So this is the year of the fairytale on primetime TV with Once Upon a Time, and then Grimm is also premiering shortly thereafter. Why did that happen, do you think? Does it have to do with the whole True Blood and vampire and mythology thing, do you think?
Yeah, the vampires. The era of the vampire lasted for longer than I though it would. And I’ve been sort of waiting to see what would be the next thing. Because aliens, robots, and monsters, including vampires, all play the same role in fantasy drama. I've heard it expressed, and I think this is pretty smart, that in sort of Depression-era times, there’s something about fairytales that start to have resonance again, like the original [Disney] Snow White, the animated Snow White in 1937. There may be something there that makes a familiar tales of childhood resonate in dark economic times, and it may simply be that in these times, we need that next thing. There are only so many basic fantasy genres. And one of the genres is fairytales. And one is monster stories. And one is alien stories. And we happen to be in an era in which it’s just time for fairytales to cycle back around again. So it’s a really long-winded answer… (...)
Are you involved with all the scripts or some of the scripts?There is another article over at Los Angeles Times.
As a consulting producer on the show, I’ve been in the writer’s room, involved in the breaking of all the stories. And I’m writing at least three of them. So far we’ve written ten; I wrote episode five and episode eight. And I will be writing episode twelve. Then we’ll find out if we get a back nine (an order from the network for nine more episodes) or not. So, they’re letting me do a lot of writing. Consulting producer is sort of a part-time gig, and that’s three days a week. So I’m not as totally involved in the room as I would be if I was there every single day. But I’m getting to write a lot of the episodes. So I think you will feel me in the series. I’m getting to some amazing stories. I got to write Jiminy Cricket’s origin story! That’s just amazing.
So do you have a favorite character on this show—one that you especially like to write for?
Jiminy Cricket is pretty fun. We have Robert Carlyle as Rumpelstiltskin. And that might be my favorite. It’s always fun to write the villain. And it's fun to write someone with a really unique voice, and, you know, he’s Robert Carlyle! He’s magnificent.
Magda Apanowicz, the actress from "Caprica," recounted how much "Buffy" not only influenced her acting and career choice, but her life as well. Do you still get a lot of that?
Yes. Actually someone tweeted yesterday that they wouldn't have gotten through high school if it wasn't for "Buffy." The people who are now saying that -- some are still in high school and some are much, much older now -- but the fact that they would remember is touching and amazing. But it's that "high school is hell" notion -- in a way Joss Whedon was ahead of the it-gets-better curve -- that the show was all about. It's just about getting through it and holding your head up while you're surrounded by the monstrosities of life being a teenager.
What appealed to you about “Once Upon a Time?”
These fairy tale creations cursed to live in the real world is just a fantastic concept. What’s the modern take on Jiminy Cricket and Rumpelstiltskin? What would their issues be in the real world? The beauty of the production, the care and the effort and, honestly, the expense that was put into it just made clear that was a project done with a lot of attention and love.
Here is the press release for the pilot:
BRACE YOURSELF FOR A MODERN FABLE WITH THRILLING TWISTS AND HINTS OF DARKNESS, AS THE EPIC BATTLE FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR WORLD AND THE FAIRYTALE WORLD BEGINS, ON THE PREMIERE OF ABC'S "ONCE UPON A TIME"
Master storytellers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz ("Lost," "Tron: Legacy") invite you to brace yourself for a modern fairytale with thrilling twists and hints of darkness, brimming with wonder and filled with the magic of our most beloved stories, on the premiere of "Once Upon a Time," SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.
And they lived happily ever after...or so everyone was led to believe. Emma Swan knows how to take care of herself. She's a 28-year-old bail bondsperson who's been on her own ever since she was abandoned as a baby. But when Henry -- the son she gave up years ago -- finds her, everything changes. Henry is now 10 years old and in desperate need of Emma's help. He believes that Emma actually comes from an alternate world and is Snow White and Prince Charming's missing daughter. According to his book of fairytales, they sent her away to protect her from the Evil Queen's curse, which trapped the characters of fairytale world forever, frozen in time, and brought them into our modern world.
In the premiere episode, "Pilot," not believing a word of Henry's story, Emma brings him back to Storybrooke, but finds herself drawn to this unusual boy and his strange New England town. Concerned for him, she decides to stay for a while, but soon comes to suspect that Storybrooke is more than it seems. It's a place where magic has been forgotten, but is still powerfully close...where fairytale characters are alive, even though they don't remember who they once were, and where the Evil Queen, known as Regina, is now Henry's foster mother. The epic battle for the future of all worlds is beginning, and for good to win, Emma will have to accept her destiny and fight like hell.
"Once Upon a Time" stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Mary Margaret, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold, Lana Parrilla as Evil Queen/Regina, Jared Gilmore as Henry Mills, Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/John Doe and Raphael Sbarge as Jiminy Cricket/Archie Hopper.And a sneak peek:
Guest starring in "Pilot" are Jamie Dornan as Sheriff Graham, Lee Arenberg as Grumpy/Leroy, David-Paul Grove as Doc, Peter Bryant as jailer, Tony Amendola as Geppetto/Marco, Meghan Ory as Ruby/Red Riding Hood, Warren Christie as Ryan, Beverley Elliott as Granny, Darren Dolynski as nervous guard, Keith Dallas as cabbie, Tom Pickett as bishop, Darla Fay as old woman, James Bamford as Black Knight and Keegan Connor Tracy as Blue Fairy.
"Pilot" was written by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz and directed by Mark Mylod.
Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz are creators and executive producers of "Once Upon a Time." Steven Pearlman is also executive producer. The show is from ABC Studios.
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