Pre-Season 5 Interview with Castle’s Tamala Jones

I was lucky enough to talk to Tamala for the second time, and I hope I got in some questions that you’ll find entertaining. You may even see some new hints at things that might happen in Season 5!

Ready? Here ya go!

KarenL: Would you like to see a Lanie-centric episode in Season 5?

Tamala: I would love to! I think it’s coming. You guys have put the fire under Andrew’s feet and he is pressed to do something about it.

KarenL: Another thing that’s mentioned quite a bit is getting you drawn into a case, like you knowing the victim or being at a crime scene when something happens – like you becoming more active in an investigation.

Tamala: Well, they do a little bit of that on episode four. It’s really fun too! There’s a time when this rock star gets killed, and they were doing a documentary when they were going on tour, and so now that he’s dead the documentary people are there. And you know, when the cameras are on, people act differently. So Lanie gets a little bit involved in that way… and you gotta see her. She’s so over the top in that way. Just performing for the cameras as well as Castle.

KarenL: I bet Nathan enjoyed that too, he’s an over-actor sometimes too.

Tamala: He is so funny in that episode, so hard not to laugh at him.

KarenL: We’d love to see more about Lanie’s family. I saw that a few years ago you said you’d want Pam Grier to play Lanie’s mom, is there anyone you would really die to have as a guest star?

Tamala: I would LOVE it, and I know she’s a movie actress, but Meryl Streep… if we could get her on Castle – that would be such an amazing episode. I think she would fit right in.

KarenL: She seems very down to earth and like a normal person behind the scenes, I think she definitely would fit in.

Tamala: I would love to see her be Castle’s mom’s friend, but also somehow involved in a crime.

KarenL: She could reprise her character from ‘The Devil Wears Prada’.
*we both giggle*

KarenL: The fans would also love to see more about Kate & Lanie, and how they met.

Tamala: That would be fun.

KarenL: Maybe in flashbacks? Plus you’d get to put on makeup and look younger… if only, right?

Tamala: *sigh* Yeah.

KarenL: I wanted to ask how things were going with you and Molly Quinn. Are you working together again this season?

Tamala: We will be, we haven’t done anything together yet, but I’ve been told she will be back in the morgue quite a few times. And she’s still being trained by Lanie. I love working with Molly. She is so good – sooo young.

KarenL: I love Alexis and Lanie together because they’re both sarcastic, plus Lanie kinda wants to see the naughy, and she kinda doesn’t. Also, Lanie is kind of in a bubble, other than on crime scenes she doesn’t get to interact with the rest of the characters a lot – so it’s nice to have her there to get both characters more involved.

KarenL: Speaking of which, have you done anything at all with (Penny Johnson Jerald’s Character) Gates?

Tamala: No! Nothing! And I’m dying to do something. And I know that too is coming this season because a lot of people requested it – Andrew sees all of the tweets, all of the blogs, and he sees what people want – and he finds a genius way to make it happen.

KarenL: Lanie’s & Gates’ personalities are so different, I can see where they might have some clashes. I’m guessing Lanie would be willing to talk back to her.

Tamala: Oh yeah. Definitely there’s gotta be some snapping talk between the two, of course! Like, “You work over there, I work over here, I bring you the answers to your questions.”

KarenL: We all know that Rick and Kate are together, so does that mean you don’t get to kiss Nathan anymore?

Tamala: Well, we don’t really know *who* Beckett is dating. On the first episode, Lanie notices something different about Beckett and she can’t figure it out, y’know, at the crime scene. She’s like, “Are you doing something different? What’s going on?” And then she’s like *in a whisper* “You’re having sex!” So none of us know who she’s having sex with. And there’s a portion of each episode where Ryan and Esposito are grilling Lanie like, “Who’s the boyfriend – we know she’s seeing someone”, and Lanie doesn’t know either. And we’re all trying to figure it out. It’s really fun the way they do it, but we’re being left out – none of us know.

KarenL: So, let’s do some either/or questions before our time is up.
Salt, or pepper?

Tamala: Pepper.

KarenL: I *knew* you would say that.
Milkshake, or Smoothie?

Tamala: If you gotta do it, do a milkshake!

KarenL: And chocolate right?

Tamala: Yeah! Always chocolate.

KarenL: Okay, City Penthouse, or Country Mansion?

Tamala: Hmmm. Country Mansion.

KarenL: Dapne or Velma?

Tamala: *laughs* I like Velma! Love Velma.

KarenL: Okay, here’s a nerd one. Pirates, or Ninjas?

Tamala: Pirates! Y’aar – I need a parrot!

KarenL: Would you rather rewind your life to an event in your past, or fast-forward to the future?

Tamala: Ummm. I would rather rewind – and I would go back to high school, when this girl – I was gonna give my virginity away, thank God I didn’t – she slept with my boyfriend. I think I woulda handled that differently.

KarenL: I like that answer. I’d probably go to the future, but that’s just ’cause I’m a nerd – and y’know… time travel.
Last one – Summer Clothes, or Winter Clothes?

Tamala: Oh that’s a hard one ’cause I love both! Hmm, I’m a summer girl. I’ll go with summer.

KarenL: I have one big-time request for you to ask Andrew. We’d like very much to see an episode where Lanie and Kate could dress up in evening gowns.

Tamala: Evening gowns!

KarenL: Like maybe… a movie premiere?

Tamala: Yeesss! Oh my God. I’m telling Andrew.

KarenL: When Luke (Luke Reichle – Castle’s costume designer) dresses you guys up to the nines, wow – you guys are all hot.

Tamala: That’s an awesome idea.

KarenL: It’s not bad to see the guys, but when (Kate and Lanie) dress up…

Tamala: *laughs* I love it! Luke would love to do that.

KarenL: I’m so glad I had a chance to talk to you again. I totally fangirled out yesterday when I heard I’d get to talk to you. And we’ll see you in a couple of weeks on Castle!

Tamala: It’s gonna be so great! You’re gonna love it.

Castle starts it’s fifth season on Monday September 24 at 10pm / 9pm Central.