THE FINDER: Geoff and George Stults Talk About Playing Brothers — Again — On-Screen

As you may have seen yesterday, Fox canceled THE FINDER. The timing was bittersweet as tonight’s episode was set to be just the season finale.

I was on set when they filmed the hour and sat down to chat with THE FINDER star Geoff Stults (Walter) and his brother, George, who just happened to be guest-starring in the hour as Walter’s brother…

George, a few weeks before it was announced you were guest-starring, there was speculation that you’d come on the series. Was this something they had been talking to you about for a while.
George Stults: I knew zero amount. I usually don’t tell him anything, but for once, he didn’t tell me anything.
Geoff Stults: I got him on this one.
George: I think I was just doing my normal, recreational activities like I usually do because I don’t like to work. And I got an email from my representation going, “Just so you know, you’re going to be on THE FINDER.” [Geoff laughs] I’m not even kidding.
Geoff: Ha ha!
George: I was like, why wouldn’t he even say anything to me about it?
Geoff: I wanted him to be surprised. I knew when this [shoot] was going to be, and I knew he was planning [things].

And how is it to play brothers for television again?
George: It’s a complete joke. It shouldn’t be allowed. But if they’re going to give us an opportunity…it’s just too much fun. We were raised to be best friends, but our parents effed up because they wanted grandchildren by now. So us getting to work together is a plus, plus, plus.

So what can you say about their relationship?
Geoff: It’s pretty similar to what we do on the reg, on a regular basis. [THE FINDER] creator Hart [Hanson] heard some stories about George — they hadn’t met, actually — and he kind of ran with it.
George: And once I read the character — he’s a musician teaching music overseas — I was like, how am I even going to come close to being that guy?

Were there any character quirks where you were like, “Oh my God, I can’t believe Geoff told Hart that?”
George: I guess Hart asked him if either one of us played an instrument. We got kicked out of band in junior high — I played the trumpet, he played the clarinet and the saxophone. After two years?
Geoff: We did not get kicked out, we got asked to not return. They waited until summer to say, “We think it would be better for everyone involved if you didn’t come back.” That’s a true story.

So are you making a triumphant return to music on THE FINDER?
George: Yeah, by carrying around instruments!

Well, this does seem like a more serious than normal case for Walter. How is his family’s return impacting him?
Geoff: It definitely takes Walter on a bit of a darker path. The relationship he has with his mother and his father is a little bit different and they’ve been estranged. They haven’t seen or been around Walter since his injury. He’s different to them; they actually like the new Walter better. There’s actually a line in the script where it’s that he used to walk around like he had a stick up his ass, but now he’s just a little bit more foot-lose and fancy free. We’ll see a little bit like the old Walter in this episode. We’ll see him react like a little bit more like a caged animal when his family is being threatened; he reacts a little bit differently. He’s never worried about himself, but he worries when his family gets threatened. He’s quick to the punch.

And George, what’s your character Langston like?
George: He’s the good son, a super nice guy, a decent human being. So my relationship with everyone is golden.
Geoff: In one of the original drafts, in order to get me to find [our] mom, we box and he beats me — and then I punch him in the stomach when he’s not looking later, which is very similar to real life.
George: But they cut it out. Which sucks.

You would have liked the idea to kick each other’s butts and get paid for it?
Geoff: Absolutely.

And how is the reunion with their mother?
Geoff: It’s a lot of emotions. A lot of emotions. Walter’s not sure — he wants to stay mad at her, but at the end of the day, she’s his mommy.
George: They haven’t seen mom in a while. And Langston is so happy they found her because he wouldn’t have been able to do that. [Walter] is the finder.

Is the reunion in time for their father to say goodbye?
Geoff: You just going to have to tune in. [George laughs]

Since the brothers were estranged, what’s Langston’s reaction to Isabel when he meets her?
George: That’s a great question…and I don’t know the answer.
Geoff: We’re so driven to find our mom, we don’t delve into that too much.

Do the brothers at least end the episode on a good note?
George: We always end things on a good note.
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THE FINDER airs Fridays on Fox at 8 PM

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