Summer is here and that means its time for one of our favourite guilty pleasures to return to UK screens.
Devious Maids, from Marc Cherry the creator of Desperate Housewives, returns tomorrow night to kick off its third season on TLC. The second season ended on a massive cliffhanger with a shooting at the wedding of Rosie (Dania Ramirez) and Spence (Grant Show).
Someone who definitely will be returning for season 3 is Sebastien played by Gilles Marini. We were introduced to the character at the end of season 2 and he’s back as a series regular for the new season.
Before the new season begins, we called up Gilles to find out what’s coming up for Sebastien, talk about working opposite the gorgeous Roselyn Sanchez, and to find out what else he’s got in the pipeline.
Your character Sebastien was introduced in the season 2 finale of Devious Maids. He crossed paths with Carmen but wasn’t exactly honest with her. What we can we expect when season 3 starts?
It’s going to be a massive rollercoaster. This season is a lot edgier than it ever was before. We have a lot more murders and mystery, and when it comes down to edginess we have a lot more sex scenes. I think they did a fantastic job with the plots and keeping everybody on their toes all the way to the end. I just finished reading the last episode two days ago and I can promise you that every single person who watches the show will be shocked more than ever.
We’re intrigued. How can it be more shocking that the season 2 wedding shooting?
You have no idea! This season is crazier by far.
When you took on the role of Sebastien in season 2, did you have any idea that you would be a series regular for season 3?
Yes I knew that. I talked to Marc Cherry before I started last season it was pretty much a deal. He said that once I was done with Switched at Birth, he would give me a season on the show. I really wanted to do it. I knew I had to move to Atlanta and there was a lot of things I had to gather in my mind because I have the kids and my wife. I’m telling you though Atlanta is fantastic.
Here in the UK we’ve only seen Sebastien interacting with Carmen. Will he be sharing scenes with any of the other maids over the course of the season?
Absolutely yes! He’s going to interact with pretty much everyone. He’s going to be a main part of what the season is all about. I’ve never played that in my entire life. It was fun to do with absolutely incredible people to work with. I learned quite a bit and at the end of the day I got to play someone much edgier than I’ve ever done before. This part, all the way down to the season finale, is going to open up some doors for me. I’m very happy that I was part of that.
What was it like sharing so many scenes with Roselyn Sanchez who plays Carmen?
Roselyn is a triple threat – she dances, she sings, she acts…she really does it all. She’s very grounded and down-to-earth. I absolutely lover her family and her husband Eric (Winter). It was always a pleasure to work with her; very simple, very sweet and very professional. I had a great time with her.
The other people in the cast such as Ana (Ortiz), Rebecca (Wisocky) and Dania (Ramirez) were so awesome. I had a lot of scenes with Rebecca and I think she’s one of the best actors I’ve seen in the world. Rebecca and Tom (Irwin) are so skilled and surprising with every take. They are meticulous with every sound and word, and I’m so enamoured with what they have accomplished and how good they are in their work. It’s been quite a bit of a teaching experience for me.
What are the main conflicts going to be between Sebastien and Carmen? Is he still married when season 3 begins?
Yeah. I think you’re going to realise that Sebastien is very spontaneous. He’s full on and if you told him he had done something wrong he wouldn’t believe you. He doesn’t understand that the things he is doing are really wrong. When it comes down to it, Carmen and Sebastien are kind of a mirror to each other so that’s kind of a fatal attraction. We brought a lot of drama to it and it’s going to bounce back right to the last minute of the show, I promise you that.
We know that you’re a real family man. Was it hard to relate to someone like Sebastien who is cheating on his wife and make him sympathetic for the audience?
Every time you play someone you have to find something inside the character that you like about them. It was a bit difficult with Sebastien because he’s pretty much out of his freakin’ mind but I believed very much that I was this person. I believe the way he grew up, the reactions he has and the words they put in my mouth with the script are everything I have in my heart so I’m playing it like I would be that person. I brought a lot of normality to insanity – that’s what I tried to do with my character. This man has no concept of what is right and wrong, and that is why I had a lot of challenges doing it. Things like that can hit home at any time.
What kind of reaction have you had to the character from viewers who are already part through season 3 in the US?
I think a lot of people are not really sure if they should like him or hate him. I don’t want people to tell me that they love Sebastien. I want them to be perplexed about it and not really sure if I should go away or stay. I want to intrigue everybody and make people feel completely lost. I’ve not had too many hate messages yet but I’m sure they’re going to come really soon (laughs).
You mentioned earlier that there’s a new murder this season. What can you tease about that without giving too much away?
That’s really hard to say because the entire season is really like a novel. This show will be very tense after the end of this season. That I can tell you!
What else do you have coming up work wise this year?
I’m going home for a week then I’m going to do a couple of things. I’m going to New York for a couple of days to host an off-Broadway dancing show. I’ll be there for 5 days and I’m going to a couple of networks to talk about different projects, and hopefully something new. I want to go in a direction that people haven’t seen me do before. I’ve played something really different now (with Devious Maids) and I was very attracted to play that character. I’m excited to do something very different. I really want to have something with more action like Homeland that uses my physicality more than previous shows. I’m excited and I know that I’m going to meticulously think about my next project and not take the first thing that comes around.
I also wrote a show with my friend Donal Logue (Gotham). We wrote a TV show together and if he has a little bit of time I’d like to sit down with him, pitch it to a network and maybe shoot a pilot. That would be a dream of me! The script is absolutely amazing and the response from some of the biggest players in Hollywood has been incredible. A lot of people want to do this show. It’s very different and it touches everyone. I’m very excited to put that out there, pitch it to networks and see which one we’re going to make it with. I’d love someone like AMC to do it or go crazy and do it with HBO, or let my ABC family do it.
Devious Maids season 3 premieres at 10pm on Wednesday on TLC.
