The Righteous Gemstones’s Seann William Scott Had No Idea

by

Warning: This discussion may reveal key details about the final episode of ‘The Righteous Gemstones,’ titled ‘That Man of God May Be Complete.’

As a devoted cinephile, I was thrilled when Seann William Scott joined the cast of “The Righteous Gemstones” for its final season, unaware that my character, Corey Milsap, would be instrumental in shaping the series finale’s narrative. All I knew was it was an opportunity to collaborate on my all-time favorite show. However, when I found out that my character – the seemingly kind-hearted son of Eli Gemstone’s season-long love interest and Aimee-Leigh’s former best friend, Lori (Megan Mullaly) – would turn into the show’s final adversary, I was taken aback. The way Scott subtly hinted at the darkness lurking beneath Corey’s cheerful facade in his performance, left even the viewers guessing until the end.

In the last episode, it’s disclosed that Corey had been coerced by his father, Cobb (Michael Rooker), for years into bullying, attacking, abducting, and murdering each of his mother’s partners as part of a scheme to win her back. After killing his father in the previous episode for attempting the same act against Eli, Corey loses control and goes on a violent spree, wounding Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin Gemstone before receiving a fatal bullet wound himself. As he lay dying, he asks the Gemstone siblings to pray over him, and their prayers are the last significant words spoken in the series. Scott conveys the emotional intensity of the scene through subtle breaths and a calm, somber expression. For viewers who are familiar with him for his humorous roles in films like “American Pie” and “Role Models”, this performance showcases his dramatic acting skills impressively.

Beyond the exciting acting role, Scott feels thankful to have been a part of the final episode of this cherished series. This contribution assists him in accepting its conclusion as a fanatic. As he puts it, “They’ve given me eternal bragging rights.” However, he won’t truly feel that it’s all over for him because he can revisit these episodes whenever he desires.

Before being cast in The Righteous Gemstones for this season, my relationship with the show was that it was my favorite. However, I had previously met Danny McBride and David Gordon Green back at a Universal production company, before Pineapple Express. They had an amazing script which I wanted to be part of, and we immediately got along. We even found an article from The New Yorker about a nerd camp for genius kids, and convinced David and Danny to write the script with us, while David also wanted to direct it. This was around 2004, and reading it again 21 years later, it still holds up! But unfortunately, Universal wasn’t moving quickly enough, so David moved on. They then went on to make Pineapple Express, which became very successful. They visited me during Dukes of Hazzard, but I hadn’t seen them since until this show.

How did the chance to play Corey in The Righteous Gemstones come your way? Well, as we were filming the show, I found out that when Danny writes, he often has specific actors in mind for each role. Interestingly enough, I had been exchanging emails with David over the years, just keeping in touch and looking for projects to collaborate on. One day, my agents called and said, “There’s a role in The Righteous Gemstones, and it’s for a pig farmer.” To which I enthusiastically replied, “Sign me up!” They then sent me three scripts, so I didn’t know the full character arc at first. All I knew was that he was a pork salesman, his mother starts a relationship with Eli, and he struggles to accept it. Despite not knowing much about the role, I was eager to be a part of this fantastic production.

Were you unaware that your character would be central to the series finale’s plot? I wasn’t either, until after speaking with Danny who said, “We have some exciting developments planned for you.” To which I responded, “I can’t wait! What’s it about?” He replied, “It turns out your father has been eliminating all of his mother’s boyfriends, and you were involved.” This was news to me as all I had been told was that my character was a pig farmer!

I hadn’t realized it until I arrived in Charleston for wardrobe fittings, when the designer said, “I’ve just finished reading the finale.” At that point, I had only seen the second-to-last episode and called Danny exclaiming, “Wow, man, you’ve made me a hero!” To which he replied, “You’ll see, buddy…” It was then the wardrobe designer informed me about the need to dress me in a Michael Jackson outfit. I was taken aback when she said this, and she explained the dance sequence. My response was, “Wow!” Again, she revealed what followed, and I couldn’t believe it when she said, “You’ve got to be joking!

