using so now. Gotcha. Go ahead. so much technology that you need to know right now. How are you doing with everything right now going on?

Um you know at first it felt like, oh this is just feels like hiatus, you know, my husband and I have a good routine when I'm not working where like we go on bike rides and we exercise and we cook and we go out to dinner and you know all that kind of stuff. So it just sort of felt like, okay, it just felt like a little early hiatus. And then and then as time went on, you start to feel this anxiety build. Like Is my ever going to work again, you know, so I've been dealing with those feelings.

Oh, for sure. And what do you do to like keep yourself busy, like the cooking and hiking and stuff still or?

Yeah, so we we are big um we're avid cyclists. So we get on the road. You know, we've always actually worn those masks for allergy reasons. So now we just blend right into everybody else.

Now, no one's judging you anymore.

No, but like now we're like, we're totally cool. Like we don't look like weirdos at all.

And we want to talk to you today about your directional debut on Riverdale. So I I have your little Instagram post right here. Oh nice. And so you got your director's pack. That must have been super exciting.

Super exciting and um Warner Brothers sent me a I don't it might be, I might have posted that as well, but they sent me um a uh director's slate.

Oh, this one?

that had my uh no it was actually a framed one. A framed one. I'll look. I'll look for it later. But it was yeah, it was really it felt really nice. It was like what a nice gesture. Their their CW Warner Brothers Berlanty Productions Roberto our creator have all been so supportive and encouraging and they really want diversity behind the camera and so um, you know, when I went to them and really it started in season two. I was like, hey guys, if we keep going, can I direct and then I just kept at it like, no, really. I really want to direct. And then so then I started, you know, jumping through all the hoops doing all the things that you need to do to prove that, you know, they can trust you uh with an entire episode. So director's guild workshop and you have to have work that you've already run won awards for stuff like that. So I put all into it to prove it. Yeah.

How did the cast obviously they probably congratulating you and everything. How did they react to like you because you said in the caption like can't wait to torture them like how was that?

And I was I was so red. Which I did torture some of them. It was good. Yeah. Um, but they were all super supportive and uh, you know, from day one when they sort of heard that it was official and I was going to direct. They just here and there I would say I'm just I can't wait for you to direct me, you know. So, I felt very welcomed and cuz you never know like they might give you a really hard time, you know. You never know. Um, you never know. Now Skeet did give me a hard time. But he always gives me a hard time. so that was, that was totally fine. Um, but other than that, yeah, it was it was um it was great and they were super encouraging and really open to my direction and I tried to push their performances is as as much as I could that felt right. For more like in the show, so FP's leaving.

Yeah. Are you are you super sad? How are you how are you feeling about that?

Well, I'm I'm I'm definitely sad for Alice for sure because man, she's gonna have it some some form of another heartbreak. I'm assuming. I don't know. Um, but I mean as far as Marisol and Skeet both leaving. I we get along so well and have a really good friendship outside of the show. And a lot of times see each other more going to dinner or social events than even working together on the show. Um, so I know that our friendship isn't gonna end. Yeah. But um, you know, I'm definitely going to miss them. It's going to be it's going to be hard, you know, going back on set and and not having everyone around in those big scenes.

What what was one of your favorite memories that you had with him in the show?

With Skeet? Yeah. Um, well for some reason whenever whenever we're working together, we well, it's it's mainly because he gives me a hard time. So it's it's usually a giggle fest. And it's usually like, you know, challenging each other, throwing each other off. Can we remember our lines even though we're messing with each other? Um, but he's just really sweet. And there was one scene I think it was I don't know if it was I think it might have been season two when Alice finally admits that she had a son and gave him away and you know all that was coming up. And it was just a really hard scene for me to perform because it was it kept being pushed in the schedule. And by the time we filmed it, it was like 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning. And and I was, you know, it wasn't like ideal circumstance for a performance. So I really leaned on him and I remember we like did a rehearsal right before filming and I could tell like, I'm struggling right now. I don't know what I'm doing. And I just said, Skeet, can you come here and talk to me? We just like went off to a corner and he was so supportive and there for me as an actor. And just really kind of talked to me about where Alice would be and where he would be and he really kind of got me in the zone. And then we walked back on set. Yeah. And we could do that together. So he was super supportive. Yeah.

And that's such a special memory to have that. Before Yeah. He's not on the set anymore. Oh, that's so sad. Having each other's backs is always the important thing.

