this woman
going to be, and how will she find her happiness? It's important to know who you'll be
happy with, but she has been on a personal journey that has been more about herself
than her partner.
From serendipity: Greg,
I love your stories about Speedy. Anything else to share? You two seem to have a lot of
fun.
Greg:To review, he has the worst smelling and looking
feet on the planet. They look like bearded dragons. We're like the odd couple on the set.
My trailer was never used much and clean, and his looked like Sanford and Son was
shot there. I miss him already. And I wish him all the best; he's great.
From dearne
11: JJ, how have the characters surprised you over the
years?
JJ: I think it's surprising that Meghan became such a
good friend. And Ben, who was always the cute guy, finally found a purpose and a life
direction. In many ways, his story is the most drastic of the group. It surprised me about
Sean and Meghan. When they were first on the show, they were in totally different worlds,
and they ended up getting married. And Felicity, in this journey of college, she's very
much where she started--still looking for who she is. At the beginning of the series, I
thought she would find something specific.
From
Andrea44: Amy Jo, the fans have missed you! How has it
been being back?
Amy Jo: It was really fun. It was a nice reunion to
see everyone again. I was really happy to be in the ending of the show since I was a part
of the beginning. I was part of the family; I would have felt left out if I hadn't been a
part of the end.
From Pumpkin
Spice: Amanda, you and Greg are the best couple! How do
you create such great chemistry?
Amanda: We knew each other before the show, actually.
Greg is so funny and so easy to work with. We didn't have to create anything; the
chemistry was there. But I should point out, we never dated or anything; I'm good friends
with his wife!
From
liddymack: Greg, which of Sean's ideas is your favorite?
Mine was the marzipan wrestlers.
Greg: First of all, they were marzipan boxers,
but if you're a wrestling fan, run with it. Foley and I both love the headache-relief
device.
From Rachael: Any chance of a Felicity reunion? I'm in denial the show is
actually ending.
JJ: It's too soon to tell--but everything seems
to be reuniting nowadays. We'll see in a few years...
From
aboutjoe: Ian, you have great chemistry with Scott
Speedman. Did you ever wish Javier and Ben would hook up?
Ian: [Chuckles.] I think there was enough drama with
the Noel-Ben-Felicity triangle. I think it would have confused things even more. Actually,
I was trying to make it that Javier was more attracted to Noel. In the beginning, he was
more flirty with Noel, and that I could see happening more than with Ben.
From Farrah: Greg, how do you like working on Alias compared to Felicity?
Greg: I love them both. What I love about Alias
is having to get so serious and dealing with such heavy stuff. I try to come across as a
real CIA agent, as opposed to Sean, who is easy to play because it's me. Either way, I get
to work with a Foley.
From
liddymack: Amanda, what was in Meghan's box?
Amanda: They never told me what was in it, but I
thought it could be a confession to a murder. If you look back, there are very few things
it could be. I thought maybe it was a false confession, and that's why my dad freaked out.
I heard people saying it was a dead baby. I thought that was a little gross and
over-the-top.
From kellym: JJ, is
there anything you would change about the show if you could do it again?
JJ: I would have made Felicity a more active character
and given her some more opportunities to be more empowered and give her more
responsibility. Which, oddly, is something that the last five episodes have done.
Suddenly, with these back-in-time episodes, she seemed to have a spirit that was more
alive than some of the stuff we had done prior. I really love that.
From gennie: Will any of the other Felicity gang appear on Alias? Scott
Foley should be a love interest, and Keri Russell should play an enemy of Sydney's!
JJ: At the moment, there are no plans to have anyone
from Felicity on Alias, but I love all the actors and would jump at the
chance to work with any of them. One caveat is Greg Grunberg, who's already on the show.
I'm hopeful he'll stick around.
From
nandylee: Amy Jo, I love your songs and voice! Do you
have an album or any plans for one?
Amy Jo: I do. I recorded a CD last year. It's
available at amyjojohnson.com. It's a rock 'n'
roll CD titled The Trans-American Treatment. It's my folky music plugged in and
turned on.
From victoria
lee122: What can you tell us about the finale?
JJ: I think the ending feels really true to form,
consistent with the show and, ultimately, very satisfying. It's hard to conclude a series
emotionally as well as logistically. In many ways, it's as much of a new beginning as it
is a conclusion.
From Shelly: Please give us any tidbit on next season's Alias! How does Vaughn
survive?
JJ: I think the Vaughn story is great, and you'll have
to tune in in September to see how that plays out. In many ways, the whole first year was
backstory to what's about to happen, and I think the ride this year will be really wild.
Even Francie gets to have a story!
From
Gwendolyn: Amanda, please tell us what's next for you.
I'm happy you made Meghan an integral part of the show. You rock!
Amanda: Thanks. That's very nice. Up next, I have a
movie called Extreme Dating. I'm going to be working on another movie, but I don't
know the name because they're changing the title. That starts in June. And that's all. I'm
just going to keep working. Also, I'm in a band called Teen Machine. I don't do it for
money, just fun.