How did I feel trying to fit in with this established group who have such strong camaraderie and chemistry? Honestly, it was quite intimidating. It’s not every day that you get the chance to work on your favorite TV show, especially alongside comedic powerhouses like these. But two things changed my perspective. Firstly, the cast and crew were incredibly welcoming, with Danny setting the tone for a warm and inclusive environment. Secondly, on my first day of shooting, I had to wake up early to cover my tattoos, which made me feel really self-conscious. I remember thinking, “This isn’t what I expected for my first day on The Righteous Gemstones.” I didn’t want to call in sick and miss the opportunity, but I was so nervous that I could hardly focus on my one scene.

Four days later, upon arriving on set, they suggested I might prefer to stay in my trailer as some individuals had contracted COVID-19. Feeling concerned, I thought, “This can’t be good! I’ve unknowingly infected everyone!” Indeed, I tested positive for COVID-19 during the first couple of weeks. Somehow, this early battle with the virus seemed to calm my nerves a bit since I was so preoccupied with managing my health. However, it was quite surreal. At times, while filming scenes, I would find myself watching everyone and laughing, only to realize, “Oh dear, I need to remember my lines now!

It seems that “The Righteous Gemstones” character you play, Corey, differs significantly from your past roles of man-children with misguided swagger. Despite this, the creators chose you for this part. From my perspective, they likely wanted this contrast to add depth and surprise in the finale. As Danny McBride put it: “Let’s take this guy and have him play the most unassuming, normal character. That will already throw people off. Then, when we get to the finale, they’ll be like, ‘Oh, fuck. I didn’t expect that.’

As a dedicated cinephile, I can share that while subtly hinting at Corey’s hidden depths throughout the series, we intentionally made those glimpses brief and fleeting. We didn’t want the audience to be saying, “That guy’s going to snap,” while watching episode six. Instead, it was crucial for those moments to fit seamlessly into the narrative, so that when the character’s twist unfolds, it makes perfect sense. One such instance I recall vividly is our scene at the steakhouse in one of the initial episodes where my character reacts strongly upon learning that Eli and his mother are together. We filmed several takes with a more amplified and intense performance, but upon watching the final cut, I realized, “This is perfect.” It was just enough to leave you thinking, “Hmm, this guy seems troubled.

Did finding out that a significant portion of the series finale would depend on your performance feel overwhelmingly pressuring?

I must admit, I felt an immense sense of gratitude for being given such a crucial role in this show. However, all the pressure was within the script itself. I had an idea about how I wanted to portray my character, and I discussed it with Danny who was incredibly supportive. It struck me as a classic narrative where a good person ends up doing something terrible due to circumstances and abuse. Once we began filming, Danny was very satisfied with my performance, so I managed to set aside some of the pressure and focus on making sure we do justice to this story.

As a passionate movie enthusiast, I can tell you that recreating Michael Jackson’s iconic dance moves was quite an experience. Was it difficult to learn? Absolutely! The moment the choreographer revealed the sequence, I was left speechless – it was both intimidating and exhilarating. It took countless hours of practice to get it right, but once we started filming, it transformed into something extraordinary. The dance moves were there, but improvisation added an unexpected twist. There were more pelvic thrusts than I had initially anticipated, but the choreographer encouraged me to keep going and embrace the uniqueness that emerged from the process.

I’d like to discuss your handling of the death scene, which is crucial for the development of the characters. It’s a challenging situation because you’re both portraying the siblings’ emotional reactions and your own character’s death. How did you manage to strike that balance? When we were filming it, I can’t recall exactly what was going through my mind, but it might have been something like, Keeping it authentic will make it more impactful. We filmed your part first, and I remember the whole scene being quite emotional. This character cares deeply for his siblings – he doesn’t harbor envy or secretly dislike them. He just lost control, and when he gets shot and is dying, he gains clarity once again. He can’t believe what he’s done.

Hey there,

Can’t help but share my giggles over the music video bit in Uncle Baby Billy’s Teenjus! I don’t recall that being part of the script. What are your thoughts? Do you think they could create a spin-off for Baby Billy and his Teenjus crew? With the success of shows like The Chosen, I believe Teenjus would be an enormous hit. Let me know what you think!

Read More

2025-05-05 08:02