The highly anticipated and much talked about drama series Flash Forward premieres on September 24th on ABC. When the world's population is given a glimpse of their future due to a mysterious global event, it forces everyone to come to grips with whether their destinies can be fulfilled or avoided.With a cast made up of such talent as Joseph Fiennes, John Cho, Courtney Vance, Sonya Walger and Dominic Monaghan, among others, Gabrielle Union jumped at the chance to work with them, as well as producing partners David S. Goyer and his wife Jessika Borsiczky Goyer. While talking to press, the actress mentioned the unusual nature of working on a show that is shrouded in so much secrecy, even for the cast themselves.
Q: Since you're not in the pilot, who do you play on the show?
Gabrielle: I play Zoey. She's Demetri's (John Cho) fiancé, and a criminal defense attorney.
Q: Will viewers get to see your flash forward?
Gabrielle: Yes. I would say it's life-affirming. Take that as you may. I'm not a great liar, so they just don't tell me anything. I was getting information, literally seconds before I was filming.
Q: How is it to work on something so secretive? How can you even go about developing your character?
Gabrielle: I think they instinctually chose actors who embodied what they were looking for. Right before action, they're like, "Oh, yeah . . ." And, you're like, "That changes everything! Why didn't you tell me that before?" Obviously, it can be a little daunting, not to have information to prepare with, but I think it's all done purposely and, strangely enough, beautifully. I've seen it with other actors, with me having information that they don't have, but they're instinctually doing what is right, for the moment.
Q: Are you not allowed to talk to each other about the characters then?
Gabrielle: Sometimes my character is a little bit more informed than another character, maybe based on something I have seen or not seen.
Q: Would you want to know what goes on in your life, six months ahead?
Gabrielle: That's why we have psychics, and I'm obsessed with watching Crossing Over with John Edwards. We want to know. We want to have some sort of insight into what's going to happen. I've been tempted to go to psychics, over the years, when I've been up for a job. You're like, "Can somebody just tell me? I don't want to wait through the weekend." But, it takes the fun out of it. When I have gone to see psychics, I'm waiting for signs and I'll turn somebody crossing in front of my car into something else. So, I think we're in charge of our own destiny, and we make it with our choices and decisions. I think you can effectively and pro-actively alter your own destiny.
Q: Do you think that's what this show says?
Gabrielle: I hope so, but I don't know. That would be daunting for humanity, if you already knew what was coming. We'd all be addicted to psychics, and there would be a line out the door because someone is just giving you all the information. What I think is interesting about life is that you have no clue. Every interaction could be the one to change your whole life. Uncertainly is the beauty of living.
Q: How has John Cho been to work with?Gabrielle: I'm obsessed with Harold & Kumar, so I thought that's who I was working with. He's so funny, so smart, incredibly sexy and he brings really interesting perspectives to things I had never thought about. He's got a really interesting take, on a lot of things. It's nice to work with people who aren't your carbon copy. That gets really, really boring, after awhile.
Q: Had you been looking to do another hour drama?
Gabrielle: I was looking to work, and I don't get too choosy, when the mortgage is due.
Q: Without really knowing anything about the show or your character, what was it that hooked you?
Gabrielle: I had taken a meeting with ABC and we wanted our relationship to continue. I really enjoy them, as a company, and they've been freakishly supportive of me, so they were just looking for a right fit. And then, by chance, the next day, the Goyers called them and were like, "Do you think she'd ever be interested in returning to television?" They were like, "How crazy is that? We just met with her about that very thing."
And so, the next day, I met with them. They were like, "We can't tell you a lot, but we love you and we will write for you, and we want you to be a part of this," and I was like, "Yeah!" It was kind of like Match.com. You just don't really know what you're gonna get, but you want to leap at the chance because the possibility is awesome and exciting. So, that's all I had to go on, along with meeting them. I liked them, and that's pretty much been what's guided my decisions, the last few years, certainly with television. I wanted to work with Frank Spotnitz (for Night Stalker), Daniel Sackheim (for Life) and now the Goyers. I'm really happy.
Q: Were you looking for an ensemble show?
Gabrielle: Yes. After Nightstalker and Life, I didn't have much of a life. When you don't have a big cast, you work a lot. I love working, but when I work 16, 19 or 20 hours a day, my dogs stop recognizing me. I want to have a life, but I also want to work. I couldn't have asked for a better situation.
Q: Do you know what will happen once you get to this date of April 29th?
Gabrielle: We don't know what happens. Has this ever happened before? We're going to explore what caused it. Could it happen again? Did it happen before and we missed it? We don't know how this will all unfold.
FLASH FORWARD premieres on ABC on September 24th
Source: IESB
