Legends of Tomorrow just took a trip down memory lane. In “wvrdr_error_100 not found,” the show’s 100th episode, a virus forced Gideon to relive some of her earliest memories from aboard the Waverider. This brought back familiar faces like Captain Cold, Firestorm and Ray “The Atom” Palmer and showcased some new, “forgotten” moments from earlier on in the series. In the process, Gideon also managed to find her humanity and embrace her dark side — all while pulling Astra and Spooner along for the ride.
Speaking to CBR, Legends of Tomorrow star Caity Lotz shared how honored she felt when she was invited to direct this milestone episode. She discussed her reunion with Legends alums Wentworth Miller, Arthur Darville, Franz Drameh and more and explained why it was “cool” to see her Season 1 costars get a chance to be “fun and quirky.” She broke down the scenes Amy Pemberton played opposite herself, as well as how the dynamic has changed now that Gideon is in the flesh with the rest of the team. She also recalled some of her favorite memories from working on the series, teased what’s next for Sara Lance and more.
CBR: Tell me a little about how you ended up directing the 100th episode, and what it means to you that you were entrusted with this milestone episode.
Caity Lotz: Yeah, I mean, it was exactly that. I felt super honored that they would trust me to do it. It’s such a big episode and important episode, and so I was honored that they would trust me to do it. They asked me to do it. It was really cool. I was very surprised, but yeah, it was definitely an honor.
This episode brings back a ton of Legends alums for some special memories. What was it like to work with folks like Wentworth Miller, Arthur Darville and Franz Drameh after all these years?
I mean, it’s like a dream. I love our cast so much. We’ve always been so lucky with having such a great group of people. I just missed everybody, so it was really cool to get them back, and I’m glad that I could be there, because I know their characters, and I think they put a lot of trust in me and know that I want them to look good and to feel good and to be able to kind of explore wherever they want to go with the character. It was just super, super nice to see everybody again.
I’d love to hear a little more about the choice to let Franz use his natural accent in Gideon’s subconscious. How did that come about?
It was in the script. I think so much of you know what Legends does is that whole, “Why the fuck not?” [laughs] And Franz has a very cool accent! He’s got this really great East London kind of accent. It just sounds cool. I think, since Gideon is British, it was like, “Why the fuck not?”
You actually aren’t in this episode much! How did that impact your approach to directing it? Did that make it easier? More challenging?
Oh, it definitely makes it easier. It’s a challenge to direct and act at the same time, just because we have to move so, so quickly, that in rewinding and watching playback and going behind the monitor and then coming back and then trying to change something, it takes a lot of time, and time that we don’t really have.
For me, it’s much simpler to just be behind the monitor and see what’s happening because so much of what’s being done is just seeing — it’s all about what you capture in the frame. You can have all the ideas and have it all thought out, but if you’re not seeing what’s in the frame, it’s hard to design it, because like that’s all that matters, is what you see in the frame. When I’m not behind the monitor because I’m in it, it’s hard.
The episode follows the newest members of the Legends. What was it like to revisit the team dynamic from earlier seasons and see it through, essentially, their eyes?
It was cool! Well, and also, it was just cool to see. A lot of those Season 1 Legends, they never got to be on the show when it was really fun and quirky and all over the place. So it was an opportunity for them to be able to come and play like we play now, where everything doesn’t take itself so serious.
How has it changed the dynamic with Gideon now that Amy Pemberton is in the flesh, on set with you?
I mean, yeah, there’s no comparing hearing her voice and having her do the voiceover thing is like we — there was a few times she was on set, which was cool, when there would be an episode and she was in it in the flesh, so we actually got to know her, but so much of the cast dynamic is built with just — I mean, we spend more time with each other than our own families. We’re on set for at least 12 hours a day, in the trenches together, and there really just is a bond that’s created where they’re like family. I think all of those dynamics and relationships and closeness really come off on screen.
So having Gideon, or having Amy, now being on set with us and she’s been here pretty much this whole season — and she fits right in! She’s a great addition to the team. I think a lot of it is just putting that time in, having that time together. It just creates so much natural chemistry.
In a few scenes, Amy had to act opposite herself. How did you approach that as a director?
Yeah, that was a huge challenge, and Amy knocked it out of the park. I mean, the biggest challenge was for Amy because you have to — so, it’s motion control. You basically program the camera move. So you’re trying to block a scene, but you don’t have both actors, so we had an acting double that could be there so she had somebody, but she needed to figure out her performance for both sides with never having the actual person to act off — like herself! Then, once we locked that in, it’s set, so you can’t change it, because the camera position gets programmed and it has to match the timing.
