Those of you who think Jenna Hamilton is still the most trouble gal on MTV's hit series Awkward. might want to take a second look. Everyone on the show is wonderfully hilarious and still tragically flawed, and no one matches the description more than Jenna's mom Lacey. She didn't have a clue what she was doing to her daughter in writing that carefrontation note, but Nikki DeLoach knew all along By Terron R. Moore
OLOGY: You do realize that Lacey is a horrible mom, right? It has to be crazy to portray her each week.
NIKKI DELOACH: [laughs] Lacey is crazy! Honestly, it’s the most fun I’ve ever had playing a character in my life. It’s also the most challenging, because I never know what the writers are going to bring to the table. There are so many different types of moms that are on TV, and they can be perfect idea of what a mom should be like or they can be crazy, but they’re not as flawed as Lacey is. And that’s one thing that I really, really love playing because in life, moms are just as flawed as their teenage daughters [laughs]!
So when did you first learn that Lacey was going to be the one who wrote the note to Jenna?
I learned when I auditioned for the show [laughs]! For my very first audition, [show creator Lauren Iungerich] had written this incredible two-page monologue. So I go in and I do the monologue, and Lauren goes, "Okay, so, I want you to do the monologue again, but I want you to have in the back of your mind that Lacey wrote that Carefrontation letter." And my heart just sank. I just turned around and did the monologue again at one point in the monologue I just started bawling… because my heart just broke for the 15-year-old girl who received the carefrontation, but my heart also broke for the mother who somehow found herself in that position. I really felt like Lacey was trying to do what was best for her daughter and it went horribly awry, because the intention was really good, and the execution was really flawed. And that right there explains Lacey in a nutshell. Her intentions are always good but she hasn’t learned – or adapted the proper skill set yet – to be the kind of mom she needs to be.
So you broke down crying in your audition and got the part?
[laughs] Yeah! And I think that that’s what Lauren was looking for! I think that’s what Lauren was looking for that emotional connection, because Lacey has to be grounded. She’s one of those characters on the show, like Jenna, who has to be able to bring the funny, but at the same time, everything has to be grounded in something that is emotionally real for her. If you watch, Lacey will deliver a joke, and in the next line, she has to be crying. She’s the one character that always has to turn on a dime. And I think that was Lauren’s intention in writing this monologue and giving me the information about the letter. She needed to see if I was going to be able to turn on a dime – to land a joke and then in the next line completely fall apart. And luckily, I delivered on the day, because otherwise I wouldn’t have this amazing show to be on [laughs]!
So as we near the finale, where are things with both Lacey and Jenna as well as Lacey and Kevin?
Well, I don’t think Lacey will ever stop fighting for her marriage. Even though Kevin has, at times, waked out on her, Lacey has consistently chosen Kevin. He is the one where her heart rests in terms of the man in her life. So, she will never stop fighting for him. But, I think for right now, Lacey has a lot to repair with her daughter, and I think that is the most important thing for her right now.
Do you think Kevin should forgive Lacey?
As Nikki? Absolutely! I mean, you’re married – and you work through these things. I think they’ve been through too much for him to just give up on them now, right? They’re high school sweethearts! And that’s the other thing I love about Lauren’s storytelling – she creates characters that are familiar enough and universal enough for everyone to relate to, but she turns them on their heads. I mean, look at the character of Sadie!
Don't even get us started. Sadie is one of our favorite characters in all of television!
I know! Yes! She's just so brilliantly crafted. That is Lauren’s universe – that is how she thinks and that’s how she works. And even for Lacey and for Kevin, how many relationships last from high school into their 30s with kids? And the fact that she has decided to create parents for Jenna who have made it, who are still crazy in love with each other despite all of the mistakes and all of the missteps along the way… Lacey is still madly in love with Kevin. You just don’t see that a lot on television.
So there's only two episodes left in the season. Now what?
I can't say much! But I will say that Episode 11 and Episode 12 are not going to disappoint in terms of not only the funny, but also drama, and the season finale will leave you in a place where you really don’t know how these relationships are going to end up come season 3.
So when Awkward. ends its second year, what will you be watching this fall?
Homeland. Claire Danes, Damian Lewis, and Morena Baccarin on that show are pitch perfect. As far as new shows that are coming out, I am such a huge fan of—and I mean I have a mad, love crush on—Connie Britton. So, I really want to see Nashville!
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Awkward. takes a week off for the 2012 Video Music Awards, but will return for the season's final two episodes beginning Thursday, September 13th at 11pm EST on MTV.
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