EXCLUSIVE | 'Filthy Rich' star Gerald McRaney says show's script 'pokes holes in rich, pompous televangelists'
Spoilers for 'Filthy Rich'
FOX's new Southern Gothic Dramedy 'Filthy Rich' aired its pilot episode on September 21, 2020, with many fans applauding the premiere starring 'Sex and the City's Kim Cattrall and House of Cards' Gerald McRaney. The episode quickly introduced us to the very rich Monreaux family who has built an empire called the Sunshine Network - a Christian television network but has now come into some secrets that were previously well hidden by the family's patriarch Eugene Monreaux played by McRaney. In an exclusive interview with MEA WorldWide (MEAWW), McRaney shared what we can expect from the series and how the themes of religion, power and wealth combine to give us this entertaining soap opera.
McRaney revealed that because the pilot episode very dramatically explains all of Eugene's indiscretions he was aware of them before he had accepted the role. He further explained what about the series had drawn him in saying, "One of the things that appeal to me about the script itself is that it sort of pokes holes in some of these pompous televangelists who get rich taking poor people's money from them." The actor also hilariously mentioned that part of him accepting the role was the chance of being able to work with Kim Cattrall. "I thought I was going to be working with Kim Cattrall and I did in the pilot and for the rest of the season I hardly got to see her for taking the role," he said with a laugh.
If you've already watched the pilot, you would know that there is a possibility that Eugene might still be alive. Not wanting to give away too much, McRaney mentioned that it takes "a while" for the patriarch to get back to his family. He also said that "things don't quite work the way he would like." While we would predict that his family wouldn't accept Eugene quickly after all of his disloyal behavior, it's great to know that the character actually, eventually, does make it back to the Monreaux family.
The series seems to be a crossover between 'Greenleaf' and 'Dynasty' and we wondered what the series genre's charm is. "I have no idea what draws audiences. If I did, I wouldn't be a terribly rich man myself," joked McRaney before explaining what he thinks fascinates audiences. "I think people have a fascination with terribly rich people and they have their own notions of what that must be like. I think quite often on television shows - our own included - we sort of fan the flames of what people think rich people live like. I think, in this case with a lot of these, televangelist types, we do sort of get it right because we can see that, not only does the idol have feet of clay but the clay is sort of mushy still. It hasn't quite formed up.
"We're constantly finding these people [characters] in awkward positions with hookers and motel rooms and things like this. I don't know what it is other than incredible wealth, giving them what they think is permission to do any damn thing they choose. I think people are fascinated what seems to them, an alien group must be like and for most of us terribly, terribly rich people are quite alien to us," he added. McRaney also speaks on Cattrall's character Margaret Monreaux who thinks her husband has died. She, of course, has found out that her husband had fathered three children outside of their marriage and we wondered what the best revenge would be if she decides to take it up. While McRaney said that he doesn't know what Margaret's revenge would entail, he did say this: "I think Margaret quite frankly, is protecting, her interests obviously, but also her family, her children, the children that she bore with Eugene. I think she's demonstrating, just maternal instincts and being very good about it. Quite frankly, she's fighting for her family. Women will do that."
The actor, without giving too much away, managed to tell us a bit on what we can expect from the first season of 'Filthy Rich'. "I think it is fairly obvious from the pilot that the rest of the season will be spent with the mechanizations of everyone trying to look out for their own interests when it comes to this will. Margaret tries to reduce the amount of money that's going to be drained away from their corporation and from her children. With these other children, she's going to try and limit that [money being given to them] at all costs and maintain the empire that has been created through this, televangelist movement," revealed the actor.
He further added, "Also, I think, Margaret especially is highly spiritual. I don't think that this was all about the money for Margaret, ever and I don't think that it was like that with Eugene in the beginning. I think they probably started with really great intentions and then got drawn into the wealth, you know to, that one admonition that's in the Bible that the love of money is the root of all evil. I think they got caught up in that from starting out with very good intentions. I think that sort of comes out along with other things throughout, the first season."
According to the actor, everyone makes a lot of "strange" journey throughout the first season. He explained a bit more on Eugene saying, "Eugene goes through some bizarre, experiences, and it's a sort of like, are you seeing Eugene's last thoughts? It almost seems like this is something that happened in a matter of seconds as he laid dying. And you're not going to know it. Is he alive? Is he dead? What's going on with Eugene because it's all sort of surreal. I can say that without giving away plot points." Additionally, confirming that he doesn't think Eugene has a favorite child among the five he now has, McRaney did mention that if there was one, it would probably be the daughter he has with Margaret, who's name is Rose Monreaux played by the gorgeous Aubrey Dollar. But McRaney did insist, "I don't think he [Eugene] really does have a favorite."
When asked if his character would get a redemption arc, all McRaney could reveal was "there is no completion in the first season, things are still a work in progress. There is a slight bit of resolution at the end, but it's certainly not complete." So there have to be more seasons right? "Exactly, otherwise, we would be really stupid for having done that," said the actor with a laugh. McRaney said that while his character doesn't have many intriguing plots in the pilot episode, Eugene takes quite a journey throughout the season, which the actor says is both "strange" and "intriguing". "I think it's going to be fascinating. It was fun me playing it and I think it will be for an audience watching it."
Like many, McRaney saved no breaths in praising his co-star Cattrall who he called a quintessential professional. "The little bit that I did get to work with her was some of the most enjoyable acting I've done because of that [Catrall, being a professiona]. She's my kind of actor. She takes the work incredibly seriously and doesn't really take herself doing the work very seriously at all. I mean, you know, she checks her ego at the door when she comes to work and that's the kind of actor I like to work with." The actor further speaks on the dynamic of his character and that of Catrall's explaining that the characters are truly in love especially in the beginning. But, "some of the stuff that happens within the show itself will bring about changes to that," he said.
The series was already done filming the 10 episodes last year and according to the actor are waiting to hear if they will be picked up for a season. But, more interestingly, the actor revealed a tidbit of how the past came rining with a small story. "It was lovely filming in New Orleans - I'm from that part of the country and lived in New Orleans. I actually started my acting career in New Orleans," said McRaney. "Strangely enough, the original, set for the TV studio in the pilot was filmed in the first professional theater I ever worked in New Orleans, 50 years ago. It was a repertory company when I started my career in 1967. I found myself in that same theater again, after all that time."
The actor, who lives with his wife and mother-in-law says that he's been doing well during the lockdown. "I'm not going stir crazy the way some people might be doing. People who are just completely on their own without even a pet or anything like that, it must be horrible for them, but I'm doing pretty well," he said.
Episode 2 of 'Filthy Rich' airs Monday, September 28, 2020, from 9-10 pm ET on FOX.