(Spoiler alert: Please do not read ahead unless you have watched through last week’s episode of “Scandal.”)
“Scandal” truly has seen it all. Characters having a sibling-like relationship with their lovers. Top secret spy agencies that operates outside the bounds of the federal government, with the sole purpose of protecting the Republic. And more out-of-the-box ways of committing murder than you could shake a wine glass at.
And ahead of the seventh and final season finale tonight, TheWrap asked Scott Foley, Bellamy Young and Cornelius Smith Jr. — three of Shonda Rhimes’ Gladiators — what exactly was the weirdest thing they did on the series. And we got some some weird answers.
The first comes courtesy of Foley, who plays Jake Ballard, a member of that top secret spy agency B613 and Olivia’s on-again, off-again lover.
“God there is so many things, between being in the hole and getting beaten up by Charlie,” Foley said, noting things that happened to him directly because of his involvement in B613. “But, by the way, the weirdest thing, if I can just say it, was the beginning of Jake’s storyline where he was told to spy and then sleep with Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington). It was the most bizarre, perverted, weird — especially because [her father] Rowan (Joe Morton) was behind it — incestuous little thing happening there [laughs],” Foley added. “And then to continue for five seasons like, ‘Oh it wasn’t that big a deal. I stalked you and then had an affair. But now we’re cool. And Fitz is my best friend.’ If you break it down and simplify it like that, it doesn’t make any sense. But in the context of the show, for whatever reason, it works.”
Young has been with the series since Day 1 as Mellie Grant, who moved from being a first lady with a cheating husband to the first female POTUS — who is now good friends with her ex. But her weirdest moment didn’t arrive until this seventh and final season, when being the commander in chief got in the way of her love life. In an episode directed by Tony Goldwyn (who plays her ex-husband Fitz), no less.
“‘My vagina is beautiful, it is welcoming,’ that whole scene I was like, ‘My mother watches this show. I’m not sure I can say that.’ [laughs],” Young said. “But it turned out great. And our sweet Tony directed it, so to make him blush time and time again was fun. But Shonda knows. We learned early on, even if you’re like ‘Eh, I don’t know’ — she’s right, so just enjoy it. Say it and enjoy it and let it land.”
And what about Smith, who since joining the cast as Marcus Walker in Season 4 has moved from the offices of Olivia Pope & Associates to the White House and now to Fitz’s side as he explores his legacy after the presidency? Yeah, he’s still seen more than his fair share of strange situations dreamed up by Rhimes in that time.
“I haven’t done anything crazy just because of the nature of my storyline and Marcus being kind of in OPA and the White House,” Smith said. “He’s not out here killing folks. He’s not running through the woods. He’s not B613. There hasn’t been anything crazy or shocking until maybe after the fact. No, not for me. But I’ve watched people do things that looked uncomfortable.”
“I know when Guillermo (Diaz) shot the stuff in the water with the car,” Smith said, referencing the episode in which Diaz’s Huck had to think fast to save himself from drowning in a trunk, with a little help from his imaginary friends. “And that’s something where I thought, ‘Only one time,’ [laughs]. Only one time you’re gonna get me in a pool. In a trunk. With water. Talking to a pretend OPA.’”
The “Scandal” series finale airs tonight at 10/9 c on ABC.