Highlights from the ‘One Day At A Time’ Panel at Clexacon 2019

One Day At A Time’s Isabella Gomez, Sheridan Pierce, and executive producer Brent Miller took the stage at Clexacon 2019 to discuss the show and its impact. In a conversation that was funny, profound, and personal at times, Gomez, Pierce, and Miller discussed their experiences as part of this groundbreaking show, the fan response, and their hopes for its future.

Here are some of the highlights from that conversation.

Sheridan Pierce and Isabella Gomez reflect on playing Syd and Elena

As pointed out by panel moderator Chloe Tse, GLADD’s 2018 Where We Are on TV report spoke to a record high in LGBTQ+ representation with Netflix topping the list as the best streaming platform for LGBTQ+ characters.

When asked how it feels to play that on screen both Gomez and Pierce spoke about how special and meaningful it was to them not just as actors, but as people.

Pierce called it the experience of a lifetime saying, “playing a non-binary person, that’s not something I take lightly. I did do research. To make this character really come to life was a challenge but is was so rewarding and the feedback I’ve gotten from fans has been really amazing.

Similarly, Gomez said that the role of Elena is an actor’s dream role, but went on to say that it means so much more than that:

“We in this industry tend to just kinda be in a bubble of we’re just trying to get our next gig and whatever it is, we’re going to do it. And then you get a character like Elena Alverez where she’s so layered, and important, and smart, and has so much to say and so much knowledge. She’s incredible like I want to be her when I grow up. It feels like such a dream and then to also play someone who then means so much to people.”

Gomez continued, “I get to come here and meet all of you guys and hear your stories and hear how Elena has in one way or another been a part of your story, and it’s more than you can ever hope or dream for as an actor.”

Another thing that both Gomez and Pierce spoke about was how much they had learned while being on the show.

Pierce referenced the research she did for her role as a non-binary person and specifically mentioned One Day At A Time Season 2 Episode 3, “To Zir, With Love” as an example of One Day At A Time being an education (a sentiment Miller echoed).

Gomez expanded on this pointing out that it was more than just learning new information, adding: “I learned a lot about humans on this show. Not only from the scripts, but the thing about our show is that it’s such an artistic collaboration, so we’d get these scripts full of all this juicy stuff and then we’d go and to talk to the writers, and our producers, and our incredible directors about it and have full conversations.”

“It was such a learning experience for all of us and it’s so eye-opening. I think all of us came out better humans from this experience,” Gomez stated.

Filming Elena and Syd’s first time together

When asked about filming One Day At A Time Season 3 Episode 7, “The First Time,” both Pierce and Gomez talked about how proud they are to have told a story about consent and how important it is. Pierce spoke about the intensity of the episode but also how unlike anything else on TV the big scene between Syd and Elena is.

“I think what so amazing about that scene is just the reaction of we can do whatever you want when you’re ready or we don’t have to do anything at all if that’s what you want. I’ve never seen that ever on a show. Someone saying we don’t ever have to even do anything, and I think that’s pretty amazing,” Pierce stated.

Gomez also discussed how important telling story about consent is but added that it was a difficult scene for her to shoot because it was so different from her own experiences or anything she had ever seen before.

“Usually people are terrified of the actual sex scene, the taking the clothes off and all that. For me, the intimacy of that conversation and what it meant was so heartbreaking. It was the most beautifully written scene and exactly what I wish my experience had been like and what I wish people’s experience would be like,” Gomez said.

“So it was rough but I was so excited that I got to tell this story on TV and show this scene and show not only young people but everyone that needs to heal from whatever happened in their lives, to show that whatever bad experiences you had doesn’t have to be the norm and that we can change this conversation around consent and that we can demand it because it is a basic human right,” Gomez concluded.

Proudest Storyline

In addition to being proud of “The First Time,” Gomez said that she was proud of Elena’s overall LGBT experience and the way that it’s been handled: “I was so unaware the lack of representation for LGBTQ and to be able to do it in this way where Elena is not defined by her sexuality at all. She just happens to be LGBTQ is like my favorite thing.”

When asked about her proudest moments, Pierce highlighted One Day At A Time Season 3 Episode 2, “Outside” where Syd and Elena try to figure a term to use for Syd in their relationship to honor the fact that Syd identifies as non-binary, saying that she loved how no one questioned it and specifically pointing to the way Schneider eagerly tries to help come up with ideas for them.

Staffing a Diverse Writing Room

Miller discussed One Day At A Time’s efforts to staff a diverse writers room even as other network executives or showrunners use the excuse that it’s difficult to do. He said that it’s not hard to do; it’s just part of your job.

Miller described how they thought about it while developing One Day At A Time: “We [Miller, Norman Lear, & Mike Royce] all kind of sat there and looked at each other, and I said, ‘we’re three white men. Who’s going to tell this story that’s female-driven and Latin?'”

“So then we went on this search for Gloria Calderón Kellett, and it was the best-arranged marriage I think in Hollywood with the two of them [referring Calderón Kellett and Royce]. You know it was one of these things that as soon as Gloria came on board we thought how can we make sure that this writers room represents the kind of stories that we want to tell,” Miller continued.

Miller said, “We take the extra mile and make sure that we can find writers that are authentic to the stories we’re telling and that represent the room in a way that is balanced and appropriate.”

Surprise Call From Rita Morano

One of the most fun and exciting moments of the panel was Lydia herself, Rita Morano, calling in to say hi during a break from filming the series finale of Jane the Virgin, surprising everyone on the panel besides Miller who had arranged the call.

Never mind that it interrupted Sheridan Pierce in the middle of a very sweet and sincere answer about the response to Syd by the non-binary community, for Abuelita you make an exception. Morano wasn’t exactly sure what she was calling in to but clearly loved hearing all the cheers from the crowd as much as the crowd loved hearing from her.

Hopes for a Season 4

Miller stressed that there is still hope for a season 4 despite being canceled by Netflix.

Responding to a recent report that CBS All Access had made an offer to produce the show almost immediately, Miller said that contractual reasons bar them from going to another streaming service, so they had to turn that offer down.

He went on to say, however, that he had a call scheduled that day to talk about interest from traditional broadcast outlets that would not fall under the same contractual restrictions. He added that there is more than one network eager to give One Day At A Time a new home and that he feels very optimistic.

Check out the full panel below:

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