Posted in: Disney+, Hulu, TV | Tagged: dan fogelman, hulu, sterling k. brown

Paradise Stars Shahi & Nicholson on Fogelman, Brown, On-Set Chemistry

Paradise stars Sarah Shahi and Juliana Nicholson spoke with us about the series, working with Dan Fogelman and Sterling K. Brown, and more.

If there's anything that the stars of the Hulu political thriller Paradise can attest to, it is how much of a nurturing, open, and warming atmosphere on set, and that's thanks to creator Dan Fogelman. An open book as it gets as far as communication, he's had the cohesion of his crew, most of who have worked on his successful NBC drama series This Is Us. Carrying over to lead the series is star Sterling K. Brown, who plays Agent Xavier Collins, who discovers not everything is as it seems when he's on assignment to protect President Cal Bradford (James Marsden). Sarah Shahi and Juliana Nicholson spoke to Bleeding Cool about how they prepped into their roles, working with Fogelman, Brown, and the on-set cohesion. [Ed. Note: The interview was conducted before the game-changing twists in the series opener were revealed]

Paradise Stars Sarah Shahi and Juliana Nicholson on How Creator Dan Fogelman and Star Sterling K Brown Take the Initiative on Set

Bleeding Cool: What's it been like working with Dan as a creative storyteller, and how well does he weave your characters in the narrative?

Nicholson: Dan is an incredible writer, as we've all seen with 'This Is Us' and 'Crazy, Stupid, Love' (2011), and many others. He has such a knack for finding the beating heart in a story and his characters and then taking you on this ride on our show where you have no idea what's coming. He is incredibly generous and joyful and wants to bring everybody on this journey with him. He's like a kid in a candy store. He would come to set every day with bubbling over with excitement, and it's infectious. Great boss! Great man!

How did you prep for your roles and the psychology for 'Paradise?'

Shahi: I've been in therapy my whole life [laughs]. You're "Bleeding Cool." I'm "bleeding issues." I'll be here all week. I have my book coming out. Yeah, no. There was no surprise for me. I'm a typical middle child in the sense I've always had to mediate between my family members. I was always occupying that space within my friendship groups and then again, because of my own colorful life, I'm a product of therapy. I found it natural to sort of tap into that vibrational part of myself that's open, wants to tap into the good of somebody else, wants to guide them into the right decision, and also to play somebody that's a bit softer than the characters I would normally play.

What about you, Juliana?

Nicholson: I read a bunch about women CEOs, about women in positions of power, to have an understanding of what that might feel like. It's all on the page with Dan, he writes such specific and detailed characters, and you learn so much about them with each page. A lot of it was there for us from Dan.

Can you both speak about Sterling's presence – how he is a leader on set and how it is to work with him?

Shahi: What a jerk!

Nicholson: [laughs]

Shahi: He's just that man! No secret in Hollywood. Yeah, no, he's incredible. Sterling's magnanimous? Magnanimity? His generosity, let's just go with that word, knows no end. Whether it's him as an executive producer or as a person coming in every morning, greeting everybody, asking if there's anything he can provide that will make your day go by easier, to how giving he is on screen, I have done nothing but grow from him. It's been such a treat, and I'm grateful for the experience of sharing this journey with him. I have nothing negative to say. He's incredible. It's annoying.

Nicholson: He's an incredible actor, which we've all seen, but he's an incredible human being. He shows up completely his authentic self, and he's very generous, grateful for where he is, and he brings us all along with him. The crew on this show, 'Paradise,' about, say, 85-90 percent was also the crew on 'This Is Us.' There was already a family in place, a trust. They have in-jokes like people were there. To do the work, but also to have a nice time if you're going to be away from your family. If you're going to be away from your home, at least let's do it in a place with supportive people who all want to make the best show it can be. That's Dan and Sterling definitely bring that energy, and then it trickles down through the rest of us.

The opening episodes of Hulu's Paradise, which also stars Jon Beavers, Nicole Brydon Bloom, Krys Marshall, Aliyah Mastin, and Percy Daggs IV, are available on Hulu and Disney+, and new episodes drop on Tuesdays. The premiere will also be broadcast on ABC on January 29th and FX on February 1st.

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