Not Dead Yet’s Gina Rodriguez Talks Finale Twist, Renewal Odds and Her Dream Jane the Virgin Guest Star
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Warning: The following contains spoilers for Not Dead Yet’s Season 2 finale. Proceed at your own risk!
Nell’s secret is out — or is it?
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Not Dead Yet wrapped up Season 2 on Wednesday with a ghost that hit close to home for Nell: her boss and Lexi’s father, Duncan (played by Brad Garrett), who appeared to Nell while undergoing surgery. When he came back to, Duncan at first didn’t seem to remember anything about his experience on the spiritual plane… until he recalled the feeling of riding in Nell’s Prius as a ghost.
“It sets up a very cool, exciting trajectory for Nell [about] what is life going to be like for Nell moving forward now that somebody, especially this somebody knows her secret, something she’s kept so super close to the chest,” star and executive producer Gina Rodriguez tells TVLine.
Below, the actress weighs in on the big reveal, whether there’s a love triangle brewing between Nell, Lexi and Edward, and what she’d like to see in Season 3 if the show moves forward. (The ABC series has yet to be renewed or cancelled.)
Plus, Rodriguez shares which of her Jane the Virgin co-stars she’d cast as a ghost.
TVLINE | It sounds like you definitely believe that Duncan remembers that he was dead and he was talking to her. That’s your interpretation or you definitely know that?
No, no. I don’t definitely know anything, thank goodness, because the writers keep everything very close to the chest because of moments like this. ]I can] be a loose cannon. But what it does is it just sets up what does he know? What happened? What does he remember? What will that look like for Nell? That sets up so many hilarious obstacles for her moving forward.
TVLINE | Duncan finds out in a very inadvertent way. He doesn’t find out because Nell confides in him. I’ve wondered over the course of the second season, especially, how much easier Nell’s life would probably be if she told one of her close friends about her secret. What do you think is stopping her from sharing?
I think it is petrifying to her to be rejected again from the people she loves, i.e. her experience with Phillip. It’s why she kept so much from him. It’s why she kind of ran away from it. I think it’s Nell’s evolution as a human being, as she kind of goes deeper into her fear of losing the people around her that she loves, losing her relationship with Cricket, being thought of as quote-unquote crazy, not knowing what is actually happening to her and not really being able to face anybody or have anybody help her in understanding what that is. I think it also keeps her journey really exciting and something that she gets to quietly learn from, which is also kind of, I think, a little bit of a thrill for Nell. Because so often we think we have to share the uniqueness or extraordinary experiences of what we go through instead of keeping them close to your chest. So Nell kind of is doing that a little bit, too, I think.
TVLINE | If there was one person in her life who you think maybe suspects, who would it be?
Edward. Or Tina. Tina suspects it. [Laughs] There’s one episode where Edward says to her in the first season, “I always hear you talking to yourself and nobody’s there, and I just figure it’s your way of dealing.” I think it’s so beautiful that he accepts her for who she is and how she is because of his own eccentricities and how he, also, is looking for that kind of acceptance for his. They have a beautiful, loving bond over just being unique and it being OK.
TVLINE | I found the bizarre Edward and Lexi coupling to be very delightful. But I swear I clocked a moment in the Season 1 finale where Edward was looking longingly at Nell. So I’m wondering how the storyline evolved from that to this, and do you think there are any romantic feelings between Edward and Nell?
You did clock something at the end of Season 1. I did love that little nugget being placed there and then there also being this evolution of a relationship between Lexi and Edward, which is wonderful. Episode 10 really dives into why they actually work really well for each other. It’s beautiful. But I yearn to see what that evolution is in [Nell and Edward’s] relationship and if there’s a little bit of a triangle love there. I have always ‘shipped Edward and Nell. I still kind of want something to come about in, like, Season 6.
TVLINE | It sounds like you’re very hopeful then about the show’s renewal odds.
Well, I was also just giving ourselves some time. [Laughs] This is me projecting a nice long life for us. I do want to see the evolution of those two, badly. I really, really want that because I do really love the way they interact with one another and how they support each other. You can do that as a friendship, and I think that’s also profound to share that you can have a non-sexual, romantically explorative relationship.
TVLINE | Were you surprised when you found out about the Edward and Lexi pairing, or did the producers give you a heads-up?
They gave me a heads-up. I was definitely very much into it. I think Lauren Ash and Rick [Glassman] are so good together. They’re both incredible actors. They’re so funny. They both are insanely talented, so to have them together is really explosive.
TVLINE | How are you feeling about Season 3 renewal odds? Have you spoken to your showrunners about it at all? Have you heard anything from the network about which way things are leaning?
Oh, I have no idea. They keep you completely in the dark. I’m in the dark. I have no clue whatsoever. I definitely would love to come back to this family, though.
TVLINE | Is there a particular storyline or some character dynamic you’d like to delve into more if you’re renewed?
Oh, the trajectory that they’ve already setup is very exciting to me, to see what is the depths of Nell’s intuitive power, if you will. What can she do with this now that maybe somebody else knows? What does that look like for her? What kind of obstacles does that set her up for? Will more people know in the next season, and what will that look like for her? What is the trajectory of her relationship with Edward is a big one for me. Her and Lexi, what is the trajectory of that trio, that love triangle? Will she continue on with freezing her eggs and what does that look like? Are we going to share more of that journey? Will her and TJ continue to evolve? Will he change his mind versus always expecting a woman to change their mind? Well, actually people don’t expect the woman to change their mind, but as the lead, I love that Nell has chosen herself and chosen what she wanted over anything else, as she has done in the past. She changed her life so much for Phillip. It’s nice that she’s now choosing herself and not changing her trajectory for a man. So all of these things, I’m very excited to see how those evolve.
TVLINE | I, personally, would like to see Tommy Martinez come back.
Oh, girl, OK! Yes! [Laughs]
TVLINE | I liked him as a love interest.
Listen, we’re very open to it. There’s been nothing but open doors for that. [Laughs]
TVLINE | Is there somebody from the Jane the Virgin cast that you would love to see come on as a ghost?
Oh, Brett Dier! [Laughs] I want Brett Dier to come on as a ghost so bad because he is so not Michel. He is so not his character from Jane the Virgin that he can come and be somebody wildly different, and it would be so fun.
TVLINE | I remember. He was always so comedic in person and just quirky.
Oh yeah, he is a beautiful wild card.
Grade the Not Dead Yet finale below, then hit the comments with your thoughts and hopes for a third season!
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