Posted in: ABC, TV | Tagged: high potential

High Potential Star Kaitlin Olson on Why She Nearly Passed on Series

Kaitlin Olson explains why we have her agent to thank for her taking on the role of Morgan and why viewers are connecting with the series.

Kaitlin Olson (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Hacks) was already having an excellent career run – and then, ABC and Showrunner Todd Harthan's High Potential happened. The series heads into its fall finale next week, having pulled the kind of viewing numbers during its second season that more than prove that the first season wasn't just a fluke. But during a profile interview with Esquire, Olson shared why she may not have taken the part if it wasn't for her agent.

"It wasn't like a formal turning down. It's just my agent had to really make me sit down and read it. I had 'Sunny.' I was enjoying working part of the year and then being a mom the other part of the year. Jumping in on things that were fun [like 'Hacks'] but then having the time to develop my next show. So in my head, that was going to be a much different character from Dee, and I wanted to do a comedy/drama hybrid," Olson explained. "I always figured it would be on streaming and it would be ten episodes or something like that. I could still have 'Sunny' and a life and all that stuff. So the idea of being on an hour-long drama on network television just wasn't appealing. It took my agent saying, 'Okay, I understand that, but I'm not going to give up until you read it.' And he was right. I fell in love with the character."

As for why viewers continue to connect with the network drama, Olson believes it comes down to having a lead who is relatable on a personal level. "A lot of people can relate to Morgan. It's nice to see a person who might seem very put together but be a bit of a mess. Someone who is a really good mom but a fuck up in real life. She doesn't take herself too seriously. She doesn't flaunt the fact that she's smart. It's disarming," Olson added. "She's just doing whatever she can to make it work and make sure her kids are good. Once you have kids, nothing else really matters. If they're happy, you're happy. That might have something to do with it."

High Potential Season 2 Episode 7: "The One That Got Away" Preview

High Potential Season 2 Episode 7: "The One That Got Away" – When a priceless painting is stolen in a museum heist, Morgan and Karadec team up with an art-recovery expert to unravel a tangled case and fierce ownership battle. Meanwhile, Soto is determined to uncover the secrets hidden inside Roman's backpack. Written by Laura Lekkos.

Written by Drew Goddard (The Good Place, The Martian) and starring Kaitlin Olson, ABC's High Potential follows a single mom with an exceptional mind named Morgan (Olson), whose unconventional knack for solving crimes leads to an unusual and unstoppable partnership with a by-the-book seasoned detective (Daniel Sunjata). Based on the popular French series Haut Potentiel Intellectuel (HPI), the series stars Olson as Morgan, Sunjata as Karadec, Javicia Leslie as Daphne, Deniz Akdeniz as Lev "Oz" Ozdil, Amirah J as Ava, Matthew Lamb as Elliot, and Judy Reyes as Selena. Produced by ABC Signature, High Potential is executive-produced by Goddard and Sarah Esberg of Goddard Textiles and Todd Harthan, with Olson producing.

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