Bellamy Young talks Scandal, Criminal Minds and The Cottage

Scandal is back for its second season tonight and in anticipation of that Bellamy Young, who plays Mellie Grant, took a moment to speak with NiceGirls.
To say Bellamy Young is busy would be an understatement. She has been appointed as a season regular on Scandal, is continuing her arc on Criminal Minds and has a movie out this Friday for which she is also the Executive Producer.
Make sure to check back after the Scandal season premier tonight for our NiceGirls recap.

NiceGirls: So you are a series regular now on Scandal?
Bellamy: I am, it’s a thrill, absolutely a dream job. I couldn’t be any happier about it to be part of the family full time and to work with these amazing people and say these amazing words and to be Mellie. What could be more fun than to be Mellie?

NiceGirls: I know, I mean you are kind of cold and calculating but it’s likable to watch, I don’t know how you do that because some cold and calculating are not so…nice.
Bellamy: I always think of the Jessica Rabbit, “I’m not bad, I’m just drawn that way”. They write me so well it’s, I just can’t play it with anything but joy, ya know. It’s truly just a ball. And they also incredibly write the pain underneath any anger and that is just so human. There is no one that can’t relate to that. I mean it’s hard when the man you love and are married to finds the love of his live subsequently. That hurts. So we are just meeting Mellie in one moment in time, I’m sure she’s been a lovely person in other moments in time but right now she is in pain and she has been on the warpath.

NiceGirls: I know, she totally took control of the situation at the end.
Bellamy: You know, Mellie has an agenda and she is going to use whatever means necessary to get that agenda in place. At the end of the day she thinks she is right.

NiceGirls: I know Shonda is very tight lipped about spoilers on her shows but is there anything you can tell us about where your character is going in this next season?
Bellamy: Well we can talk Friday morning much more freely. *laughs* Frame one of the first episode Mellie has a giant reveal that will play out over this season, deliciously.

NiceGirls: I can’t wait. Do you jump ahead in time or does this season start right where we left off?
Bellamy: We start off six months after the finale. I’m just so proud of this show and I love it so much. We have built such momentum I feel over that truncated season, but those seven episodes came like a freight train. So we come in right on pitch with this second season. It’s delicious how Shonda gives you a little bit of information and lines it up like a little bit of crack. *laughs*
NiceGirls: It is quite a roller coaster.
Bellamy: I’m extra lucky, my role started out tiny, I mean tiny and they just kept writing incredible stuff for me and I’m extra thankful and extra awed that Mellie has gotten to fly her crazy colors.

NiceGirls: One of the reasons I’m super excited you are a season regular now, all that craziness will be front and center.
Bellamy: I’ll try not to let you down.

NiceGirls: Let’s talk about who dresses you for the show. Your character is always so fabulously dressed.
Bellamy: Lyn Paolo. She is beyond gifted. She does Shameless and she did the West Wing. She can do anything. She is just phenomenal. The cast live tweets the episodes and so we get to really interact with people which is an incredible feeling as the shows are airing. People would ask, “Didn’t you wear that jacket in the pilot?” So we reuse things because Lyn is creating a real world, where Mellie will wear a favorite jacket more than once. It helps with character, you know your favorite shoes and your favorite jacket.

NiceGirls: You are also on Criminal Minds. I hear you get to finish up your arc over there, which is good.
Bellamy: I do, I know, they have been so supportive and thoughtful of me. They have been very clear that they didn’t want to break Beth and Hotch up and that they have decided to transfer me to New York so they can account for my absence. I couldn’t be any luckier right now really because they are a wonderful family of people and Scandal is an incredibly wonderful family of people. And Mellie is so one thing and the character of Beth is so another.
NiceGirls: That seems fun and exhausting.
Bellamy: it’s fantastic. It’s the best. It’s rejuvenating because Beth is so happy and loving and supportive and down for whatever and Mellie is like I have a plan, oh you don’t like my plan I’ll get it done another way.
NiceGirls: Very few people get to do an arc on Criminal Minds without ending up…a victim.
Bellamy: and bloody. They are very very clear that they want Hotch to be happy and this is the best thing they can think of. We’ll send you to New York and talk about you when you are not here and when we can get you for scheduling we will have you.

NiceGirls: I also see you have a producing…or you are the EP on the new movie The Cottage.
Bellamy: My friend Kristen Dalton wanted to make a film and had the where for all to do so and I got my friend Nick who had a story he wanted to tell, something that actually happened to him in his childhood. And uh, they came up with a fictionalized account of what had happened to Nick. We got David Arquette who is just perfect and hilarious.

NiceGirls: He seems like a lot of fun.
Bellamy: He’s a ball, so rock and roll and a lot a lot of fun and we premier Friday. I’m excited because this was under a year from genesis to fruition, and that’s impressive. I’m just so proud. We premier Friday and October 9th is DVD/VOD.

NiceGirls: So that just leaves directing. Will we be seeing you directing on Scandal?
Bellamy: I don’t think I’m decisive enough for directing. I like to be directed. I love my job and I want to do this job forever and there is nothing more thrilling to me than a good strong director. That’s the best when you can bring all your creativity to it and they can say this is my vision, let’s incorporate that.

NiceGirls: It seems to be a trend lately. I’m always reading about an actor who is directing their show. Mathew Gray Gubler from Criminal Minds, he has done that.
Bellamy: He is a beautiful artist, what a mind he has. He is incredible. I know Thomas is going to do one(on Criminal Minds) this year and I know Tony , who plays my husband, will wind up doing one. He is, I mean Leah if you ever get the chance to be directed by Tony Goldwyn…
NiceGirls: I’ll be sure to jump on the opportunity. *laughs*
Bellamy: It’s like heaven. He is a brilliant, brilliant man.
NiceGirls: Yeah and beautiful. Seriously, you guys have one of the best looking casts on TV right now.
Bellamy: Yeah…we always joke that he and Kerry are genetically superior humans in every way. They don’t get tired, they don’t get in bad moves. Tony spends literally .5 seconds in the makeup trailer. He just walks through everyone looks at him and says” Good Morning Tony” and then he is sort of ready.
NiceGirls: Let’s finish up with Broadway. Will we ever see you back there? I read you started there.
Bellamy: I would love it. I miss New York every day. I still sing at galas and whatnot out here and it is my solace and my first love, that would be fantastic. Now days you have to be a TV Star to be on Broadway so I’m working my way back Leah, I’m working my way back.

NiceGirls: Well thank you so much for talking to me.
Bellamy: It was great talking to you too.

Scandal airs Thursday 10/9c on ABC