[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for Elsbeth Season 2 Episode 6, “Gold, Frankincense, and Murder.”]
Carrie Preston‘s Elsbeth Tascioni bought a really particular present on the finish of Elsbeth‘s first Christmas episode on December 5 on CBS. After fixing the homicide thriller of the week — which featured Christopher Fitzgerald (the unique Boq in Depraved on Broadway) and SNL‘s Vanessa Bayer as a lethally sad couple on the head of a Christmas commercialism empire — Kaya (Carra Patterson) helped organize a shock so Elsbeth wouldn’t be alone on Christmas.
Kaya and Captain Wagner (Wendell Pierce) introduced a shock visitor to Elsbeth’s for the vacations: her son, Teddy Tascioni! Teddy has been solely been talked about, by no means seen all through The Good Spouse, The Good Battle, and this Preston-led spinoff, however that modified when Ben Levi Ross made his sequence debut within the last moments of the episode.
Teddy spends each different Christmas along with his dad, and this was a type of years. Elsbeth was trying ahead to spending the vacation with non permanent roommate and colleague Kaya, however Kaya can be spending Christmas together with her household on a cruise. She couldn’t go away for the vacation with out serving to her good friend really feel much less lonely. The Elsbeth household affair continues in subsequent week’s episode, when Preston’s real-life husband, Evil‘s Michael Emerson, makes his sequence debut as a decide who Teddy will discover suspicious.
Ross is greatest recognized for his work in musical theater; he was an understudy for the roles of Evan, Connor, and Jared in Pricey Evan Hansen on Broadway and performed Evan within the nationwide tour. Prepare for him to change into a well-recognized face on Elsbeth. Right here, Ross breaks down his debut to TV Insider, sharing particulars from his chemistry learn and time on set with Preston and what’s subsequent for Teddy.
Congratulations on the half. This can be a very talked about character, however by no means earlier than seen. Are you excited to be a part of the sequence and convey Teddy to life?
Ben Levi Ross: So excited. That is an actor’s dream to have one thing that has existed in a universe after which are available in and get to make it come to life. I’ve been a fan of the present earlier than this, so I used to be tremendous aware of Elsbeth. Fascinated about Carrie’s work within the present and what she’s constructed after which attending to hop into the household is tremendous enjoyable and thrilling.
Did you watch The Good Spouse and The Good Battle earlier than Elsbeth?
I’ve to say, I didn’t watch The Good Spouse or The Good Battle, however I did watch Elsbeth. That was the place I picked up. I truly didn’t even know that she was a by-product. I believed that this was an unique factor once I first began watching, after which I spotted that it was a by-product. I watched Season 1 as a result of A) I beloved it, and B) I had plenty of pals that had completed little roles right here and there.
Inform me what you knew about Teddy coming into this. What did they inform you in regards to the function once you have been auditioning?
Simply that he was not dwelling within the metropolis, and I knew there was a boyfriend that was within the image. They actually left it fairly open when it comes to characterization. [Showrunner] Jonathan Tolins was actually enthusiastic about this half as a result of he had been fascinated by her household for the entire final season. So I did audition. I had a chemistry learn with Carrie, and it was so pure. It was really easy. She was so heat, and she or he’s very maternal the way in which that she performs Elsbeth. Elsbeth has this heat, Midwest maternal power, so all I needed to do was actually permit that to penetrate after which I felt like a son in a short time. It was actually plausible on each of our components, I feel.
CBS
To your chemistry learn, was {that a} scene from Season 2 Episode 7?
It was plenty of them. It was snippets of just about each time [they’re together onscreen in 207]. I feel me and Carrie primarily did [a] scene on the finish of the episode the place I’m type of checking in together with her about what’s occurring together with her life.
Was Teddy’s debut the primary scene you filmed?
Yeah, that was the primary scene we filmed, and I knew that I used to be coming in every week later for the following episode. So in some methods it was very meta as a result of I used to be assembly Wendell and I used to be assembly Carra and I used to be assembly the actors that I used to be going to be working with and in addition Teddy would’ve been assembly them too. In order that was good. And I’ve to say, that was the primary time I’ve ever been in Santa Claus getup.
Have you ever since realized something about Teddy’s backstory that viewers don’t know?
Truly, viewers know greater than Teddy does about sure issues about his life, just like the job scenario, the truth that his mother greases the wheels a little bit bit and helps him get the job that he’s in proper now. That’s an attention-grabbing factor to return in with. There’s already a little bit little bit of motion taking place with Teddy’s character, however I feel the extra that the present goes on, the extra alternatives there might be to discover his life. As a result of at this second within the very starting, he actually is a catalyst for us having the ability to see Elsbeth in a special place. We haven’t actually seen her as a mom. We haven’t seen her as a mum or dad. And so in these two episodes, particularly 207, that’s my important function in the meanwhile. However there’s extra to return.
What are you able to preview about Elsbeth as a mom?
