We first saw Kelsey Chow in season three when she stepped into the Tree Hill High gym as the quirky teen sportscaster, “Gigi Silveri”. The chemistry between Kelsey and Lee Norris [as “Mouth McFadden”] was so pure and entertaining that the actress captured our hearts and became apart of the One Tree Hill family.
After taking a season off, Kelsey is back to bring in the laughs and stir up some relationship drama! We caught up with the actress to talk about her career and what it’s like playing “Gigi”.
Hi Kelsey!
Kelsey: Hi! How are you doing?
FV: I’m good! How are you?
KC: Pretty good.
So what have you been up to?
Umm… right now or since filming?
What have you been up to since filming [“One Tree Hill”] last year?
I’ve been spending more time in LA, which is nice. I filmed an episode of “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody” with Jaden Smith which recently aired… I guess in March? I also just filmed an episode of “Little Britain” yesterday for HBO, which is awesome! That was a lot of fun! This summer I actually spent time in Scotland performing “Les Miz” at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Oh really?! How was that?
Yeah, Oh my God! It was amazing. Scotland is beautiful and there are so many different shows and acts going on. It was amazing.
That must’ve been a crazy opportunity. I’ve always wanted to go to Scotland, it looks so beautiful.
Yeah! We had to spend two weeks there!
You also did “Little Britain USA”?
I did! I guess I did that in April and Hilarie [Burton] also did a guest spot. I also got to work with the “Daffyd” character. David Walliams and Matt Lucas are the funniest people.
I saw the episode with Hilarie! That was so funny. [laughs]
[laughs] I know – it really was!
You’re still in school, right? How do you balance that with the show? Do you take a break or home-study while you’re filming?
Well, I actually already have my high school diploma. But, since I attend a private school, I really wanted to graduate with my friends and get into a good college. I’m a full-time student and taking a whole lot of classes [laughs]. It’s hard at times because you do miss a lot of work, but I’ve been able to catch up and all of my teachers are really supportive… so it’s been nice. It’s been easy.
Since you’re in South Carolina in school while you’re not filming, after you officially graduate are you planning on re-locating to California? Like you were talking about with spending time in LA…
Right, right! Well, when I was little I really wanted to go to Stanford for school but I do really want to continue working so I’m actually applying primarily in the Southern Cal area. I am applying to Boston College and a couple of colleges in the Southeast. I think I want to major in International Relations and maybe minor in acting. But, International Relations is pretty cool!
So, now that you’re back on “One Tree Hill”…
[laughs]
Yup, switching gears to “One Tree Hill” [laughs]. You have been so funny this season!
[laughs] Oh God, Gigi is… you know… when I get the script it’s always something. I can not wait to read it! I never know what I’m going to be doing in each episode, it’s always very interesting. She’s [Gigi] a junior in college and you know, taking Journalism classes, and obviously having lots of sex. [laughs] And I guess her Mom had her appendix out a couple of weeks ago, right?
Are we going to find out what she’s been up to a little bit in the past four years? Or maybe delve in a little more of what she’s been doing since she last saw Mouth [in high school]?
Um, you know, I would actually love to know her background a little bit more. I think just much of it covers that she’s a junior in college and taking Journalism classes, and I think that’s for now what you know about the character.
Why do you think Gigi wants to break up Mouth and Milly’s relationship? She hasn’t seen him in four years, she ended the relationship, and here she is back and she wants Mouth. Half the time she wants Milly too! [laughs]
I know right! [laughs] Well, I don’t think that [in season four] that she wanted to break up with him. She knew she had to end it because he was graduating and now, I don’t think it’s so much that she wants to break up Mouth and Milly. I feel like Gigi is just going to out for whatever she wants and at least try to get it. [laughs]
Do you think Gigi decided to intern for Mouth as a ploy to get him back?
No. Personally, I don’t think she knew he was coming back because I think she probably would’ve known that he left the local station for Omaha. I guess no one really knew that he was going to come back so quickly. But I do think she was like, ‘Wow this is too good to be true!’, and why not try and get back him?
Like you were saying, she ended it when she knew it wasn’t going to work out since he was leaving school… so do you think in that time she’s grown a lot? Or do you feel like maybe she’s stuck in the past? How much do you feel she’s grown since then?
I think she’s a lot more confident in herself, but at the same time she’s still trying to find herself. I think that’s kind of evident in her lines. [laughs] She really is one crazy college girl, but in the end I think she’s just having fun and trying to find out who she really is. But, it’s definitely a difference since high school in terms of her fashion sense. It’s so much fun to dress like her! Tim and Carrie, who are the make-up people, do such an awesome job with everything. So, you know she’s definitely changed a lot.
She also is very sex-crazed! But, putting that aside – are you anything like “Gigi”?
[laughs] Umm… well… let’s see. I think I could definitely identify with the early Gigi a little bit more. Because she was shy but, she was definitely enthusiastic. I can’t say I’m as boy-crazy or as sex-crazed as her, [laughs] or as uninhibited as Gigi. In terms of the current Gigi, I think we’re both ambitious. I’m not as promiscuous, and I would hate to really interfere with a relationship, especially with one like Milly and Mouth’s. But, I do really like Gigi very much and I wish she could find someone who will appreciate her zest.
She says some of the craziest things, but you gotta love her!
I know! Dude, I love the lines… oh my God.
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From a viewer point-of-view… are you on Team Milly or Team Gigi? Who do you want to see Mouth with?