From Mahesh: Ian, did your improv background help you in playing and creating Javier?
Any favorite improv stories?
Ian: Yes, it did. I actually developed the character
while I was at Second City. I got the chance to improvise a few times while shooting the
show. Favorite improv story on the show: I tried to make Scott Speedman laugh. If I could
get him to break up, it made my day. He learned to incorporate it into the scenes. He was
a tough cookie to break.
From wnene
1122: Any chance of a Felicity DVD?
JJ: I think it would be a wonderful box set. Perhaps
if people email Disney enough to let them know they want it, it could happen.
From Wanda: What about syndication?
JJ: There's actually a huge billboard in Times Square
with Keri Russell. The reruns start in October on the Women's Entertainment network.
From feluvindc: Greg,
I'll miss Felicity so much! Did you keep anything from the set when you wrapped the
show?
Greg: Please keep this just between you and me: I stole
the glass-front refrigerator from the loft. If they find out, I'm dead meat.
From RebeccaBellerose: Amanda,
what will you miss the most about playing Meghan? (And can I just say: SPINOFF!)
Amanda: [Laughs.] I'll miss the great dialogue. I think
Meghan was the most fun, the funniest and most interesting character. And about the show,
I'm going to miss the people the most. Every single person was just so fantastic and
friendly and funny and smart. It was a great experience.
From RossUK: Greg,
what can you tell us about your new show?
Greg: It's hilarious. Jason Bateman, Nikki Cox. It's
called It's Not About Me. I narrate it. It's a very fast moving, funny buddy comedy
about two guys. One is an attorney, and one is an ex-attorney who becomes a high school
teacher.
From carmen: Ian, are
you really from Spain? I'd love to be your neighbor! In Spain, we love the series and the
cast very much, especially you!
Ian: That's very sweet. I'm not from Spain, and I've
never even been there! I would love to go! Believe it or not, my Spanish is quite awful. I
would have to practice before I went so I wouldn't embarrass myself.
From Kim: JJ, what was
in Meghan's mystery box? Make something up if you have to.
JJ: We sort of dealt with that in our Twilight
Zone homage in an episode titled "Help for the Lovelorn." The prop itself is
in my office--I have yet to look myself.
From ace: Amy Jo, tell
us before an E! True Hollywood Story comes out! Why did you leave Felicity?
Amy Jo: I had done it for two years, and I'm a person
who thrives on change--and I don't do anything based on money. I felt like it was time to
leave, and I went to JJ and told him I was really grateful for everything and asked if I
could move on. I know the rumors were that I was fired, but I wasn't! It was my choice. I
wanted to pursue my music, so I went to Chicago and Michigan to record an album.
From Miss Grace: Amanda,
did you like your "Goth" or the "Jackie O" style? You looked good in
both!
Amanda: Thanks a lot! I liked the way the Goth stuff
looked a little better. It was always something different. The wardrobe people came up
with really fun things. But Jackie O was easier for me; it was less time in hair and
makeup and easier to take off at the end of the day. And if I wanted to skip out and go to
lunch, I didn't look completely freakish. It looked like way more makeup in person.
I just always felt conspicuous.
From Jenny: Ian, I
loved your character, Javier. Will you be in another TV drama?
Ian: I'm taking the summer off, and I'll worry about
work in the fall. The character won't be on another drama, but hopefully, I'll be on
something equally entertaining, if not more so.
From Erica: JJ, is it
true Keri Russell is going to be on Alias as a bad girl?
JJ: I've talked to her about it, as a half-joke. But
the truth is, I'd love to work with her anywhere--on anything.
From Liz: Amy Jo, who
do YOU wish Felicity would end up with in the end: Ben or Noel?
Amy Jo:I think she's too young to end up with anybody!
I think she should go be alone for, like, five years and then get married when she's,
like, 31 or 32.
From Mikey: Where has
Tangi Miller (Elena) been all season? She has gotten little or no screen time.
JJ: There was no conspiracy to exclude her this year,
it's just how the stories played out.
From bristow: Greg, do
you think Felicity's Sean would ever succeed in the CIA with his UNY degree?
Greg: Sean never graduated college. So, he's just
what the CIA needs! I keep telling JJ, if the CIA had Meghan and her witchcraft, all would
be right with the world.
From Stephanie: Is
there ANY truth to the rumor that there's some hidden message in all the letters they zoom
through when letting us know where the action is taking place in Alias? I'm dying
to know!
JJ: Yes, there is something more to the
"push-throughs," as we call them. Stay tuned!
From lora: Amy Jo, you
played a very convincing college student on the show. "Julie" was so similar to
girls I met at college. Your character was so believable! Great job.
Amy Jo: I just played what was given to me
writing-wise as believably as I could. And I was lucky because the first year I got a lot
of storylines with a lot of depth. And I can relate to moving to New York from a small
town and being so small in such a huge machine. I'm from Cape Cod, and I moved to New York
when I was 19.
From Jenai: Great job
on Alias! What's going to happen with Mr. Sark? Anything with Francie?
