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Jimmy: Arianna Harley and Ryan Ross Hernandez, thank you for being here tonight. I know both of you have been extremely busy lately, so thank you for stopping by.
Arianna: It's my pleasure, Jimmy.
Ryan: Thank you for having us.
Jimmy: Well welcome to the show, Arianna. You were here once before right, Ryan?
Ryan: Yeah, that is correct. I was here last year promoting my last record.
Jimmy: I remember, you were dealing with some vocal problems back then. Are you doing better now?
Ryan: I'm doing much better, actually. It was something that I had to deal with for about two years, but I've taken things slowly and learned to be patient. I did everything that was required to me get better and I'm glad to say I'm probably at 100% again as a singer. (audience applause) Thank you. But if anyone comes out to a show and you think my voice sucks, it's not the granuloma anymore, it's just my voice not being that good in the first place. (chuckles) But the break was a nice reboot for everything.
Jimmy: Oh no, man, it's great to hear you're doing better and can finally return to doing what you love. Ryan's tour actually kicks off next Friday, right here in New York City, at the Madison Square Garden. That show is sold-out, I heard.
Ryan: That show sold-out pretty quickly, but we will be back in the New York and New Jersey about another six or seven times on this tour. So there's plenty of chances for anyone in the area. I know one of the dates is Jones Beach in August.
Jimmy: That's a beautiful venue, it's right by the ocean. If you haven't gone to Jones Beach, you should do it this summer and see Ryan Ross Hernandez perform there.
Ryan: I love that venue, it's probably one of the top three venues I like best in the world. I'm interested in how it looks like now because I know they had to reconstruct a lot of it after Hurricane Sandy hit the area last year and destroyed a large part of it.
Jimmy: That was terrible last year but it's good to see that it was built back up quickly enough that a lot of summer shows can happen there. It's a very popular venue this time of year.
Ryan: Yeah, it wouldn't have felt like a Summer tour without a show there.
Jimmy: Now let's talk about the reason you're both here. We were kind of getting off track there. (laughs)
Ryan: Yes, let's ask some questions to the beautiful woman next to me. She knows about Jones Beach though, she's a native New Yorker.
Jimmy: Do you still live in the New York City area?
Arianna: Yes.
Jimmy: And I know you have an apartment in New York City too.
Ryan: I do, I've had that apartment for years now. Probably six or seven years. I don't live here year round, but I do try to come back here whenever I can. I still have a lot of good friends who live here.
Jimmy: Now let's get back the show you two are on. You guys are two of the stars in the ensemble cast of Sweet Unknown, a new series on FX. Which was created by you, Ryan. Both of you are musicians full-time, so where does the interest in acting come from? You've never acted before, correct?
Arianna: I did a little indie film years back, but this is really my first big role in terms of acting, yes. I've always been fascinated with old school Hollywood and cinema, my idols have always been from the 50s and 60s like Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. Those two women made me want to go into acting, of course I'm in music now and that's my main focus, but I still like to incorporate a sort of movie feel into the music somehow. Me and Jared like to go for a cinematic feel in Hey Lolita's music, there's lots of strings and stories to tell in the lyrics.
Ryan: For me, it's my first actual acting role ever. I've done these like small parts or cameos, but those were just calls I got because of who I am as a musician. I did this guest starring on a TV series before, but that's about as far as my previous acting experience goes. But I was always interested in that entertainment world outside of music. I never had the dream to be an actor, but I've interested for years in creating my own show. So a lot of ideas have gone into my head, yet this the first actual thing that's something is made out of it.
Jimmy: Well we were speaking backstage a bit about the general lack of experience that the leading cast and prior to shooting Sweet Unknown. And you brought up that the six actors in the main cast had a contractual obligation that before shooting began or even table reads, you each had to go to acting classes for a few weeks together.
Ryan: We did, each of us did about three weeks of acting classes before we even stepped foot on set for the first time. And it wasn't only done for lacking acting experience, but it was also made because we wanted everyone to comfortable with each other by the time we started table reads. Usually that would be the first time we would have been all in a room together, but we wanted something different, we wanted to kill that tension and already have the cast building chemistry. I thought those acting classes were fun, actually.
Jimmy: The network did not force it onto you, correct?
Ryan: No, not at all. The network didn't pay for those classes, I paid for them out of my own pocket.
Jimmy: How did you personally feel about that, Arianna? Did you take it as an offense or anything that you were forced to go to acting class despite already auditioning and having the role?
