Billy Zane and Tina Majorino Jump In 'The Deep End'

By Jenna Busch Posted Jan 28th 2010 03:50PM

ABC's 'The Deep End' premiered this past Thursday and PopEater got a chance to chat with stars Billy Zane and Tina Majorino. The show is a legal dramedy about five first year associates, their lives, battles...and yes, who they're hopping into bed with. Zane and Majorino gave us some info about the show, their characters and filming in Texas, but we also got them to chat about Majorino's addictive cookies, Zane's willingness to return to the world of superheroes (he's staying in shape in case he ends up in a leotard again) and next week's medical marijuana storyline. No word if that has anything to do with the cookie addiction. Check out our interview after the jump.

For people who have not yet watched their DVRs, can you tell us a bit about your characters? Billy, I hear your character is nicknamed, 'The Prince of Darkness'.

Billy Zane: He's fondly referred to as 'Prince of Darkness'. [laughs] I think Clifford Huddle is managing director of, arguably the largest and most successful law firm in the country. The show is a legal dramedy. While we deal with some dramatic cases, it's more about the interpersonal relationships of the five first year associates in the firm and the managing partners who dangle the keys to their future within it.

Tina Majorino: And I play Addy Fisher, who is a very earnest, green [laughs] young lawyer from Ohio who moves out to LA to work in the most prestigious law firm in the country. And she's abruptly faced with many challenges that force her to really step outside her comfort zone. It's a really fun character to play and a really fun show to be a part of.

Tina, I know you took a break from Hollywood for a while...for both of you, what has it been like filming in Texas for a show set in LA?

Majorino: It's quite an adventure for me. I think that it was kind of perfect for our first season filming the show because it really allowed us to focus on each other and focus on the work and not be distracted by the stuff that goes on in LA. I thought it was really fun. I had a good time filming in Texas.

Zane: Dallas is a wonderful city. I've been completely charmed by it. It was a great host and we made wonderful friends there. As you said, it was really wise to be there for the first year, to bond and spend all that time off screen, kind of getting it right. Great city.

Billy, after 'Samantha Who?' what made you want to jump back into TV again?

Zane: I had such a good experience with ABC and we looked for something else to do together. The timing was just perfect and I just love this character. I had such a great meeting with [Executive Producer] Dave Hemingson who wrote a great script that chronicles his experience as a first year in one such firm. I just love the balance of the comedy and the drama. And the opportunity to play a fairly complex character who...he's been dubbed the 'Prince of Darkness' because he's kind of like the tough love coach [laughs] who puts the newbies through their paces. But then you start to peel this complex dude and you find his vulnerabilities and frailties. It's been an extraordinary journey. I'm looking forward to continuing it.

And Tina, from what I read, you sing opera and do martial arts. Are we going to see that anywhere in the show?

Majorino: [laughs]

Zane: [laughs] At the same time! It's difficult. Do martial arts? That's a dangerous invitation. A punch on the nose by a tenor!

Majorino: [laughs] I think that the extent of my hobbies that will be in the show as of right now is my baking skills. Dave Hemingson was kind enough to make Addy a baker, because when we filmed the pilot, that's what I did. [laughs]

Lucky cast!

Zane: The cookies are insane! Oh my god. Highly addictive.

Billy, do you plan on returning to the comic book world in the future?

Zane: I sure would like that, yeah. I really enjoyed playing the Phantom. It was a wonderful character. There is so much undiscovered, unproduced material from the graphic novel world that it would be a pleasure to return. I stay in shape just in case they want to squeeze me into another leotard, you know? [laughs]

You guys have something in common. You were in pretty major music videos. [Note: Majorino was in 'Blind' by Lifehouse and Zane was in 'The Dope Show' by Marilyn Manson] Have you bonded over that yet?

Majorino: [laughs] Is that true?

Zane: I did one for Manson...

Majorino: How cool!

Zane: And I did one for Sheena Easton back when you were about five.

Majorino: [laughs] I've only done the one. You've got me beat!

So can you guys give us a tease about the upcoming episode?

Zane: Yeah, one of the cases that we deal with has to do with medicinal marajuana, so we're pulling from the headlines. We're usually dealing with pretty pulpy subject matter. And Tina here gets the firm in a little bit of trouble in this case.

Majorino: More than I can handle.

Zane: More than she can smoke! [laughs]

'The Deep End' airs Thursdays at 8/7c on ABC.

Tags: Billy Zane, The Deep End, Tina Majorino

Comments

(3)

Thursday 28 January

By Allan

Vote down Vote up Report this

All I have to say is when I saw the first episode of this pilot... I was thinking, "Bye bye 'Grey's Anatomy' and hello 'The Deep End'", regarding ratings, of course.

Friday 29 January

By Ema

I taped it for family girls night and there were three generation watching "The Deep End" for the first time. Not one of us liked the show. It did not build it charactors before jumping to another scene. It looked like someone on drugs did the cutting of this show. We will be watching Bones next week.

Wednesday 03 February

By Gail Stephens

Yeah but Billy Zane doesn't need to act well, he just needs to BE!

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