The cast of “How to Get Away With Murder” was in full force at the NAACP Image Awards on Friday.
Actor Alfred Enoch, actress Karla Souza, actor Jack Falahee, actress Katie Findlay, actor Matt McGorry, producer Peter Nowalk, producer Bill D’Elia, actress Aja Naomi King, actor Charlie Weber and actor Billy Brown from the show were all in attendance. They won Outstanding Drama Series and Viola Davis who was in Hawaii on vacation won Outstanding Actress in a Drama series.
Read what they had to say about being on the show, working with Viola and more!
What does it feel like to be nominated tonight?
Liza: It’s super exciting and an honor. It’s just great to be a part of this community and it’s great to be acknowledged and be with all these people. It’s very exciting.
Katie: It’s kind of rare for everyone to get together. On TV it looks like it’s not, but we all live in separate barns and work all the time so getting to actually see all the people from these shows and these movies all together in one place and to be able to make funny faces at them when they’re trying to work is really fun.
Speak about working with Shonda Rhimes & Viola Davis.
Katie: I can honestly say that they’re two of the most pleasant people that I know. Viola is so full of life and joy and she’s so boisterous. She’ll make fun of me if I walk by in a robe. If I have a sex scene she goes “uh huh” … It’s just light and joyful and wonderful. With Shonda you would really … I say you would never know that she built an empire. It’s not because she doesn’t seem impressive, it’s that she’s kind and open and has a good sense of humor. You get a sense that she’s the boss but …
Liza: She’s fun.
Katie: Yeah. She’s great. Everyone’s great.
Liza: They’re very great human beings. They’re the best.
It’s such a different show. Something we haven’t seen in a very long time. What’s your favorite part about working on “How To Get Away With Murder”?
Katie: The family. It’s totally a family. I’m checking to see where people are right now on the carpet because we all love each other and we all want to hang out all the time. To get to come to work every day and be with all the people you would be with if you weren’t at work is kind of a blessing.
It’s almost Valentine’s day. What do you lovely ladies have planned for the holiday?
Liza: Gosh I’m the wrong person to ask. I’m sort of one of those “It’s just another day” people. A quiet one, quiet one at home.
Katie: My best friend’s daughter is turning 16 … I’m going to go make a big room of teenagers super uncomfortable. I’m really excited about that.
Who are you wearing?
Liza: This is a dress by a designer named Lorena Sarbu and I recently discovered her and I’m excited.
Katie: It is banging gorgeous. I am wearing Alice+Olivia this evening and some very very very tall shoes by miu miu.
Jack Falahee
Whats the best part about working on the show?
The cast and crew. It feels like a family. Shonda Rhimes has done such a great job of doing that on all of her shows. Now on ours, it’s just such a great group of people. That would be the best thing I think.
You’re also working with Viola Davis. What’s the best part about working with her? She’s such a talented actress.
Yeah. She’s incredible. She’s so maternal. I think that that is, you wouldn’t expect that maybe just because she brings such fiery passion to these powerful beautiful women that she portrays onscreen. She, in person, is just the first to go “hey how you doing?” She diffuses all the tension in the room and brings a jovialness to the work which is rad.
How do you prepare for your roles? This is such an intense show. It’s something we haven’t seen on TV in a very long time.
To relax? I do a lot of hiking on my spare time. I’ve been knocking out trails on the Santa Monica mountains. It’s heavy, it’s pretty intense. I found this season, I was using a lot of music to get in the zone.
Any favorite artists out there? Somebody you’re listening to right now on your iPod or your iPhone. Who are you listening to?
I’m listening to a lot of Seinabo Sey right now. She just performed on Conan a couple nights ago. She’s unreal. I’ve been listening to a lot of Banks.
Karla Souza
Who are you wearing tonight?
An amazing amazing designer named Raoul. I’m in love with this dress.
Tell us what it is like working with Viola Davis?
She is so intimidating as Annalise Keating, but a pleasure to work with. She’s humble, she’s generous, she’s so much fun. The other day we watched the gag reel and she had us all gagging. We were very, very amused by the gag reel. She brings Genesis, her daughter, on set with us. It’s just an injection of energy and professionalism in the way she’s been with us. The other day was someone’s birthday and she bought them cake. She’s just very inclusive. It’s a pleasure to work with her.
I know as an actress, you always look for the best writers out there. You’re getting a chance to work with Shonda Rhimes and one of the most amazing teams. Tell us what the best part about working with such talented writers.
I think the other day I was saying how as an actor sometimes you make one choice for a scene and you decide to play that choice because you don’t want the editor to choose a different type of, maybe a different way of doing it. I’ve realized as the show’s going on, I’ve now decided to do so many different choices and I trust the editors and Pete and the writers to choose the best take for them. To have that liberty and that freedom to be able to create this creative dialogue between them and us, it’s such a pleasure and it doesn’t happen that often. For them to think of you as also creative head and to feed on what you’re giving them is also very special. I think that’s what makes the show keep being amazing every episode.
As a lead actress on the show we get to see you make all kind of twists and turns. What’s one way that you would think you would be able to get away with murder?
I would be able to get away with murder if I had a lawyer like Annalise Keating as basically part of my family. Something that made her not be able to go against me at all. Maybe she could be my cousin or she could be my mother. Someone like Annalise Keating in my life.
You have two shows that are nominated “Orange is the New Black” and “How To Get Away With Murder.” How does it feel?
Matt McGorry: Just one would be crazy. This is really my first award season going through having any show let alone two, so I almost don’t have a control group now to really know what it’s like to have anything less than that. I imagine I’ll experience a lot of disappointment one day, but right now I feel pretty good.
Now, we get to see you in two very different roles. What is it like for you? Are you guys taping at the same time? We see you in a very comedic yet serious role, and then we see you on “Orange is the New Black.” What is that like for you as an actor just balancing both of those roles and both of those characters?
Matt McGorry: Yeah. It’s actually very strange. I’m sort of the comedic relief on a drama and then on a show that’s a comedy, I’m sort of more of a straight man. I guess people like me being weird and off kilter which I like to think I am a little bit. Yes it’s a little tricky. They don’t completely overlap, but they do overlap a bit, so there’s a bit of back and forth involved. Luckily both shows have been really accommodating. It’s just pretty incredible. They’re both shows that the fans love, the critics love, and also I think are really helping to make a difference socially which is so important. That’s why we’re here tonight as well.
The ladies love you on both of those shows. Being that Valentine’s Day is coming up, what kind of plans do you have coming up for the holiday?
Matt McGorry: I like to be a little spontaneous so I’m not getting too ahead of myself this year. I think I’ll let it come to me maybe a couple days before hand. I like to just sit down and let it just sort of wash over me and then I feel like I’ll come up with a better idea that way.
What kind of little sneak peeks can you give us about what’s to come for next week’s show?
Matt McGorry: We get more answers and more questions. By the end of it, I think February 26th, the last two episodes are back to back, we will have all the answers we’re hoping for including who killed Lila. It just gets crazier and crazier. We get to see more of what Bonnie and Asher are going through too which I think is, it’s very cool to me because they’re people that you wouldn’t expect to really be together or really even be interested in each other, but it sort of keeps going. One way or the other even if it’s negative. It keeps going.
It’s fun to watch.
Matt McGorry: Yeah it is!
