News: Pushing Daisies At The Paley Festival

By Tara Di
As Seen On TV
Comcast.net

On the second night of the Festival, the creators and cast of ABC’s quirky, cult hit Pushing Daisies assembled to talk about this odd little show that’s captured the hearts of audiences looking for something different. The panel included: Lee Pace (Ned), Anna Friel (Chuck), Chi McBride (Emerson Cod), Kristin Chenowith (Olive Snook), Ellen Greene (Vivian Charles), producers Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks, Peter Ocko and creator Bryan Fuller. (Swoozie Kurtz (Lily Charles) was unable to attend due to the ill health of her mother.)

After a 10 minute video overview of season one — watch Chi McBride bust on his castmates — moderator Kristen Veitch from E! posed questions to the panel and then opened the floor to the questions of the incredibly enthusiastic audience. Here are some of the highlights of the night:

On the origins of the wacky concept for “Pushing Daisies”:
Creator Bryan Fuller: “I would say the development of the idea came out of “Dead Like Me.” It seemed only natural to consider the inverse of that show, which is about losing life, and do a show about giving back life.”

On how tough a sell “Pushing Daisies” was to the networks:
Bryan Fuller: “Susan Rovner at Warner Bros. has been so instrumental in crafting this series and championing it. ABC has been so enthusiastic too…when I was developing it I talked a lot about [the film] “Amelie” and it came out that ABC was looking for their own “Amelie” type series!”

Casting tidbits:

* Lee Pace wasn’t interested in going back to TV [after working with Bryan Fuller on “Wonderfalls”]. But he admits he read the “Pushing Daisies” script as a favor to Bryan but was smitten by the role of Ned for himself. After Fuller coerced him more, he decided there was a lot to explore with the character.

* Anna Friel was in her native England and was given the script by her new agency. She met with Fuller and exec. producer Barry Sonnenfeld, who loved her but asked if she could do an American accent. She worked on it and got offered the role, which she calls “the best decision of my life.”

* Chi McBride says he had been looking to get back to comedy but was getting pigeon-hold in dramas like “Boston Public” and “The Nine,” which he was still attached to when the pilot came around. When that show was cancelled, he was free to take the role of Emerson Cod, whom he says is similar to his own personality.

* Kristen Chenowith worked with Barry Sonnenfeld on the movie “R.V.” She was happy on Broadway and was planning to be in Mel Brook’s new production of “Young Frankenstein” but she got the script and said “it was so weird, and I am so weird…it was a great match.” She had to make a big decision but after Bryan and Barry promised Olive’s part would be special – she took it.

* Ellen Greene (who played Audrey in the stage and film musicals of “Little Shop of Horrors”) said laughing “People thought I was dead, actually.” She admits she had to audition for the role of the Darling Mermaid Darlings. She worked with Fuller on “Heroes” and they changed the scheduling of that show to make accommodate her to shoot the pilot of “Pushing Daisies.”

Fun facts:

* Bryan Fuller reveals that Ned is indeed a vegetarian otherwise, “it would crawl back out.”

* Raul Esparza, the herbal remedy salesman in love with Olive, will return to woo her.

* Chi McBride actually pitched the idea to Fuller of Emerson becoming a private investigator in order to track down his long-lost daughter.

* A “Pushing Daisies” soundtrack, featuring the score and the several songs sung by the cast, is in development.

* The first mini-season of “Pushing Daisies” will be available on DVD in September, before the return of the show.

* Anna Friel is now shooting a movie version of the classic 70s Sid and Marty Croft series “Land of the Lost” with Will Ferrell. She is playing Holly and Will is playing Marshall. She says “Will is a marvel of a man.” She finishes shooting “Lost” on June 16th and goes right back into production for “Daisies” season two.

Spoilers!

* Chi McBride revealed his character Malcolm on the ABC’s “The Nine” was actually behind the robbery at the center of the show. He snarked to the shocked audience, “He had bills to pay!”

* The revelation that Lily Charles is actually Chuck’s mother wasn’t supposed to be such a major cliffhanger. The strike forced Fuller to leave the series on that note and in the meantime, he says he has since spent time making that story twist earn the weight of a cliffhanger for season two. Chuck will find out the true identity of her mother next season and Ned will play a big part in controlling her future trajectory.

* Season two will be “harder and more aggressive in tone.” The first five episodes have been approved by ABC and Bryan Fuller is writing the first script now.

* Fuller would love to get more guest stars like Julie Andrews to appear on the show.