There’s no doubt that Found fans have watched the evolution of Zeke and Lacey’s relationship blossom with high hopes. The end of the previous episode saw some of those hopes dashed, but is that really how it all ends? Arlen Escarpeta and Gabrielle Walsh talked to us exclusively about their characters in Found season 2.
This NBC series is packed with some traumatic events. Not only does the M&A Team help to find missing people and support them and their families are their lowest points, but they have all been through their own heartbreaking experiences. This has set them up with their own emotional issues and mental health struggles throughout the series, but their trauma doesn’t define them.
Escarpeta and Walsh talked about their characters’ growth throughout the season and a half so far, as well as this slow burn we’re witnessing right now!
Zeke and Lacey have found what works for them in Found
Hidden Remote: Arlen, I’ll start with you, because I love how Zeke has found a way to make his life work despite his agoraphobia. What was that like for you going into this character?
Arlen Escarpeta: I think you said it exactly on the head. Zeke has figured out how to make it work. He has not treated his agoraphobia as a whole-hearted disability. It’s art of him, and, you know, life isn’t stopping. I think part of that is mostly because of his family. Obviously, he has a relationship that he’s rebuilding with his father, but more than anything, it’s the work that they do at M&A. That helps him complete the circle that is “I’m a broken person, but I’m okay and I matter. I’m making a different, and I’m here with a group of people making a different, and it feels good.”
Purpose is everything I think for everybody in life in general, and Zeke has found a purpose among M&A. His agoraphobia doesn’t fell like, to me, as a disability. If anything, it feels like a superpower. It’s something special that he has gone through, and because of it, look at how much better he is at this thing he’s able to do!
HR: Gabrielle, Lacey has seen so much development, especially over the last 10 or so episodes. What’s that been like for you to bring this character to life and show that fear does not have to be a weakness?
Gabrielle Walsh: It’s been a gift. It really has been a gift. They took me through it fast, too. It was a whirlwind. I just sat down with NK [showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll], and she gave me the trajectory of where I was going to go, and I was like “alright, let’s face this head on as an actress. Let’s go into Warrior Mode and go all the way because it requires nothing less.” And it was a gift to be able to go there and portray someone who has gone through that and see there is also a way to overcome and find power and purpose to question the hard thinks in life like, “who am I now? Where do I want to be? How do I stand outside of these anchors that I’ve had for myself?”
That life altering shake-up of hers was huge, so it was a mountain, but I was so happy and just ready to climb it. I’m happy that I got to have that opportunity with Lacey.
HR: We’ve had this slow burn relationship between Zeke and Lacey for some time. Of course, I can’t share what does happen in episode 15, but episode 14 had this moment of Lacey realizing what she wants and it’s something we’ve seen as viewers for so long. Network TV doesn’t get the opportunity to do a slow burn like this that much anymore, so what was it like for the two of you to have the chance to show it?
GW: What I love is that there is a beautiful connection that Zeke and Lacey have as friends, helping each other through their trauma. You get to see their inner child and that wounded bird shine and be able to heal through one another and protect one another, especially when everything else is in disarray.
Lacey is out of her home. That’s sort of been taken from her, and she’s found solace in Zeke. That has depend their connection so much, but I think that then she realizes that this goes beyond that.
What I love is that they don’t even know it, but it’s happening, and it only happens when Champagne Shelly comes into the picture and kind of awakens that. Like “Oh, I have deeper feelings for this guy. I don’t know how to deal with this. Maybe I gotta go.”
I’m stuttering, and that’s Lacey, not knowing what’s next. So with this slow burn, we get to see the connection as an audience before they see it themselves, and that makes you want it much more. Arlen, you can take it from there.
AE: I think I read an article where they were speaking to NK and how one of her favorite shows was Dawson’s Creek. I loved Dawson’s Creek too, and love is in all of that. And here we far, in this show, we’re finding missing people and there’s different types of love. There’s love for your fellow human being, and then there’s this romantic love, and I love the fact that amongst all of this, you said it Gabrielle, this craziness that’s happening in this series — we’re missing people, we’re finding people, Sir — amongst all of that, these seeds are being planted little by little.
They’re inching closer and closer to one another, and it’s romantic. It’s sweet, it’s genuine, it’s pure, and I think it’s what kind of holds out show together, and not necessarily Zeke and Lacey’s romantic love, but just this love in general across the board. The love that we have for each other as a family, the love we have for our work, the love we have for ourselves, and then there’s this sweet romance that’s happening, and it’s beautiful to watch. You want it to happen, and I’m excited to see what’s happening for them.
Found airs on Thursdays at 10/9c on NBC. Catch up the following day on Peacock.
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