ABC/Richard ForemannWe can't wait to see Olivia (Kerry Washington) handle this one.
Thursday night's episode of Scandal once again left us with our jaws on the floor and bowing to Shonda Rhimes' genius as first lady Mellie (Bellamy Young) made good on her threat to reveal Fitz's (Tony Goldwyn) affair to the American public, redefining the show's definition of "power play."
So what's next for the juicy ABC hit's love triangle now that Mellie took matters into her own hands? And what consequences will she face from Fitz and Cyrus (Jeff Perry)? We chatted with Bellamy Young about what's next for Mellie and what she thought of the shocking development...
What was your initial reaction when you found out Mellie would actually go through with it and tell the public about Fitz's affair?
I was stunned! We all found out together at the table read the day before shooting; the cast never finds out where the stories are going until then. All of our jaws were on the floor. It was just complete shock. And awe! Because our writers take you places you never see coming. They are completely fearless!
Were you glad Mellie finally made a major move like that?
Well, Mellie's not a woman who backs down. She had informed Fitz what her conditions were and what the consequences would be. He should have known better than to underestimate her at this point. The hard truth, though, is you just can't make someone love you. But that never stops us poor humans from trying, you know?
Can you tease the next interaction between Mellie and Fitz?
What I can say is that it will be a familiar tableau, but with an entirely new meaning. And you won't be able to pull your eyes away.
We're excited to see Mellie's next interaction with Cyrus, now that she's bested him at his own game.
Cyrus and Mellie are very well-balanced foils—and they know that. Any victory is only momentary. I think they respect—and fear—each other. Mellie knows to brace herself for Cy's retaliation. Her deepest hope, though, is that he will realize this particular battle is in his best interest too: If the family stays together, Cy stays in office.
What is Mellie's end game, what do you think she truly wants?
She wants her truth to be heard. She wants her heart to be healed, she wants her family to be like it was, and she wants the future that once was so clear to be before her again. She deeply believes that with enough effort, she can get it all back. In spite of everything, Mellie believes. She has to because she loves Fitz. And she is absolutely willing to do whatever work necessary to build a bridge between then and now.
Do you think Mellie is prepared for the consequences of the action? Can you tease the consequences of what she did?
Mellie stands her ground and owns her actions. She knows the fallout from this will be nuclear, but she sees no other path than through it. She doesn't sidestep anything. And in D.C., the landscape of need and allegiance is always shifting, so I think she's praying the wind will turn in her favor and speed them all through this time of destruction into some sort of gleaming, new paradigm. But we're in Shondaland, so you can rest assured nothing will be easy!
Scandal airs Thursday at 10 p.m. on ABC.
Were you shocked to see Mellie reveal Fitz's affair? What do you think will happen next? Sound off in the comments!
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