Ashley Gerasimovich previews THE DETOUR’s return
TBS’ amazing family comedy THE DETOUR returns to the network tonight (at 10:30/9:30c) for Season 3, which finds the Parkers (Nate (Jason Jones), Robin (Natalie Zea), Delilah (Ashley Gerasimovich), and Jareb, err, Jared (Liam Carroll)) settling down in Alaska after some time on the lam. Nothing really seems to go their way, especially not with USPIS agent Edie Randall (Laura Benanti) on their tail. Their adventure kicks off exactly how you’d imagine it (read: it doesn’t go so well) and I love every minute of it!
To get excited for the season, I spent some time chatting with Ashley about what Season 3 brings for Delilah and her family. Check out what she had to say!
It’s hard to imagine topping season two, but what are you guys up to in season three?
Well, I like … it’s understandable. I can’t give too much away. So, … you already know from season two that they’re in Alaska, and as far as my character Delilah, you’re gonna be seeing a lot of new sides to her, as she grows and matures in this. It’s gonna be super exciting.
I can imagine getting to grow up with this character is exciting!
Oh, yeah, it’s so great. I’m looking back at the pilot. I’m like, “I was 10 years old when I filmed that. It’s been three years since I … I was in 5th grade when I got this job, and now, I’m in 8th grade.” And just watching my character show so many new sides in season one, show a whole different side of her in season two, and it’s fun being weird. And there’s gonna be so much new stuff added to everyone, not just my character, everyone in season three. It’s gonna be so great. I cannot wait for you guys to see it.
I know you said you obviously can’t give anything away, but what can you kind of tease about S3? Are there storylines or things you can tease for us about what we might see this year?
There are definitely a few plot twists coming up at the end of the season, and one of them involving my character, so I can’t wait for you guys to see it and be as excited as about it as I am.
What are you hearing from fans of the show?
Well, I get a lot of comments on the Instagram posts, and some of them are, “Oh, my gosh, I’m going through withdrawals. Bring back season three.” And others are like, “Delilah is my favorite character.” I don’t blame them, I don’t question why [laughs]…but anyway! And I just really appreciate all the support I’m getting from everyone saying how funny the show is, how funny I am, can’t wait for season three, all the good stuff. I’m really happy to see how people like the show.
Starting in 5th grade to now 8th grade, shooting this show, what do your classmates think?
Yeah, they think it’s really cool. I talk to them normally on a regular basis like a normal everyday person because that’s what I am [we both laugh]. I’m just like, “Okay, guys. Listen up, what’s going on?” And stuff like that, but when they see me on trailers and on TV and stuff they’ll be like, “Oh, yeah. I saw you on my TV last night. I’m like, wait, I go to school with her. That’s so cool.”
The cast is great on this show and you seem like a real family. What’s it like working with these guys, Natalie, Jason, and Liam, on the show?
Well, we’ve all grown closer and closer together as a family as the three seasons have progressed. Season one it was like, “Oh, hey, nice to meet you. You’re gonna be my second family.” And season two is all like, “Hey guys, I’m so glad to see you again.” Now, season three is like, “Oh, yeah, these guys are great.” They’re just, like, over the summer you go see your aunt, uncle, and cousin. And it’s like basically like that, they’re like my second family over the summer. It’s just really fun.
Why is THE DETOUR a show that you think people should be watching?
There’s the fact that it’s absolutely entirely positively hilarious. It’s just about a show that like, a family going through…a lot of things that could break them and pull them apart, we bend we don’t break. The family has stuck together through everything that they’ve been through in season one, and season two. And it’s just about like, love that holds them together. Love. It’s really good to see like this family push through every single time in their highly dysfunctional manner.
I think it makes it totally relatable, too, because they go through wild and crazy stuff that maybe not everybody does, but they love each other, and that’s what I kind of find myself … I find myself crying at some of the stuff even though it’s so funny. I’m suddenly so moved it because they love each other so much.
Yeah, that’s exactly my point. I’m so glad you’re moved to tears at the fact that they love each other so much. That’s another reason why people should watch the show. It’s like, not only the fact that it makes you laugh out loud, it’s so moving. Like, the fact that they can be through all that, go through like, a divorce and stuff, and just love each other throughout all of it.
