The Cast and Creatives of Ghosts on the Multiple Personalities that Make the Comedy Series
We caught up with actors Brandon Scott Jones, Danielle Pinnock, Rebecca Wisocky, Asher Grodman, Devan Chandler Long and Sheila Carrasco, as well as executive producers and showrunners Joe Port and Joe Wiseman to chat about the past, present and future of the CBS series Ghosts. Joe Port and Joe Wiseman (affectionately referred to as “the Joes”) developed the eight core ghost characters in the series from a list of fifty archetypes from American history. This helped to craft the set of highly specific on screen personalities that makes the series so lively (pun intended), though the Joes gave credit to the cast, who have often contributed to shaping the narrative through the deep understanding of their characters.
Brandon Scott Jones shared his “rule of thumb” for playing Revolutionary War vet Isaac: If he is feeling something, try not to feel it (which, with over 250 years in purgatory, is probably exhausting!), whereas Asher Grodman delights in the moment-to-moment discovery of playing the 90’s era stockbroker party-boy Trevor, who has been in purgatory for less time, and is often learning the ropes right along with the audience. Other ghosts, such as Devan Chandler Long’s Thorfinn and Sheila Carrasco’s Flower, have evolved through uncovering deeper feelings for one another, and Long is hoping to see them “have some fun” in Season 4.
Both the cast and creators agreed that their favorite aspect of working on Ghosts is the ability to delve into comical and sorrowful moments with equal intensity. Danielle Pinnock, who plays prohibition era lounge singer Alberta, highlighted that her character’s performative nature is often masking feelings of longing for the life she never got to lead. Rebecca Wisocky described an episode that reveals that her character Hetty committed suicide as both “challenging and rewarding,” especially after receiving an incredibly moving audience response. Overall, the Ghosts and the Joes alike expressed gratitude for their dynamic ensemble, and cannot wait to dive into Season 4.
Watch the full conversation below.
Samantha, a cheerful freelance journalist, and Jay, an up-and-coming chef from the city, throw both caution and money to the wind when they decide to convert a huge run-down country estate they inherited into a bed and breakfast -- only to find it's inhabited by the many spirits of deceased residents. The departed souls are a close-knit, eclectic group that includes a saucy Prohibition-era lounge singer, a pompous 1700's Militiaman, a '60s hippie fond of hallucinogens and an overly upbeat '80s scout troop leader. If the spirits were anxious about the commotion a renovation and B&B will create in their home, it's nothing compared to when they realize Samantha is the first live person who can see and hear them.
