Fear The Walking Dead Passage: Meet Mishel Prada and Kelsey Scott

Character motivations

Gabi seems like she‘s struggling to figure out survival. And then she meets Sierra. Does she find immediate confidence in Sierra?

"MISHEL: “Yeah, I mean I think with Gabi, she is starting to reveal what her relationship was like with Colton. It would seem he left and never came back and she’s struggling to realize if that’s really true.  I grew up in Miami in a Latin family and very often, you can go from being taken care of by your parents to being taken care of by a man. So I think that’s the real  beauty in our story is that care has been taken from her and what’s brought her here is wandering on her own while still being scared. But then she has another women tell her that she’s stronger than she thinks is, telling her how to fight, even forcing her to face her fear (before the opportunity is taken away by Colton!) I think it’s probably one of the first times she’s been around a woman with that strength, one that is confident, that is not bailing at all. It’s a really beautiful eye-opening thing for Gabi to see.”"

How much guilt do you think Gabi feels? She mentions her sister and says that Sierra is not the only one that lost someone. How much is that plaguing her and bringing her down? Or is it giving her strength so that she‘s not going to let that happen again?

"MISHEL: “I think both. Losing her sister, that is a situation where she felt powerless. I think that is where her arc as a human is to find her power and personal strength.  I think we are really seeing Gabi start gathering that in. Even her surviving on her own with no knowledge (of zombies) was kind of a big move for her, even leaving the house on her own. I think at this point it’s survival mode, not really a lot of time to mourn in a way, but it is definitely a big part that has moved her to want to regain her own power.”"

And what about Sierra? We see her toughness. And she says she will help Gabi but that she does not “need” Gabi. However, at the same time Gabi is helping her find a safer place. Is your character’s mentality more of a defense or does she really believe she does not need Gabi?

"KELSEY: “Half and half. Gabi talks about her sister, but Sierra doesn’t reveal who she lost. She is still working with that pain. The two women approach it differently.  Gabi is used to being cared for and looking for a caretaker. I think Sierra was a caretaker. And when you lose someone you potentially cared for, there is a huge sense of guilt. She’s thinking ‘I’ve failed. Now I have to survive after this failure.’ Then she meets Gabi – who is injured. Which means she is going to need care. I don’t think Sierra wants to care for someone else right now, not just because it’s a tough world to survive in, she just feels like she did not follow through before and can’t attempt it again in this moment. She wants to plow through but she also doesn’t want to fail, doesn’t want to fail another person who might be dependent on her. Her defense mechanism is to be impenetrable, stoic, to say ‘we have a partnership, but I don’t really need you’. Maybe, maybe not. But she has to believe it.”"

Sierra has had to make some quick decisions, such as the decision to stab Colton. Do you think that decision came from Sierra being someone who has good instincts and judgement? 

"KELSEY: “Definitely! She said to Gabi up in the watch tower, ‘but he didn’t come back’ in reference to Colton. When he appears out of nowhere, Sierra is watching his reaction to his reunion with Gabi. When he says ‘you’re alive’, it’s not like ‘you’re alive!’ It’s more like ‘you’re alive?’ Sort of stunned. Kelsey ScottPhoto credit: Dwayne Boyd Sierra has had to be in survival mode enough to pay attention to little things. Sierra meets eyes with Colton over Gabi’s shoulder – that’s weird in a reunion.  And why have Gabi go down the tunnel first? None of it felt right to Sierra and she was prepared for something to happen. Whether this is the way Sierra always was or it’s who she became, remains to be seen.”"

Mishel, what do you think you would like to see Sierra learn from Gabi. How do you want to see Gabi help Sierra change for the better.

"MISHEL:”I believe, no man is really an island. As humans we are not really sole survivors, we are pack animals, we do need each other. I think there is an opportunity for Sierra to learn to trust another person again. And let someone else in and realize we are stronger together, that we all have different strengths. Leaves of the tree don’t look at the trunk and say why aren’t you like me? We need all different parts. Gabi brings a softness that hopefully eventually Sierra can respect.”"