JJ: Thanks! David Anders, who plays Sark, is a genius.
He definitely returns. And as I said earlier, Francie gets a story in season two.
From casey: Love Felicity!
Greg, how did you feel about the spell episodes? Fun to go back in the past?
Greg: It was great selling the idea, because we
weren't supposed to know it was happening. They're selling the fact in a real way that she
actually went back. Speedman's character is so great right now; he is such an asshole, and
it's so real. It's great to see all the characters mixed up and switched around.
From Simon: Have you
finished writing the Superman script yet, and what can we expect in the movie?
JJ: I'm just writing it now. Warner Bros. has asked
that McG (the director) and I keep everything top secret. Sorry!
From Jessica: Greg, if
you could change the outcome of the series in any way, what would you do?
Greg: Instead of Felcity wishing to go back in time, I
think Felicity should have wished for four more years of college. That way, we could still
be on the air. And if Sean took over Donald Trump's empire, that would have been fun to
watch.
From elizabeth: Why
did the show have to end now? There are so many other shows that are not even close to
being this real. The writing on this show was spectacular, and I haven't even seen the
ending. In any case, I salute you and wish you all the best in all that you do (or write).
JJ: Thank you so much. It was the WB's decision to end
the series. If the ratings had been higher, I'm sure there would have been a season five.
From jolene: Ian, I
loved you as Javier!! Any last words?
Ian: I loved doing the show and playing Javier! I wish
it could have gone on longer, but you can all look forward to 15 years down the line when
we do the Felicity reunion. Everyone will be bald like me, and it'll be great.
We'll see if the sparks still fly!
From chloe: What are
you going to miss most?
JJ: Working with the great cast and crew. It was an
amazing ensemble. And I'll miss writing for those characters, even though I didn't do much
of the writing this year. Leaving the cast and crew will be the hardest part.
From candace: Ian, is
there anyone in your life that you knew or know like your character?
Ian: Actually, when I was young, for reasons that are
too long to mention, I was the acquaintance of a six-foot-tall transvestite who was the
model of the character. He was also a junkie who would come over to my house and convince
my mother to flush drugs down the toilet. This was in New York City.
From larrypigtails: JJ,
thank you for creating such a wonderful show from a true fan! Was it difficult making the
FINAL decision of who Felicity should end up with? How do you compare the two? Is one of
them THE ONE?
JJ: Thank you. Both Scotts are such great actors--and
the characters are so dear to us, that choosing one over the other was tough...but
the conclusion of the series in this respect feels true to form and, I think, very
satisfying.
From jennifer: Ian, do
you realize how much people love you as Javier? Thank you for four wonderful seasons. Any
stories about the show, especially with Scott Speedman?
Ian: Thank you very much. Like I said before, it was
making him laugh. That was one of the games we played. I always tried to do something new
to spark it up. I started singing a song from My Fair Lady, and then he laughed and
we had to reshoot because he kind of ruined the shot.
From danniV: I loved
you as Javier, and I'll miss you and the rest of the cast of Felicity. I even got
my hubby (a cop and lawyer in the NYPD) to watch the show faithfully. Who do you think
Felicity should have ended up with?
Ian: Hmmm...well, I think character-wise, she was more
compatible with Ben, and I think they should end up together. It would've been great if
they had ended up together, I'll just put it that way.
From Ashley: Amy Jo,
what's it like to kiss Scott Speedman? Are he and Keri Russell a real-life item?
Amy Jo: It's always fun to kiss a good-looking guy
while I'm getting paid! I don't know if they are or were a couple. I had left the show
when those rumors came out, and by then I didn't really talk to anyone.
From George: Amanda,
who do you think Felicity should end up with?
Amanda: I think Ben...right? Obviously, Ben. She's in
love with Ben!
From vanat: Amy Jo, I
heard you were cast to play Felicity before Keri Russel popped her little head in. Is this
true?
Amy Jo: No, that never happened.
From Katia: I love Felicity!
I've been a faithful viewer since the pilot. JJ, what's your favorite episode and why?
JJ: I think the tie is between the pilot and the
season finale,Ê "Felicity Was Here." They were directed by Matt Reeves and were
two of the most emotional episodes we did.
From Ann: Amy Jo, are
you more committed to your music or to acting right now?
Amy Jo: I'm doing both intensely. I'm in New York
right now for a play called Love, Janice. If anyone is in New York, you can go to
the Website for the play and find out when it's showing. It's a cool rock 'n' roll play
off-Broadway about Janice Joplin. I play Janice. I sing 19 songs in it. It's the biggest
challenge of my entire life. I don't know what's happening. It's nerve-racking and
exciting, and no matter what happens, I'm learning so much!
From Jenny: Greg, do
you think Meghan and Sean are a good couple? If you could choose your love interest on the
show, would it be Meghan? Julie? Felicity?
Greg: I would definitely choose Meghan. Mandy is my
favorite person both on and off the screen. I love our relationship on the screen; it's so
real. The arguing and the yelling, but the underlying love.
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