Interview de Leila Gerstein

Interview de Leila Gerstein pour Studio System News.

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Leila Gerstein worked on The O.C., Life As We Know It, and Eli Stone before she created Hart of Dixie, a sweet, homespun dramedy set in the American southand starring Rachel Bilson as Dr. Zoe Hart, a New Yorker who accepts an offer to work as a general practitioner in the small Gulf Coast town of Bluebell, Alabama, after her dreams of becoming a heart surgeon at a top hospital in Manhattan are dashed. In the first two seasons, there was a love triangle as Zoe settled into the smaller town’s way of life and how everyone seems to know everything about each other. The show’s third season kicks off tonight October 7 at 8:00pm on The CW.

As season three opens, Zoe has spent the summer in New York City and she spent time with Jonah Breeland (Travis Van Winkle) while there. Back in Bluebell, we’ll see the introduction of new characters including Mayor Lavon’s (Cress Williams) cousin Lynly (played by Antoinette Robinson), who will disrupt his relationship with Annabeth (newly promoted series regular Kaitlyn Black) after she moves in. Lynly is described as beautiful, spoiled and clueless. Keep an eye out for Josh Cooke (Dexter, Better With You) and Ryan McPartlin (Chuck) too.

SSN caught up with Gerstein to find out what’s happening in Bluebell as Zoe Hart’s summer comes to an end.

SSN: As the new season begins, is the Zoe – Wade – George love triangle finished? Will there be more repercussions?

Gerstein: The love triangle is done with, but the repercussions are not.

SSN: Zoe went to NYC for the summer and Jonah Breeland (Travis Van Winkle) kept her company at the wedding she attended her first night in NYC. Does the new season start in NYC?  Is Jonah still around? 

Gerstein: We’re going to be in NYC for a little bit. Jonah will not be part of the story because Travis has a series [TNT’s new drama The Last Ship].

SSN: Tell us about the new characters played by Josh Cooke and Ryan McPartlin. 

Gerstein: Josh Cooke will also play a transplanted New Yorker in Bluebell. We love Josh, he’s amazing. His character is a big surprise. Ryan McPartlin is only in one episode and he gets to romance Lemon.

SSN: What do you think is the thing about Zoe Hart fans identify with most? 

Gerstein: I think at the end of the day, she’s lost and we’re all a little lost. She’s looking for who she is, who she wants to be and who she wants to love. I think we’ve all experienced that and felt that. She wants to do the right thing but she makes a lot of mistakes.

SSN: The show is also known for its’ terrific fashion. How much input do you have on that element?  

Gerstein: Cameron Foley has taken over the show’s wardrobe design from Meredith Markworth-Pollack. Cameron is brilliant. The clothes continue to amaze me every time I look at fitting photos. It’s amazing. I approve every outfit. I probably could have delegated but it’s one of the great joys of my job. (laughs)

SSN: It’s a great time to be a female showrunner at The CW, with women like Julie Plec (The Originals) and Laurie McCarthy (Reign). Can you talk about support from the network and your showrunner experience there? 

Gerstein: The network has been really really good to me. I came in with a very female sensibility. This show was intended for women. We don’t even pretend it’s for both audiences, which is completely acceptable at The CW. Three years ago, when I was conceiving the show, at that point there was only one place to take a female character-driven show that wasn’t going to be a procedural and it was The CW. Reign is also female-driven but I have the only old school one left and it’s obviously the right place for the show.

SSN: What are the biggest lessons learned over the past three seasons? What have you enjoyed most?  

Gerstein: I think job-wise, it’s really about time management. I also have a four year old daughter and she was a very very little girl when I started this show. We make a cameo in the first episode. But those have been my best memories here: the days I get to bring my daughter. She loves Rachel Bilson and Rachel is wonderful to her. I get to bring her and show her that mommy’s the boss – I can eat the candy right from here and I’m in charge. There’s a petting zoo this week for the Harvest Festival that’s coming up in episode eight so we’re going to that. I get a lot of joy from that.

I love my cast. I get so much joy being around them. As a writer of Hart of Dixie, I’ve really fallen in love with the townspeople and many of the smaller characters because they’ve become so central to how we think about the show. That’s something that happened in season two and continues in season three: it becomes more of an ensemble. We’re so excited because Dash DeWitt is doing his one-man Frankenstein show for the Halloween episode. As the world expands, we’re finally meeting Lemon’s grandma. Tom and Wanda are back. Crickett is in charge of the Belles. We get really invested in all these people. Every time we all get together at table reads, it’s really nice for us all to be together.

Interview de Leila Gerstein pour Studio System News.

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