The premiere of “Psych 2: Lassie Come Home” is quickly approaching! It’s safe to say that we here at Nerd Alert News are as excited as all of the “PsychOs” out there counting down the days until they can watch the movie. Anticipation has been building for the film since it was officially announced in June of 2019 and set to release in the holiday season of that same year. Fans were devastated when the premier was put on hold. However, now that the wait is almost over you can taste the excitement—and a few well-placed pineapples—in the air.
In honor of this long-awaited event, Nerd Alert News was able to get the privilege of an exclusive interview with ‘Psych’ star Kirsten Nelson, who brilliantly portrays Chief Karen Vick in the franchise.
Make sure to check out a couple of Ms. Nelson’s other roles as Emma Sutton in “Bluff City Law” and Dr. Green in the hit series “This Is Us.”
TiShea Wilson: Karen Vick played an integral role in the dynamic of “Psych” and has remained a fan favorite. Can you tell us a little bit about how you obtained the role and your thoughts on how the character has evolved over time?
Kirsten Nelson: Thank you so much for saying so! The Chief is near and dear to me and I’ve loved being a part of this story for (gulp) the past 14 years.
Auditioning for the role was a bit of a roller coaster! As I was about 4-5 months pregnant when I auditioned, I was still trying to hide my growing “bump”. We didn’t even tell the producers when I had my first meeting; I just held appropriately placed folders or wore long jackets over my abdomen. OBVIOUSLY when I was called back to read with James, certain truths needed to be addressed. My belly was only going to get bigger as we neared filming! Luckily the producers LOVED the idea of Vick bringing that obvious femininity to this hard (interim) police chief, an overt mother-figure for this crew. And they had fun in showing my clearly pregnant figure but NEVER addressing it head-on. It didn’t pertain to the case at hand therefore it was personal and shouldn’t matter.
I think The Chief changed over time insofar as she let her colleagues slightly into her inner circle. Though always their boss, she let her guard down once in a while to be their friend. I liked that modification. But I always liked that she remained their mother-figure, standing up for them, standing up to them, taking the fall for them. And when we come together to help a member of this extended, chosen family, sometimes sacrificing personal goals for the health of our group, it’s always something special and makes us stronger. That evolution will always make me proud.
TW: ‘Psych’ has 8 seasons and two movies now under its proverbial belt. What was it like walking on set to film the pilot versus going in to film the second movie?
KN: Pilots for any new project are filled with experiments and trouble-shooting on the spot. Nothing has been established yet and all the departments—from the cast to the writers to the wardrobe to the camera operators—are struggling to find the perfect tone for something that truly hasn’t been proven yet. There’s a lot of second-guessing on pilots and PSYCH was certainly not immune to that feeling of uncertainty. The look and makeup of our pilot are definitely different from the home we settled into for 8 seasons.
Walking on to the set of the pilot, like all new jobs, was bright and shiny and scary, plus it had the added pressure to bond quickly with people to make this process seem more real, more enjoyable. Relationships were key and flexibility was essential. I’d like to think we might have been successful—even though the SBPD police station was entirely different and our suits were more colorful! But the ease to which friendships were formed by the middle of the first season was something special, evident in the weekend barbecues and late-night dinners after wrap that kept the storytelling strong.
Now walking on to the set of the second movie, it was like coming home. It was glowing and easy and warm. We were seeing old friends again and welcoming new members into the family. There was an excitement for what was going to come and that kept us floating as we worked through an odd shooting schedule. Things had clearly evolved but so much was still the same. Vancouver, BC was still doubling as Santa Barbara, CA. Our crew, many who have been with us since our first season, still welcomed us back by singing “Happy Birthday” (in harmony) when we stepped on set. Hugs and laughter still filled the halls, but they were now joined by tears of joy as we lifted up one of our own.
Our first episode and our most recent show both were new beginnings, launching points for much more to come. But we still sliced that pineapple up for the road…
TW: “Psych” has been going strong since 2006 and even with the series ending in 2014, an avid fan base—that lovingly dubbed themselves PsychOs—has remained. These PsychOs were overjoyed with the first movie and are ecstatic about the second movie releasing to ‘Peacock’ on July 15th. What is your hope for when they finally get to see this much-anticipated film?
KN: PsychOs are the best! We are constantly in awe that so many new viewers are finding our show and sharing that enthusiasm with us and with friends to keep this fan base strong. They are definitely the reason we are able to return to make these love-letter movies. My hope is that they rejoice so completely with the return of LASSITER, that they hold virtual cross-country viewing parties filled with pineapple treats and decor, that it carries their enthusiasm to the network for us to make a third movie!
TW: Many fans are hoping that “Psych 2: Lassie Come Home” isn’t the final story in the franchise. Would you consider coming back for a third movie if the opportunity was presented to you?
KN: That’s a given and a resounding yes!
TW: Are there any future roles or projects you can talk about that you are excited to return to or start once filming is safely allowed to resume?
KN: Here and there you might hear me voicing commercials on TV and the radio. That side of the industry has continued in a limited capacity with new modifications since the shutdown began and I’m fully embracing new opportunities there.
As far as on-camera, I was in the process of auditioning for roles in future shows when our industry was shuttered in mid-March, bringing so many artistic opportunities to an indefinite standstill. Returning to work safely is indeed key to our industry reopening again, especially since on-camera actors are one of the professions who, unless written accordingly in a script, cannot wear a mask when filming resumes. But in the midst of so much uncertainty, I do have hope that it will resume! Art can be a salve in uncertain times and I hope there is something special waiting for so many of us when it does!
“Psych 2: Lassie Come Home” will release July 15, 2020, on the new streaming platform Peacock T.V. set to launch on the same day. The streaming service will be free, but will also offer an option to upgrade to “Peacock Premium” for $29.99/year.
So, get ready my fellow PsychOs, our time is finally near!!!
Written by TiShea Wilson
