WTF IS FYC?

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A Series Continuing After Emmy

MARVEL'S JESSICA JONES

Netflix Original

PART 11

Krysten Ritter - Jessica Jones

Rachael Taylor - Trish Walker

Mike Colter - Luke Cage

Carrie-Anne Moss - Jeri Hogarth

David Tennant - Kilgrave

Melissa Rosenberg - Creator / Writer / Executive Producer / Showrunner

Melissa Rosenberg, Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter, Rachael Taylor, Carrie-Anne Moss during the Jessica Jones FYC in Los Angeles, CA

WAIT! AREN'T THE EMMYS OVER?

Yes, the Emmys are over and I didn't complete a self-imposed deadline of covering all FYCs I attended! But since I'm not not being paid to do this series, the real world has first call for my attention and energy. Does it matter that the voting season is over? Not in itsmeheatherlea's blog world! I have several FYC events yet to share, so let's continue!

As someone unfamiliar with the series or the main character's backstory until tonight, this show is quite raw ... unsettling like a starving vegetarian surrounded by hanging rows of cleaved meat in a Manhattan packing house.

This Jessica person drinks excessively - pounds it down - to quell anxiety and perhaps boredom. After all, she has super powers. How trying that must be in a world where others aren't so capable. She's also extremely seductive and almost seems to be looking for this kind of diversion.

In the episode we watched tonight, she encourages and engages in a very aggressive sexual encounter with not only a man of color, but a man twice her size. I mention it, because it attests to her ... uh ... super powers???

Jessica's mind is constantly haunted by disturbing memories and the presence of a man who appears to be stalking her by manipulating others toward her. I didn't quite understand this plot point until later.

As a private investigator, Jessica's world is the night ... dirty, wet, darkness ... uncomfortable alone-time spent in dank alleys watching everything. More skittish than hyperaware, she's clearly tarnished and apparently blames herself for being so. Well, there's nothing super human about that last bit.

THE ACTORS DISCUSS THEIR ROLES IN JESSICA JONES

What draws the cast to the show? Their characters.

Mike Colter and Rachael Taylor at the Jessica Jones FYC in Los Angeles, CA

Mike Colter, who plays Luke Cage, loves that the script is sparsely written. Rachael Taylor, who plays Trish Walker, relishes the depth of the women ... prospects of which, jumped off the page with her understanding of womens' friendships. She also truly appreciates the sardonic wit of Krysten Ritter. It's nice to witness this kind of support among cast members.

Rachael Taylor and Carrie-Ann Moss at the Jessica Jones FYC in Los Angeles, CA

Carrie-Anne Moss, who plays Jeri Hogarth, tells us that it was the best plot she'd ever read. She loves the complexity of the story. For her, it's about the writing. Every episode is better and better.

David Tennant streaming live from London during the Jessica Jones FYC in Los Angeles, CA

David Tennant, who plays the villain, Kilgrave, is awake @ 4am in England streaming live from his office surrounded on all sides by books. He got the scripts from Melissa and Jeph Loeb, Head of Television for Marvel, telling us, "It felt gritty, dark, a noir-ish world ... writing isn't normally this good. It was a gamble worth taking. I just wanted to be in the mix really." And what about Ritter?

Krysten Ritter and Mike Colter and the Jessica Jones FYC in Los Angeles, CA

Ritter couldn't believe the first word in the comic book was f---. My Six Degrees of Separation? I did some background work on Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 and they asked me to do some stand-in work as well ... turns out it was for Krysten Ritter. Yeah, we look a lot a like. I recall that I had to make a specific entrance on a specific word and the other stand-ins were not that invested in the script, but more in their conversation, so I asked in front of everyone if they would please speak up on their lines, so I could hear the cue! Uncomfortable silence. Hey, I was just trying to be professional to help the camera guys get their moves and marks ... I wasn't actually trying to be the B----.

Creator-Writer-Executive Producer-Showrunner, Melissa Rosenberg at the Jessica Jones FYC in Los Angeles, CA

JESSICA JONES: PREPARATION FOR THE WORK

Melissa Rosenberg, the show's creator/writer drew from the source material and found that she could focus on her (Jessica) as a survivor ... her life force ... rather than focus on assault or abuse or even rape in the context of a superhero story. OK. So this Jessica gal has some serious history. Good thing Rosenberg has worked out how to deal with it.

Rosenberg's talent as a writer is recognized by her work on Dexter and several Twilight stories, and to add to that, Jessica Jones won the 75th Annual Peabody Award this year. Rosenberg tells us that references are happening to her ... "That's so Jessica Jones of you." My reference of choice? Rosenberg used to be a dancer!

To prepare for her role, Ritter told us that she bulked up, adding 10 pounds of muscle. She also spent time holed up with her acting teacher working on the backstory of her character's PTSD. Then she moved to a city (New York) where she didn't know anyone and that added to it all, until finally settling into her character's wardrobe ... it was a process. A fairly long process.

Working in challenging weather conditions trigger memories of specific scenes for Krysten Ritter. Makes perfect mind-body sense to me.

Tennant kept going back to the scripts for his prep. His character has power over people ... anything he wants will be done. He wonders, "What does that make you and how blameless are you within that?"

Tennant adds that his challenge is to figure out how human beings would act in those situations. "I loved it ... to get your teeth into it." "... it's the challenges that you hope for as an actor. It was lovely to have such a feast of them in a show like this."

Rachael Taylor says that shooting in NYC is fun ... Hell's Kitchen ... to hook up with teamsters at lunch. She appreciates how the show handles issues of abuse ... how the show pushes the envelope. "There are moments that are quite difficult to watch. I'm very proud I'm on a show that tackles them."

When asked about her experience of shooting in NYC in the winter, Carrie-Anne Moss confides that she didn't have to be in the snow! "I fell in love with New York, which I did not expect. I went from living in L.A. with my little life to living in New York with my short hair." She's already mentioned a few times that they cut her long hair for the role, however, it's the Trinity cut she's sporting tonight that I associate with her.

When asked which super power each would like to have, the cast as a majority replies: mind control. "Team psychopath here," Taylor quips.

Power to the ladies! Melissa Rosenberg talks about her show, Jessica Jones.

JESSICA JONES: THE ROLES AND SOLES OF WOMEN

Rosenberg talks about her efforts to support women in the industry, mentioning that 4 out of 5 Eps are directed by women. To quantify, she explains that although there aren't many women far enough along with a list of credits who are qualified to do a Netflix show, "We are committed, and so is Netflix, to giving opportunities to women." Apparently, the list is small, with only 10-20 women who could do it, and well, they're all working!

Speaking of working women. These are all beautiful women. I mean, check out the shoes ... ex-dancer's foot on the left.

Jessica Jones FYC. The Hollywood ladies love their shoes!

Somehow, I feel Tennant, looking at us from the screen above might say he'd be stunning in a pair of pumps and a skirt ... and with his powers, we'd believe him.

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