Palina Rojinski is an accomplished actor that has appeared on both the silver and small screen. Currently, she stars as Karatina Vinson on the new Apple TV+ series, Where’s Wanda?, and we here at NTG had the honor of sitting down with Palina to discuss her work on the show.
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John Betancourt: I'm very curious to start off by getting to know what attracted you to this project as an actor.
 
Palina Rojinski: It was, it was a pretty special thing because it's the first German production, it's the first Apple TV German production, yes. And so, everybody was super excited. And, you know, the talk of town was already, was already around like, “Oh, Apple is planning a German TV series, really, but the production should be also German.” And then everybody was super excited. So, under the actors, it was pretty, pretty special to be part of the project. And yeah, so when I was invited to the casting, I was very happy. And also, I know our female CEO in Germany, Francisca, and Francisca and me were talking about, “Yeah, let's do some cool stuff where we can do a little bit women empowerment stuff” and things like that. And so yeah. And now here we are.
 
John Betancourt: Yes, here we are, and I think one reason this show has been so wonderful to watch is that you and the entire cast do such an amazing job just selling this world of grief and loss and all this thoughtfulness. And I'm very curious how you as an actor, created that depth and created that realism.
 
Palina Rojinski: For Katarina…. Katarina is… she's like, on the surface, she's perfect. She looks at every time of the day, she looks perfect. Like, I think, that she has a private makeup and hair master who's doing her makeup and hair in the morning, and also, like her private cosmetics in the evening. So, for her, it's super important that everybody has a good opinion about her, and for me, but also, her family is also so perfect. So, for her, it's important her husband, who's this dance master and has his dancing school, and the children they have, they have like these perfect looking children, and everybody is just like superheroes, almost, (Laughter) like not human and through the series, she gets a turn, so you don't know what to expect about her. I think everybody knows in their neighborhood, a person like Katarina, who is like, “Oh, look at her. What!? At that time, she looks like that already?”
 
By the way, I don't… don't look like that when I wake up in the morning, yeah? (Laughter) So when we were in the makeup for the for the series, for the shooting, I needed two hours. Let's be honest, to look like Katarina, and for me, it was very interesting and inspiring to play the role of a character which is so strategic and so un-emotional, in kind of way. So, she is emotional, but you don't, you never know, is it real, or isn't it? So, the role is very curious but on the same time, she like she doesn't want to let anybody come too close to her. And so that's the tension. That's the tension that the that the audience wants to know, what is it about Katarina?
 
John Betancourt: What have you enjoyed the most about playing her so far?
 
Palina Rojinski: For me, it was interesting to play her with… to try to play it without any emotions, or with, like, fake emotions, like, because she doesn't, you know, in Germany, we say she doesn't like that somebody's looking into her cards. Zeigt ihre karten, she doesn't show her cards, so you never know what to expect about her. So, when she is meeting Dedo and Carlotta, she's like, “Oh, I'm suffering with you, and how are you?” But at the same time, it's like this, there's something lying underneath, and you never know. How does she mean it? Is it like, really her, or does she have a deep secret, and to play her, always with this in the background, to have a big secret, that was super interesting for me.

John Betancourt: Obviously this show has a lot of messages in this story, which I really appreciated the depth of it. And I'm curious, what if there's one particular message you hope the audience takes away from this, what would that be?
 
Palina Rojinski: Don’t rush your prejudices. You have to find out what’s beneath the surface.
 
John Betancourt: The last question that I have for you today, what are you most proud of when it comes to what you've accomplished in season one as an actor?
 
Palina Rojinski: I think the big scene where she's standing on the big stage, and she's having her big speech at the Wandafest, and she's having the speech about the neighborhood and that she announces she is going to run for Mayor. And it was, it was very cold on that day when we were filming. It was already autumn. But in Germany, we have also this golden autumn, where it's pretty warm and beautiful outside and sunny. But exactly on this shooting, filming day, it was super cold and rainy, and we were like, “Oh no, we have to play the summer fast.” But our company and our organization, they were very fast. So, they organized everything. It was warm, we had tea, we had umbrellas and everything, and so to play this day at the Wandafest… but that's why it's a show, and I think we did it pretty well and had a very good time.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Mariana Gómez is a rising star in film and television and currently she stars as Cris in the Apple TV+ series, Midnight Family, and with season one of the show winding down, we had the distinct honor of sitting down with Mariana to discuss her work on the show.
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John Betancourt: I would love to start by getting to know what attracted you to this project as an actor.
 
Mariana Gómez: First of all, thank you for having me. Well, for me as an actress, like in so many ways, it attracted me because I've been working my whole life here in Colombia. I'm from Colombia. I'm not from Mexico, and it's my first international project so far. So, for me, it's, it was like a dream come true, working with a platform like Apple, you know, like, it's a dream, working with a cast as big and talented and people that I've been growing up seeing and admiring, Like Joaquín Cosio, like Yalitza (Aparicio), like Diego (Calva), like for me, it was a dream come true. And also, and not less important, the story. You know, the story. The story drove me instantly.
 
John Betancourt: I also love the story; I find it's just full of good meaning and great lessons. What do you hope the audience takes away from season one of the show?
 
Mariana Gómez: Well, I think for me, I mean, I think in the eyes of the international people, we have a lot of conflicts in Latin America that has been putting out all the time, like drugs and prostitution and war, you know. But I think public health, for example, is something they, I mean, in all over the world, they didn't know about it at all, like it's, it's putting the eye of the people outside on a major, major, major problem, and doing it in this fancy way, in this creative way. It's like an achievement that it wasn't easy, but I'm proud of it.
 
