Blake Lee – Mixology

Q) You’ve been doing a lot of media appearances lately. Have you had a lot of “pinch me” moments?

A) I think the New York trip was so crazy because it was quick. We had so many things happen within forty-eight hours. I think “The View” was one of those and when we were about to go on the set and in between the commercial they put us at the door that opens. It was Vanessa [Lengines], Andrew [Santino] and I and we looked at each other like, “This is about to happen! We’re about to go on ‘The View’ to promote our show that is on TV!” It was a really surreal moment. When I was a kid, I was super obsessed with Whoopi Goldberg. So, meeting her was crazy. Right after the taping, she walked off set and I ran after her. I said, “This is super corny, but I have to say you are one of the reasons I wanted to be a comedic actor. This is such a big moment for me!” She gave me a big hug and she couldn’t have been nicer.

Q) You guys get together to have viewing parts. Is that an every week event?

A) ABC was really vocal about us doing that. They said we didn’t have to, but they recommended it. They said fans and viewers like to see you are proud of your show and we couldn’t be more proud of the show. They told us to take a look at the cast of “Scandal.” They are all really successful actors and many of them when they can get together to watch the episodes and live tweet. It makes a huge difference. I hosted it at my house and each week we’re all going to do it. It’s nice to watch it together. We’ve all read the scripts, but when you shoot the show you are not there for every scene. It’s neat to watch it all together for the first time. It’s so surreal and super cool!

Q) What kind of fan feedback are you getting after episodes air?

A) People are super nice! I was worried about that because I’ve never been part of a show as a regular. I was really scared of for the first time in my career I was going to be judged for this. I was so excited, but it’s a really scary thing to put yourself out there. People have been so nice and the comments on Twitter and Instagram are so nice. They say, “I love Tom, ” or “I’m really relating to him!” Girls will say, “This is my boyfriend!” It’s cool to have created this character and it’s making people life and they can relate to them. It’s really nice.

Q) What is it like working with such a large cast?

A) We are a really big cast and this is all of our’s (except Vanessa and Adam Campbell) first really big job. We’re all really excited to be a part of it and when the ten of us are all together we all get along so well. We don’t just hang out during the viewing parties. We’re all genuinely excited for the show. We want to reach out to the fans when we’re tweeting and they are asking us questions. If anyone does #Mixology, we’re constantly searching for that so we can build a fanbase and have a relationship with those fans. It is what makes the show. It’s such an amazing feeling to pour ourselves into the show and have people excited about it and see it is just the most exciting thing.

Q) What do you think it is about being at a bar makes the show unique?

A) I think that having a show set in a bar is a really unique, but honest place to have a show set. Everyone, no matter what age you are, has been in the dating scene. Everyone’s goal is to find love and to be in your 20’s or 30’s is something that we know so well. It’s part of our weekly schedule, going out for drinks. It’s a really relatable place to have a show set. Adding alcohol makes everyone have a little more courage. It’s such a relatable place. I think that’s why the show works. We’re a parody of the dating scene. We’re a parody. Everything is exaggerated. The one thing about our show is that the ten characters are super, super relatable. All of these characters are rooted in reality and the backstories that the writers have created for us are so detailed. It was just for us as an actor and it was amazing to give them so much depth.

Q) Is there anything you added to the character that wasn’t originally scripted for you?

A) After we all got cast, we had a lunch with all of the writers. We got brought in as pairs. They wanted to talk to us and ask us questions. They wanted to see what our perspectives were to write more for us. Over the course of the show, you would see little things that were more me and they would write them into the show because it was honest and there is a part of Tom that lives inside of me. His mannerisms and his nerves. I’m kind of a nervous person and I wanted to put a lot of that into Tom. He stutters and is kind of a wreck all the time. I think that kind of evolved more from me and less than the backstory they gave us.

Q) We’ve seen Tom with Ginger and Andrew and Craig’s. Who else can you tease that Tom will be intermingling with in episodes to come?

A) One of my favorite episodes was when Adan [Canto] and I go to work together. It was really cool because I’m a huge fan of “The Following” and he was on the first season of it. When we got cast on the show, I was super psyched he was on. In one episode, our characters interact the whole episode because it’s two polar opposites as one is overly confident and super handsome. He’s a guy that girls drop their clothes for. Then, there is Tom who is this really nice guy who just wants people to like him so much that he’ll do anything for them to listen. He goes out of his way to make a friend. These two characters meet and give each other advice. It’s a really, really cool moment for both of these characters because they end up helping each other out without knowing they are doing it.

Q) Is there anything else you would like to share with fans?

A) I’m on the show, but I really am a fan of the show. I think it is so neat and different. I think it’s refreshing to be different. It’s so rare that scripts come along that you read and go, “I’ve never read anything like this before!” That’s what I felt when I read this. All of the directors they hired for the show and the writing staff were so excited to be a part of it because it was a unique thing that we were willing to do together and say, “Let’s make the best show that we can.” Throughout the season, you see these characters evolve and just the fact the show takes place over one night you can see how much something can change for someone in the obstacles they go through in the dating scene. Through the flashbacks you realize why these characters are the way they are. I think people will fall in love with these characters. I hope fans tweet about it and tell their friends. Shows wouldn’t survive without fans and we thank them so much for watching and telling other people about us.