Jodi Lynn O'Keefe Phone Interview

Found this on SpoilerTV (of course) today & I think this is a great interview! Enjoy!

The actress who plays Gretchen Morgan talks about the series and the upcoming DVD movie

Jodi Lynn O'Keefe certainly got off to a fast start in Hollywood. The actress landed the role of Marguerite Cory on the soap opera Another World when she was a sophomore in high school and was on the show for six years. Right after that she played Cassidy in all six seasons of Nash Bridges while also starring in films like Halloween: H20 and the teen flick She's All That as high school hottie Taylor Vaughn. O'Keefe returned to the small screen in 2007 with her role of the devious Gretchen Morgan on Prison Break. The fourth and final season of the show just hit the DVD shelves this week on June 2 and fans of the hit Fox series will get some closure with the upcoming DVD movie, Prison Break: The Final Break, which comes to DVD and Blu-ray on July 21. I had the chance to speak with O'Keefe on the phone about this popular series and upcoming DVD, and here's what she had to say.

So you came on during Season 3, so can you just talk about how you came on board to the show?
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe: I was brought on board by the company kind of to step in and clean up a situation that had gotten out of their control. I was the gal that they turned to who would sort of do anything to get the job done. That's how I was introduced. Basically, the girl was tormenting our two leads.


So how did the role come to you? Did they offer it to you or did you audition or how did that go?
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe: I had been doing comedies for Fox for a couple of years and so I don't think I was really one of their first thoughts for this role. I did the audition like a lot of other people did and I was really excited about it because I was a fan of the show already. My audition actually came in the day of, and I didn't want to go in because I didn't want to blow it. I called my manager and I said, 'I can't do it. I can't go in today and do this on the same day. I need to take time and prepare with the script. I don't want to go in there and do a crappy job, because I love this show.' So he said to me, 'OK, well if there's another day, there's another day and if there's not, there's not. If it was meant to be, maybe it'll come around again.' And they had one more day of auditions and I went in and got the role, I guess.

So you haven't really played a character like this before, so what kinds of things did you do to get into the character of Gretchen Morgan?
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe: I ignored every single instinct I have as a human being (Laughs). I'm not confrontational, I don't like to fight, I don't even like to argue so, for me, it was like everything felt completely wrong, and that's what I did. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to pull it off, and I just decided that I was going to really really try and be this completely opposite person.

I was at the panel at Comic-Con last year and they were talking a little bit about the format, how one year they'd be in prison and the next year they'd be out, stuff like that. So can you talk a bit about that format and how that really served the show?
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe: Well, each season we took it to a new level. I was a fan before, so I didn't understand how they were going to keep it on the air. Once they broke out... I mean, it's called Prison Break. What are they going to do when they get out of prison? But they really came up with a really clever way every single year. They kept surprising me. One year they're in prison, the next year they're on the run, the next year after that, one gets thrown into a Panamanian jail and then in this last season, Season 4, it was actually in a women's prison.

There was quite an amazing cast to this show too, with Dominic Purcell, Wentworth Miller, Amaury Nolasco, Robert Knepper and all those guys. What was just a day on the set like working with this amazing cast?
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe: Well, I was a little nervous when I first got there, because it's, you know, all men. I thought this was going to be interesting. It was going to be me, with a gun and a bunch of dudes and I was like, 'Am I going to be comfortable?' It turned out that I got there and they were such gentlemen and they were so lovely to me that they made me feel at home right away. There are all these guys asking every minute if you're thirsty? Do you need a glass of water? Are you OK? Have you eaten today (Laughs). It was the exact opposite of everything that I expected to happen. I was expecting a bunch of stinky, sweaty boys. It was easy. I kind of integrated into the cast really easily. They are amazing to work with. The first couple of weeks on set, I just couldn't stop smiling. My favorite story to tell is that I got there and it was like, that's Michael Scofield. That's not Wentworth Miller. That's Michael, and I had just this big sh*t-eating grin on my face the entire time. I had to constantly remind myself that, 'Maybe you shouldn't smile so much when you're killing someone" (Laughs). It was an adjustment.

From what I understand, the Prison Break: The Final Break DVD that's coming out next month, they were essentially two episodes that were previously produced that they made into this film, so were these episodes supposed to come out before the season finale or how did that all work?
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe: It was actually, in the season finale, where they showed you where the show ended up and then they flash-forwarded to four years later, it's the time in between. It explains everything that happens and I think it was always supposed to be after the season finale. The season finale left you with all these questions, and this two-part show answers them all for you. It's kind of like a bonus at the end of all of it.

Without giving too much away, is there stuff that is still left lingering, or does this tie up pretty much everything in the new DVD?
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe: Well, you know, the question that everyone keeps asking me, that people say to me all the time is, 'Michael's really actually dead, is he? That's crazy. That's impossible.' So with Prison Break, you kind of never know when someone is dead and when someone is not (Laughs). I never know how to answer these questions, because I don't think anyone would believe me anyway. No, I just don't think anyone in the public is actually going to be convinced that Michael is actually not around.

So when did you guys actually film this DVD then?
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe: Right at the end of our season. As soon as we finished all the episodes for the season and the finale, then we went and shot the next two.

I see you also shot a pilot called The Call so has that been picked up or is there anything you can tell us about that?
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe: Oh, that was before Prison Break and it hasn't been picked up.

Oh ok. They had it on IMDB and it said for 2010, so I wasn't sure if it actually was picked up.
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe: Oh. Well, you know what though, it also said on IMDB that I had my own show called The Gretchen Morgan Files, so I don't know about that (Laughs).

Yeah. You can't really trust them that much.
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe: (Laughs) I mean, I called my manager and said, 'Do I have a show? Maybe someone should've told me?'