John Betancourt: Speaking of that pride. What are you most proud of when it comes to what you've done in this show, in season one?
 
Mariana Gómez: Hmm, I think, I think I'm really proud of the of the work I could do, first of all, because I had a little chance to show a little bit of Colombia in a story that is about Mexico City, and although we don't know that much of the background of Cris, I think I could show how much pain she has inside as an immigrant, as a woman living as an immigrant in another city that has a problem with health. I don't want to spoil anything, but her major problem has to do with health and with politics and with decisions and I think that's something I could show through Cris in a good way.
 
Also, I feel really proud of the music, because I have music background. I've been singing my whole life, and I've been writing songs since I was 12 years old. And when I got the script and I read Cris’ scenes, and I called the director, Natalia (Beristain), and I told her, you know, I want to try to write Cris’ lyrics for her songs, for her raps, because, she raps, you know, she does freestyle. And she told me, like, “Let me see what you can do, and we'll see.” And I wrote the lyrics of one of the songs. And she was like, “Okay, do them. Do them all.” So, I wrote my own lyrics for my own character’s songs. So that's something that was like a really nice challenge and gift for me in this series.
 
John Betancourt: Oh, that is really, really amazing. How cool is that? That adds a new layer to the show. I'm also curious too, and this may lead into that… every character just feels so real,
so authentic. And I'm curious how you as an actor, make Chris seem so real.
 
Mariana Gómez: Well, I think, I think that the language of the series from the beginning like that, was the direction that Natalia told us to go through. Like. We come from a documentary. Midnight Family was a documentary first, and now we are doing the fiction, but we want to tell the story from the truth, because it's a true story. You know, true conflict, true problems, through people.
 
So, I think that when I read everything and that was the direction that they wanted us to have, I think I focused on hearing the surroundings, like hearing, like being very, very aware and present of the conflict of the people of the city, of the sounds, of the noises of my colleagues, you know, like hearing and being super present and aware, and also carrying the feelings that Cris has inside of her, because we are not talking about them, but I want the people to see them. And I think that's one thing I try to do.
 
John Betancourt: The last question I have for you today, what does it mean to be part of such a refreshing and original show?
 
Mariana Gómez: It feels… it feels amazing. I'm telling you, as a Colombian actress, to be part of this major project with Apple, with the quality that they have, with the respect that they have for our job, for the industry, the quality of everything, the talent of the people I'm surrounded by, it's like it's a gift for any actress, and for me, being the only Colombian in the show, it's like winning a big, big prize, like they chose me, you know? And I'm super grateful and proud, and I hope… I hope I can do more like that, you know?
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Lea Drinda is a rising star in Hollywood right now, and currently she stars as Wanda Klatt in the Apple TV+ series, Where’s Wanda? And ahead of the season one finale of the show, we sat down with Lea to dive deeper into her role on the show. 
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John Betancourt: I would love to start by getting to know, now that we know that out in the open, that Wanda is okay, when did you find out what Wanda's fate was going to be?
 
Lea Drinda: Oh, quite late. Like I, at first, I only read like three episodes, and so I didn't really know much what was going to happen with her. Because, you know, in the first three episodes, obviously you find out that she's gone missing and that her family is very worried about her and all that. But like at episode six, you sort of start to, you know, understand what's happened and what's going on. And I obviously knew while we were shooting, but the end was sort of open while we were shooting. It wasn't quite like, sure how we were going to, like, round everything off, because they were really trying to polish it the best they could, to make it really sum everything up. And, yeah, you know, it was, I was very relieved to know that I wasn't gonna play have a dead end. You know, I was, she was, she's supposed to live on, and she still has a long way to go, which is good. 
 
John Betancourt: Yes, it is, I think it was a relief for the audience too, because we all wanted her to be okay. I'm curious, though, did learning about her fate later on, change your approach at all as an actor, as to how you built her character?
 
Lea Drinda: Um, I guess, yeah, sort of in a way, because, um, I knew she was not supposed to be a victim. You know she was supposed to be strong; she was supposed to get through stuff. She was supposed to be witty and funny and sort of annoying to the guy holding her captive, you know, she was, she was sort of supposed to be a feisty teenager, you know. And that made me able to like, be louder, be more comfortable, like around everybody else, and be more confident and so it really pushed me towards this sort of more aggressive, feisty sort of character, instead of being like, I guess, scared and whiny, in a way, she was really quite the strong lady to deal with. 
 
John Betancourt: I always love talking to actors, and I always learning about their process. And I'm curious, because you have such -- I mean, obviously everybody has a has a good arc and a good journey in this show, but yours is perhaps the most severe, because she goes from innocent teenager to, like you said, feisty and spicy and having to do all these bold things. How did you as an actor, tap into all of that? 
 
Lea Drinda: I mean, I guess it's sort of… everything's inside of me, in a way, you know, like you have so many, so many things that you're able to, like… I guess, air out when you're an actor, and you can just, like, grab everything that's like, boiling up inside of you and just push it out in that sort of way. I guess I've never had such a traumatic experience as her, but things do boil up inside of me as well. You know, we, it's just the way it is. We as a folk, as the movie, people are strange characters, and there's always something going on inside of us and she was a great way to let all of that out and let it go as well. I think that's one of the reasons I really love doing my job, because I'm able to experience and express and live through so much and let go of so many things. And I guess that's sort of the place where it all comes from, in a way.
 
