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Simone Missick On 'All Rise' Season 2: 'It's Coming Back Better Than It Was'

All Rise is back for an all-new episode tonight at 9:00PM ET/PT, only on CBS and streaming on CBS All Access. Simone Missick stars as Lola Carmichael in this court room drama now in it's second season on America's Most Watched Network.

CBS' Matt Weiss spoke to Missick about the new season, filming in a pandemic and what fans can expect moving forward.

MW: Simone, good morning! All Rise, new episode tonight at 9:00PM. First of all I wanted to say congratulations on season two and I want to know hat does it feel like to have new episodes coming out finally?

SM: I was a little unsure about whether or not we would be able to say we were going to have a second season in light of everything that's been going on this year globally. When we finished season one, it was very abrupt when we shut down and we were able to do a virtual episode which was amazing but to be able to come back for a full second season is beyond our wildest dreams.

Then to also be able to do it safely has been amazing. Our show deals with everything that's happening in our country and in the world right now. We are handling COVID and we are dealing with social unrest that happened across this country over the summer. It's just really great to be able to tell these stories. But every day I wake up and I'm like a can't believe I get to go to work today. It's amazing.

MW: It was a long time coming. What's been the biggest challenge about returning to work in this year?

SM: We have decided as a production to have the actors do their own hair and makeup, to dress themselves, which seems like, of course you dress yourself, but there are people who normally help you make sure things aren't askew and we mic ourselves. There are so many things that the actors are now responsible to do which is very unlike most shows. There is a level of safety and reassurance. And then there's a level of hoping I don't look crazy and it's going to be on national TV and 4K for millions and millions of people to see. It's a little bit nerve wracking.

We also have integrated a system where we use about up to 15 cameras at any particular time and there's just one set and the crew is off set operating everything from a distance. As actors, we're on set and it's just us. Just us acting. It feels almost like theater in that way. It's just another way that we're trying to keep everyone safe. It is actually a small benefit when you think about it.

MW: I was going to say, does that actually help you get more into the scene that there aren't so many distractions?

SM: It really does. Human nature we get easily distracted. I can't tell you how many times I've looked over and one of my grips or one of my camera guys is texting on their phone and I'm just crying heavily over here and you're checking the scores on fantasy football. [laughs] There is a level of realness to the scenes now because it's just you and that other actor or actors. It's kind of a gift.

MW: That's really cool. It was revealed that your character Lola is pregnant. What's next for Lola and what's next for the show the rest of the season?

SM: With the season opener finding out that Lola is pregnant was a great reveal for our audience. What's really lovely about it, is you get to see what she will have to deal with in trying to juggle being a new mother and also continue to be a judge. When the reveal happens, you get to see all of the emotions that Lola was dealing with, which is I didn't plan this, I didn't want this to happen, do I want this to happen, what does this mean for my career? I was on a trajectory that I knew what it was going to be, is this something that cuts that off? How am I going to be able to manage it?

I think it's a really great thing to see because so many people deal with that not just women but men. You can now you see right now so many parents who are being teachers, and babysitters, and nannies, and parents, and full-time professionals. Or they have to leave outside of their home and work and what does that balance look like. I think that it will speak to our audience members men and women alike in so many different ways that it will only help to bring our audience closer to the journey that we're building on.

MW: You talked about it a little bit earlier, you didn't even know if there would be a second season. Now, it's out there, episodes are coming out. How good does that feel to give your fans new content?

SM: It feels amazing. We have so many loyal fans who we interact with on Twitter every Monday, who were like I could not wait for the show to come back. It's coming back better than it was in the first season. I truly feel like this second season has picked up where the first season left off and taking it to another level. Watching our fans get to enjoy it and that there with us and that they love the stories that we're telling it feels like we're doing some important work. Especially since people are so starved for content. I can't tell you how many of my shows I'm just like patiently waiting to come back.

Even my mom, God bless her soul,  she'll watch a show and she's like when is the next season coming. I'm like you literally just finished this, you do recognize we are in the middle of a pandemic lady. Like slow down. It feels good to be able to be one of those new shows that are fans and new fans get to explore.

MW: It's the binge watching nature now, right? Even for people who didn't grow up with it you're still like wait I can't watch all ten seasons in one weekend, what do you mean?

SM: Exactly, it's forcing us all to be patient. [Laughs]

MW: Right. Imagine that. Last question before I let you go here, episode three of season two coming out tonight, what can you tell the fans about what we're going to see on tonight's episode?

SM: Tonight's episode is a little bit lighter than the first two. The first two episodes were a two-parter. We got to see the results of this protest night and how that has affected all of the characters. This third episode picks up there, but we get to see how everyone is really kind of dealing with the reveals that happen in the first 2 episodes. Some of the couples that we fell in love with in the first season like Lemily, Luke and Emily they're not, they're Lemily no more.

We need to see what that is and Lola now dealing with being a new mom, how does that affect her. She and Mark's relationship is starting to get back on even footing again, which is beautiful. We love that best friendship that we get to see between the two of them. Also, he's stepping into a new place with his career and taking on this huge case. I just think that in this third episode tonight we will get a lot of the Lola coasters as we called it in the first season. We get to see these characters all taking a ride and it's a little bit lighter in this episode. It's still really dealing with some of the things that we looked at in the first.

MW: Awesome. Thank you so much Simone, it's been awesome talking to you glad this shows back and all the best!

SM: Thank you Matt!

New episodes of All Rise air Monday nights at 9:00PM ET/PT, only on CBS and streaming on CBS All Access. Check your local listings for more information.

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