You think you'd be the first to know, if you have your own show.
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe: (Laughs) Yeah, me too, right? And I'm really the last to know.

So is there anything that you're currently working on or looking to start up in the near future?
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe: No, actually. Right now, I'm just scrambling for work, trying to find a project that I love and that I'm into and get back in the saddle again. I finished Prison Break and I did a guest star on The Big Bang Theory and it's been about a month or so, since I've stopped working. I'm just reading scripts and looking for TV or some kind of film work right now. The industry is very very slow.

Yeah, I suppose. I've been hearing that a lot. Everything is hopefully going to be cleared up with SAG in the next couple of weeks, I assume.
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe: You know what, I hope so to. Like my mom always says, 'From your lips to God's ears,' we'll go with that one.

So, finally, what would you like to say to all the fans that supported the show throughout the years and can you talk a little bit about why they should pick this Prison Break: The Final Break up on DVD next month?
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe: Oh, well, first of all, these are fans like I've never seen before. I jumped into a show that had a cult following and they were so great to me. I went and did a convention in London and people just loved this character, or loved to hate me. I was overwhelmed and was just so grateful all the time. I think that really the reason to pick up this DVD and to watch the two-parter is you get more on the characters and what happens and it's just fun. The show is done. They took it off the air. Let's have one last little hurrah and check out the two-part episode on DVD. I haven't seen it yet, and I'm really excited for it.

Excellent. Well, that's about all I have for you, Jodi. Thanks so much for your time, and the best of luck.
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe: Thanks. Have a great day.

You can see Jodi Lyn O'Keefe and the rest of the cast of Prison Break bring the series to a close when Prison Break: The Final Break hits the shelves on DVD and Blu-ray on July 21, and you can pick up Prison Break: Season 4 on the DVD shelves now.

Final two hours: Series Finale Promo

Shocking & not so shocking spoilers

Disclaimer: Spoilers contained herein! DO NOT click that button if you don't want to know! You have been duly warned, in a nice way, of course!

Here are a few more spoilers from The Man! I cannot stress how important it is for you to know that you MIGHT not want to read this, especially the second part hidden behind another spoiler button LOL! I don't know if the last tidbit of info is accurate, but if so, I CANNOT wait to see this 2 hour movie! BTW, the last piece of info is NOT from The Man.

Read More!

Michael's father is Aldo Burrows. Lincoln's parents were killed and they took him in when he was very young. At least that is what Christina tells Michael.

T-Bag's fate will be determined by everyone else. They will be given the choice of whether to have him exonerated or not.

Question: When will Michael learn about the pregnancy in Prison Break? Please let it be soon!
The Man: Sorry, it won't be that soon. But Michael will find out about the pregnancy before the series ends. Prison Break ends May 15. Are you following this?

Are you sure you want to keep reading?

The last scene of ep 22 takes place 4 years after everything that has happened. You will see "Michael", Sara, Linc, Mahone, Sucre....

In the extra 2 hrs you will see michael and sara get married and then sara will go to prison. The gang will attempt to break her out and michael may try to sacrifice himself to get sara out. I am not going to give you the very end because i think you should watch the show since you have invested so much time into it.

The final two hours of Prison Break will NOT air in the U.S?

SpoilerTv has asked Preston Beckman which is the guy that schedules the shows on Fox about the extra two hours that prison break will have concluding the show ending it's fourth and final season. When asked about the two extra hours, Preston says that those two hours will NOT air in the U.S. & that those extra two hours will NOT further the story. check out the full details below.



In response to my questions about Prison Break scheduling including skipped weeks & long hiatuses and its move to Fridays as well as Olmstead's previously mentioned 'Extra 2-hours'.

Keep in mind that the Fox TV network that airs the episodes in the US is not the same entity as Fox TV Studios that creates the show.

Scheduling & programming is handled by the network & only gets profits from shows airing in the US on the fox network. Fox TV Studios who produces the show sells the show elsewhere and sees the profits from those sales.

Therefore, it seems to me, US ratings would matter more to the Fox tv broadcasting network. (Fox Studios would look at the whole profit package). Fox network's programming & scheduling execs decide when & where to air episodes not Fox Studios. Think of the entities as separate wholely owned subsidiaries under a parent company umbrella. Each is responsible for its own area.

Here's Preston's reply as he posted it on Project Fox (don't think he liked my questions from the tone. ):

"ok first of all Prison Break has spent it's entire run up to this point on Monday nights. We have broken the season into two parts in most of those years so that we can run chunks of them continuously to give the viewer the best experience possible. this show has not been scheduled erradically in my opinion.

Next we wanted to end the show after 16 episodes this season and not bring it back for six additional episodes. That was the plan. There was pressure put on us by our studio to make an additional 6 episodes. We at the network said that we could not bring the show back on Monday and that we would have to find a place for them on another night and that would be an insult to the fans. It was not our intent to make the six additional episodes.

Finally when we agreed to the additional 6 we were not aware of another two hour "finale" that the studio decided to make.

We told them we had a plan for the final 6 episodes and did not need another two hours and to be honest we do not plan on airing it. I can tell you that the six hours that we air in April and May will have a conclusion and that the additional two hours will not further the story beyond the conclusion that will air on FOX"

From his tone, I don't get the impression that Fox network is interested in a spin-off of a woman's prison either.

I haven't read the spoilers about the last 6 episodes or the 2 extra hours...although its hard to miss some rumors about the content of the extra 2 hours sometimes when things end up posted in GD GenPop by newbies, but from this I'm assuming that the foreign fans will get a better shot at seeing the extra 2-hours that those in the US. We'll have to wait for the dvd release in my opinion.

It does sound like Fox studios is going ahead and producing the extra 2...but so far Fox scheduling team has no intention of airing it in the US...but that doesn't stop the Studio from selling it else where.

Very interesting indeed.