Hey everyone! In preparation for season three's episode eight on Tuesday night, here is an exclusive interview we did with NCIS: Los Angeles stars,
Barrett Foa ("Eric Beale") and
Renée Felice Smith ("Nell Jones"). Many thanks to Barrett and Renee for taking the time to answer our questions! (Be sure to follow them on Twitter
@BarrettFoa and
@reneefsmith!) Hope you all enjoy! -S. & G.
OSP Alliance: Renée, what was it like coming into an already-assembled cast as the 'newbie', and how has the experience been so far?
Renée Felice Smith: Well for starters, when I first auditioned for the show and the executive producers told me we would be heading over to the "stage" soon for my screen test, I literally thought I would be performing for the powers that be in a black box theatre. I envisioned Eric Beale and myself, spouting out tech jargon as we pantomimed typing at our respective terminals. I'm not ashamed to say this was the work of pure naiveté. Prior to NCIS:LA, I had mainly a theatre background save for one TV pilot that was shot on a horse ranch in Vancouver. Needless to say, I didn't have much in the way of experience with film set lingo. All that aside, I was greeted with open arms. The cast and crew made me feel more than welcome and for that, I'm forever grateful. Barrett showed me the ropes and we've been causing trouble ever since. Mostly at craft service 'cause we are fatties. I feel like I've learned a lot in the last year. Like for example, if you're on set and say, "10-1," it means you'll be leaving to go use the toilet. Pretty fascinating, huh? No, but for real, I've learned that above all else, television production takes time, cooperation, and patience. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither is NCIS:LA. Hey, I rhymed.
[OSP: Rest assured, the fans are welcoming you with open arms as well!
]
OSP: Barrett, how did you feel when the writers and producers informed you that your character would be getting a 'partner', and was there instant chemistry between you and Renée?
Barrett Foa: I was really excited for Eric to get a partner. He was starting to get lonely up there in Ops all by his lonesome. My character has a lot of information to dispel and it was getting to be a mouthful. I was glad to share it with another person, and was excited to have someone to play off of - whether Eric and Nell are competitors, lovers, or friends, I was pumped to explore some sort of human interaction. That's one of the things that makes our show different than a lot of the other crime procedurals out there. Plus, Renée's Nell could not have been a better fit. I did a "chemistry read" with two other beautiful and talented actresses, but Renée was the clear choice. She was cute, spunky, looked great on camera, and had a spark and a freedom that was infectious. Eric met his geek match in Nell, and Barrett met a new friend in Renée.
OSP: Renée, even though they have two different job descriptions, were you at all nervous that the fanbase wouldn't accept Nell as Nate was exiting?
RFS: I really wasn't nervous. I have a strong, "what will be, will be" philosophy about these things. Like anything else, when you're creating a television show, you've gotta be willing to throw a new idea into the mix, and if it sticks, cool. If not, regroup and move on to next potentially-sticky item. Right now, I'm reminded of those sticky monkey toys that come in the little plastic eggs that you buy for twenty-five cents when checking out of the grocery store with your mom. I like those monkeys. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm simply a girl who's grateful for Nell's inherit "stickiness".
OSP: Barrett, we've seen Eric signing on the show. Do you know sign language in real life, and if so, when/why did you learn?
BF: I do know some basic American Sign Language. I learned the alphabet in kindergarten and never forgot it. I took an ASL elective in middle school, and I've had some deaf or hard of hearing friends as an adult that have kept my ASL skills from getting too dull. I'm should look into taking classes again - you've inspired me!
[OSP: We think you SHOULD! If we ever meet, we're going to have to chat- ASL-style! Barrett, I'm [G.] willing to tutor, by the way. Hehe.
]
OSP: If NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS were ever to do another crossover, how do you think the teaming between Eric, Abby, and now Nell, would work out?
RFS: I think it would be a good ol' time. A meeting of the minds, so to speak. At first, Abby and Nell might have a mini showcase showdown for the geek girl title, and as a result, Eric would watch a bit of techy-tennis, but once they realized they're all cut from the same cloth, I think they'd combine their talents and basically become the dream team.
BF: I can definitely see all three working together on a case and making one helluva team. I think a lot would get done, until a small dispute would erupt between Abby and Nell with Eric stuck in the middle. I would love to see a face-off between Abby and Nell for Eric's attention. I can just see Nell's scrappy, high-strung tenacity (Renée has a french bulldog named Hugo - I have a hunch she channels his personality as Nell! Heheh...) and Abby's sunny, airy disposition (not to mention her height in those platform shoes) vying for poor Eric's love. He would definitely have a hard time choosing. Which one do you think he'd go for? (NOW who's asking the questions, OSP Alliance?!)
[
OSP: You totally got us there, BF!
]
OSP: Being that you're both New Yorkers and involved in the business, have you ever done any projects together in the past? If not, are there any that you'd want to team up for on Broadway?
RFS: Are we talking past lives here? 'Cause, yes, for sure. We go way back. In this go-around, however, Barrett and I have not worked together outside of NCIS:LA, but let me say, I would welcome it since we genuinely enjoy entertaining one another. So world, get ready for "Up in Ops: A Geek Rock Opera". Barrett, you can sing most all the songs, although I would like something where I can exercise a little of my "old lady" voice. I'm thinking an older Miss Hannigan-type. Going to start practicing my tap dance break now. Will include but not limited to: a moustache, a cane and a zipline. Oh, and fouettes. Lots of fouettes. In all seriousness, when Broadway calls, we will answer... YES.
BF: We New Yorkers gotta stick together, that's for sure (especially out here in "Hollyweird.") As small a world as the theatre community in NYC is, Renée and I didn't overlap. I was mostly performing in Broadway musicals like AVENUE Q, THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, and MAMMA MIA!, and she was rocking some quality plays at awesome NYC theatres all the while dancing up a storm (Ms. Smith is an EXCELLENT dancer.). I could see us doing a play in NYC together, but perhaps something a little smaller and quirkier than a big smash commercial Broadway production. We are weirdos in real life and we are weirdos at work, and I think we'd want to be weirdos onstage together, too. We have a lot of fun and make each other laugh. I'd love to work with Renée outside of "NCIS: LA."
[OSP: Hey, Broadway, did you hear that?!
]
***We would like to personally send a major thank you to Kristen Hall and Katie Barker at CBS for being patient with us and making this interview possible. We're beyond grateful for all of your time and help! Again, another 'major' thanks to both Barrett and Renée for answering our questions!***