Arianna: No, definitely not. I think if I was in that position, I would have made the same decision. I have very little experience in the acting world, so even if I wasn't forced to go, I think I would have decided to take an acting class anyway. I like to do things to the best of my ability, and they helped me out a lot, so it was all worth it. (smiles)
Jimmy: I've seen some clips from the show, but what would each of you say Sweet Unknown is about?
Arianna: I think you have to see it for yourself, because there's lots of elements to the show. Each character has something going on, like I'm a drug dealer, which I found hilarious. (giggles) It's been fun getting stuck into a role that's so different from me though. All I can say is that theres a lot of twists and turns and a lot of drama, there's certainly moments that will put you on the edge of your seat.
Jimmy: Arianna, you are from the successful indie-pop duo Hey Lolita. Did you have to shift focus and tell your bandmate, "listen, I'm gonna go do this show for a few months," or were you able to balance the two out?
Arianna: The filming didn't really change much when it comes to my music career with Scar, because we tend to make music very slowly, it's just how we do things. I was still able to write lyrics and send them over to him to see what he thought and so on, and then we'd meet up on a free day and record and whatever, so no, I've never had to compromise. I love to work and I love to make music, so nothing stopped me from doing that.
Jimmy: I've heard quite a bit about the show and there are many controversial scenes. There is a lot of sex and drugs on the show. I have yet not seen these scenes the internet is buzzing about, but can you tell us more about them? Are your characters involve in any of these together?
Arianna: Yes, surprisingly. Ryan's character definitely doesn't think with his head... he thinks with the other one. (giggles) I found it really uncomfortable at first actually, because of course Nadia is on set with us and is a big part of the series, so during the first scene I was nervous in case she was going to like... run and attack me or something. Thankfully, we made it through and I'm still alive!
Ryan: Well it plays an element in the show, some plots are around sex or sexual matters, but it has a nice middle of the road feel to it. We're on cable, so we can do more and show more there unlike if we were on NBC for example. Yet, we aren't on premium cable, we aren't on HBO or Showtime. I think there is definitely some scenes that happen that will get people talking, it'll probably offend some people, but we aren't hiding it behind a curtain. We're on at 10 o'clock on a Sunday night, no one is expecting a family friendly show.
Jimmy: Did you have to audition for your role? I won't ask you Ryan because I doubt you auditioned yourself.
Arianna: Yes, I did. Of course I'm not known as an actress, so I don't think anyone would have taken the risk of just hiring me on the spot, just in case I was awful.
Ryan: Actually Arianna was the first character we auditioned, she was attached to the project even before Nadia was. But Ari just came in and she blew everyone away with her audition, I had a few directors that were obviously more suited to advise me and other producers on the choices we made, but Arianna we got her on day one of auditions. We maybe saw three or four more women for the Autumn Snow role, but at the end of the day we kind of just looked at each other and were like, "she's the one."
Jimmy: But I have to wonder how you go from Hey Lolita, you're a super talented singer and performer, to the acting role of a drug dealer on Sweet Unknown.
Arianna: I know, I know. When I was auditioning for this role, I really wanted to go out of my comfort zone and try something different, so I'm just pleased to of had the opportunity. I've really enjoyed being some sort of drug dealing gangster in the show though, at least if the music doesn't work out, I've got something to fall back on. (giggles)
Jimmy: We actually have a clip here to see. This is a scene from the episode airing this Sunday on FX. Let's have a look.
The clip opens to show a shirtless Matthew Hendricks smoking by the bedrooom window, the camera panning to show Arianna's character Autumn Snow sitting in the middle of the bed, with her body wrapped in the sheets. Matt blows out the smoke out into the air, before passing the cigarette to Autumn.
Matthew
Did you think about the offer I made you?
Autumn
[smiling] It's difficult to think about that when you spent the night on top of me.
Matthew
[chuckles] Oh now don't discredit the the cowgirl and doggy positions we also did, doll.
Taking a drag of the cigarette, removing it softly from her lips, smirking as she licks over them. She hands the cigarette back to Matthew who has his eyes attached to her plump lips.
Autumn
[clears throat] Awww, it must be a shame that other girl you're [censored] doesn't have my lips.
