AlloCiné: Season 5 of Good Doctor ends with the event fans have been waiting for: Shawn and Leah’s wedding. What are your memories of filming this twist-filled episode?
Paige Spar (Lea): It was great, I have very good memories because we were all together. It was great filming the final episodes of Season 5 together. The finale is both dramatic and tragic, because there is a lot going on that we can’t reveal, and it’s also very solemn.
I think we really enjoyed experiencing this roller coaster of emotions together. Because in reality, it must be said, it is quite rare that all the actors of the series are on the screen together in the same scene.
Hill Harper (Marcus Andrews): What I loved is that the last episode is a great ending to this fifth season, in the sense that it really comes full circle. If you remember, season 5 already started with the wedding, but it was a dream, it was in Leah’s head. Things were going pretty bad and he finally woke up in a panic (laughs).
Shooting the finale immediately took me back to that first episode and the first wedding sequence. We were already all together, but it was a much nicer time of year. The weather was perfect when we shot the first episode in August 2021. Vancouver has one sunny day a year, usually August 7th (laughs). The rest of the year we have rain and gray skies, that’s another matter.
Starting the season with this fictional wedding and ending with another beautiful and much more intimate wedding, I thought was a very good parallel. And a really nice finish for all of us.
How do you feel about this fifth season and the evolution of your characters from the beginning?
Paige Spara: I’m happy because I think this year we found a “new Leah”, more loyal and independent. And I loved exploring these different aspects and everything that makes her grow into a woman.
Leah has grown a lot, personally, professionally, and in her relationship with Sean. I’m enjoying Leia more and more, and I’m glad she’s becoming more and more important in the series and in the hearts of the fans.
Hill Harper: Season 5 was phenomenal for my character. Marcus faces new challenges, romance emerges, and plenty of “political” conflict at the hospital. I found these episodes very rich and fascinating to work on.
I think season 5 is definitely one of my favorites. Especially since we were coming out of Covid. We were just grateful to be able to continue working together.
And in terms of evolution, I like the fact that Marcus was presented as a very strong, somewhat tough character who is primarily driven by his ego and his career. And that we slowly explored his humanity and humility.
A difficult thing happened, and instead of being even more closed off and angry, he kind of opened up. Not so much, because the same character remains. That’s what makes the writing on our show so effective: it’s so nuanced. But still, we feel this evolution.
In Season 5, we learn that Marcus Andrews is dyslexic. Is it important to you that the series deals with such social issues?
Hill Harper: Absolutely. It’s a big revelation and a big upheaval for my character. But that’s what I love about The Good Doctor: the show, as a whole, is about people who aren’t “neurotypes.”
Ultimately, the audience can recognize themselves in Sean, Leah, Marcus. Because no matter the complexity of each of us, or the disabilities we may have, we all have something to bring to the world around us. We all have value. And I think that’s the good doctor’s message basically.
Paige Spara: That’s right. The series shows that vulnerability is actually strength. And I am very proud to be a part of a series that sends such a message.
What kind of partner and comrade is Freddie Highmore, who plays the role of Sean Murphy?
Hill Harper: I’ll answer first because Paige spends almost 99% of her scenes with Freddy, so she’ll have a lot to say. But I think we can all agree on one thing: Freddie Highmore is one of the most brilliant actors on American television. It deserves to win every award, from an Emmy to a Golden Globe, and I don’t think it’s been nominated enough.
He created a fascinating character. And he plays Sean so well that people think he looks like him. It’s great.
Paige Spara: Hill said everything I think (laughs). No, I love working with Freddy. Brings out the best in the people around you. It makes me feel better as an actor, it reminds me how lucky I am to be doing my dream job. I am grateful to be able to learn from him, both professionally and personally. It helps me navigate everything we experience in this series. Freddy is a pleasure to work with. You couldn’t ask for a better partner.
Interview during the 2022 Monte Carlo Television Festival.
Source: allocine
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
