Anna Friel: Putting "Daisies to Rest"

Currently, Brit actress Anna Friel is hitting big screens as scientist/research assistant Holly in the re-imagining of Land of the Lost. While chatting "Lost", we spoke to her about the final days of the popular TV show "Pushing Daisies" on which she played Charlotte ("Chuck").

TeenTelevision: I think they are finally airing the last three episodes of "Pushing Daisies". Are you doing anything special to celebrate?

Anna: I haven't seen them. I'm so excited to see them. Lee (Pace) is in town. Lee's going to come to the premiere tomorrow. As is Bryan Fuller. I've got all my 'Daisies' clan. I got (the episodes) on DVD but I wanted to wait to watch them go out live. And although it was a short run of a series, I think it will be something. A journalist from USA Today said we had a show that lasts forever. Didn't run long but we'll last forever. And it was such a daring and creative project to do in the first place and hopefully it's opened up many doors for TV to become more adventurous.

TeenTelevision: Do you want to try to get people to go back and watch the last three episodes that are airing now?

Anna: I don't think that's my job and they haven't asked us to go out to do promotion for it. I think the fans that we left off with will be the fans that will come back and watch the final three.

TeenTelevision: Any chance for a film version of the series?

Anna: I know it's always Bryan (Fuller, the creator's) dream to do some kind of film version, but whether that actually comes to fruition, we'll have to see. The real ending, he'd had it planned out for over a few years. It was just so beautiful and touching when he first discussed it. And this is lovely, Chuck goes to see her aunts and knocks on the door and you find out what happened to Olive. Anyway, this is the end, you better be watching it.

TeenTelevision: But do you know what would have happened to Chuck down the line had the show lasted longer?

Anna: I do. It was lovely. That's the thing with TV. Sometimes it's so exciting 'cause you think 'well I know that's going to come' and sometimes they don't want to fill you in with that 'cause they don't want you to play it before the actual character would know. But, every few months we'd go to Bryan and you'd see the writers' storyboards and you'd see how Chuck was tracked and it was so exciting. Even after the 17-hour days you'd just think 'God, I've got that coming up and then I'm going to get to have scenes with them.' And my favorite characters were always Lily and Vivian, the aunts. I'd be so jealous of everyone who came to the house to have the scene with the aunts.

TeenTelevision: It was so well reviewed, why do you think the show struggled and ultimately ended?

Anna: I think the Writers Strike had a lot to do with a lot of shows. But, it's not your average show and it was just starting to pick up momentum and then to take something off the air for a year, and to have to re-find those viewers (was hard). I think it was quite a complex storyline. It wasn't something that you could just go Oh, we'll just turn it on' 'cause the whole procedural element made sure you had to really, really listen. I think it was a big bold thing for ABC to take on, you know. It was incredibly expensive, it was incredibly bright and it was something that was daring. Maybe there just weren't enough fans. The fans that were there were loyal and strong and true and avid fans, but maybe it just didn't catch people's imagination the way it should have done. But if I really knew the answer to that, I would be running a network. (laughter)