Shiri Interview about Directing the New Roswell

[David]

What's it been like directing this new Roswell series and how did the
opportunity fall into place?

Shiri Appleby: It was really fun. I mean, I was directing a lot on UnReal. I
had done four episodes, and when I was doing UnReal, that's when they
started making the announcements that Roswell was going to be rebooted, so
the press was always asking me about it, and my response was, "I can't wait
to direct it!" So thankfully, the headlines and articles came out on like
People and Us Weekly like, "Shiri Appleby Can't Wait to Direct the Show,"
and that's really how I got the job.


How was it different directing a sort of sci-fi heavy, effects-heavy CW
series?

Appleby: I mean, I've done so much of it as an actress. I've really observed
the different directors doing it, so it hasn't been that challenging in
terms of what ... I have to learn. Thankfully when you're directing, you're
surrounded by so many people that are experts in their field, so you work
with the special effects, you work with them all, and if there's any
questions, everyone's really there to help. So there was one thing like,
Michael (Michael Vlamis) is looking at a test tube across the way, and he
has to fly it over to Liz, and I'm like, "How do you do that?" And once they
explain it to you in prep, by the time you come to shoot, you're the expert
yourself. So I think that's one of the wonderful things about directing is
you're not really doing it on your own. You really have wonderful teams
around you.


Does it feel like familiar territory, returning to the town of Roswell to
tell stories about aliens?

Appleby: Directing Liz (Jeanine Mason) and Max (Nathan Parsons), [...] it
feels like I'm the expert at that, who else should be directing the episode?
But this show is very much its own. The pilot they did, they had the gunshot
in the waitress uniform, and there were like a few things that felt very
iconic to the series that they recreated, which was like a nice nod, a tip
of the hat. But then very quickly, I feel like this Roswell becomes its own
show, and that is something that I really admire. They're tackling bigger
issues and the characters are more open-minded in how they look at the
world, which I think all people today are doing, so they've updated it
really well.


And how's it been working with Jeanine Mason to create this new version of
Liz?

Appleby: It's just wild! She's just lovely. I emailed her right away. I was
like, "If you need anything!" Not that she needs anything, she's like
confident and beautiful and talented and a hard worker. She's just a
wonderful example. When I really got to know her, it was fun acting with her
and giving her direction and watching her kind of come alive in all these
different ways. I can't really have picked somebody that would have been a
better person to sort of take the role and make it their own. She's
wonderful.


You mentioned the show has been updated a lot, and it's felt very timely
considering what's going on in the world. Did the original Roswell feel
timely to you guys when you were making it?

Appleby: Our show, you have to remember too, was set in high school. Our
version of aliens was talking about the angst and how everyone feels sort of
uncomfortable growing up, how you feel uncomfortable in your skin, and
nobody really feels like they belong. So those issues and topics were
relevant back then. It's not like our show is daring some big issues, but
the world has changed, as it should, so the storytelling has changed with
it. I think it's smart that they're bringing all these larger issues into a
show that you're escaping into.


And is there anything about the original that feels a little dated going
back and watching it?

Appleby: I mean the hairstyles and the outfits for sure. I mean, it was like
a classic WB show. There was a lot of angst, a lot of sci-fi. It feels dated
and nostalgic, you know. ... The interesting thing is, we made 61 episodes
of Roswell. We had one female director, on the very last episode, and so
when [they] are like, "Well, when did you know you wanted to direct?" I
didn't grow up with an image of seeing a female director. I didn't know that
that was an opportunity or that that was something I could do. I never even
really started to think about it until I was well into my 30s. And then I
did UnReal and our last season we only had one male director. You know,
times are changing. I feel lucky that this show has come around This show,
Roswell, has given me so much. It broke me as an actress, and it gave me a
career. And now, again, it's helping break me as a director.


David