Rule Breakers
The actress talks about her proclivity to stories of small-town crime.
Its been an incredibly odd year for me, she says over Zoom.
At the time, neighbors came to Burton Morgan, asking for help raising awareness of Addimandos case.
The television groups had another idea: turning it into a series,It Couldnt Happen Here.
In 45-minute episodes, Burton Morgan talks with those whove been impacted by crime and worked on the cases.
She wants the subjects to feel respected, and that our time is invested in hearing their story.
Do you feel like this is a career change, from acting to hosting?
I tell stories, whether those are true stories or fictional.
What types of cases did you look for onIt Couldnt Happen Here, and how do you find them?
Each case represents a different facet of our flawed system.
There are episodes about racism, domestic violence, and ableism.
Based on your reporting, why is it difficult to administer just punishment in small towns?
In a small town, the problem isn’t identifying the person who commits the act of violence.
The problem is holding them accountable.
[Youre] working within a system where everyone knows everyone.
In a city, you have anonymity.
Do you think the judicial system can change?
Has your amplification of these cases changed the outcomes at all?
There are some that are definitely moving swiftly.
[For] Devonia [Episode 1], the wheels were already in motion.
We also have the Greg Lance case [Episode 4].
What do you want viewers to take away from the series?
How much power we have as citizens.
Empathy goes a long way in this kind of story.
I think the public holds a lot of power, so let’s give ‘em the tools.
Do you ever regret that?
Its up to the people who have that privilege to use it.
You burn some bridges along the way, and then they can be rebuilt stronger.
But I don’t ever regret saying the truth.
I look back now, and I’m kind of horrified.
I know the other girls feel this way as well.
That’s screwed up.
There’s no friction.
There’s no drama.
Ironically we’re theDrama Queens.
What is it like working with them again?
Its good to be with those two.
Theyre a strong support internet for me.
Where would Peyton Sawyer be today?
I hope she’s in therapy.
The answer to every traumatic experience on our show was to get a boyfriend.
And that’s not the case.
What sort of mom do you think she turned out to be?
Shed probably be really frantic about the dangers out there for her child.
That’s my hippie-dippy answer.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
