[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Based on a True Story, Season 2.]
Based on a True Story‘s second season was filled with twists and turns, one of which was the introduction of Drew (Melissa Fumero), a woman who befriends true-crime obsessive Ava (Kaley Cuoco).
As Ava dug deeper into trying to uncover the identity of the newest serial killer galavanting around town, Drew was doing some meddling of her own. But instead of being the detective Ava thinks her to be, she is actually Olivia, the ex of Westside Ripper Matt (Tom Bateman). It turns out that Olivia wanted to end Matt’s murder spree by catching him in the midst of a crime and revealing evidence to authorities.
Realizing the threat Olivia is making, Ava’s sister and Matt’s fiancee, Tory (Liana Liberato) stabbed the woman, killing her. While Olivia’s time was short-lived, Fumero’s latest role certainly packed a punch. Below, Fumero opens up about Drew’s twisty character arc, playing into her villainous side after her run on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and hopes for a Season 3 return.
Colleen Hayes / Peacock
What was it about the role and Based on a True Story that drew you into Season 2?
Melissa Fumero: Well, I was a fan of the show and a fan of Kaley’s, so it was a really exciting call to get. When Annie Weissman and Jaclyn Moore told me all the twists and turns of the character I got really excited. It was something that felt very different from anything I’ve done, that would be really challenging and fun to play. Being a fan of this incredible cast, I was excited to go and play with them.
When I chatted with Kaley and Chris [Messina], they mentioned you received scripts one at a time. How did you feel about your character’s arc and did you know the double life she was leading before stepping in front of the camera?
I did. Annie Weissman and Jaclyn Moore were generous and told me the whole arc of the character and all the twists and turns before I started, which was amazing and so valuable to have as an actor because you can be really specific [about] holding that secret and choosing moments when you maybe lean into it a bit. I was really grateful to them that they gave me all that information beforehand because I might have made completely different choices in some of those scenes had I not known.
Was it fun embracing a villain role after playing such a goody two-shoes-type character as Amy in Brooklyn Nine-Nine?
It’s the dream, as an actor, to get to play different things all the time. And so this definitely felt like a person who was mysterious and kind of a bad person playing this long con with Ava. It was really fun to explore those sides of a character while still trying to make her feel grounded and real playing within that space and they wrote her so well too. That also made my job so much easier. It’s fun to play bad. Everybody says it, [but] it’s true.
Colleen Hayes / Peacock
Ava is obviously mad when she learns about Drew’s true identity as Olivia. Do you think there’s any jealousy there as well though, especially since Olivia walked into crime scenes with confidence and authority?
I think there is probably a little bit of like, “Dammit, I wish I had thought of that,” kind of energy there. It’s interesting… What I love about the way they wrote these two characters and their dynamic is that, if some of those circumstances didn’t exist, they probably would be great friends, and I think Ava would enjoy being around someone like that. [Someone who is] ballsy and sort of just does whatever she wants. I think there was definitely some fun little bit of jealousy there.
We knew Matt had a son, but didn’t really know what happened to his ex until now. Do you think he had any affection for Olivia? He seemed pretty upset when she was killed.
I think there is a level of care there. I think when I read those scenes, I was like, “Oh, this is so much more interesting [because] there was real love there and a real connection.” She probably is the only person in that group of people who really knows who he is and knows all his tricks. When she calls out the stories that he tells to gain empathy from people, you know she knows the real man. And I thought that was a really interesting angle to come from, not just they got pregnant and knew each other when they were younger. There’s maybe an entire love story there. [That is how] I played it and how I sort of believed it, like this was her first love and, I’m like, “Is she mad that he became a serial killer? Or is she mad that he became a serial killer without her? Was this a Bonnie and Clyde thing? Is that what the heartbreak was?” I have so many questions.
There are so many questions. Your character may have died, but would you like to return to the show if it comes back for a third season?
Listen, I love everyone who works on [the show]. So if they ever need me in any capacity, it would be a happy yes.
What was it like filming your death scene?
It was my first death scene, which is crazy to say since I’ve been working for so long, but usually, my characters get married and don’t die. So this was really a twist for me. I was very grateful to Alex [Buono], the director who is also a producer on the show. [They] gave me a heads up about a week or two before we did that scene, which was also very generous and great for me to have. But yeah, I was really nervous. Everyone took such good care of me. You know, it’s a lot harder than you think to hold fake blood in your mouth and then cough it up naturally.
Based on a True Story, Seasons 1-2, Streaming now, Peacock