‘The Big Door Prize’ Stars Sammy Fourlas and Djouliet Amara Dish on Apple TV+ Comedy (Exclusive Interview + Season 1 Clip)

The Big Door Prize is nearing the conclusion of its first season, and right now things are feeling as if fans of the Apple TV+ comedy are going to be on the edge of their seats. Ahead of the season’s penultimate episode, PopCulture.com has an exclusive clip, featuring series star Chris O’Dowd delivering a passionate speech to a classroom full of high school students who — along with the rest of their small town — have had their lives upended by a mysterious machine who reveals your life potential. Check it out above!

In addition to the exclusive clip, PopCulture.com also had a chance to speak with two of the show’s cast members, Sammy Fourlas and Djouliet Amara. Fourlas plays Jacob, a teenager who recently lost his brother, and Amara plays Trina, the daughter of O’Dowd and Gabrielle Dennis’ characters. While we do not want to spoil any big twists from the show, we did ask the pair a handful of questions that led to some fascinating insight. Scroll down to read our chat!

PopCulture.com: I wanted to ask you, Djouliet, about the relationship between your character and Grandma Izzy (Crystal R. Fox), because it’s clear that the relationship between Izzy’s mom Cass and Grandma Izzy is not great, but the two of you seem to be on okay terms. I’m just curious what that experience has been like or what … I’m just curious about that dynamic and how you see it.

Djouliet Amara: Trina loves her Gizzy, her Grandma Izzy, and I think that there’s actually some little similarities between the both of them. I think it’s really interesting because last week there was actually a deleted scene that I feel like kind of parallels the scene that happened at the end of episode seven with Izzy and Jacob where … I’ll just spill the beans, but Trina walks into Johnson’s General with a hockey stick, her hockey stick oar from being the gondolier, and there’s a really sweet scene with Jacob and Trina and it was one of my favorites.

It’s a really good parallel and they’re kind of talking about the direction that the relationship might be headed and he says something kind of sweet to her and to deflect from the feeling of how sweet it is. And also at the same time thinking, “I want him to be happy and I’m not sure this is good for him.” She takes the hockey stick and she messes up the shelves he’s been cleaning and just starts hitting the chips down and everything in kind of a funny way and screaming, like, “Oh, the cleanup on aisle 10.” And it was such a charming, sweet theme … and same thing with her hitting the Giorgio sign in episode five with that same freaking bat.

Sammy Fourlas: There’s a lot of smashing in your family.

Djouliet Amara: A lot of smashing in the family. Smashing good time.

PopCulture.com: Sammy, you’re a very funny guy and you get to be funny in the show, but you also have some scenes that are really profoundly emotional and I was wondering what it was like for you being newer to this, exploring those sort of dramatic moments more as an actor.

Sammy Fourlas: Yeah, it was a really, really weird thing. I think the hardest part is that we tend to experience raw deep emotion, maybe isolated, maybe in a dark room or just alone or maybe with someone you’re very, very close to. So conditioning yourself to do something like that over and over again. And also in lights and in cameras that are five one foot away from you. And all these little things, it’s like, I think it’s an experience-based thing. And yeah, I think you become more acclimated to it and as time goes by it becomes more comfortable and you can just push those things aside and live in the moment. Once you’re in the moment and the scene and you’re just looking into the person you trust’s eyes, all that s— goes away.

PopCulture.com: That’s really cool. Something you mentioned about getting excited about the scripts and each time you get a script and it’s like Christmas and all that. So essentially you’re getting the scripts ahead of filming so you don’t have the end of the story at the beginning. Would that be safe to say? Is that how it was for season one?

Sammy Fourlas: Yeah.

PopCulture.com: So, do you, have you, as you’re filming episode to episode, do you create backstory ideas in your head?

Djouliet Amara: I think for me, I kind of in small ways, “Oh what kind of music would she listen to?” Things like that. But at least for me, I think you as well, we have really in-depth conversations with the writers of our show about what’s going on and we can ask any questions and they kind of let us know ahead of time, even if we don’t have the script, kind of how the arc shift goes so that you know exactly how you should feel, which is really, really great. It’s really open people and they offer us the best opportunity for success in our acting by giving us so much information about the characters and being really open with that.

Sammy Fourlas: Yeah, it’s a great thing. I think Djouliet nailed it. Those conversations are just eye-opening and it helps you get a grasp on those really important backstory things. But then at the same time, Djouliet inspired me to, you pick songs that your character would like or maybe what kind of tea you would Jacob drink today? You had some trouble over that, which is if you’re type A like me, I’ll take it. But then it’s also, it does help Bill and get you in the mood and all that sense.

Djouliet Amara: We also had a really good discussion, discussions too, before we played the characters. First thing I knew when I booked the job, or first thing I did after I booked the job was message Sammy, and then I was like, “We need to meet up and talk about these kids”. And we did and I was like, “What do you think about this? What do you think?” Even, “Okay, they’ve definitely made out? How far have they … ” Little things that you kind of need to know in relationship. Like, “What do you think?” Yeah, stuff like that we kind of thought about and how to help us feel-

Sammy Fourlas: How they started dating, how that came about naturally, we kind of just theorized little moments like that.

PopCulture.com: Also wanted to ask you both about working with Josh Segarra, who plays Giorgio, because when I saw him in this show I was like, “This is so different than anything I’ve ever seen him do.” The character is fantastic and it’s just so kind of outrageous and I’m curious what that’s like on set. Is he that silly?

Djouliet Amara: He’s a great guy. He’s nice kind guy. So smart.

Sammy Fourlas: He’s very intelligent. Which you’d be watching Giorgio … Giorgio is a smart guy, but it’s like, he’s Giorgio. But it’s like Josh sounded … he’s very emotionally intelligent.

Djouliet Amara: Extremely. Yeah, he’s a dad too. He’s just such a … Yeah.

Sammy Fourlas: He’s a great dad.

Djouliet Amara: Great dad. He feels like a big brother to me. I love him.

The first 8 episodes of The Big Door Prize are now streaming on Apple TV+. Episode 9 will be available on Wednesday, May 10. Keep it locked to Pop Culture.com for more great TV news, interviews, and exclusives! [Editors note: This interview has been slightly edited for time and clarity.]