If you read my site, you know that Life Unexpected is a show I have been looking forward to for a long time. It centers around Lux (Britt Robertson) who wants to emancipate herself from the foster care system at age 16. She finds her biological parents (played by Shiri Appleby and Kris Polaha) and through unforeseen circumstances, ends up with the family she never had.
I recently had the chance to chat with Liz Tigelaar, the absolutely brilliant creator of the show, who has put her heart into this wonderful series. Here is what she had to say about her passion project, the casting process, and what we can expect from its freshman season.
What was your inspiration behind creating Life Unexpected?
The show is very close to my heart. I’m adopted and I’ve always had questions about who my birth parents were and had a fantasy about who I imagined they were. In a weird way, even though I have the best adopted family any person could ask for, I’ve kind of been searching for them my entire life — going from person to person, wondering “Are you like my birth mom? Are you like me? Essentially, searching for someone who’s just like me…” This pilot is about that search and how you don’t always get the answers you’re expecting — sometimes you get better than you ever imagined, other times you’re disappointed. The show is also about what it means to be a grown up and in your thirties today.
When I first saw the pilot back in September, I thought it reminded me of the Old School CW/WB at it’s best. What does it mean to you to be on this network?
It means a lot. My first job was on Dawson’s Creek on the WB. I’ve always had an affinity for that type of show so it means a ton to be back here, eleven years later. I feel like I’ve come full circle. If anyone had told me when I was a P.A. on Dawson’s Creek, sitting around with people like Mike White, Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec that I’d be here, I never would’ve believed it.
The show has also been compared to Gilmore Girls (it reminded me of the show as well). Do you like that comparison? Did you watch the show?
I didn’t watch Gilmore Girls regularly but I watched it enough to know I love the comparisons. I can only hope we’re a fraction as successful as that show was. I appreciate being mentioned along side of a show like that, absolutely.
The show has a great mix of incredibly poignant and funny moments. And one thing that really shines through is that it has a ton of heart. Did you draw from any of your personal experiences to create and write the show?
The show is incredibly personal to me. Each character is a part of me, especially Cate and Lux. I struggle myself with knowing I’m a grown up but feeling like a kid, knowing I could be a parent now but wishing someone would still take care of me. All Cate’s fears, insecurities, neuroses and skewed logic come from me so I love writing Cate. She’s flawed and damaged and authentic and just herself, kind of take it or leave it. But there’s a lot of Lux in me, too. I’m not as bold as Lux but what she throws out there, the way she looks at things, the way she calls people on things… I probably aspire to be Lux when I grow up. I also always pictured Lux to be blond. For some reason, that was important to me. Probably because I’m blond too and I just saw myself in her. Is that lame? We also have the same taste in music and fashion sense. 🙂
The TV Chick 