We last interviewed you together in 2014 when we did a spotlight on on-screen co-conspirators. Look how far you’ve come!
Kelly Thiebaud: “Incredible. We’re somewhat decent people now!”
Parry Shen: “How the script has flipped!”
Why do you think Brad and Britt work so well as a twosome?
Thiebaud: “Sometimes the chemistry is just really easy. Parry and I have just always really gotten along and we work well together. We come prepared and we come to play and I think that’s essential when you have a relationship like this. If one actor is willing to play and the other is like, ‘That’s not my style,’ or they’re insecure or whatever the case is, you won’t have the same outcome. I think Parry and I just kind of vibe and work the same and it’s turned out to be this beautiful friendship.”
Shen: “Yeah, I agree. The more prepared you are, it’s less about, ‘Crap, do I know my lines?’ and more about, ‘What more can we do to lift this off the page?’ ”
Thiebaud: “We both like to rehearse the dialogue, go over it, talk about it, and I think our humor is so similar that those beats and those funny moments between the characters just happen because we’re both so present and in the moment and play off of each other.”
Shen: “When Kelly left in 2014, [then-Head Writer] Ron Carlivati was really sweet and said, ‘We’ll really miss the Brad and Britt relationship because that was a very happy accident.’ They were supposed to just be these two schemers, but they connected and it filled a void on the show, I think; it wasn’t a redundant character chemistry.”
Thiebaud: “Exactly. I also think that with Brad, a different side of Britt came out. When the character first started, she was just villainous. She had no good qualities at the time and I think to kind of balance that out, they needed to show that other side of her, and who better to do that with than him?”
What are some of your favorite Brad/Britt moments?
Shen: “One of my favorites was when they watched the Nurses’ Ball together and made fun of people. That touched a nerve with people who also do that when they watch the red carpet before awards shows.”
Thiebaud: “One scene that comes to mind is last Valentine’s Day; we had fun in the hospital even though Brad was there for not-so-fun reasons [he’d been stabbed]. The Valentine’s Day we just shot was also really fun.”
Shen: “Yeah, that was one of the rare times where we got to have a full episode of them having fun, having drinks and just loosening up and letting go, you know?”
Thiebaud: “Yeah, you really got to see their personalities and see them play off each other, living in the moment and enjoying life, which these two characters do so well together because they just make each other laugh. And that’s really to the show’s credit, because I think they really listen to the fans and have highlighted this friendship. They really bring this nice, lighthearted element to such a dramatic show.”
I enjoy that lately, they’ve been meeting up for meals in places they think Selina wouldn’t deign to set foot in.
Shen: “Yeah, because she’s such a snob [laughs]! Kelly, we’ve had a lot of eating scenes, huh?”
Thiebaud: “Because we eat so well on camera, Parry! We’re not those actors who, like, don’t touch their food or drink when they’re doing a scene. If we’re supposed to be having lunch or something, let’s be real and eat this food. Do I want to eat it now? No! But it’s part of what I do!”
Recently, Britt had to reassure Brad that he wasn’t in any danger of being replaced by her new buddy Austin. Do you think Brad was actually jealous, Parry?
Shen: “No, no, no. It was more keeping her in check, like, ‘You know who is really there for you, right?’ ”
Thiebaud: “There’s no replacing Brad!”
I feel strongly that Brad and Britt need their own spin-off.
Thiebaud: “I agree! They really do.”
Shen: “Yeah, I mean DAYS is doing that on streaming, right? GH can do the same!”
Anything you want to say to all the “Bratt” fans out there?
Shen: “Yeah, I mean, pretty much from the Nurses’ Ball where Brad was performing and Britt was cheering him on — so, for a long time, since 2014 — there has been sort of a nonstop affection for those two characters, and it’s been great that no matter what is going on with our storylines, we can always depend on that and know it’s a relationship the fans are going to enjoy seeing. With Brad and Britt, it’s always rock-solid.”
Thiebaud: “I would just say that the fans are just incredible. We honestly have the best fans. They are so supportive of my crazy character and Parry’s crazy character. We love making them laugh. It brings us such joy to be silly together on screen, and to have people receive that and enjoy us being goofy together is so rewarding. We love entertaining and that people enjoy this relationship — and we’re looking forward to the crazy situations our characters will get into in the future!”
