“The Village” won’t premiere until Spring 2019, but the cast gave us a sneak peak of the show at the The Cinema Society party to celebrate NBC’s 2018-2019 season at The Four Seasons Restaurant in New York.
The show follows residents of a unique apartment building in Brooklyn who build a bonded family of friends and neighbors. Cast members Grace Van Dien, Jerod Haynes, Michaela McManus, Warren Christie and Daren Kagasoff all walked the red carpet. Check out our exclusive interviews below:
The Knockturnal: Tell us about your character.
Warren Christie: I play Nick and I’m new to the village. I’m just moving in. I’m a war veteran who recently had an injury so his story’s kind of about reintegrating himself into society and it’s all new. And he comes into this apartment complex where there’s so many people of different ages and races and religious backgrounds but he realizes very quickly the sense of community, and it’s new to him. And it’s kind of an adjustment, it’s hard for him but everybody’s there to try and lift each other up so it’s a really beautiful story.
Grace Van Dien: I play Katie. I’m the only teenager in the building. And I get very political. And I hope most people agree with my character’s politics.
Jerod Haynes: I play Ben, a New York police officer, who was kind of thrusted into looking after Sami once Ava’s immigration status is questioned and he’s dealing with some issues of his own as well.
The Knockturnal: The show sounds very timely.
Jerod Haynes: Yeah, it is timely and it’s a mirror to society and hopefully we give people some hope, especially in the climate that we’re in right now.
Michaela McManus: I play Sarah. I’m a single mom to a teenage daughter. I’m very devoted to my daughter but almost at the expense of my own self-fulfillment. So you’ll see in the pilot I’m sort of at a crossroads.
Daren Kagasoff: I play Gabe Napolitano on the show. My character, he’s a law student at the moment and he’s Enzo’s grandson and I kind of have the obligation to, not only be his caretaker, but I’m trying to figure out my way in the world and my own obstacles in life. And you get to see us have an amazing relationship.
The Knockturnal: And tell me about bonding with the cast.
Michaela McManus: I think that as a cast we bonded almost instantly. It was almost like meant to be, which is the best feeling when you start a new project. It’s what you hope for and everything just clicks. And I think it’s going to translate on screen.
The Knockturnal: What did you love about the writing on the show?
Daren Kagasoff: Well the second I read the script I fell in love with it. I couldn’t necessarily tell you what it was but it doesn’t happen often and when it does it’s a gut, innate feeling that you can’t necessarily describe. So I feel very lucky and fortunate.
The Knockturnal: Anything else you want to add about the project?
Michaela McManus: I’m just so excited to be here and to be part of something that I’m so passionate about and I just can’t wait to put it out into the world and see what people think.