Found’s Shanola Hampton: Fresh Drama in Fall Finale Gets Gabi ‘Ready to Fight’ — Brass Knuckles and All
Sir, nobody needs you defending Gabi Mosely in the court of public opinion — as the kidnapper-turned-“victim” did in the latest episode of NBC’s Found.
“What are we doing…? What are we doing??” says series star and producer Shanola Hampton, laughing. “He is the bad guy!”
More from TVLine
Yet while he may be bad, Gabi’s onetime abductor is oh-so-good at playing people.
“Oh, he is the master manipulator of human beings,” Hampton nods. “I think it is such a social experiment, this show. If you were in one of those college classes where you take television shows and really evaluate a character, he is one of the best to do. Like, how he can have done this terrible thing but still gained favor in the eyes of the public? It’s kind of amazing.”
Here is more of what Hampton shared with TVLine ahead of Found‘s midseason finale, airing this Thursday at 10/9c on NBC.
TVLINE | That was quite a scream Gabi let out after watching Sir’s video last week. How is she doing, really?
She’s still broken. It needed to come out, though. It’s been a build, and finally she got to do what I think the audience has been doing for her [Hampton mimes a scream of anguish]. But she’s very broken.
TVLINE | Have you enjoyed playing a more “frazzled’ Gabi? I feel like she could have handled Sir escaping, or handled a fractured M&A. But both…?
It’s a lot. I’ve enjoyed showing humans being humans, and not to be all glamorized. I think we have a tendency to make the hero characters like “Nothing bothers them!” or “Untouchable, they can do no wrong!” — there’s a history of that — but to not be [untouchable], and to be broken, and to not be making all the right decisions…? To be in this fragile place with everyone and to have to earn respect again, has been really cool to play.
TVLINE | Margaret is in a bad way, having lost her bus station privileges. And Zeke just got busted for hacking into the DCPD. What can you preview about this week’s fall finale?
It’s so bad. Her not being able to go to the bus station, and to have Zeke without his lifeline to society/the world, everything is crazy, and Gabi feels completely responsible for their lives being broken. They already had trauma, and now she has added to that with the decisions she made. That puts her in not a good place either, but also make her ready to fight. That’s why at the end of the episode you’ll find her ready to go and confront Sir by herself. With brass knuckles.
TVLINE | I’m curious, do you watch the scenes with Teen Gabi being filmed? Because Azalia [Carter] is so good.
Beyond good. I don’t generally watch, because I don’t like to add the pressure of me being there — I want her to have that free space — but I am always in awe of the dailies, and the cuts, and what she brings to the character. And baby Bella, too (played by Jasmine Washington). Both of them have done an outstanding job with the flashbacks.
TVLINE | Michael Cassidy has been perfectly inscrutable as Sir’s brother. Any other upcoming guest stars to look forward to?
Danielle [Savre] is coming in, from Station 19, and she is so fantastic. And Dionne Gipson [as Gina]? She’s also fantastic. We’ve done a good job with casting, and those are he big ones coming that I think the audience is going to really be intrigued by.
TVLINE | Lastly, this week’s purple outfit (seen at top) — is it in your Top 5?
I love it. Love it. But the orange [from last week] I really liked, too. Anything with color, like the hot pink [from Episode 2×04]. But yeah, the purple is dope, with the three pieces…. But I have some other really good stuff coming up, especially in the coat arena!
Want scoop on Found, or for any other TV show ? Shoot an email to [email protected], and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line!
Best of TVLine
Sign up for TVLine's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
