Liza Weil – How To Get Away With Murder

By: Jamie Steinberg

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

A) We are back filming Season Three of “How To Get Away With Murder” and we are up to our seventh episode. Last year when we wrapped I went right into the “Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life” revival and got to be a part of that, which was pretty amazing. It was such a bizarre thing, but really lovely.

Q) What can tease is in store for Paris in the revival?

A) I don’t think I really am able to share at all. It’s being shrouded in secrecy and deservedly so. But I do feel like fans are going to be really, really pleased what Amy [Sherman-Palladino] has come up with. I think it is going to be special and very satisfying to fans. It picks up in real time. As you can imagine, Paris hasn’t changed too much, which was incredibly comforting to me. [laughs] It is coming out soon, starting Thanksgiving weekend.

Q) What does this return mean to you?

A) It’s really remarkable. I have to say, I am kind of blown away by how popular the show has remained. I could never imagine that we would all be able to revisit this together. So, it felt very, very special and I was lucky to be a part of it. It’s like time travel. It’s such a bizarre thing to be able to go back and revisit these characters. I remember walking onto the backlot of Warner Brothers and they had completely rebuilt the town of Stars Hallow. It’s so strange and lovely! It was like no time had passed and it was like we were all just back there doing it. It felt seamless in a way. It’s pretty remarkable! It’s baffling, but lovely.

Q) When we first met Bonnie she was tough and closed off. Now, we seen so many layers to her. Was it a challenge for you to find a way to portray all these different aspects to her?

A) Yeah, the thing about “How To Get Away With Murder” is it a huge puzzle that we are all putting together kind of at the same time. Our creator, Pete Nowalk’s, process is really interesting. He really does not have too much of a plan at the beginning of the season. He has a very broad outline of what he wants to happen in the season, but in terms of the mystery that unfolds each season we are really just playing all of those puzzle pieces as standalone moments and we have no idea what the broader framework is of that night when we’re shooting it. And he doesn’t either! That has been a really interesting challenge to try to let go of not knowing things. In terms of Bonnie, it makes sense to me. Because we have been able to film these horrific and dark things all of the things we have uncovered about Bonnie make sense to me and we have actually sort of lived them in a way. So, story wise, I feel like Bonnie is also one of those people…All of these characters because they have gone through so much they can really do anything and it makes scene in some way.

Q) How will Bonnie’s relationship with Annalise change this season?

A) It continues to be very complicated. Frank (Charlie Weber) being missing is going to be a very interesting component to the season and I think that is a loss that is surprisingly massive to Bonnie. I think that it is only through Frank leaving that she realizes how bonded they are and she feels very fractured and isolated in that house without him. So, we’re definitely going to be exploring all of that stuff. I think Bonnie is really questioning her role in the house this season and her relationship with Annalise (Viola Davis). There are a lot of questions surrounding Frank’s disappearance and what Annalise’s part of that is. So, I think Bonnie is constantly questioning who to trust and who to remain loyal to.

Q) Where do her feelings for Asher stand?

A) Personally, I feel like it was almost too painful for her to stay in that relationship. I think there is definitely something real there, but I do feel like once her past became something that was revealed to Asher (Matt McGorry) that it is not something that Bonnie can be comfortable staying in. And he’s kind of in something with Michaela (Aja Naomi King) and I think that Bonnie is supportive of that in an odd way. I think there is a profound understanding between all of these people that the drama and circumstances (the horrible things that have happened to all of these people) that I think anything can happen in a highly charged environment and that things can turn physical and sexual with anybody at any moment. I think there is a sort of an underlying need to connect in an honest way with somebody. I don’t think there is hard feelings there. I think they are both going to move on.

Q) Would you like to see Bonnie break free from Annalise and be on her own or is she too codependent?

A) I think that Bonnie has definitely become a lot stronger in the last couple seasons. I think all these people are really codependent and damaged. I think we are definitely going to explore the origin story more of how Bonnie and Annalise came together and how deep that bond goes. I can’t imagine her quite yet of breaking free of that completely. I think they also really need each other.

Q) What kind of hurdles will Bonnie be facing this season?

A) I can definitely tell you that the mystery that is going to unfold in the first episode is definitely going to hit a lot closer. Again, exploring Frank’s disappearance and the fracturing of that threesome is devastating to Bonnie and that is something she is going to struggle with as well.

Q) Who would you like to work with more on the show?

A) Bonnie and Wes are not together that much. We get to dabble into some of that this season. Alfie [Enoch]’s offscreen persona…he’s just a little muppet person. He is the sweetest, kindest most adorable person. We have been laughing a lot this season. I think that’s something that we are all a bit more comfortable with is bringing in levity of moments of having to do very dark things together. We try to keep it light. Having scenes with Viola is also something that people should know is just how incredibly funny she is. We are just laughing all the time! I guess also Bonnie and Connor interacted too much and I love me some Jack Falahee so I’d hope for some of that as well.

Q) What have been some of your favorite scenes to shoot?

A) I have a soft spot for the flashback scenes. It’s just been really fun to explore the younger versions of these people and how they came together. Tom Verica is a dear friend so I really, really love the Bonnie and Sam scenes. They are all really fun! It’s a really fun, highly charged show so it is kind of that job that I am constantly pinching myself over the things that they are letting me do.

Q) You are a part of social media. What kind of fan reaction have you received to Bonnie?

A) It is interesting. People are actually really kind to Bonnie for the most. I think that once we finally explored Bonnie’s past that there was a really nice outpouring of compassion and kindness. It has been really fun to explore the badass side of Bonnie as well and people seem to like the ice queen version of Bonnie. That is also a testament to our creator, Pete Nowalk. He is really gifted at leaving these breadcrumbs of past and story and we get to explore backstory when he is very aware that people are invested in these characters. It’s lovely!

Q) If you could write a happy ending or comfortable ending for Bonnie what would that be?

A) I think right now, in this moment, that Bonnie’s primary need is to bring the family back together. That would be Annalise, Bonnie and Frank all sort of being able to exist as they were (which I don’t know if that is really possible given all the things that have happened). I think that also speaks to why I enjoy the flashbacks so much because it is nice to sort of see the untarnished versions of these people before the storm. I think that is also an underlying element of the season that there is a need for all of these characters to start over and wipe the slate clean so it will be really interesting to see if that is even possible.