During a recent telephone conversation, it was easy to understand how Charisma Carpenter makes the character of Rebecca Sewell so easy to hate on “The Lying Game.” She’s extremely passionate about the show, the stories, her fellow actors and her role on it. Yes, the actress adors “The Lying Game” as much as you do – and she loves to talk about it, as evidenced in the following Q&A…

When you started on “The Lying Game,” did you have any idea how crucial your role would be?
I had a sneaking suspicion when they told me I was going to be their mom. I was supposed to do six episodes, and I ended up shooting all 10 episodes of season 1B. So, when that happened, I felt like… the last four I found out I was going to be the mom. I thought, well, if they’re going to make me the mom then I suspect I will be very involved. She pretty much touches everyone’s life or at least has her thumb over everyone’s life – Jordan, Sutton, Emma.

We found out in “The Grave Truth” that the core group knows that Rebecca is mom and Sutton is actually twins with Emma and she could be a murderess. Do you think she’s capable of murder?
No. I don’t. I don’t think that’s any part of her plan, at all. And I don’t know why the big deal about keeping it a secret. That hasn’t been explained to me, either, so I’m not really sure who would kill because they want to keep a secret of twins so bad. Why would that ever be a motive for murder? I think I would need a little bit more motive to kill someone than that.
My thought is that whatever happened to Rebecca when she was forced to give up the twins was so traumatic that she’s become who she is now, so desperate to recreate her family. That will give viewers the chance to exonerate her and bring her into the fold. I would think that since she’s the twins mother, she can’t always be the hated character.
Well, you would think. It’s a double edged sword. I don’t think the network necessarily wants the twins’ mother to be a murderer or a psychopath or any of those things. I don’t think that’s what she wants for the girls’ character, but that doesn’t mean she’s above being blamed or accused or framed or something like that. And then how does she get around it? I don’t know.
I am so afraid of Alec, because I framed him and he doesn’t want to be married to me anymore and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s willing to frame me and I won’t at some time end up in a very shallow grave or in an orange jumpsuit. Which I’m hoping it’s an orange jumpsuit, because then at least we can get out!
It would be a really awesome time for us to feel sorry for Rebecca. You know, where she could really have an opportunity to be less Machiavellian and more sympathetic, and likeable by the audience again. You know, if you could just understand my motives. It’s really hard to hate somebody who just wants their kids. They were wrongly treated and she was lied to and her babies were taken away and then this mother, Kristin, comes along and the girls are all protective of her and afraid to hurt her feelings.
She’s jealous! She thinks, you got the be the mom that I didn’t get to be and then you write these things about my daughter. Well, my daughter? She needs to know that. She needs to know you’re not the mom you act like you are. Even though it was kind of a low moment for Rebecca, it wasn’t mean to hurt her, it was to help her understand. I’m your mom. I would have never written this or done any of this. It’s hard to hate someone who really does love you.

It’s so hard for Rebecca right now. Everything she does comes out wrong. Giving the half of a necklace to Sutton with the intent of giving the other half to Emma; everything seems to have a motive beyond her just being a mother.
Rebecca’s hurting people that they do know. Yeah, she’s my birth mother, but I don’t really know her. But I do know this lady, and I don’t know if I can hurt her. When Rebecca wanted Sutton to expose Ted as the father and Rebecca as the mother, but Kristin was sitting at his side and it would have embarrassed her in front of all of their friends. Sutton in the end couldn’t do it. She’s not as mad at Kristin as Rebecca is, so she didn’t do it. That was a redeeming moment for Sutton in the audiences eyes. You know, maybe she isn’t so bad and she should be with Ethan.
I love how they do that with our characters. Just when you’re hating them enough, then they do something nice and you’re like, well, now I can’t hate her. You want to love to hate them. That’s good drama.

[Continue reading the interview]

As if Emma (Alexandra Chando) didn’t already have enough on her plate, trying to figure out who killed Theresa and Derek, the secret twin will face another challenge on the March 12 spring finale of “The Lying Game”: having to choose between Ethan (Blair Redford) and Thayer (Christian Alexander)!

Emma’s been going back and forth between the two guys — sensitive Thayer and hot-headed Ethan — since the series began in Aug. 2011, but the love triangle reached critical mass in season two when a newly single Emma took her relationship with Thayer to the next level.

I recently chatted with The Lying Game Executive Producer Chuck Pratt Jr., who confirmed we can expect “fireworks” between Emma, Ethan and Thayer for a while.

“That’s not a triangle that’s going to go away overnight,” he told me.

Along with Emma’s big decision — and the potential reveal of Derek and Theresa’s killer — Chuck told me to expect a “fantastic” cliffhanger that involves every single character.

“Everyone will be screaming for a resolution,” he told me. “I use the term ‘colliding trains’ as a narrative device — the idea being that all the trains on all the tracks come together and collide — and that’s how we choreographed this cliffhanger. They may not all be in the same room, but it all comes together.” [Source]

After a season full of juicy revelations, romantic drama, and one shocking death, “The Lying Game” concludes its addictive second season tonight with a twisty finale that is sure to leave fans reeling.

