*After years of working in tv and weathering each a pandemic and an business strike, Scott Foley discovered himself craving one thing completely different. When the script for “It’s Not Like That” landed in his inbox, he found precisely what he had been in search of: a character-driven drama that didn’t depend on aliens, weapons, or different outlandish plot gadgets to inform a compelling story.
“It’s Not Like That” follows Malcolm, a pastor and lately widowed dad of three, performed by Foley. Lori, portrayed by Erinn Hayes, is freshly divorced with two teenagers. Their households as soon as did the whole lot collectively, however now Malcolm and Lori should navigate their newly minted singledom, parenthood, and the complexities of Malcolm being a modern-day pastor. Is that this the start of a love story? It’s not like that. Or is it?
For Foley, the enchantment was quick and deeply private. He not solely signed on to star but additionally got here aboard as an govt producer, a task he takes significantly and one that permits him real inventive enter all through the manufacturing course of.
“After I was first offered with this script, I had been watching quite a lot of tv,” Foley defined. “This got here on the heels of not simply the pandemic, however then the writers/actors strike. So I used to be excited to get the script in my inbox. I’d been watching quite a lot of tv and loving the tv I noticed, however there was an identical thread by all of it. There’s an enormous, typically unbelievable, inciting incident. There’s weapons, or there’s aliens, or there’s a dome we’re all dwelling below, no matter it was. I learn this, and I used to be in a position to breathe, despite the fact that it was about divorce and the dying of a partner and managing after that.”
The household drama collection comes from creators Ian Deitchman and Kristin Robinson, identified for beloved initiatives like “Life As We Know It” and “Parenthood.” It blends fashionable household drama with themes of connection, second possibilities, and navigating life after main transitions. What drew Foley to the fabric was exactly what makes it difficult: the simplicity and authenticity of the storytelling. He referenced basic character dramas that formed his profession and viewing preferences.
“I really like a easy story. I liked Felicity. I preferred Parenthood. I preferred Friday Night time Lights. I really like Thirtysomething. These nice character dramas that we actually don’t get an opportunity to see that a lot anymore,” Foley mentioned. “And since I preferred it that a lot, I wished to guarantee that it stayed that means. One of many ways in which I might do this was to ask to type of be part of the inventive course of, and being an EP on this permits me to do this.”
His position as govt producer is much from ceremonial. Foley described being concerned from the earliest phases of script improvement by post-production, providing notes on the whole lot from character improvement to music selections.
“I see the scripts once they’re in first or second draft. I see the cuts of the reveals after the primary reduce, after the director’s reduce,” he defined. “So I may give my notes, my opinion.”
After a long time within the business with each profitable multi-season runs and initiatives that didn’t make it previous the pilot stage, Foley has reached a degree in his profession the place having inventive enter issues deeply to him.
“I’ve been doing this a very long time, and I’ve been actually fortunate. I’ve had a bunch of reveals which were profitable and had multi-season runs. I’ve additionally had some which can be one-and-done or achieved pilots that don’t go wherever. Actually good scripts,” Foley famous. “… to have the ability to have some inventive enter at this level in my profession is actually essential.”
Enjoying Malcolm Jeffries offered Foley with a personality not like any he had tackled earlier than. As a pastor and religion chief, Malcolm required Foley to discover territory that felt each daunting and significant. “I’d by no means performed a pastor, a religion chief earlier than, and it was daunting on numerous fronts. I feel Malcolm is a believer, whether or not it’s within the Lord, whether or not it’s in the way forward for his youngsters, the way forward for society, he believes… it permits his character to be open and accepting. And that’s one thing that you simply don’t see fairly often on tv,” Foley mentioned.
The position additionally allowed Foley to look at the distinctive challenges confronted by religion leaders on the subject of forming real private connections. He described the delicate distance that naturally varieties between pastors and their communities. “It’s exhausting for religion leaders, for pastors, to make actual, sincere connections with folks, to have private mates… That’s why he holds on so tight to what he and Laurie have, their connection,” the actor mentioned.
Malcolm’s journey this season facilities on navigating grief whereas supporting everybody round him who can be grieving. It’s a problem that resonated with Foley on a deeply private stage. “The most important problem is coping with the lack of his spouse and coping with all the sentiments round that. It’s not simply him coping with his emotions. He’s obtained his children he’s coping with,” Foley defined.
Throughout manufacturing, a dialog with co-star Erinn Hayes introduced an sudden revelation about his connection to the fabric. Hayes talked about referring to her character Merritt, whose mother and father divorced when she was 14. “My mother died after I was 15. I watched my father type of be the, he wasn’t a pastor, however he needed to handle three youngsters after the lack of his spouse and handle their loss and his. It’s rather a lot to take care of. Perhaps I’m serving some type of penance by doing this position,” Foley mirrored.
For Foley, one scene within the pilot episode captures the whole lot important about Malcolm’s character. It’s a second of uncooked vulnerability that he believes defines not simply Malcolm, however what makes the collection particular.
“It’s when he goes up onto the pulpit after not having the ability to, for weeks, making an attempt to write down a sermon and never having the ability to do it. His vulnerability in entrance of his congregation, asking for his or her persistence and their help, is just not one thing you see grown males do fairly often. I feel that basically sums up the character of Malcolm. He’s a person as a lot as anyone else. He desires to attempt to do it himself. However he additionally understands ‘I’ve a group and I can lean on that group and I might be weak with that group,’” Foley mentioned.
When requested what he hopes viewers will take away from the primary season, Foley expressed enthusiasm for the a number of storylines woven all through the collection. From the will-they-won’t-they dynamic between Malcolm and Lori to the difficult relationship between Malcolm and David, to Lori’s sudden reunion together with her ex-husband, the collection provides entry factors for viewers of all ages.
“The hope is which you can watch this present with your loved ones, or should you obtained children, you possibly can watch it with little children, and all people’s going to have one thing that they dig their tooth into,” Foley mentioned. “I feel it’s interesting for various age ranges and demographics.”
And naturally, Foley has yet another hope: “I hope they’re speaking about after we can get extra. That’s actually thrilling for me, and I’m so pleased with the present.”
It’s Not Like That,” which additionally stars J.R. Ramirez, will premiere with its first two episodes on Surprise Venture’s subscription on Prime Video on January 25. New episodes will premiere weekly on Surprise Venture on Prime Video each Sunday.
Watch our full dialog with Scott Foley beneath.
*This interview has been edited for size and readability.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Angela Bassett Shares Pleasure Over Teyana Taylor’s SNL Homage to ‘Ready to Exhale’
Join our Free every day e-newsletter HERE.
