SPOILR ALERT:The story includes details about the series finale ofABCsA Million Little Things.
Eddie and Rome both struggled with Garys request but ultimately fulfilled his wish by getting the pills needed.
DEADLINE:DJ, youd originally pitched the series with Gary dying in the finale.
ABC
Why did you want to frame it with suicides in the first and last episode?
That was the plan all along.
It was shared just with a very small group of people.
A Million Little Things – “One big thing” – (ABC/Darko Sikman)ABC/Darko Sikman
And one of the things I knew was how it was going to end.
DEADLINE:James, when did you find out about Garys fate?
RODAY RODRIGUEZ: I knew towards the end of Season 1 and was sworn to secrecy.
DEADLINE:Did youthink at any point that maybe Gary shouldnt die; did you venture to dissuade DJ?
RODAY RODRIGUEZ: I didnt, its not my show.
And I think this was an important story point for him.
I think its something that he wanted to do, needed to do.
DEADLINE:What are some of those different endings that you considered and eventually dismissed?
NASH: We just talked about, how else could it end, everyone goes off to the sunset?
But I think we always stayed the course with it.
NASH: We really wanted to have an Act 6 that went past it.
I think Act 6 is really for Javi but also for the fans.
Our show is so built on authenticity that people believe these characters are real.
Its why on the hockey billboard, Gary Was Here, it says fantasy becomes reality.
And so we wanted to see to it that we show that theyre okay.
And so the audience can be okay.
What can you say about where they all are at that point in their lives?
NASH:And you also see that Rome is wearing a concert T-shirt from Sophie.
We didnt want it to be a huge Where Are They Now and take too much time with that.
Theres a ton of Easter eggs that way.
No one got punished, nobody went to prison?
NASH: Yes, thats correct, no one was punished for it.
Earlier in the season, wed had this story with Theo and a bird that had been injured.
We cant give up the way Uncle Jon did.
I actually got a letter from a mom, that was really beautiful after that episode aired.
DEADLINE:But Gary did put his friends and his wife in danger with his decision.
RODAY RODRIGUEZ: It was an enormous Catch 22, and Rome calls it out.
Hes like, man I would do anything for you, anything.
But this is too much what youre asking, and it was.
Thats what partnership is, thats what you signed up for.
I think Gary was hopeful that she would be the one sitting next to him at the end.
Didnt want to force it on her but I think it ended exactly the way hed hoped it would.
And we wouldnt have gotten that scene if Gary hadnt sent them on that wild goose chase.
DEADLINE:James, did knowing Garys ultimate fate inform your performance throughout the seasons?
RODAY RODRIGUEZ: I certainly tried to not have to do that.
So from that moment forward certainly.
I think I let it inform every singular moment.
This is the stage were at.
Does this feel right?
Does this sound right?
DEADLINE:James, you co-wrote the final episode in your writing debut onAMLT.How did that come about?
DEADLINE: DJ cornered me at TCA and was like, I think we should write this together.
But then, the other side of that was that we had been on this journey together.
And he had been a really good partner, he checked in with me over the whole run.
The fact that he wanted us to cross the finish line together, I found it really moving.
And it felt like it would be a terrible thing for me to say no.
So I said yes.
DEADLINE:What are some of the ideas you contributed to the finale?
And what was the most difficult thing, a scene or line, that you wrote?
And then the fart jokes, Im going to take credit for them.
Especially between those two characters [Gary and Delilah].
Their relationship has always been like siblings.
And I was like, I think they should fart on each other.
Didnt think that it would get through the studio and the connection.
So Im so pleased that that still lives in the episode.
Everything else is DJ.
Shes almost too good.
We really ran it through the gamut.
DEADLINE:You didnt have much to say in the finale.
How was that for you as a performer?
RODAY RODRIGUEZ: It was great.
Ive done a lot of talking on the show.
Probably, if you counted up the words, Garys way out there ahead of the group.
So it was pretty refreshing to just not hear my own voice for eight days.
I think that part of it was Stage IV lung cancer, here are the things that could happen.
We had a consultant and went down the list.
And taking away his voice was a pretty big deal.
To not show how to, not show the cocktail, what that was.
So I think we wanted to be telling a controversial topic, but in a socially responsible way.
What was the idea behind that?
NASH: The series right from the beginning had this idea that everything happens for a reason.
We saw in the first season that Sophie was named after her.
And this was just a slightly magical way that Jon was still there for them.
What was the significance of that character and how was it filming that scene?
NASH:It was just a stranger.
Literally the last day, we were shooting on location, I can show you the picture.
Id never seen that sign.
And it was almost like, was that my dad giving me a sign?
Maybe it was, maybe it wasnt and so thats what that stranger was supposed to be.
He gave me so many notes, he was so mean.
Like truly, Id like to file a grievance with SAG-AFTRA.
COLI:How many takes did you do with that?
(laughs) There were 150 extras.
The boys were in their seats teasing me like, DJ, just act natural.
DEADLINE:You mentioned the boys.
Im doing theGrowing Up Fisherremake first.
I contacted him and I said, Hey, I want you to do a song for us.
He said, Well, let me check out the show.
And he sings it so beautifully.
I think this show will live on more so because it has closure.
Youre not entirely enticed to go watch it.
DEADLINE:James, what was the final scene you shot and what happened after you wrapped?
RODAY RODRIGUEZ: Because of locations, there was no way to do it chronologically.
That almost never happens.
So I did die before my last day, which is a little odd.
I came back and my last scene was outside when Maggie shows carry the billboard.
So we were on a corner.
And it was lovely.
It is a real goodbye.
What do you think youre going to do next?
RODAY RODRIGUEZ: I think its time for me to get back behind the camera.
People have seen enough of my face for a while now.