John Betancourt: I have to ask a follow up question to that, how much of yourself would you say you injected into Wanda.
 
Lea Drinda: Ooh, to be honest, not so… not that much. Because I was never really a feisty teenager. You know, I was quite shy and calm, and maybe I actually was able to live out that sort of thing that I missed out on when I was a teenager, because I was always trying to be so nice that now I could finally sort of be the mean sort of, I don't, I don't want to say bitchy, but sometimes a bit painful to have around, sort of daughter, you know. And I guess that was sort of a compensation for me to be able to finally do all that. That I had never been able to do myself. 
 
John Betancourt: That leads me to my next question as well, what you've enjoyed the most about playing Wanda in this first season?
 
Lea Drinda: I love that she was so confident. I think I've never been so outspoken myself. I've always sort of kept my cool or been sort of, yeah, just calmer and she went from zero to 100 all the time, you know, she was so up and down and I really liked that she expressed everything she felt like instantly and aggressively, also towards Chris, you know, and the, in the basement and all that she never like, let those things take her. She was always the one taking the situation and trying to take control of it, and sort of being the more dominant person in the situation. And that I really liked about her.
 
John Betancourt: Now we don't want to spoil anything, but I do want to know what you're excited for audiences to enjoy as we wrap up the season.
 
Lea Drinda: Um, well, you know now that we know she's okay and we know that she's getting out, I guess there's still a long way to go, because there's a whole mystery to solve. You know, who's King? What's going on? Why was she even there in the first place? And all those things are still to come, and I do not think it will be boring at all.
 
John Betancourt: So, the response has been great to the show. What has the response, and the journey meant to you? 
 
Lea Drinda: Oh, I mean, it's just it's been so great to be part of such a great, like, teamwork. You know, even while shooting, it was just such a nice experience. I haven't, I've rarely been in at a set that was so harmonic, in that sort of way, and that was just such a nice time for me to have. And now that it's out, I mean, it's so crazy as a like a German actress, to be able to be a part of such a like international production and see it now being streamed in so many countries, talking to you, you know, you're like, halfway around the world, and I'm sitting here in Berlin talking to you, and that's like, just, that's like mind blowing for me, you know? So, it's been a journey from start to end, and there's still more to come, and who knows what happens after that.
 
John Betancourt: The last question I have for you today, what are you most proud of when it comes to the work you've put into Season One? Into season one?
 
Lea Drinda: I guess, just like, really pulling through, like being like, I guess… it's very hard for me to be proud of things, but I'm proud of this one. You know, I really tried my very best. It was new for me. It was hard, it was complicated scenes, long shooting days, and we managed, we did it, and now it's out there and I guess that's sort of what I take away from it. I'm proud. 
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity. 

Itzan Escamilla is a talented and rising star in the movie and television industry. Currently he stars as Bernardo in the Apple TV+ series, Midnight Family, and we had the honor of sitting down with Itzan to discuss his work on the show. 
 
John Betancourt: I'm very curious what it means to you to be a part of such a refreshing and original project.
 
Itzan Escamilla: I'm very proud, because it was my first job outside Spain, so it was an experience to be there for a long time, to work with a crew that works pretty, well, not pretty different, but it's different to what I've worked with in Spain. So well, I learned a lot of things with them, and it was a really great experience.
 
John Betancourt: Now realism is something that this story thrives within, especially with the characters, and I’m curious how you created such realism with Bernardo? 
 
Itzan Escamilla: Like, I learned the scripts, I read it, I worked a lot with, with Natalia Beristain, who is one of the directors of the series and showrunner of the whole series, and I think it was like, working with her and with the rest of the cast… I usually like, write lots of things about the character, like, kind of a diary, and also with the script, I work the lines, and I try to, like, search for other meanings that I'm not reading the first time. So, I'm gonna read again, again, so I can, like, I can search for different things in order to construct the character, like, bigger, metaphorically. And, well, it was like deep creative work with the director, with the cast, yeah, that's it.
 
John Betancourt: There are a lot of beautiful messages in the story. And I'm curious if there is one message you want the audience to take away from season one, what would that message be?
 
Itzan Escamilla: A concrete message? I don't know, but I think I would expect people to learn something new about a new country. I think it's a very, very unknown thing, this illegal ambulance circumstance. So, what I have learned from Mexico is that, like, not every country works the same way. And I think it's very interesting to know, like, the different underground things that happens, because I think that in some way can explain how the country works. I think it's a beautiful project talking about the family and the relationships between the members of a family. Because I think that this, this chaotic thing, this, like, very fast and illegal thing, underground thing, I think reflects, in some way, aspects of the family and how you like resolve conflict in the family.
 
John Betancourt: The last question that I have for you today, what are you most proud of when it comes to your work in season one of this show?
 
Itzan Escamilla: I think to work with Renata (Vaca), Diego (Calva), Joaquín (Cosio), like every cast member, they're great. Actors and also the directors. It was, like, a very it was an important thing for me in order to accept the project, to be able to work with those cinema directors in Mexico, because I've, like, I've watched lots of movies from them, and it was like an amazing opportunity to work in a very cinematic environment.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity. 