The court stuff and the parent stuff with Jared/Jareb’s character that was so darkly comedic! What was it like reading those scripts and knowing that was coming that you really have the comedy, but you have that drama to deal with, too?
I know! The drama in the script is just as important as the comedy in my opinion because if it’s just joke, after joke, after joke, if it just keeps whacking you, whacking you, whack, whack, whack, it’s gonna be like, flat at one point. You need to add that extra, “Oh, my gosh. This is really moving” kind of aspect to the show. So, you can make it a well-rounded show, and people will continue watching it.
Is there an improv aspect to it, or is it all pretty much what’s on the page?
Oh, yeah definitely there’s an improv aspect. Whenever the actors think they came up with something in the script that’s in their heads, maybe they think is a little better than what’s on the script, we’re gonna say it, and they usually keep it, to be honest. The writers on the show love us [laughs].
You get to help shape your characters your own in a way.
Yeah, and one of the writers of the show, the actual creator, is actually starring on the show, too. So, sometimes they change the script on set. They’re like, “Hey, do you want to … Can you say this instead of that?” And we’re like, “Why not? Sure.”
What was it about acting that made you think, “Hey, I want to do this.”? Were you an active kid? What was it that really sparked your interest?
Well, to be perfectly honest, my mom got us all started in like, modeling and stuff when we were babies. When she saw in the Parents magazine, she saw lots of agencies and she’s like, “Hey, why don’t we try this out?” So, it started with modeling and then I got my first job at 5 1/2 years old. Just seeing all these new people, it’s a whole new world. It’s a different world than what we live in here. It’s just a new different place everywhere, every single time, and I really enjoyed the aspect of meeting all these new people, and that’s what made me want to continue this. I’m having so much fun on the set. I just want to keep doing this. Playing someone you’re not, too, that’s really fun in a way.
You get to escape into someone new every time, even every episode it’s a little bit different. That has to be exciting to play something new.
It really, really is, and I’m so happy that I’ve been doing this for this long.
Did you get advice from other people, or do you have advice for younger actors that are just starting?
Well, first off, jobs [you get] are always going to be meant for you…and if you don’t get the job it was meant for someone else, and it’s also really good practice for seeing how you do and what you can improve on and stuff. Once you actually get the job, you have to make sure that you are that character, but usually sometimes we don’t even call ourselves by our actual names anymore. We call ourselves by our character names. It’s actually in the first two days that we forget our real names. We just call ourselves by the character names. It really actually helps me get even more in character, and even more focused and like, “All right, so this is what we gotta do. Let’s do this.”
Have you had to do any extra work or research into this character?
No, not really, actually. The thing is, as you look in the script, and you just read the scene, think, “What would Delilah do?” Like, just think that to yourself, and not what would you do, what would Delilah do? Your character that you’re playing.”
Do you get to watch other TV? Do you have other favorite shows you catch up on in your downtime?
Oh, yes. I like to watch TV, it’s one of my favorite pastimes ever. There’s this one TV show in particular a cartoon on Cartoon Network, it’s called STEVEN UNIVERSE. You may have heard of it. I’m not sure, though.
I have.
You have? Yes!! I really get excited about this show, and a couple of new episodes have just come out, and I’m looking forward to catching up on them because they’re really good.
There’s so much TV, like, it’s hard to make a decision about what to watch anymore, isn’t it?
Yeah, it’s true. There’s … I like, look through channels and I’m like, “Do I watch Jaws, do I watch SpongeBob? That is the question.”
That’s quite a difference between the two.
I know. There are so many genres and so many ideas thrown out there. There’s so many creative people in the world that it’s hard to keep track anymore.
What are you working on besides THE DETOUR? Is there anything else you have coming up, or any movies, or roles you shot?
Well, since we wrapped THE DETOUR, I’m constantly auditioning, but I’m like, enjoying the break I’ve been having. Being a normal kid, catching up with school, all that good stuff.
THE DETOUR airs Tuesday nights at 10:30/9:30c on TBS.
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