So we do one side, like her as regular Gideon, and her voice is recorded along with the camera movements, and then she has to go change to be evil Gideon and she’s now acting to nothing except for the sound of her voice, but she has to time everything because the camera moves are already recorded, so if she walks forward, she has to walk forward at that exact same time, because the camera is moving, whether she’s moving or not. It can’t just follow her in the moment.
So it’s really tough for the actor and she nailed it. It’s like you’re literally acting to nothing, except for the sound of your own voice. It’s a challenge and she knocked it out of the park.
There’s a lot of heartbreak in this episode, but just as much fun and joy. I’d love to hear more about putting together those happier memories, like the Happy Everything party and Team Karaoke.
Yeah, it’s funny with those dark moments, because you watch it and it’s like the editors did a great job of putting all those together. We were having trouble finding enough bad memories because our show is so light and happy! It’s funny, because I was like, “Oh! Actually, okay, we’ve got a lot. We’ve got enough,” because we were worried we wouldn’t have enough bad memories because our show is so joyful.
Then the other ones were so much fun to shoot and I’m so happy with how they turned out, because when they go from that first holiday party, you just you really feel it. You get to feel all those joy and that good feeling! I feel like it really translated onto screen, which was so fun. When they get swooshed from the silly string moment… then you’re stepping into the book club and then stepping into the karaoke, it was quite touching and we had such a blast doing it on set. I’m so happy with how that turned out.
Which memory was your favorite to shoot, and could you break that scene down for us?
The silly string one was fun, because the silly string thing wasn’t scripted. I added that in and I was like, “Okay, I’m not gonna tell anybody. Let’s just silly string them!” So that was a fun thing on set. You’re silly stringing people and getting silly stringed — that’s fun, no matter what! It’s fun! So we had so much fun doing that scene.
Then, of course, the karaoke scene was really fun because Sara got to sing bad karaoke… I also hate karaoke! I hate it with a passion. I will not do karaoke in real life, and then I was like, “Oh, great! Now I have to do karaoke on TV,” but I was like, “You know what? Okay, bad karaoke. We’re gonna go full bad karaoke and lean into it,” and everybody was dying on set when we were doing it because I was so bad. [laughs]
Then, of course, Amy comes in and blows it out of the water because she’s got an amazing voice. I think the karaoke one, also, because I got to — I don’t know! That whole section was really fun.
At this point, you’ve been part of the Arrowverse for nearly a decade. First of all, did you ever imagine, in your wildest dreams, that this role would last as long as it has?
Oh, man! No, I definitely didn’t see this coming, let alone the fact that I would be directing the 100th episode of the show. It is really beyond my greatest imagination. [laughs]
How has your attitude towards the part evolved?
It’s changed a lot. I mean, the character has changed so much, which is really cool. I think there’s times when it’s difficult, because you’re like, “Wow, who am I? I’m this person almost as much as I am who I actually am!” and difficulties on set and this and that!
We’ve all been through so much, but the thing that’s so great about Legends is we really get to switch it up, so it’s not like I’m doing the same thing every day. Especially these last two episodes, Episode 8 and 9, we’re playing like totally new characters, like new versions of ourselves almost.
Yesterday, filming was one of the most fun days that I’ve had on set this entire run. We did this scene, and it’s just like, “Oh my god!” It’s hilarious and we were all dying laughing. We could barely get through the takes and then somehow the entire cast and the crew — actually, I forgot to post this on my Instagram — just started spontaneously singing. We were all singing and clapping and it was out of nowhere. Why? I don’t know why, but we were.
I just feel really lucky to be with such an amazing group of people, our cast and our crew, and on a show that switches it up all the time, so it doesn’t get stale. The fact that I get the opportunity to direct really helps keep me creatively challenged, so yeah, it’s been a great journey.
You’re the last original cast member still on the show. Do you envision sticking with the series until it ends, if they’ll have you?
After 100 episodes, what has Legends of Tomorrow come to mean to you?
I mean, it’s such a huge part of my life. I don’t think I could just define it in any way. It’s such a part of my life — literally a decade of my life — and has me living up in Vancouver. It’s the majority of my time and it’s taken my career in different directions, like with directing. I don’t even think I could describe it. It’s just a part of me. Yeah, it’s such a big part of who I am.
What is one of your favorite memories from making the show across the years?
I mean, yesterday! When I was describing yesterday, it just happened so recently, so it sticks out in my mind.
I guess shooting the 100th episode, because it’s kind of this culmination of everything that I’ve worked for, and bringing it all together, like being able to direct the episode, and then having all the cast back together. It was all really quite touching and forces you to reflect in a very good way about the journey. I think, sometimes, when you’re on the ride, you don’t really realize it. This episode really helped me take a step back and appreciate it.
Legends of Tomorrow airs Wednesdays at 8 pm ET/PT on The CW.
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