COLLIDER: Erica Tazel and Jacob Pitts Talk JUSTIFIED Season 3
by Christina Radish
February 4th, 2012
On FX’s Justified, actors Erica Tazel and Jacob Pitts play Deputy Marshal Rachel Brooks and Deputy Marshal Tim Gutterson, respectively. Populated with dirty politicians, hidden fortunes, a mysterious man named Limehouse (Mykelti Williamson) and an enterprising and lethal criminal from the Motor City (Neal McDonough), things are heating up for the law enforcement in Harlan, in Season 3 of the critically acclaimed, tightly written and expertly acted drama series.
While at the TCA Winter Press Tour, co-stars Erica Tazel and Jacob Pitts sat down with Collider for this exclusive interview about the journey their characters take this season, the new threats in Harlan, what has most surprised them about their characters, and how this show has spoiled them, when it comes to other work...
Justified's Erica Tazel courtesy of FX
... Q: After playing these characters for three seasons now, has anything most surprised you about them and who they are?
Jacob Pitts: "When I started, I’d done pilots before that never went anywhere, and in doing them, I came up with very specific character choices that, during filming, became immobile. They became a problem for me, trying new things. So, for this one, I thought, “I’m not going to do anything that I can’t suss out from the scripts that I read.” I wouldn’t really add or detail anything, just to try to be freer, as a performer. But, in the first season, there was nothing really of significance added, so I really had no idea who he was. And then, at the end of the first season, I had to ask (executive producer) Graham [Yost], “Where is he from ‘cause I don’t know?” I kind of have a southern background in my family and when I get around people from the south, I get into a drawl. I had met Graham doing this mini-series called The Pacific, and he said, “Jacob, I just really wanted Hoosier,” who was the character I played in that. I was like, “I wish you had told me that ‘cause that has a whole demeanor and accent. That guy is fully formed, in my mind. I wish I had known that, the first season, ‘cause I would have gone in with that. That was a big surprise."
Erica Tazel: "I’m waiting for Rachel to surprise me. I feel like I’m a little bit ahead of her. I know what she’s going to do, or I can assume what she’s going to do, in a situation. I’m actually waiting for that moment where she says or does something completely out of character, in terms of what I think she would say. I’m ready for her to dive a little bit into the grey, as well. We’ve gotten to see Art’s (Nick Searcy) grey a little bit now. I think that’s when I’ll be surprised ‘cause that could mean anything for a character like her..."
Justified airs Tuesday at 10/9C on FX.
Justified's Jacob Pitts courtesy of FX