A sly smirk appears across Matt's lips as he takes the cigarette from her fingers, leaning down above her face as he blows the smoke out into her mouth. He carelessly puts the cigar out on the table beside them, getting back on the bed as he makes out with her. In a sudden movement, he un wraps the sheets from her body, joining her under the sheets, placing himself on top of her as they continue to share an intense kiss. Their intimate time is interrupted by his cell phone ringing on the bedside table.
Autumn
Matt, if you pick up that phone, I will never blow you again.
Matthew
Shut up.
He playfully covers her mouth with one hand as he answers his phone.
Matthew
Your master here. [chuckles; pausing] Are you [censored] kidding me?! Where's Emma? [pauses] Yeah, yeah, fine. I'll be there. Text me the address.
Matt curses under his breath as he tosses the phone back onto the table, his forehead falling to rest on Autumn's.
Autumn
What happened?
Matthew
Olivia Stewart, this young girl I signed last week got into some crap with her boyfriend. I don't know the details. I gotta go though. I can't let anyone pick up on the story.
He goes to get off her but she digs her nails deeper into his back, her legs wrapping around him, pulling his neck down to kiss him. She pulls away slowly, kissing up his cheek until she reaches his ear.
Autumn
[whispering] I need you inside of me.
Matthew smirks slowly, his eyes meeting hers. As usual, without much effort, he gives in to her.
Matthew
You got thirty minutes.
Autumn smiles softly before he places his hands on her cheeks, kissing her deeply again, as she pulls the sheets above them, disappearing beneath.
Jimmy: Hmmm, wow. That's certainly a strong scene. (laughs) How do you prepare for a scene like that? Is there any preparation you can take beforehand?
Ryan: Well I'm always ready to go. You just send me in there. (chuckles)
Arianna: A strong drink. (giggles) I think it relaxes you and helps when it comes to filming, people thought I was turning into an alcoholic when we were shooting scenes at like six in the morning! I don't really know how to answer that question though, I've never done scenes like that before, so it was all very strange to me.
Jimmy: (laughs) I can see that, just to calm your nerves. What are you two smoking in that scene?
Ryan: Marijuana, Jimmy, isn't it obvious? (chuckles) No, it's actually some herbs there. I'm not sure exactly what it is. My character doesn't smoke that much, but Arianna's does a lot, marijuana and just regular cigarettes. But Arianna is someone, that unless the scenes she's in on a given day require her to smoke a lot, we just use real cigarettes with her.
Jimmy: Was that a new experience for you as well? I hope you didn't have to drink before smoking too.
Arianna: No dutch courage needed before smoking, I'm afraid. I smoke in real life, so that wasn't a big deal for me.
Jimmy: Returning back to music, you two announced a few weeks ago that you're both working on a full length album together. How did that come about?
Arianna: Well if you listen to both Hey Lolita and Ryan's music, it's very focused on the lyrics and of course, we like our lyrics to actually tell some sort of story and have meaning to them. So I think our music is quite similar in that sense, so this album together really felt like a natural thing to do. I've always been a big fan of Ryan's music from the very start, so this really is a dream come true to make a record with him, he's always been a musical inspiration of mine.
Ryan: Obviously I'm a big of Hey Lolita, last year I really pushed to bring them to North Hill Records, I just thought they were the coolest thing in music. Arianna has one of the most unique voices we've heard in the past ten or twenty years, you don't get too many Arianna's, she's an anomaly. We worked on the Sweet Unknown soundtrack, we did a song together, and I guess from that experience we kind of agreed that a full-length was something worth pursuing.
Jimmy: Were you and Ryan friends prior to filming the show or was it during that time that you two became friends? I imagine you have to be pretty close to make an entire record together, that takes some serious commitment.
Arianna: That is definitely true, of course making an album is very intense. You have to spend a lot of time with the other person because you have to go through every process. But yes, me and Ryan were friends for a while before filming even started. He helped Hey Lolita move to North Hill and I guess our friendship grew from there.
Ryan: I mean, after dry humping someone, you'll probably try to be friends with them too.
Jimmy: Any idea on when the album is coming out?
Arianna: Hopefully later this year, but we'll keep everyone updated. (smiles)
Jimmy: Arianna, Ryan, thank you for being with us tonight.
Ryan: Thank you for having us. (smirks)
Jimmy: Sweet Unknown premieres this Sunday at 10 PM on FX. Everyone give it up for Arianna and Ryan.
credit to stacy/girlspice for arianna's answers. Edited by user 29 June 2013 08:56:14(UTC)
| Reason: Not specified |