Ashleigh LaThrop and Aury Krebs are a pair of talented actors that have appeared in some big-time franchises, such as The Handmaid’s Tale and Leverage: Redemption, respectively. Currently they star as Dr. Ericka Kenny and Dr. Dana Dang on the hit new NBC series, Brilliant Minds, and we here at NTG had the honor of sitting down with both of them to discuss their work on this brilliant new show.
 
John Betancourt: I would love to start by getting to know what it was that attracted both of you to this project.
 
Aury Krebs: I have proclaimed this a couple times today. I was a lifelong Grey’s Anatomy fan, so it's kind of always been a dream to be a part of a medical drama. It was like a very influential piece of, like, my formative years growing up, and I really, like, dove into their storylines and their characters. But alongside that, I think I was really excited about Dana as a character, because I am an actor that doesn't, you know, I require a little bit of stretch of imagination, I have found, which is fine, because I don't, you know, I want to be able to play characters that people can really like, invest in what I have to bring to the table, but it means that jobs are, like, a little bit fewer and further between, for me. But it really is, like people say in this industry, that like, what is meant for you will come and it totally did. 
 
Because Dana is just like this such a precious character that I do think defies archetype in a way that you know, maybe it takes, I think, you know, she could be archetyped in the very beginning, but you learn so much more about her, and she has so many different dimensions. And like, I don't think I've gotten to see a character like her on TV, and I could have really used one growing up. And there are so many pieces that like, were so aligned for me. And like, Michael (Grassi) talking to me about, like, he asked me if I was comfortable playing gay. And that was so funny, because I was like, Michael, like, I am a real-life human lesbian. And he was like, “Well, I didn't know that,” (Laughter) and then, you know, just learning how so much of Dana's character intersects with my own. But in the very beginning, it just felt like such a fit, and it felt so right, and it was my first screen test, and it was probably my first producer session, so it really just felt very Kismet for me. 
 
Ashleigh LaThrop: The thing that attracted me was I really liked the pilot when I read it, and then I really liked talking to Michael about making sure that we were telling the truth of these illnesses. Because I think that's not something that we necessarily see on TV a lot of the times. If we're dealing with mental illness or mental health, it's all hyperbole, right? It's like the most extreme version of like the thing that is, whatever the disorder is. And I think that he really wanted to show these illnesses in a way that is truthful to like people who might be struggling with them, or whatever neurological conditions. So, we're doing it in the most grounded and truthful and respectful way that, like, allows people to be seen. And I was like, “Oh, I definitely that's so important,” and it's something that is personally very important to me. So, I was like, please.Yes, yes. And thank you very much.
 
John Betancourt: I definitely want to talk as well today about your characters too. Because you mentioned the care of goes into the cases, some of the real-life parallels. And I'm just curious, because the characters are so realistic and feels so dynamic, how do each of you as actors create such rich characters?
 
Ashleigh LaThrop: I think we all have different processes, which I think is also really fun when you get to see how people, one, create their characters, and two, how they approach the work on set, because like, sometimes you'll gel, and sometimes you have to find a way to maneuver, because their process will be so different than your own. But I think that's what builds the camaraderie, and it builds the realistic relationships. Is because like, you know, we're all very different, and we all bring something different to the table. So, I would say that that's something that that is helpful in creating these characters. It's just like we are different as humans. We are different in the way that we approach them, in the way that we create the work. And luckily, it all sort of comes together really well in this show.
 
Aury Krebs: That was perfect. That was a perfect which Ashleigh does. I mean, I did a lot of learning as I go, because this is my first, really like foray into like television. And you know, the pilot was my second ever episode of TV. And then thereafter, you know, many, many more. And it was really fast paced, and I got to learn from like, these incredibly gifted pros in terms of like, learn by watching, and then learn by doing. And you know, talking to Ashleigh about, like, how she was building her character, because we talked a lot in between shooting the pilot and the second episode, there was a year in between, and she and I would talk on the phone all the time, just like, kind of to connect or whatever. But, you know, every once in a while, she would bring up, because she's an avid reader and she's a really intense researcher and one of the most hardworking actors I've ever met in my life. So, I got to become friends with this incredible person who just like, creates so much life underneath. 
 
Like, the few words that we do get to say, especially in the very beginning of the season, it's why she is such a captivating artist, and it's why you get to, like, you watch her and you're like, “God”, like, “Why” you said maybe, like, three or four lines. And, like, I am so invested and interested in understanding, like, what is going on with this character too, because I think her character could be less dimensional than she makes it. And I mean, it is a testament to like, how Michael pushes against archetype with all of our characters, but then they have just like, they've brought people in who bring so much of themselves. And, you know, I learned from people who are like, “I just bring who I am to the character.” And then I learned from people like Ashleigh, who are like, “Yeah, I read like 20 books, and, you know, did all of this research in terms of, like, the circumstances of what my character goes through.” So, I got to read a couple of the books that she recommended to me and that, you know, inspired me to venture out and learn. But I'm still learning about how I shape my characters, and I hope that my whole life is learning about, you know, what the process is.
 
John Betancourt: This is just such an inspiring and wonderful show, so many beautiful layers and meanings. And I'm curious, as we start approaching towards the back half of the season here, what each of you kind of hope the audience takes away from season one of the show. 
 
Ashleigh LaThrop: I hope that the audience takes away. I mean, first and foremost, we're creating entertainment, right? So, I hope that the audience is entertained by what we're doing. But I also hope that they take away -- none of our storylines end neatly, right? Like, none of them end, like, up, and that's the end, and everything is fine, and everyone lived happily ever after. So, I guess the big lesson is like that it's okay to not be okay. It's okay to not have everything wrapped in a bow. It's okay to still struggle. It's okay to, like, find a way forward that's unconventional, find a way forward while still dealing with things under the surface. Everything doesn't have to be resolved. Everything doesn't have to be perfect, because life is not like that.
 
