Everything's Gonna Be Okay

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Entertainment Spotlight: Josh Thomas, Everything’s Gonna Be Okay

After making his mark as an award-winning and hugely successful stand-up comedian and television panelist, Josh Thomas turned his hand to writing, acting and co-executive producing his own television show for ABC TV, inspired by his life and his comedy, called Please Like Me. Following the success of Please Like Me in Australia and the US, Josh went on to create, write, star, and produce Everything’s Gonna Be Okay, which recently made its premiere in the US on Freeform and received widespread critical acclaim. Josh took the time to answer our questions about Everything’s Gonna Be Okay, bugs, and more:

How does the final result of Everything’s Gonna Be Okay Season 1 compare to your initial draft of the show? Any major changes or additions?

I am not really sure what we would call the initial draft of the show. Before writing a script, we have to pitch the season outline, then episode outlines, then scene breakdowns then we write the first of 4 official drafts for each episode. Internally (between me, the writers, other producers and the studio) we do about 3 drafts of each step. That’s like… 24 drafts before we get the shooting script.

Then, on set we shoot each scene about 12 different ways, and that gets given to one of our editors and they do the editor’s cut. Then the director does their cut and then I get to do my first of 3 cuts.

All of these steps are usually hundreds of pretty minor changes, but it has a big result.

At every step I try and ignore what we thought about the episode before, and view it with fresh eyes.

I like, honestly can’t remember when we made any major changes and additions.

If you could take a masterclass on any subject, what would you learn and who would you want to teach you (e.g. a cooking class with Gordon Ramsay)?

I wish I understood lighting in photography and cinematography better! It’s the most bamboozling part of being on set to me.

Who would I get to teach me though?

Umm, Ezra Miller. I know he wouldn’t be good at teaching me but honestly, I’d prefer to hang out with Ezra Miller than to do learning.

Which episode of Everything’s Gonna Be Okay Season 1 was your favorite to make, and which was your favorite to watch?

The finale is set in NY and that is just a real dream. I can’t believe they let me get away with that. So, that was my favourite to make.

My favourite to watch is Episode 9 - there is a lesbian love story with two of our autistic characters and also caterpillars and it just makes me so happy.

What inspired the bug theme in Everything’s Gonna Be Okay?

Well, I was in the shower with a boy I liked and he was leaving me to live in the bush and study grasshoppers and I just thought that was so charming so I stole it for my character.

Also, I got some pet bugs and were just obsessed with them. They are so precious and interesting but people never give them a chance!

Were any scenes or moments from the show based on your own experiences?

Just one… there is a scene in an all-inclusive resort where I throw ceviche on my boyfriend’s head as a joke and he gets so mad at me and then we have a drunk fight. It happened, I did it to a boy. I saw the love drain out of his eyes.

If you could give one of the characters a spinoff series, who would it be and what would the series be about?

I can’t answer that! If I chose one the rest of the cast will riot. (The answer is Tellulah, obviously)

Can you tell us some of the other titles that you considered for the show before landing on Everything’s Gonna Be Okay?

None! Everyone just accepted it.

I took it from a scene in Please Like Me.

In your opinion, what’s the most interesting thing about you that people may not know?

I’ve done like 6 one-hour solo shows and written 32 episodes of TV based on my life so like… I don’t really have any secrets left.

People are always shocked by how messy I am which shocks me in return because like, don’t I seem like such a mess? I thought so.

What’s next for you?

Hopefully another Season of Everything’s Gonna Be Okay! If not then like… a heavily discounted holiday thanks to COVID-19.

Thanks for taking the time, Josh! Catch the season one finale of Everything’s Gonna Be Okay tonight at 8:30p/7:30c on Freeform. For more content, check out the Everything’s Gonna Be Okay Tumblr!

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We know him! He’s on our show! 

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Is anything really shocking when it comes to teens and texts?

[entertainment]

Entertainment Spotlight: Adam Faison, Everything’s Gonna Be Okay

Actor Adam Faison stars in Freeform’s new series, Everything’s Gonna Be Okay. You may also recognize him from Into the Dark, HBO’s Here, Now, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., The Fosters, and Grace and Frankie. On the film front, he currently wrapped production on the upcoming Netflix film Yes Day, opposite Jennifer Garner. Adam took the time to answer some of our questions. Check it out:

What’s an issue that you’d love for the cast to tackle in an upcoming episode of Everything’s Gonna Be Okay?

Maybe Alex and Nicholas experimenting with opening up their relationship! It’s something that I, and I think many others in the queer community have experienced, so I feel it would resonate with a lot of people to see an atypical relationship depicted on screen.

Did you pull from any of your own experiences in your portrayal of Alex?