From a viewer’s point of view, I would probably side with Team Milly. But, in the interest of a good storyline…Team Gigi all the way! [laughs]
What has been your favorite scene to film?
Well, in this season, I’ve really liked the scene where Gigi met Milly for the first time at the Slamball game. That was just classic Gigi at her best, and it was really fun working with Lisa [Goldstein] and Lee [Norris]. That was the first time I had worked with Lisa, who is just one of the sweetest people I have ever met. Oh, and of course, so is Lee. I also really had fun… Mark directed a couple of weeks ago that I really had fun with. I would like to film more scenes with the cast as a whole, like the basketball scenes in season three and four were awesome! It gave me the chance to hang with the cast as whole. Those are always fun to film.
You mentioned before how you were doing Les Miz and Lisa was actually “Belle” in Beauty and the Beast. Do you guys ever talk musical theater at all?
I know! Yeah, I was actually talking to her about that and I was like ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe that!’ Especially because when I was younger, I loved Belle. I refused to even be called Kelsey… I was like ‘No, no, no. I’m Belle.’ [laughs] We were talking about that, but yeah I thought that was amazing. She has a beautiful voice; I heard her singing around set and on the make-up trailer. I thought it was really cool she had that extra talent.
Have there been any funny or embarrassing moments that you could share?
[laughs] Oh yeah. I gotta say that the kissing scene at the end of season three with James [Lafferty] was um… that was pretty funny. The funny thing was that I actually wasn’t holding the kisses long enough, so Tom Wright, the director threatened that he would make me practice with him if I didn’t hold the kisses longer. [laughs] So, that was pretty funny!
[laughs] That’s funny! I can only imagine how that was… and how was James through it all?
[laughs] I know! It’s James Lafferty! What a problem, right? [laughs] But, no James was a great sport about it, he was awesome!
So, I assume your relationship with the cast off-set is pretty good? Do you keep in touch with any of your co-stars or hang out when you’re not filming?
You know the great thing about this cast is that they really are just an amazing group of people; the cast and the crew. Everyone is so supportive and just real. I think it also really has to do with location. I do keep in touch with them; you know Lee has been so great to work with. I honestly could not ask for a better acting partner. He probably has the greatest reactions on television. They’re amazing! [laughs]
I’ve hung out with Ashley [Rickards] a couple of times, and I’ve gotten to know Sophia [Bush] a lot better this season. She honestly has been great to me! You know, she’s been giving me advice about college, and the show, and just in general. Literally I could go on about every person in the cast… like Hilarie is great. She makes me laugh all the time.
She’s hysterical!
She is so funny! When I’m in the hair and makeup trailer, I have a blast with these people. We always have so much fun, everyone is so great.
Back to what you were saying about working with Lee… he’s been doing acting since he was a little kid on “Boy Meets World” and stuff, so has he given you any advice? I can imagine he’s probably really helpful since he’s been on television for so long.
Yeah! I’ve learned a lot from him, especially since “One Tree Hill” was my first TV debut, I guess. He’s definitely helped me along the way to just know the techniques and the different code words for the scenes. Yeah, he has really been great and most of my scenes are with Lee, so I’ve definitely learned a lot from him.
He’s such a nice guy, so I imagine it’s very comfortable [working with him]. Like you were saying, “One Tree Hill” was your official step into the world of acting on film. So, what was that process like for you because I’m sure there are a lot of young actors who want to get out there and start working on film? You know, who have done a lot of musical theater throughout high school…
Right…
What was that like for you running lines with the cast and stepping in front of the camera for the first time? Was it scary?
Other than a few commercials and print, I had only done school and Community Theater. When I walked onto that set it was so exciting! It was definitely unbelievable. I honestly had no idea how the show was filmed before I went out there for my first scene and so I walked on and was completely new to it all. But, honestly the cast and the crew has that warmth that they bring to the set. I immediately felt comfortable and they all helped me because they knew that it was my debut. They really helped me along the way and I really owe it to them for knowing what to do.
Wilmington is also a very pretty place to work. What are some of your favorite things to do while you’re in town?
Dude! I love Wilmington, I love it! It has character, it’s a small town, but it definitely offers someone experience if you’ve gone to larger cities. I go shopping in the smaller boutiques downtown and oh my God… the restaurants down there are a-maz-ing.
I didn’t really get a chance to check those out when I was down there.
Oh my God, you have to! I have these specific restaurants that I always go to all the time. I’m surprised that I’m not sick of them because I’m going there all the time. I would like to get to know the beaches a little better, I haven’t been over there too much so maybe I’ll go explore over there.
I’m from New Jersey, so when I went down there it felt like stepping onto a movie-set just going into the town. It’s so pretty.
Yeah, it’s wonderful! Especially downtown because it’s the ‘Historic Downtown Wilmington’ and that really adds to it. I love it! I love going. It’s nice to kind of film away from Los Angeles because you do have that, that community — which I think that helps create an extra bond. I think that’s why “One Tree Hill” is such a close-knit family.
The town seems so humble. It doesn’t have that hustle and bustle of New York City and LA. ‘Hollywood Fever’ is all over there so I bet it’s nice to just be away from the streets being filled with paparazzi.
Right, it’s very real. It’s nice.
You sort of mentioned wrapping filming, have you wrapped for the season? Can you say?
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see! [laughs]
Thank you so much! It’s been great talking to you!
You too! Thank you!
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