We sat down with Tony-nominated star Alison Pill to chat about her new show, The Family. The show offers up a unique blend—part family drama, part political intrigue–and Pill couldn’t wait to share a taste of what’s in store for viewers. Catch the special premiere of The Family on Thursday, March 3 at 9/8c on ABC.
What can you tell us about The Family?
It’s a thriller about the disappearance of a child 10 years prior, and at the beginning of the first episode he returns… or does he!? So there are a lot of questions like ‘is he who he says he is?’ and ‘who really committed this crime?’ A man was tried and put in jail for it, and is consequently freed because of the child’s return. There’s also a timeline shift between the day the child disappeared 10 years ago, and the present.
How do the characters in the family deal with his return?
Each of the characters deals with the experience in a different way. After ten years of wanting to see him return, each member of the family struggles with how to process it, and if he is indeed back.
What was it like working with such a great cast including Oscar-nominee Joan Allen?
You couldn’t ask for anything better! She is the person to turn to when you’re having difficulty dealing with a scene. She’s the first to offer to read lines, and to offer help—to act opposite of her is just amazing. We finished several scenes back-to-back that were so draining, and afterwards we hugged and that took it back to reality. She’s just so warm and astounding to work with. It’s a real pleasure.
The show deals with a family that’s deeply involved in politics. What major political player would you love to see come on the show as a guest star?
I’m Canadian, so Justin Trudeau for sure. Donald Trump would also be very, very interesting.
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Catch the special premiere of The Family on Thursday, March 3 at 9/8c on ABC.
