Posted in: CW, Preview, Trailer, TV | Tagged: caity lotz, cw, Legends of Tomorrow, preview, Sara Lance, Season 6, trailer

Legends of Tomorrow: Caity Lotz Talks Directing Animated Ep, Bishop

Since the last time that DC's Legends of Tomorrow was back on The CW screens, the series made a little news behind the camera with word that the series would be joining Batwoman on Wednesday nights this fall. But before we get to all of that, there's still the matter of the sixth season and its return this Sunday night with "The Satanist's Apprentice." In this chapter, Kayla (Aliyah O'Brien) and Mick (Dominic Purcell) head off to find Sara (Caity Lotz, who also directs this episode) while the rest of our Legends head over to Constantine's (Matt Ryan) to see how Astra's (Olivia Swann) adjusting to being mortal- and with no help from Constantine.

For Sara, it's about getting to know big bad Bishop (Raffi Barsoumian) a little more in a "captive audience" kinda way. For Astra, it's about getting guidance from an incredibly bad source- one that results in a trip into a hellish animated world of Disney-esque proportions. With all of that going on, Lotz took some time to speak with EW about what viewers can expect from the episode, what it was like directing live-action and animated action, revealing more about the season's big bad, and more. Here are some of the highlights:

On Reacting to the Script: "I was like, 'How the hell are we going to do this?' [Laughs] I had no experience in animation whatsoever. Actually, I reached [out] to a few TV directors and I'm like, 'Hey, uh, do you know how this works? How do I even prep for this?' I couldn't find one person who was like, 'Yeah, this is how it goes.' As soon as I talked to Tony Cervone, who was the animation director, all of my worries went away. It was such a fun process. And we started [prepping the episode] pretty early because animation takes a lot of time."

On How the Animation Factors Into the Episode: 'There's this whole theme of Astra [being] a bit helpless in the beginning. She's here on Earth and all the things you would grow up having to learn how to do [she doesn't know]. She's a boss lady, but in Hell, where things are very different. Now she's like, 'Wifi? What? A washing machine? I have to buy food from a farmers' market?' She doesn't have any life skills. Adulting. Basically, she needs to learn how to adult. Constantine is not helping her at all. There's this bit of her being a helpless princess. She's wanting John to save her, but no one is coming to save her. She's having to do everything [on her own]. She's trying to learn magic and do it on her own. Crowley essentially casts a spell, and that's how she gets trapped as a Disney princess who can't help but sing. [It's] so fun to see Astra, who is such a strong and prideful character, become this helpless Disney princess.

On Working with Barsoumian & His "Evil Plan" Presentation: "We had a lot of fun. I really enjoyed working with Raffi. He had to walk a really fine line; Bishop is over the top. Raffi is such a likable person, so it's [about] getting all of that quirkiness but still having him seem a bit scary and unpredictable. That whole projection scene was really fun because we basically staged it like he was doing a stage-play, and we had the actual projector so we could get all of the projections on him. Originally, that was supposed to be CGI, and we were going to do it in post, but I really love the projection mapping and the way you're able to interact with the light when we do it practically. Raffi even came in on days off to rehearse in the space so we could line it up. It took a lot of testing to figure out the right brightness for the camera. It was fun. He really just brings so much life to that character."

Now here's a look at what viewers can expect when DC's Legends of Tomorrow crashlands back on The CW this Sunday, June 6:

DC's Legends of Tomorrow Season 6, Episode 5 "The Satanist's Apprentice": BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR – With Astra (Olivia Swann) now a mortal, she finds it hard to adapt to the real world with no guidance from Constantine (Matt Ryan). Frustrated and lonely, Astra makes a new friend who promises to help her, but her eagerness for the easy way out could have some real repercussions for those closest to her. Meanwhile, Sara (Caity Lotz) meets the person responsible for her kidnapping and tries to convince others to help her escape. Dominic Purcell, Nick Zano, Tala Ashe, Jes Macallan, Adam Tsekham, Lisseth Chavez, and Shayan Sobhian also star. Caity Lotz directed the episode written by Keto Shimizu & Ray Utarnachitt.

Now here's an updated look at the remaining episode line-up for the sixth season of DC's Legends of Tomorrow:

S06E06 "Bishop's Gambit" (Directed by Kevin Mock; Written by James Eagan & Emily Cheever)

S06E07 "Back to the Finale Part II" (Directed by Glen Winter; Written by Morgan Faust & Mark Bruner)

S06E08 "Stressed Western" (Directed by David Ramsey; Written by Matthew Maala)

S06E09 "This is Gus" (Directed by Eric Dean Seaton; Written by Tyron B. Carter)

S06E10 "Bad Blood" (Directed by Alexandra La Roche; Written by Grainee Godfree)

S06E11 "The Final Frame" (Directed by Jes Macallan; Written by James Eagan and Ray Utarnachitt)

S06E12 "Bored On Board Onboard" (Directed by Harry Jierjian; Written by Keto Shimizu & Leah Poulliot)

S06E13 "Silence of the Sonograms" (Directed by Nico Sachse; Written by Phil Klemmer & Morgan Faust)

S06E14 "There Will Be Brood" (Directed by Maisie Richardson-Sellers; Written by Ray Utarnachitt & Marcelena Campos Mayhorn)

S06E15 "The Fungus Amongus" (Directed by David Geddes; Written by Keto Shimizu & James Eagan)

DC's Legends of Tomorrow stars Caity Lotz as Sara Lance aka White Canary, Dominic Purcell as Mick Rory aka Heat Wave, Nick Zano as Dr. Nate Heywood aka Steel, Maisie Richardson-Sellers as Charlie, Tala Ashe as Zari Tarazi, Matt Ryan as Constantine, Jes Macallan as Ava Sharpe, Courtney Ford as Nora Darhk, Olivia Swann as Astra Logue, Adam Tsekhman as Gary Green, Amy Louise Pemberton as Gideon, and Lisseth Chavez as Esperanza "Spooner" Cruz. Greg Berlanti, Phil Klemmer, Keto Shimizu, Grainne Godfree, and Sarah Schechter executive produce. Bonanza Productions Inc. produces, in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television. Lisseth Chavez (Chicago P.D., The OA) joins DC's Legends of Tomorrow in the series regular role of Esperanza "Spooner" Cruz. Aliyah O'Brien (Take Two, You Me Her) has been tapped for the recurring role of fearsome warrior Kayla.

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