In this week’s episode of Castle, Alexis will ask for her dad’s help after she comes across a man on death row that may be innocent. In an exclusive interview, BuddyTV spoke to Quinn about Alexis’ journey this season and how that has been a challenge for her to play, as well as her hopes for Alexis’ future, how playing Alexis is a gift and much more.
What is happening with Alexis in this week’s episode? What can you tease?
I have to say that new layers are revealed for several characters, and relationships, in this episode – especially with Alexis. She really gets put through the wringer.”
We left things pretty tense for Castle and Alexis at the end of last week’s episode. How is their relationship in the new episode?
It’s still going to be tense, but the important thing is that Alexis realizes [she needs her dad]. When she has exhausted all of her resources and she isn’t able to make any progress in helping this guy she believes is innocent, she goes to her dad and calls on his colleagues – Beckett and the boys, and Lanie. Because, at the end of the day, she knows what’s right and she wants to see justice served.
So she knows who she can trust in a situation like this?
Exactly, it’s like the Ghostbusters. Who’re you gonna call?
Alexis has obviously grown up a lot in the last five-plus seasons. Can you talk about what it’s been like to play a character going through all of these different aspects of her life?
It’s been incredible. It’s like I’ve gotten. how do I explain it? It’s like there’s two of me in the world. I’m getting to live two different lives and see how I experience, and see how this other girl – who is so different from myself – experience the world. It’s a huge gift and I’ve learned so much through how she has handled things. Sometimes it’s been scary how parallel our dual storylines have been. It’s a blessing.
It’s been incredible to be with such a great team that really has been a family. I know that sounds silly and a lot of people say that, but if you’re ever on our set you see how much we all care about each other and how they’ve taken care of me. They’ve raise me, all of them. Even last week, one of our guys (said) “Your right front tire looks low. Have you gotten it checked yet?” They’re just so caring and awesome. That’s great because living out here and not having my family nearby, they’ve really stepped up in a way they didn’t have to. I could really gush and go on.
What is your favorite part of playing Alexis and has that changed since you first started playing the role?
Her feistiness has always been my favorite thing: how she can seem very cool and collected. [Back] in the beginning [of the series], when Castle kind of steps out of line, she was like “Hey, reel it back in, buddy.” I think she was that way out of a sense of kind of being naive, because she was so sheltered. And then, after the kidnapping episode, she came into an understanding of the world in a huge way – and completely shocking and scary. She still has that fire, but it matured and it turned into more of an understanding and a way to take care of herself.
And what has been the most challenging part of playing Alexis and has that changed since you first started playing her?
Oh, this whole new season. When they gave me this script and I have this boyfriend and I turned into somewhat of a hippie. I never saw Alexis going there. In my wildest imagination, that was never a storyline that I ever saw her doing. Trust me, I have thought and written down possible things for Alexis to do in the future. I have pages upon pages of things I’ve written since I was fourteen and in none of them was this ever a phase.
[Also], kind of getting over my possession of Alexis, [sometimes I feel like] I know Alexis better than the writers, but at the end of the day, I don’t. I’m playing her and I’ve added my own spin to it, but she’s not mine and I’ve had to kind of relinquish my control – which is never easy for anybody – to explore this new side of Alexis.
If you could wish for one thing that could happen to Alexis this season or in future seasons, what would it be?
One thing that I’ve always wanted for her is to develop kind of a quirky assortment of friends through college. Like someone who is really good at computers, like a super team that she kind of starts: her own investigative team.
I think – I’m keeping my fingers crossed and my prayers going up – that could possibly be a thing that happens down the road, if not this season then the beginning of next. I have this fun scene in my head where Beckett’s on patrol or something and she sees these two teenagers breaking into a building and so she arrests them and calls Castle. Then it’s like me and a friend sitting in holding [and everyone is asking] “Why were you breaking [into a building]?” I think it would really tie in well and maybe even cause a spinoff.
What is the future going to be like for Alexis this season?
She’s going to keep growing, in big ways.
Castle airs on Monday nights at 10pm on ABC.
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(Image courtesy of ABC)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