The relationship with Matilda and Alex is one that mirrors the one that Kayla and I have in real life! We got very close over the filming process: we’d run lines every Sunday on FaceTime, go to the Museum of Death because she is very into true crime and the paranormal (I got nauseous afterward which she still asserts is because I had dairy that day and I am lactose intolerant), and help each other with self- tapes (she is “very method” and one time for a scene she used a real “Kill Bill” style sword and another time she used a literal dead trout she bought from Ralph’s. Peep my IG for receipts). All this is to say that we got very close, so it naturally made it easier for us to connect on camera. I love her very much.

Do you have a favorite character arc from season one of Everything’s Gonna Be Okay?

I think the arc in one of the later episodes where Nicholas and Alex get a call from Matilda that she wants to host a threesome at the house. It’s a genuinely hilarious moment because these pseudo parental figures really fumble to try and figure out what to tell her.

Can you take us through a typical day on set?

Oy! Okay ready?

Wakeup, report to set.

Head to the dressing room to change and retrieve shooting “Sides” (an excerpt of scenes from the episode script that you will shooting that day)

Hair.

Makeup.

Camera Blocking rehearsal (for the director/ DP/ heads of department to see how to scene will look so they can plan accordingly for their respective technical aspects).

Meet the bugs. So, if there are bugs in a scene we do a rundown with our groovy bug wrangler, Diana Terranova, wherein she gives us the low down on how to handle those particular insects. For example, tarantulas like to be cupped upside down in a hand because they feel safe that way and they like human warmth.

Run lines for pacing with other actors/ maybe director while waiting for cameras to finish setting up.

Get called back to set.

Rehearse for the camera again full out.

“Last looks” HMU touch-ups.

Shoot!

Break for lunch.

Look for “entities” on set with Kayla’s ghost hunting equipment.

Maybe play guitar and sing in my dressing room.

Report back to set for “touch-ups.”

Shoot again.

Wrap!

What’s the funniest photo that you have on your phone right now (either share or describe it)?

“We met at Starbucks. Not at the same Starbucks but we saw each other at different Starbucks across the street from each other.”

If yk yk ;)

Do you have any fun facts about the making of Everything’s Gonna Be Okay that fans would be surprised to find out?

That all the sex scenes are real. Lol jk. Um. I guess that any quirks that we have IRL, Josh loves to put into the show. He loves that honesty. Like for example, I as Adam tend to mimic people’s mannerisms and vernacular when I am around them for an extended period of time. Lilia, who plays Drea on the show, told me it’s called “echolalia.” So Josh noticed this and when we’re in argument scenes he would have Alex slip and say things that Nicholas would say. For example in episode 4 I say “bloody socks!” and in episode 8 I mirror the way he says “funny!” in his accent. It made for some really fun and genuine moments between our characters.

If you could have a conversation with any character that you’ve played in the past, who would you talk to and what would you talk about?

Josh from “The Fosters.” I look back and I can see that I was so married to my choices, I couldn’t be free. I wish I could’ve told myself to trust my instincts more, have fun, and just respond truthfully in the moment.

Describe each of the following in one word: Who you are, what you value the most, and what you’d be if you were a food item.

Earnest

Loyalty

Sweet potato fries

What’s next for you?

I did VO in a doc called “P.S. Burn this Letter Please” about unearthed letters between drag queens in the 50s/60s that’s premiering soon! I’m so excited to be apart of telling that untold queer history. And other than that, just living life. Soaking up the “joie de vivre” as one of my high school friends Chelsea King once said in a paper before she passed. I revisit that paper every year and it gives me new meaning each time I read it. I think right now for me it means playing more music, writing more poetry, and just taking in the sun more. It’s cheesy but I actually stop and smell the roses these days. Have you ever done that? If not, you should really try it :)

Thanks for taking the time, Adam! Catch Everything’s Gonna Be Okay on Thursdays at 8:30pm / 7:30pm central on Freeform, and follow them on Tumblr!

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Is the fear showing through this ensemble?

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This is what happens when you give in to peer pressure: horrifying embarrassment.

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Watch Everything’s Gonna Be Okay now on @hulu.

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What is #EverythingsGonnaBeOkay without flowers? Without flowers, we wouldn’t have our bugs, and without the bugs, it’s really just a bunch of people in a house. _______________________ Flowers aside, the premiere screening with #GLAAD was one to remember. 🌸 Don’t miss the series premiere of #EverythingsGonnaBeOkay tonight at 8:30p/7:30c on @freeform.

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Find someone who looks at you like Kayla and Adam look at this insect: with inexplicable joy. ____________ Behind the scenes of Everything's Gonna Be Okay, a new comedy premiering January 16th at 8:30p/7:30c on @freeform.

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The menstruation cycle is a beautiful thing! _______________ Everything’s Gonna Be Okay premieres Thursday, January 16th at 8:30p/7:30c on @freeform