Oh, definitely.

And of course we have to ask, is Barchie here to stay or are we going to find that out? A lot of my friends I asked him was like, what would you want to know like if if you were to talk to her and they were like, it's Barchie here to stay or not. So if there's any

well, I think well, I think I think Roberto loves to to torture all of us as an audience for sure. Yeah. It's it's fun and interesting. I mean that's like a classic Archie Comics thing where you have that what was the love triangle between Betty Veronica and Archie. Now you throw in Jughead, so I guess it's like a quadrangle? What I don't know.

something for pointed something.

Yeah. Um, so, you know, they have that like sweet first love memory of each other. But um, but you know Jughead is very strong probably end game. So I don't know. I know I know Alice definitely likes the Jughead Betty idea more than she likes the Archie Betty idea but that's because she's she had a history with Fred, Archie's dad and Fred broke her heart as a teenager. So I think that she looks at that as like, I don't want my baby's heart to be broken too. Yeah, for sure.

Yeah. I'll report back to my friends. I'll let them know. I'll let them watch the interview. And where are you planning to watch the finale? Are you going to watch it?

Absolutely going to watch it. I'm going to live. I'm going on my different social media handles and engaging with the fans and just want to like get their questions and um give some insight. I have some fun behind the scenes pictures that I haven't posted yet that I'm going to.

Oh, so we're gonna see exclusive content during the finale.

Exclusive content. Um, but yeah, I'll be home here with my husband and he's been such a um supportive partner in my life. You know, we met way back in 1987. We've been together over 30 years and he's been such a um encouraging you know, sends me like love notes in the morning when I'm like my first day of filming. He's like I'm so proud of you. You know, you put your goals in action and then I'm like crying, I'm like, I gotta go to work now. Why are you crying? So we're gonna sit down and watch it.

Oh, that's so cute. And do you watch it like every week together has he seen the whole series?

Oh, yeah. Yeah. from the very beginning and even like during the first season when it was first coming out. He's like, even if you weren't on it. I really like this show. I would watch the show.

That's good. That's good. Do you have like

That's good. Yeah, totally.

And when he when you told him that you were going to do have your director's debut. Did he send you a special note then like what did he say then?

Oh, yeah, yeah. No, he was super excited of course. He's the first person. I always go to like, you know, Roberto called me and asked if I officially want to direct you know, so um, yeah, he's he's been my rock all these years. So he's got me through the the challenging times and the celebratory times and um, so it's gonna be special to sit here and watch it together. I just wish that you know, because of this pandemic, you know, my kids aren't able to come and visit at the moment because we're all sort of self-isolating and getting through this. Yeah. it would be we normally probably would all be together as a family watching this. So we'll just have to be doing it like virtually through. I don't know.

hearing and watching each other. FaceTime.

Oh, do you just call like are you FaceTiming them all the time to check in on them your kids?

Oh, yeah. Yeah, definitely.

And do they like do they love the show?

They do love the show. Yeah. They both enjoy it.

Do they ever like text you like when it's on like mom, like why did you do this or like comment on certain things about it or they just watch it?

Um, they just watch it. They usually just watch it. A lot of times like my daughter will be asking me questions through social media. Just to stir the pot. Yeah. Got to love daughters. Got to love it. Yeah. They they know how to do it. Um, but my but my daughter came up while I was uh filming and and, you know, sort of acted as my assistant while while I was up there. So, you know, because you're you're you're on your feet 14 hours easily a day every single day. So she would just kind of like come by with a plate of food or snacks. And say, okay, it's time to have some celery and almond butter, you know. Yeah. Stay good, you good through filming.

Yeah, that's so special. Everything about it. Well, I'm excited for the series finale. See what happens. And then are you looking forward to any upcoming projects in your personal life that's coming up or anything?

Yeah. I am I am uh I've written and created a couple of uh shows. One is a documentary series um on mental health around the world and so that's in development. It's being shopped to networks at the moment. And then I'm also I've created and I'm writing um sort of like a based on our lives kind of show that's in development as well. So I'm just taking this time going, okay, well this is a good excuse to sit down and continue to write and, you know, flush everything out. Um, and I was on slate to direct a film, but now that's a little bit on hold. So I'm kind of waiting on that. But you know, I'm excited about I love Riverdale and I'm gonna be on Riverdale till the end, but I'm also excited about this new career path and and directing other things. So

Started and now there's no stopping you.

There's no stopping me.