Aury Krebs: Yeah, I think for me, one of my favorite things about this show is that and it speaks to what Ashleigh discussed in terms of what attracted her to the show in the first place, it is how we, everyone, every mind that goes into this show is taking such great care in terms of how we humanize and represent as authentically and honestly as possible, any, every corner of mental illness that we get to touch upon so far in the show is like, I really hope that people take away like, you know, maybe a little bit more humanity in your point of view. Because, you know, we have characters that could be put into really dangerous situations if they don't receive the help, and that happens every day in the world that we live in. And I hope that that just encourages people to like, humanize the people that they see on the street, or people in their lives who might end up having a mental health struggle that they didn't have when you first met them. And like, hopefully be inspired by the legacy of Oliver Sacks and you know, what this show is trying to achieve. And like, to take somebody's hand and move forward with those circumstances in mind, rather than casting them off or, you know, judging them. Just try to give a helping hand in those situations. 
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity. 
​

It is definitely safe to say that Wendie Malick is a true acting legend. For she has been part of countless iconic franchises and is consistently on our television screens, because her talent is simply in demand. Recently, she was promoted to series regular for season three of Night Court on NBC and we here at NTG had the honor of sitting down with Wendie to discuss her full time arrival on the show. 
 
John Betancourt: How did you manage to become involved period as Julianne in the first place in this series? 
 
Wendie Malick: I got asked. (Laughter)
 
John Betancourt: That's perfect. That's a great ask.
 
Wendie Malick: I was invited, and I'm a girl I can't say no, and I had a chance to work with John (Larroquette), who I've always admired and never worked with him before, and met Melissa (Rauch) and immediately fell in love with her. And it's, it's just a very, it's a very, very copacetic group, very nice family to come and be adopted by.
 
John Betancourt: Obviously, it's not your first go round with Night Court, but now as a part of the regular cast, what does it mean you now be series regular?
 
Wendie Malick: I asked the question, “How is it possible for her to come back and be a prosecutor on the show?” and in the fabulous make-believe world of Night Court, I guess you can give everybody a second chance. So, Melissa’s character decided, with Project Second Chance to bring in someone who maybe deserves another try at being a good citizen. So apparently, I was a lawyer in a former life. Besides being an ex-con, I have a law degree. So here I am at Night Court.
 
John Betancourt: I’m also curious too, you are an actor that's been a part of so many iconic franchises and so many amazing TV shows, and I'm wondering if there is any pressure in joining what is so much of an iconic TV show in Night Court, or if it is kind of business as usual for you.
 
Wendie Malick: I never think it's business as usual. It's like you're always just hoping that you can bring something unique to the dance. And these guys have been up and running now for a couple seasons with this new reboot but having been a guest on the show a couple of times, I knew that it would be a very copacetic set. Melissa. She is the captain of a very delightful ship, and everybody brings their best to the dance, and it's a very talented group. So, I figured I was in good company, and it was fun to come back to a multi cam, which I haven't done for years. I've been working in single camera for years now, and I sort of forgot how much fun it can be to do this in front of an audience. 
 
John Betancourt: Was there any challenge in getting back to multi camera? Or was it like putting on an old shoe or riding a bike? 
 
Wendie Malick: The trickiest thing is traffic in the morning when you rehearse every day. Fankly. Because I live in the Santa Monica Mountains, and of course, we have to be here at 930 in the morning, which is when everybody has to be everywhere. But other than that, no, it's pretty familiar, having done this for so many years in the past. 
 
John Betancourt: Something I've always appreciated about Night Court, and you are no exception to this rule, even as a guest star and now as a series regular, but all the characters feel so real, and they feel so relatable in some level along those lines, how did you flesh out Julianne the way that you did? 
 
Wendie Malick: I'm still working on it. (Laughter)
 
John Betancourt: Could have fooled me. 
 
Wendie Malick: Yeah, no, actually, in the episode we're doing now, you learn something about my background, which helps connect the dots. For me, it's always nice when somebody writes your backstory, so you can sort of go, “Oh, that's how I am, the way I am.” And I think the trick when you're playing someone who is unstable and possibly dangerous at times. Is to also uncover the humanity and help you understand why she's the way she is. So, they're throwing me a bone in that department this week. 
 
John Betancourt: Now I'm curious too, since obviously this is, it's a tale of two worlds for you. Because you obviously had to do some building of Julianne as a guest star, and now you get to do more of it as a series regular, is there any difference in how you approach it as an actor in building the character, going from a guest star to a series regular?
 
Wendie Malick: Well, you realize that this is going to probably have legs, and so you want to keep your options open, but also try to build a character that is believable on one level. But knowing this is a very broad farcical show, you can be bigger than life, which, which gives you a lot of room to stretch, you know?
 
John Betancourt: With this being such an iconic series period, I'm curious why you think Night Court’s legacy continues to endure the way that it does?
 
Wendie Malick: Well, I think that now more than ever, people really want a chance to laugh and to find characters that become their friends and follow them into these crazy situations every week. You know, I think sometimes when I… I used to think, “Well, I wish that I was doing something meatier than doing just a television comedy,” and I would have people come up to me in airports saying, “Thank you so much for helping me go to sleep at night,” you know, or for getting them through a rough time. And I think that comedy is serious business in terms of how much we need it. And now I think we need them more than ever.
 
