Jenn Lyon – Saint George

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

A) I just finished shooting and producing my first short film. It’s called The Flower Shop and we’re in the process of editing that right now. I’ve produced sketch comedy, but never something with this kind of scale and budget. We had this great writer and director and this award winning Australian cinematographer. We had this Emmy nominated editor. It’s a really sweet little project and it’s something I’m really proud of.

Q) What do you have in common with your “Saint George” character?

A) I feel a lot of satisfaction making lists and checking them off. That’s something that I have in common with Mackenzie. We both like to get a lot done in a day and I am that way. I am happiest and most stressed out, but somehow happy – like when I’m driving a van to get lighting equipment, filling out insurance forms and trying to get a permit. There is something about doing something that hard and tackling it that I find thrilling.

Q) Was there anything about your role that you added that wasn’t originally scripted for you?

A) There was no backstory originally. We kind of created ourselves. It didn’t say in the script, but it was pretty clear to me that if they’d been together for fifteen years they got together before either of them had any money. They both come from desperate backgrounds. It wasn’t like she married him a couple years ago when he got all this money like a gold digger or something. She helped him build this empire. They both came from scrappy backgrounds and built this together. To me, that makes her grounded in reality. It makes her fear of losing it and of not parenting Harper well – it makes it real. I think there is a tendency, especially on sitcoms, for the ex-wife to just be a harpy and she is always mad about something, storms in, wags her finger and yells. I find George delightful. I think that is something that I definitely brought to it. The way she fights with him, she still finds him very funny. She keeps showing off. She could do all of this through a lawyer if she wanted to be a real asshole. She could do that, but she wants to co-parent with him because she loves him. She finds him so funny and delightful. She wishes it could have worked out differently, but he wasn’t around. She took it for as long as she could until she couldn’t take it anymore.

Q) Did the cast chemistry come naturally or did it take some time to bond?

A) Everybody was ridiculously delightful from the beginning. Olga [Merediz], David [Zayas] and I are from the theater and that’s a whole other ball game. You don’t get paid. You just do it because you love it. Then, when you do get paid to do it, it’s so lovely! It’s so nice! Danny [Trejo] is the nicest, most wonderful human being. He is just the most special, unique animal that you have ever met. And he has a glorious singing voice and you wouldn’t know it! You’ll hear him serenading the craft services guy. You wouldn’t believe how generous George [Lopez] can be, too. He’s the star of the show and the producer. So, he could run the show like a tyrant if he wanted to, but he makes everyone feel so involved, loved and in on the jokes. He makes the environment joyous for everybody. It’s a real gift what he does and the warmth which he does it.

Q) What is your favorite aspect of Mackenzie?

A) She is always trying to be better. Even if she is being bitchy, it’s not because she wants to be bitchy. It’s because she feels like she has to get through to George. If Harper doesn’t have his EpiPen right next to his Gogurt in his lunchbox then he won’t know how to get to it at his sleepover. She just is compelled to do these things out of anxiety and love for her child, but not because she is manipulative or malevolent. It’s because she has a genuine desire for things to go well.

Q) What can you tease is in store in the remainder of the season for Mackenzie?

A) There is an episode that I like that is coming up where we are trying to get Harper into a really competitive school and there is another one where George starts dating this really rich woman that I idolize. There is another one where Harper gets caught using some Spanish curse words at school and other parents have to come over to have a conference. Those are so fun! Interacting with other parents and outside of the world of the house are just really classic good situational comedy sitcom moments.

Q) You are a part of the social networking site Twitter. Are you enjoying the instant feedback you’ve been receiving from fans?

A) It’s good! It sort of stresses me out because you try to live tweet along while you are watching. So, I’ll want to make a joke, but by the time I figure out how to do it with the least amount of letters and characters the moment has passed. Then, I feel anxious about it and I don’t know what to tweet. It stresses me out a little bit. Also, we have so many people in our cast that by the time you include everybody you don’t have any letters left! It’s just amazing that you can have really immediate feedback from people though. It’s the beauty of it. I am intoxicated in that way from it. I fear the negativity though. I get my feelings hurt.

Q) What do you think it is about the FX Network that makes it such a great fit for “Saint George?”

A) I think that FX is unlike a bigger network. It’s risky and not afraid to take chances. They try to switch things up. You have ground breaking comedies there and other series on there like “The Americans.” FX just isn’t afraid to break the mold and try new things. “Saint George” is a family that you’ve never seen on TV before. It’s a brand new thing. That’s what I love about it.

Q) What would you like to say to fans and supporters of the show?

A) I’d like to thank them for their support. Please keep watching through all ten episodes and tell your friends to watch. We want to get picked up for the back ninety! We want to continue to make this show and we have so many more ideas for stories. We could just knock it out of the park if we’re given the chance.