Lori Loughlin and Eriq La Salle Preview ‘On Call’ [Interview]

TV viewers are no strangers to the talents of Lori Loughlin and Eriq La Salle, thanks to both having very storied careers. With On Call fans will be in for a wild ride, seeing them in roles of leadership within the precinct. 

Loughlin’s Lt. Bishop comes across as strict and no-nonsense but has a heart of gold and just wants to see her squad stay safe. Meanwhile, La Salle’s Sergeant Lasman has seen many things in his time on the job, and it shows in how he guides those just getting their start.

I recently spoke with Lori Loughlin and Eriq La Salle about their role in On Call and what they hope people take away from the series. (You can view the full interview below.)

Lori Loughlin presents herself as soft-spoken and gentle, which makes Bishop such a deviation from what we expect from her. This makes it essential to get into the mindset of Loughlin’s process. 

“Eriq [La Salle] even had to push me a little bit in directing to really get a little bit tougher and a little bit stronger when portraying Bishop because I think that’s not my natural go-to,” Loughlin explained.

“That’s not my comfort space. But by the end, I was really owning it. I was like really dropped into that sort of powerful space of, yeah, this feels good. Good to have a strong perspective and to not deviate from it and to be the boss,” she continued.

La Salle was quick to add, “ It was great working with Lori [Loughlin] and having that opportunity to push her. One of the first things I said to her was don’t apologize. These characters are written unapologetically, whether you love them or don’t understand them.”

Watch the Full Interview with Lori Loughlin and Eriq La Salle:

Continuing on, La Salle stated, “Being part of her journey in finding that and understanding that we’re A. playing against what people think of you and B. playing against what might be your natural instincts to it.”

As both her costar and her director, La Salle was involved in both sides of Loughlin’s acting journey with this character. He explained his process to get her to hone in on what makes her character who she is.

He explained that he would tell her, “You might come in a little more gentle. You might be a little more diplomatic. That’s not this character. Lean into that, and don’t apologize.”

“Her eyes just went up, and it was just beautiful to witness that moment of her acceptance,” La Salle concluded.

With today’s social climate there is a chance that folks might be hesitant to give this show a chance. However, Loughlin and La Salle want people to know this show is not like the others; it’s bold and pushes the boundaries of what we know.

“ I think at the end of the day, we’re telling stories about characters, about relationships between co-workers and [those] dynamics. What it means to be a human being,” Loughlin said. “These people are in situations where they’re making split decisions, quick decisions. We’re not trying to portray anybody in any way or say someone’s a hero or not a hero. We’re just trying to be human beings.”

“ It’s the humanity we want. We want the audience just to see [that] whether you agree with the policies that are now happening or the social climate, the social attitude. That’s what’s out there,” La Salle added. “At the end of the day, it’s about humanity. And so that’s what we strive for: the glory and beauty in all of its frailty and ugliness.”

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On Call premieres January 9th on Prime Video.

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