John Betancourt: I agree. They are definitely very important right now, and obviously now you get to be a part of this team and this show. What does it mean to you and your illustrious career be a part of this, this massive show?
 
Wendie Malick: I'm just always… when I get invited to the dance at my stage in life, I'm just so grateful to still be relevant and to get a chance. It's particularly sweet to be able to work from home and not have to go out of town, which so many shows are now shooting in other cities and countries. And I did a series that was shot in Canada, which is beautiful, Vancouver, but I have animals. I live on a ranch. I've got a husband and friends. And as I get older, I really realize that it’s a particular gift, to be able to work in your hometown. And so, this one is particularly sweet for that reason.
 
John Betancourt: I'm also curious too, because something that I've heard a lot, talking to other cast members and guest stars as well, that there's a real interesting vibe that comes out of the live audience portion of it, and it almost kind of fuels you. I'm curious what that does for you as an actor when you get in front of that audience. 
 
Wendie Malick: Oh, no, that's delicious. I mean, that's the other character in the piece, is the audience, and they have die-hard fans on this set. There was somebody I was walking out after a show a couple weeks ago and one of the audience members said, “Thanks so much. It was such a great show” or something. I said, “Well, thank you for coming.” They said, “Oh, we come as often as we can. We're huge fans.” So, they have people who have been actually trying to show up, like, every week, but that's, it's like a dance, and you're just riding the waves of laughter. And you know when the audience is going to, like, catch up to something you're doing or be a little bit ahead of you. And it's lovely. It's like surfing. It's -- I don't surf (Laughter) but, I mean, I assume that's what it's like. It's like surfing away and they get to be part of the show. 
 
John Betancourt: Now we're getting very close now to the release of season three. And I'm curious what you're most excited, without any spoilers, of course, for the audience to experience this year on Night Court.
 
Wendie Malick: I don't even know where to begin, but fabulous guest stars, and Gary Anthony Williams, who is a recurring thing, and is one of the funniest people I've ever met. I never worked with him before, but this cast is very, very strong, and there's some really interesting people who are reprising former characters. And I think people will be very excited to see who shows up. 
 
John Betancourt: I hear the joy in your voice, I see the smile on your face about being part of the show. What have you enjoyed the most about working on this season? 
 
Wendie Malick: I love to go to work and laugh every day and get paid for it. It's like the sweetest job in the world. Yeah, so it's, it's a fabulous crew and staff and it's just fun to be with, with really kind, generous people who are really good at what they do and who hit the ball back. You know, it's like playing tennis with great people. They make you better.
 
John Betancourt: The last question that I have for you today, what are you most excited to get, without any spoilers, the audience, for the audience to experience when it comes to Julianne?
 
Wendie Malick: I think that she'll surprise you in that there's more to her than meets the eye.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity. 

Truly, Where’s Wanda on Apple TV+ has been a breath of fresh air. For not only has it offered up a unique story about a family shattered by the disappearance of family member in Wanda Klatt, but it has offered up so many powerful lessons regarding loss and honesty, while also making us laugh quite heartily. As we near the end of season of the show however, we thought it best to dig in and learn more about how everyone brought this to life, courtesy of a grand conversation with the principle cast of the show, Axel Stein (Dedo Klatt), Heike Makatsch (Carlotta Klatt), Lea Drinda (Wanda Klatt), and Leo Simon (Ole Klatt).
​
John Betancourt: What attracted each of you to this project as actors?

Lea Drinda: It's a brilliantly written story. I mean, this kind of project, sadly, is pretty rare in Germany, and to do it as the first German language, on Apple TV Plus? I mean, this is great and unique opportunity, I think for everyone.

Axel Stein: Yeah, it's, it's multifaceted, emotional. I mean, we had a whole bandwidth of acting to display. It's exciting, it's dramatic.

Heike Makatsch: It's about, you know, a lost daughter. I mean, hey, what else can you ask for? I mean, like there was nothing against doing this.
 
Leo Simon: They were looking for a hearing person who knows how to sign and who can speak verbally. So many people out of the game already. I was one of the few applicants who made it. I'm very grateful that they chose me.
 
John Betancourt: Now I very appreciate the depth this series has, and how real it feels. How did each of you create that realism in your characters?
 
Heike Makatsch: I think, yes, I even think that the comedy moments quite often came out of the situation rather than, I mean, of course there was an exaggeration and the typical comedic effects, but still, we were always linked to the dramatic emotions, which were always present in the characters because of having lost a daughter. The comedy came from the outside, because people were in situations that were absurd or crazy, or, you know, make the audience laugh.
 
Lea Drinda: Yes, and as such, it's a very tragic story. I mean, a child disappeared. I mean, this is not something you take lightheartedly. So, it was even more important that these serious moments and the sheer despair of the parents and the desperation of the child, or children, this was all taken seriously, and not just sort of, you know, oh, there's a comedy. But no, we stayed serious about this, honest, but yet at the comedy level, which was rather unique.
 
Leo Simon: Ever since Wanda was gone, I had to be a little bit sad and instead of wonder, I just imagined one of my parents actually having this grief or feeling this grief. And that was also always what I held onto in the various episodes. And I always try to show little bit… how much I miss my sister. I would love to have her back.
 
