In recent weeks we’ve gotten a chance to do some pretty cool stuff here at ElasticPop.com. Yesterday, I got the chance to take a virtual tour of the Drop Dead Diva set, in Atlanta. Ben Feldman (he plays Fred on the show), served as our guide. He showed us around backstage–he admitted to spending a lot of time around the craft service area, where the tables have generous amounts of food–and onto the various sets.
During the tour, Ben ran into co-star Margaret Cho (Teri Lee), who joined in for a leg of the tour.
I learned a couple of interesting tidbits: the set used to be an old airplane hangar, and according to Feldman, the cast can hear airplanes flying overhead constantly, because they don’t shoot in Jane Bingum’s (played by Brooke Elliott) bedroom set very often, the cast uses it sort of like a greenroom, where they can just sit an relax between scenes.
We also got to watch the cast and crew as they filmed a courtroom scene. Ben explained that they shoot a given scrne from several different angles, before there through. They use lighting to create sunlight, or whatever weather conditions are necessary.
Drop Dead Diva airs on Lifetime. For those of you who may not be familiar with the series, here’s a synopsis of the show from a press release:
When beautiful-but-vapid model wannabe Deb has a fatal car accident, she suddenly finds herself in front of Heaven’s gatekeeper, Fred, who declares her a self-centered “zero.” Outraged, she attempts to persuade Fred to return her to her shallow existence but is accidentally relegated to the body of the recently deceased Jane Bingum. A brilliant, thoughtful and plus-size attorney with a loyal assistant, Teri, Jane has always lived in the shadow of her more comely colleagues whereas Deb has always relied on her external beauty. Now, by a twist of fate and a bolt of divine intervention, Deb must come to terms with inhabiting Jane’s plus-size frame in the ultimate showdown between brains and beauty.
I’ll have clips from the set visit and the show available for you shortly. Pick up the Season One DVD box set in stores now. I’ll have a review posted tomorrow. I’ll tell you now that the first seasn features guest appearances by Rosie O’Donnell (The Rosie O’Donnell Show), Paula Abdul (American Idol), Tim Gunn (TV’s Project Runway), Liza Minnelli (Cabaret, Arthur), Sharon Lawrence ( Monk), Kathy Najimy ( King of the Hill), Delta Burke (Designing Women) and Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding)
Season two premieres Sunday, June 6, at 9 p.m. E/PT
