SCANDAL: Katie Lowes and Guillermo Diaz on That Crazy-Tense Torture Scene and What Comes Next

SCANDAL is no stranger to pulling outrageous stunts, but perhaps nothing has been more shocking than what viewers witnessed in the last episode, “YOLO”: Huck, admittedly, a character whose twisted past includes a long history (and passion) for torture took his revenge on Quinn for her betrayal (she got drawn in and manipulated by the people at B-613) by keeping her restrained and, among other things, removed a tooth.

I spoke with SCANDAL stars Guillermo Diaz (Huck) and Katie Lowes (Quinn) about filming “YOLO,” what comes next, having a shorter season 3, and more…

First of all, congratulations on the just announced AFI Award for SCANDAL!
Guillermo Diaz: Thank you!
Katie Lowes: Thanks, we just found out!

Is it a bit of validation for you after the show has so massively taken off in the past year or so?
KL: It’s kind of crazy. In a way, we just live in our little bubble in Sunset Gower [Studios, where SCANDAL films], where since day one, we’ve been having such a magical experience on this show, where we all get along and truly feel blessed at the quality of work and the writing and the people we get to act with. And our crew is so exceptional and talented. So it seems like it’s such a plus that because people are watching it, we get to make more.
GD: It’s a cherry on top of a really amazing cake.
KL: Totally.

Last week’s episode was exceptionally tense and hard to watch at times. How was it for you guys to play those scenes out?
KL: It was really intense to film! It was really intense. Some of our scenes, like OPA and things like that can be lighter and we joke around, and make jokes and laugh and sing and dance, and whatever.

But then on days like the torture scene day, where Guillermo and I did all our torture scenes in one day — and it was actually Halloween, funny enough, and we were yelling and covered in blood — on those days, it wasn’t as jokey. It was definitely really focused and challenging, and also really, really, really supported by the cast and the crew and Guillermo, and it was just amazing.
GD: It was fun, because we were getting to play this scene which was so crazy. I don’t want to speak for Katie, but I think we felt so lucky — I think you felt the same —
KL: Yeah.
GD: Just to be able to say these words and do the things we were able to do, and Huck was pulling her teeth! I just have never done anything like that on television or in a movie. The quality of the work is just stellar, and I think we feel very fortunate. And we just want to do our best. I think we both came in and we went, “Let’s just knock this shit out of the park and do it right.” I think it came across that way. I hope.

For sure. Did you get the chance to talk out the scene before you filmed, or did you go into it fairly blind?
KL: We actually had a test day a couple days before the big torture day, which was such a blessing. I got to get in the duct tape bikini, and get on the floor and have a pad under my back, because they knew I was going to be there for 14 hours. And Guillermo got to see the tools and put them in my mouth. And we got to play around with the jaw-spreader, and play around with [things]. I felt that was such a good practice so we weren’t just showing up on the day and having everything be new. We kind of got to do this rehearsal practice run with all the props and [have on] what we were wearing and felt safe. So that way on the day, it was kind of like, “Okay, let’s really, really get our acting in place.”
GD: And play.
KL: And play. Guillermo and I are really close in real life, so I felt we really trusted each other and were going totally balls to the wall from take one.

There does seem to be a vocal portion of the fandom that does want these two to be together romantically, though. Do you think that’s even possible at this point, or is there no line that could be crossed on this show where a romantic pairing would be taken off the table?
GD: I, personally, like that their relationship is platonic. I don’t know if I want to see them get romantically involved. I think it’s more interesting they’re not.

And, honestly, we have no idea what’s going on, what the writers are cooking up for us. Which makes it more exciting when we get the scripts. But they really don’t tell us anything, and we don’t know anything.
KL: Anything is possible. I agree with Guillermo. I think our relationship is so interesting and fun to play because it’s not sexual. Even though there were some odd sexual things happening in the torture scene, but I think that’s because Quinn and Huck are such dark characters, that plays into, at times, what they like and what they don’t like, which is just weird and off.

[But] we don’t know anything. And we’re happy with whatever the heck they come up with.
GD: Exactly.

That’s fair. I know you can’t say much, but what can you tease about the midseason finale?
KL: Well, we can tease you will definitely get to see Quinn and Huck together post-torture and what that looks like.
GD: You’re going to find out what that blinking light that Huck was looking at at the end of the last episode — you’re going to find out what it means. Which is really, really fun and interesting. And we’re going to find out a lot more about Rowan and Maya Pope, and why he’s been protecting Olivia.
KL: Exactly. Why she says, “He’s not the monster, she is.” We’re going to find out why she said that.

Do they get involved at all with the storyline with Sally killing her husband? Or are you separate from that?
GD: It’s definitely going to be in the next episode.
KL: [Laughs] That’s definitely in there, too! In typical, amazing, SCANDAL fashion, there are like eight million storylines and like eight million cliffhangers all at once.
GD: Totally.

The show has always thrown a lot at viewers in any given episode, but have you found that the pacing has picked up even more now that the series is going to have a decreased order this year?
GD: I feel like it’s as SCANDAL-ous as ever, and I feel like [SCANDAL creator] Shonda [Rhimes] is really going to concentrate on these next eight episodes, and just make them the best they can be. I think she’s just really going to go for it and make it really, really, good. It’s a good thing we’re doing less. We’re going to be jam-packed, there will be a lot more intensity.

Anything you can tease about the show when it returns in 2014?
KL: When it returns in 2014?! Gee, I’m trying to think about what we’re shooting right now.
GD: [Laughs] I know! Listen, I think it’s going to continue to be shocking and innovative and new — we haven’t seen this type of world in a long time.
KL: And fast and juicy and you’re still not going to do your laundry while you’re watching the show.
GD: Exactly. [Laughs]

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SCANDAL‘s midseason finale airs this Thursday at 10 PM on ABC. The show returns with new episodes on Thursday, February 27, 2014.

Related:

SCANDAL: Season 3 Episode Order Cut
SCANDAL: Jack Coleman to Recur
SCANDAL: Dan Bucatinsky on His Emmy Nod, His Hopes for James and Cyrus, and More

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