John Betancourt: This is a show with a lot of layers, a lot of messages, and I’m curious what message you hope audiences take away from this season.
 
Axel Stein: Well, I will just say, you know, what do you take home? And first of all, let me say I was really grateful to be part of this project, because it's the first Apple TV Plus series, which we were able to do in the German language. And I think it was amazing. And something we all take home is it was such a special time. This is a high-quality product which is going to be broadcast all over the world, and we're part of this here. And it's just, it's amazing. Yeah, we're the pioneers. We're the I mean, this is, it is something really special, and nobody can take that away. And I hope we'll enjoy it for years to come.
 
Heike Makatsch: But the story, and the, if you like, the moral of the story that is being told, that is a take home as well. And I think that the Klatts, the family sticking together, what would you do to get your lost daughter back and that all these sort of dark times you go through, just in order to find yourself again as a family and recognize the value of family, maybe in a wider sense, the value of a community, even in a town where you look in a sort of milder way at the secrets of your neighbors?
 
Leo Simon: First of all, it's an entertainment show. Of course, at first glance, seems very negative or slightly negative, or somber or dark, but people, shouldn't see the show as something negative, but as something positive, that even when the going gets tough, when the family supports each other, they can make it, they can help each other. And apart from that, there was also a lot of female power to which the show alluded, hearing impairment and LGBTQIA+. All of these are important aspects which are maybe underestimated or undervalued in our society, and therefore that we highlight that is great, these aspects, you should celebrate them.
 
John Betancourt: What did each of you enjoy the most about working on season one of the show?
 
Lea Drinda: It was totally weird to be falling into this world of comedy for the first time. I've never done that before. I think. Really know how difficult it is. I never expected, but you know, such sort of light hearted seeming things that are also perceived in a lighthearted way, in that the fun that the audience experiences is generated by so much hard work, and it was tough learning all this, and you have to be so careful in what you do and be really alert that you do things at just the right moment, and to make sure that it really is funny, and you know, it has to be just so. And that was quite a lesson to learn.
 
Axel Stein: I think the biggest challenge for myself is if you do sort of eight episodes in a season, and maybe in week two you shoot episode eight, and it's a huge challenge to make sure that you understand who is who and what are they doing. What are we doing at this moment, where are we at? What are we feeling? And it's a long period of time, you've got to be really fit, alert, and we all have to be compatible and nice with each other, because we're in a long period of time. So, we have to keep sort of, you know, lifting each other up, as it were, and if you then see this sort of result a complete episode, it's like a baby has been born.
 
Heike Makatsch: It's a very good feeling, yes, and I'm very happy that as the Klatts, we are part of a grand ensemble, a team which is fantastic, made up of wonderful actors and actresses, and the whole thing is a big, colorful bunch of flowers, as it were, lots of different characters, modes and, you know, desperation and everything, and we contributed.
 
Leo Simon: The entire project. That really kindled my passion. I loved every scene, playing every scene.
 
​Editor’s Note – Due to scheduling, the remainder of this interview was a solo conversation with Leo.
 
John Betancourt: Leo, what do you think make this series so special?
 
Leo Simon: It is special because it includes lots of different categories. It's not just a drama, a tragedy, not just about family, but also a little bit of romance, a little bit of dark humor, and a whodunit, and other elements. So, it takes the best out of all categories, and that's why it's pretty much unique and different to other shows. And another aspect is that sign language is given, you know, a platform.
 
John Betancourt: in general, what are you most excited for audiences that like to binge to discover when they settle in to watch all of season one?
 
Leo Simon: Maybe they can look forward to something to laught, having a good laugh. They can look forward to that and the show always has lots of other aspects of… it's very harmonious, sometimes also with a little bit of drama instead, but nonetheless, it's something that it provides fruitful thought, makes you think, and you know, it keeps you interested and always keeps up the suspense so you can't stop watching.
 
John Betancourt What are you most proud of when it comes to your work this season?
 
Leo Simon: I'm proud or privileged, rather, because I got all across, very authentically… many people, apparently like the development of Ole and I'm super happy that you know, feedback to that was so great.
 
John Betancourt: The last question I have for you today, if you had to describe this series in one word, what would that one word be?
 
Leo Simon: It would be difficult. I would like to use three words, family, love and diversity. So, three words in a nutshell describe the show best. Yep.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Sharon D Clarke is a highly accomplished actor that has appeared in a bevy of iconic shows and movies. Currently she starts as DCI Ellis in Inspector Ellis, and we here at NTG had the great honor of sitting down with Sharon to discuss her new role.
 
John Betancourt: I would love to start by getting to know what it was about this project that called to you as an actor.
 
Sharon D Clarke: So, I got a call from my agent saying Channel Five are commissioning a new police drama, and they want it to be black female led, and they're asking if you're up for doing that. So, to be offered this fantastic role, because I would have been very, very prepared to audition (Laughter) to do something like that, but to be offered her… that someone was initially entrusting me to lead this show was such a privilege and such an honor. And for me, as someone who grew up in Britain and never saw that represented on my television, it was something that I was -- yes, of course, I was going to take it on. Of course it was something that I wanted to do. For me, I'm making my own history, and being the first time that I'm leading a show as a number one, but also as a black female cop, a DCI whose brain is phenomenal, who is so blooming good at what she does. And yeah, I'm, I'm stoked. So that's how she came into my orbit, and I was not going to let her go.
 
