Matt Lauria did his greatest work in the previous couple of episodes of CSI: Vegas Season 2 as Josh Folsom tried to avoid wasting his estranged mom from her drug behavior. Dealing with medication and shady individuals obtained her killed.
Josh was full of remorse, guilt, and anger and had no outlet for his feelings. Matt Lauria portrayed a grieving son superbly as he vowed vengeance on his mother’s killers.
TV Fanatic chatted with Matt about Josh’s estranged relationship with Jeanette, how he ready for these emotional scenes, and what the longer term holds for Josh. Check it out beneath:
Hi Matt. It’s nice to see you once more. The CSI: Vegas Season 2 finale was a few of your greatest work. In the again half of Season 2, they explored your historical past along with your estranged mom and your good friend Trey. What brought on this estrangement between Josh and Jeanette, and why does she want Trey?
During Josh’s grownup life, he needed to separate himself from the criminality infused into his upbringing. Now, he is a CSI, so clearly, there’s stress and estrangement there, but additionally her drug use. He has a number of love and fondness for his mom but additionally ache and heartbreak.
This is not the primary time that Josh has been in conditions {that a} younger baby ought to by no means be in, coping with somebody who has a heroin dependancy or different drug dependancy.
He handled the worry and the ache of both potential overdoses or the atmosphere of seeing his mom handed out on the sofa.
The viewers expertise this stuff within the ultimate episodes of the season the place she’s hanging round with these drug sellers, she’s a part of this operation round these shady characters, and he or she’s again on medication.
That is consultant of what Josh grew up with. It’s heartbreaking. He’s defending himself from that, doing his greatest to assist her, and failing repeatedly. So, that is the supply of that estrangement.
I do not know that she prefers Trey. Any choice that she reveals to Trey is a recreation. Josh has an advanced relationship together with his mom, and he or she’s needling Josh by performing like she prefers Trey even when she would not.
This is who they’re, and that is the place they’re from. This is a tight-knit group that takes care of each other. Josh was not falling in keeping with them. It’s a tool she’s used to get a response from Josh.
That is smart. When did you be taught that Jeanette would die and that you’d avenge her demise?
I wish to say within the first quarter of the season, across the fifth episode. Jason Tracey gave a number of of us a breakdown of some issues we would expertise this season.
By the top of Season 2, he advised me this was what he was serious about. So, that was one thing for me to tuck away and wrap my thoughts and coronary heart round.
Then earlier than the top of the season, I re-approached it with Jason Tracey and stated if we have been doing this, I wished to discover the dialog extra in order that I may put together. We had lunch and talked about the best way that the ultimate three episodes have been going to form up.
How did you put together for these emotional scenes, particularly about her demise, the scenes within the morgue, and enacting revenge?
I did a number of work and a number of prep beforehand. My complete journey as an artist ready me for this as a result of I bear in mind doing performs in faculty, the place my emotional vary wasn’t as developed.
I spent these 20 years creating my craft, course of, and emotional instrument to organize for this.
I ready in the best way I ready for any function, together with using my creativeness. I’ve notebooks from the primary episode of Season 1.
I’ve obtained 31 episodes price of notebooks the place I’m going again and begin getting inquisitive about and understanding Josh’s private, emotional, {and professional} structure.
What are the numerous influences on Josh as he offers with any relationship? So a lot of that data evolves as a result of the extra scripts I obtained, the extra data I obtained about Josh’s life, household, and background. I’ve this wealth of information to attract from.
I had a lovely collaborator with Lolita, who performed Josh’s mom and who’s an unimaginable artist.
When a scene has been handed to me, I settle for it wholeheartedly, with out judgment. I pour as a lot of my coronary heart into it. I’m in my character’s headspace of what it means.
You get to a spot the place you’ve got sufficient worth for this individual in entrance of you and the circumstances that you simply’re in, and also you’re acquainted with why these issues matter.
You stroll into the morgue, and the way can it not break your coronary heart? It’s what I really like most about being an actor. It’s that a part of the craft of performing, telling relatable and human tales. That is what I’m most obsessed with and what I really like probably the most.
How will Josh’s actions have an effect on his future at CSI and his relationship with the staff?
I do not know. There’s an enormous mess to scrub up.
Is your character going to be returning subsequent season? Is getting Josh out of jail and reinstated going to be part of Season 3? I definitely hope this wasn’t a option to do away with Josh as a result of I like Josh.
Thank you for saying that. I do too. All of the questions you simply requested are these I’ve requested too. I learn the script, and I believed, what occurs subsequent? I’d be mendacity if I did not admit that it crossed my thoughts that there could possibly be a 3rd season with out Josh Folsom.
From every little thing I’ve been advised, that is not the case. But what that future seems to be like and whether or not or not Josh is a CSI…
If I have been to guess, Josh has some explaining to do. I would not be stunned if he have been in jail or if he wasn’t a CSI originally of Season 3. I have not learn any scripts, and there is a strike. I do know from the writers that I’ll return, however there may be a lot to untangle.
Do you assume Josh has a case for justifiable murder or pleading madness due to his grief?
Yeah, undoubtedly. I’m not saying it is justifiable or correct. But I’m keen to search out out precisely what occurred that evening, and I’ll discover out alongside all of the viewers. I am unable to say what might or might not have occurred, however it’s potential that Josh took an individual’s life in a second of nice disturbance and grief.
Well, thanks. I definitely hope we discover out subsequent yr. I really like crime TV, and this is able to make an attention-grabbing arc for the primary a part of Season 3.
CSI: Vegas returns in 2024 at midseason for Season 3.
This interview has been edited for size and readability.
Laura Nowak is a employees author for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.
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