An Interview with Meredith Garretson & Levi Fiehler from ‘Resident Alien’

RESIDENT ALIEN -- Season:3 -- Pictured: Meredith Garretson as Kate Hawthorne, Levi Fiehler as Mayor Ben Hawthorne -- (Photo by: Brendan Meadows/SYFY)

Meredith Garretson and Levi Fiehler are a pair of accomplished actors that consistently pop up on our television screens. Currently they star as Mayor Ben Hawthorne and Kate Hawthorne on the hit SYFY series, Resident Alien, and we here at NTG were able to sit down with both of them to discuss the show’s upcoming third season.
 
John Betancourt: What does it mean to each of you to be here for a third season?
 
Meredith Garretson: I mean, you know, it's a really, it's a really interesting and shifting time in our business. And I think it cannot be overstated how lucky I feel to be going back into a third season, getting to share this season with everyone, which is my favorite season that we've ever done, I think, and I love all of our seasons. But it is, I'm so excited for everybody to see the world, how it's grown. And you know, the new dimensions to character and Levi, you can add to that.
 
Levi Fiehler: No, I mean, you, you hit the nail on the head with, you know, we are just in such a strange time in this business, not only with the transition from basic cable onto streaming, but also having gone through a pandemic, and writer's strike, and only doing, you know, three seasons in six years, there's been these huge breaks between and I think it's really just a testament to the writing, and the performances, but Chris, overall, Chris Sheridan as a showrunner, kind of holding this together, and then the fan base, I mean, keeping it going after such long gaps in between that, you know, most of which are just out of anyone's control, you know, and so I'm just grateful to still have a job, but also still get to play around with these guys, because the show's an absolute blast to be a part of.
 
John Betancourt: Why do you think this series continues to resonate so well?
 
Levi Fiehler: You know, I think again, I'm gonna go back and tip my hat to Chris Sheridan. I mean, his writing is just… he just balances the comedy and the drama so well. I mean, he really just, he taps into… even though it's a show about aliens, just like what it's like to be human or what it's like to be on this planet as a living being and I, not to get too sappy, but I, you know, I think it resonates with people, I think there's a lot of truth in the show and the comedy. And, you know, and then he put this this group of people together, you know, led by Alan Tudyk, who's amazing, and obviously has a fan base of his own, but I think it's just really a testament to, to Chris just doctoring this whole thing together.
 
Meredith Garretson: I mean, and adding to that, yes, everything that Levi said, the strength of our ensemble, the incredible acting, I think, you know, comedy… there’s like that thing about how you get people to laugh and open their mouths, you can slip some truth in, you know? And I think that’s comedy at its highest form, like, it's, it doesn't sacrifice, our show doesn't, it doesn't have comedy at the expense of humanity or at the expense of, you know, having a deep ethos about compassion, about what it is to be a person on this on this planet, or to be a living being on the planet, that's always underneath. So I think people enjoy getting to laugh, getting to… you know, because the show is so funny, and there's so many gifted comedians on the show, but then you get the satisfying visceral experience of having your heart broken, or having your heart, you know, just swell with compassion or joy for a character because you care about these people, because they've been drawn so well that the show can be hilarious. And you care about everyone and that is a testament to Chris' writing. And it's a testament to you know, the strength of his casting choices. I'm, you know, surrounded by geniuses who have drawn really, really beautiful characters that stick with people.
 
John Betancourt: I’ve always loved how each season of this show has tiny messages within for people to take away. What are you hoping audiences take away this season?
 
Meredith Garretson: Well, I'll put that through the lens of my own character, which is that you know, Kate's issues… Kate looks out sometimes to figure out, you know, why things aren't right. And then is like trying to fix them. And it can kind of create a narrow worldview. It created problems in her marriage where -- a sense of well “I don't fit in here. I don't have this. I have to’ -- you know, it's always about looking out and trying to pinpoint what the problem is. And that can really narrow your scope. And so, something that I think expanded my character and hopefully audiences will take from that, from the season, is that having an openness, looking inside, sitting with self-listening to your inner voice, your intuition and being available to, to soften, being available to new ways of looking at things is like, that's the way forward for Kate in this season. And I think that's, that's a message I can get behind because me Meredith is like, I can be like that, where I say “this is how things are” and, you know, this is an opportunity to soften, to listen to the voice inside and, and for it to change your perspective on how you see everything around you.
 
Levi Fiehler: Gosh, I'm always so bad at summing up something like that…
 
Meredith Garretson: Levi, is it fair to say that this season, like in one way or another, all the characters are essentially… they're trying to figure out like, who they are? And what made them that way?
 
Levi Fiehler: Sure, for sure. And dealing with, well, for us at least, dealing with, you know, these past traumas, like for us, it's, you know, finding out that we have this baby that's been abducted, and it's, you know, just dealing with these horrible events, what’s the best way forward and just finding the strength when you don't think you have it.
 
John Betancourt: Last question I have for each of you today, what are you most proud of when it comes to your work on this show?
 
Levi Fiehler: I am most proud of it's… it's such a lame answer. But honestly, I'm proud just to be a part of it. This is the first show that I ever did that went past the pilot phase. And just to, to get, you know, handpicked by Chris Sheridan, who is hands down, one of the funniest people I've ever met. Just was an amazing feeling. Really, like I… It's so… any actor listening to this would understand. It's just so easy to get beaten down with auditions and stuff and feel like you're like, am I wasting my time? Am I not funny? Am I not talented? And then to have someone that you… that I've come to respect so much be like, “No, like, you're who I want for this part.” Like, just, you know, feeling… feeling seen? I guess was, yeah, I think that's what I'm probably most proud of, is just getting handpicked by that Sheridan. He's a good one.
 
Meredith Garretson: I, similarly, I got brought on to a show with a bunch of people. I was like, “wow, these people are real, you know, this is this is a high level of talent and mastery of skill.” And, you know, I'm proud that I didn't let impostor syndrome keep me from giving everything that I have to the show because I want to give everything I've got to the show, and it doesn't mean that I think every choice I've ever made is perfect. I don't. But I'm really trying to give it all away because this show is worth going out on the skinny branches and risking everything and leaving at the end of the day, going I'm exhausted because I gave this everything I had. Because I want to tell the story the best that I can in my little you know section of the world that I occupy and yeah, same, I'm so I'm proud to be amongst such great company.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

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