Zimbio recently chatted with “The Lying Game” star Alexandra Chando, who plays twins Emma and Sutton, about what fans can expect from tonight’s jam-packed finale, which will answer some burning questions while planting the seeds for future mysteries.

“Our cliffhanger is even better than our last finale,” Chando shared. “All the story lines kind of have their own cliffhangers, so there’s definitely the major one and then also there’s a lot of twists that happen and a lot of revelations that come about. I certainly was shocked about when I read the script.”

One thing that’s not so shocking about the finale? Emma is finally ready to admit her true feelings to Ethan — but that doesn’t mean their reunion isn’t seriously complicated.

“For the whole season it’s been back and forth for [Emma] and she’s finally made the decision, but it’s not just as simple as him saying ‘Okay,’” Chando dished. “Because now there’s problems with Dan. He kind of, in a way, betrayed Dan a little bit and he’s dealing with that. It’s not a simple as an easy yes or no.”

Emma will also get the chance to confront her birth mother Rebecca, who may or may not be responsible for both Derek’s and Theresa’s murders. And while those crimes are certainly on Emma’s mind, she also has deeply emotional family issues to deal with. “I think it really weighs on her — the fact that Rebecca let Sutton in and not Emma. And that’s one of the biggest questions that she has: ‘Why her and why not me? Why am I the one that’s left out of the whole thing?’”

Chando added, “It’s heartbreaking. It’s really sad because Emma is the emotional one. Even though the two girls have been looking for their birth mother, Emma is so deeply invested and I think kind of feels a little bit burned that Sutton betrayed her and now Rebecca. What she thought she knew ended up not being true.”

For the first time in a long time, “The Lying Game” season finale will also have Emma and Sutton working together as sisters. But don’t worry, Sutton hasn’t lost her edge. “Sutton is still Sutton,” Chando laughed. “She still has her own thoughts about things and she’s certainly a strong personality. So it’s not just all play nice.”

“The Lying Game” finale airs Tuesday, March 12 at 9/8c on ABC Family. Will all the lies finally be revealed? Will Emma and Ethan get back together? And will Theresa’s (and Derek’s) killer be brought to justice? [Source]

If your jaw hit the floor during last week’s episode, you’re not alone! And we’ve been promised another mouth-dropping cliff-hanger coming up on “The Lying Game.” Showrunner Chuck Pratt, Jr. gives us the scoop on Tuesday’s episode “The Grave Truth” and the rest of Season 2 in this exclusive interview:

What’s your favorite scene or point in this week’s episode and why?
I love when Emma and Ethan have an intimate discussion about family versus their love affair. And I love how Dan interrogates Ted. Dan is let into the secrets, but is it too late?

Can you give us any hints as to which clues we should pay attention to in this episode?
Watch the scenes between the twins and Ted. Listen to everyone — Ted and Dan especially — when they ask the question who is hiding the crime of Derek’s murder and why? All the questions should be why, why, why keep the twins a secret. Why kill for it? And watch Rebecca. When is she telling the truth?

How will Ethan and Dan’s relationship change this episode?
Ethan makes a choice that changes his relationship with Emma forever. Do you lie to your brother because the woman you loved asked you? Ethan’s relationship with his brother will be stronger than ever.

In last week’s episode we all saw what we didn’t want to believe: Ted at the grave. Are we getting closer to solving the big case? Are we going to have a confirmed murderer by the end of the season?
Whenever we solve one thing, it usually brings up new mysteries. You may think it’s all solved, and there will be a HUGE reveal, and mouth-dropping cliff-hanger, but no teases. Unlike other shows in this genre, we are giving REAL ANSWERS!

There are some pretty intense pics of Dan, Alec and Ted in the interrogation room. Are Dan and Alec harder on him because of their personal connections with the case?
All our characters are driven by deep emotion, and relatable emotion. Alec thinks Ted is Rebecca’s motive for murder. Alec wants Rebecca to burn for this. But other emotions are at work: relatable emotions, the search for a birth mother, sibling rivalry, sibling bonding… Dan and Ethan find themselves in the same relationship as Emma and Sutton: trust, rivalry and the push-pull of sibling relationships.

With this whole Ted investigation now, how will Kristin and Alec’s relationship change/move forward?
Kristin continues to be torn between two men. Ted is going to abandon his Rebecca flirtation. He loves only one woman — Kristin. He and Alec both know Kristin can never learn the secret of the twins or they both will lose her. And as Ethan was Emma’s unsafe choice, Alec is Kristin’s scary choice. Play it safe, play it dangerously — which is more exciting?

How will Rebecca and Jordan’s relationship change now that he’s working with Alec?
Betray Rebecca and suffer the consequences…

Someone else sees the twins this episode. Can you tell us if this person will hurt or help their mission in the long run?
Help and help and help… And even that may not be enough.

Be sure to watch the new episode airing Tuesday March 5 at 9 pm ET/PT on ABC Family. [Source]

High quality screen captures from the seventh episode of “The Lying Game,” “Regrets Only,” have been added to the gallery. Enjoy the pics!

Gallery link:
• 2.07 – Regrets Only (x1713)

High quality stills from the tenth episode of “The Lying Game,” “To Lie For,” have been added to the gallery. Enjoy the pics!

Gallery link:
• 2.10 – To Lie For (x14)