John Betancourt: But also, I'm curious too. You mentioned a little bit there some of what called to her call to you as an actor for the character as well. What else was it about inspector Ellis that was just so enchanting that, you know, you just had to play her.
 
Sharon D Clarke: Well, there's, there's two things that one, first, that the show is not site specific, so you're not seeing people who are embedded in where they work. You're seeing Ellis and Harper having to navigate a new station each time, because they are being parachuted in to solve a case somewhere else. So, you're having to deal with that then coming in as outsiders. And you can see how Ellis is received when she first arrived as DCI, to lend a helping hand. There's a lot of resentment there, because if she's turning up, it means that basically that station is not doing their job properly or as fulsome as they could. So it's interesting watching that kind of dynamic each week to how each particular station runs their institution and how she deals with them within that institution, and having to code switch, to change, to do whatever it is, how she navigates it from her experience as a black woman in society and as a policewoman, you know, if we think about how Ellis would have come up through the ranks, the kind of things that she would have had to have dealt with in the police station, racial slurs, all of that, that madness that comes with being in a racist institutional organization, that you get to a situation that in life, some things then just become water off a duck’s back. There are situations in Ellis that things are said to her where there's no big reaction from her because she's actually heard worse in her time. So, it's… there is that interesting point about her as well, but also that there is such a tenderness about her and a deep, deep well of compassion. You will see her well up. You will see her cry with her victims. And it was that tenderness that I really love about her, because she's just kind of using all the things that have happened to her in her life. She's realized that when she has been underestimated and when she has been invisible, that she can actually use that as a superpower. And it's watching her wield that superpower in that way that is really interesting to me, how she deals with life.
 
John Betancourt: I'm also curious too, because you're bringing up a lot of great points here, about representation, about the institutionalized racism that happens in the police world. And I'm curious, since there are so many layers to this and so many themes, what are you ultimately hoping audiences take away from this when they from the season, when they've had a chance to watch it?
 
Sharon D Clarke: I'm hoping that they can get into Ellis's world and see how she sees the world, how she deals with the world, how she deals with cases. I mean she has this thing where she says to Harper about funk music, it's not about the notes. It's about the space in between the notes, and for Ellis, it's not about that physical evidence. It's about the people and the spaces in between those people, and what connects to those people that tells her more about what's happened in the case, the physical evidence can't say anything about the human condition, and she's about the human condition. The physical evidence says that happens, but it doesn't say why it happened, what led to it? What was the love behind it, the fear behind it, the jealousy behind it. And that's what I love about the way her brain works. She's very much emotionally attached to her cases in a kind of detached way, if that makes any sense, she does all the research and the digging that she needs to do, but it's always about, how does she link it emotionally? And that's a very different way of looking at crime, I think, from the stuff that I've observed, and also, like I said before, the fact that they are in a different police station each week, and how they encounter that, that makes it different, because we're quite used to cop shows being site specific, so it's interesting in that way. And if we get a series two, we'll be able to explore much more of our beautiful British countryside and just bring that to the world as well. So, there's lots of layers that excite me about it, and think that getting a second series would enable us to mine more of that, to mine more of her backstory, which is all there, which we know what it is. It's just, we can't give you everything at once. We have to tease it out. And so in consequent episodes, that will all be made clear.
 
John Betancourt: Obviously I do want to get into some of that personal meaning. I hear the passion your voice about playing this character. I hear the passion in your voice about this series in general. What does it mean to you then to be playing what is going to be flat out, a revolutionary crime drama?
 
Sharon D Clarke: It means everything. Means everything. Like I said, I didn't grow up seeing myself represented on my television. My school, very multicultural, where I live, very multicultural, but none of that reflected when I'm watching my television growing up. So for me, had I seen some someone like Ellis when I was growing up, it would have meant the absolute world to see that representation and the fact that I am now this far in my career, and being entrusted from the get-go to lead this series is an honor and a privilege, and I really hope that, you know, some young kid watching it will resonate with them, and they will go “That's a path that I think that I can take now,” I did a show called Holby City, which is kind of like are equivalent to your ER. And the character I played was a consultant, and I've had since then, subsequently, five young black women come up to me and said that they have become doctors because they saw themselves represented. And if Ellis does that, then that is just the proudest thing that I could do. But even without that, that kids of all cultures can see a black woman leading a crime drama, which is not something that I've seen on my television screens, is very, very important to me, to educate. You know? I mean, I think what we do in our art is about holding the mirror up. And when you can do that, when you can entertain and educate and elevate and inspire and spark debate conversation, then that is the best of art. And I'm hoping that this is what happens with Ellis.
 
John Betancourt: The last question that I have for you today, what are you most proud of when it comes to your work in season one of the show?
 
Sharon D Clarke: Getting it on, getting it out, being able to tell it. I'm proud that we have these episodes that I am proud of. Do you know what I mean? That I want to share it the world, that I'm not going, “Oh, that didn't quite work out the way it was supposed to,” that I'm going, “Yeah, I want, I want to share this. I'm proud that we are here in 2024, that we're walking the walk”. Do you know what I mean, that someone has gone -- and it's really weird, we did a screening yesterday, and it was said that “wasn't it incredibly refreshing that Channel Five had done this?” And I was like, yeah, it is incredibly refreshing. But it shouldn't be. It shouldn't be. So, I'm proud that we're here. I'm proud of the complete totality of the work, because it's on and people will see it, and hopefully it will make people think differently and think wider, and that roles might expand elsewhere for people. So, I'm proud of that.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.