Astin: I remember there being this importance, and no one wanting to mess up, or let down the story. But also it was really a fun energy on set. I think everyone really knew their why. They knew why they were there, what their part was, both technically and lyrically. And of course, spiritually. But then again, I know that there was a lot of pressure on that day, but I do also feel like it did go off without a hitch. And that’s because we all were just excited to do it. It’s a long song. It felt like two minutes every time we did a take. I remember we were all like, “Are we done?”
Winsberg: It was also our last day. And we really wanted to shoot that on our last day. It was very important to [choreographer] Mandy Moore and I.
Alex Newell, playing Mo, Zoey’s neighbor and confidante, who helps her understand her visions: The only thing that I remember from this entire last day, was a full fire drill and the fire alarm going off. Like, we had all of that pressure that was happening, and we’re like, it’s water, it’s a seven-minute oner. And then the alarm goes off, and we’re just like, “Well, I guess I have to go outside right now.” And it was the perfect icebreaker before doing this amazing thing, that really got us back into a mindset, and really grounded us.
Lauren Graham, playing Joan, Zoey’s boss: It just felt to me like it was a ballet-meets-curtain call, meets saying goodbye. … I’m singing this to Jane. Every time she’d come around the corner, I would get choked up because it was such a mix of real life and show life. It was our last day, and we didn’t know if we were coming back, and I sing to Jane, “While the King was looking down, the jester stole his thorny crown,” which is like I’m passing the baton to her. Joan is taking off. We don’t know where she’ll be next. It felt like a mentor moment, which was their relationship, and maybe in some small degrees, my relationship in real life with Jane.
Janen Levy, playing Zoey Clarke: Not small—big!