You will notice that a few of her avoidant nature of among the secrets and techniques that she perhaps has, you see that she will be able to’t conceal when she’s speaking to her son. That’s a extremely particular factor that occurs in parent-child relationships. Your baby can see by means of the wall that you just sustain. They know you one of the best. That’s only a very nice dynamic to have on the present. And also you see the place her [traits] converge and diverge between the 2 of us, as a result of Teddy’s undoubtedly not a reproduction of Elsbeth, however he’s her baby. So that you see some similarities.
CBS
We’ve solely seen Teddy as dressed as Santa to date. Does he share his mom’s vogue sensibilities?
Hear, he’s a classy boy. I can provide you that. It’s so humorous, I used to be out to dinner with a good friend the opposite evening who was sporting a fancy dress piece of mine that I had simply been sporting that week [on the show], this very cute jacket. I used to be like, the place is that this from? And he was like, this can be a very costly jacket! And I used to be like, I’ve been sporting that on set for the final 4 days.
Michael Emerson makes his sequence debut subsequent week, and Teddy might be trying into this decide that he performs a bit. What are you able to share about that?
A enjoyable door that’s opened right here is that Teddy takes curiosity in Elsbeth’s line of labor a little bit bit. We undoubtedly see that he’s a questioner as properly. He doesn’t simply imagine precisely what’s on the floor, so when he hears them speaking about this case, he takes it upon himself to perform a little research. That’s undoubtedly one thing that I feel may very well be enjoyable to discover sooner or later, simply extra of seeing Teddy by accident, or not by accident assist his mother on circumstances with sure issues that set off her good thoughts. It’s a small second [with the judge], however I feel it lands and reveals the form of individual that he’s, the form of thoughts he inherited from his mother.
Is there something that you just steered for the character, or did the present have a really clear thought of who Teddy can be?
It’s fairly clear simply from the web page within the first couple of episodes, however the enjoyable factor about doing TV is that it’s being written because it goes. As a result of I’m now enjoying this half and since I’m in contact with our showrunner and since me and Carrie are fairly shut now, there’s simply issues which might be going to develop as a result of I’m enjoying the half. However I additionally deliver plenty of myself to plenty of the components that I play, so a few of that humor is unquestionably one thing that’s perhaps simply mine. I feel that Teddy, as a result of I’ve a dry humorousness, has a little bit little bit of that come by means of. It’s the form of factor the place, as a result of I’m enjoying the half now, whoever’s writing these episodes may have my voice and my wry humorousness of their head. It’ll simply proceed to develop, and I’m excited to see what occurs subsequent.
Teddy at present lives in Chicago, however is he shifting to New York?
Gosh, who is aware of. You’ll see that his boyfriend is shifting to New York, and in order that’s what’s taking him there. That’s the journey. His push and pull on the present is that he doesn’t wish to like New York, however he finally ends up feeling like he does actually prefer it. However it’s pulling his accomplice away from him, so it’s irritating. You’ll simply have to remain tuned.
Inform about working with Carrie and creating this mother-son rapport.
Oh, gosh. She is actually probably the greatest. For somebody who has to rise up at 4 a.m. 5 days every week and shoot it doesn’t matter what, she is so extremely alive and heat and welcoming to each new solid member. There are continually plenty of new solid members once you’re doing a present like this. I’ve realized loads from her, truthfully. Not simply from take to take easy methods to make issues completely different and make issues alive, however easy methods to be a extremely sort and thoughtful {and professional} actor on a set. She’s been enjoying this half now for 14 years, which is insane. It’s inspiring to see the story of Elsbeth, to land the place she has landed this half since you don’t see this. It’s simply such a testomony to what she’s been in a position to do with this character and have folks fall in love together with her. We’ve nicknames for one another now. Mine [for Preston] isn’t absolutely solidified. She calls me Teddy Ben. It’s cute. I’m nonetheless understanding the kinks in [her nickname].
What do you name her?
Mama Care. “Bear” is weirdly the factor that’s in each.
Teddy and Mama Bear. That’s good.
Yeah! I simply adore her. Additionally she’s simply good. I simply must say, she’s a Juilliard-trained, unbelievable, unbelievable actress. I’ve been a fan of her since True Blood, and she or he’s an incredible director too. She’s directed theater, she’s directed TV. I feel she’s simply probably the greatest.
She’s simply so endearing too. The character is much more endearing due to that. How was it seeing Carrie and Michael work collectively?
It’s wonderful. It’s so cool that they’re with one another. I sadly didn’t cross with him in any respect that episode, however I’m so excited simply as a fan to observe his arc within the present as a result of I feel that he’s additionally so good. And we get to see him stick round for some time this season too, which is basically thrilling. I want I used to be within the room the place it occurred, however I wasn’t.
And the way does Teddy get together with Elsbeth’s work household?
We see that it in a short time works. I feel that that is sensible and is a testomony to him and Elsbeth having these similarities as a result of despite the fact that some individuals are cautious of her, she falls into the world fairly simply and everybody finally ends up loving her. And so I feel that they actually wished to point out that Teddy introduced an identical power. He’s simply joyful that they’re taking good care of her and that she has made pals and that she’s doing properly in New York. As a result of on the finish of the day, that’s what he cares about probably the most, is that his mother is joyful and is doing properly.
Elsbeth, Thursdays, 10/9c, CBS