TV Tattler: Celebrity Interviews

New Network? 'Veronica Mars' Star Kristen Bell Says Bring It On

Related Links 'Veronica' Scoop Talk About the Show Kristen's Bio & Filmography

Feb. 14 -- When UPN and the WB announced their merger, fans of many shows started biting their nails, worrying their shows wouldn't make the cut onto the new network in the fall. 'Veronica Mars' lovers, in particular, had much to worry about. The teen drama has never gotten blockbuster ratings, despite heaps of critical acclaim.

But fans breathed a sigh of relief after CBS chief Les Moonves extolled the possibility of a 'Gilmore Girls'/'Veronica Mars' night. The idea certainly excites star Kristen Bell, who said WB shows like 'Gilmore' have a handle on "the demographic we drool over."

Bell chatted with AOL Television editor Kelly Woo about next season, Veronica's male entourage and the Oscar-nominated role she covets.

How will the merger of UPN and the WB affect you?
I look at it as a really positive move. They'll both be looking at their line-ups and saying "let's take all of our best shows." So I think that the CW is going to have really good programming because it's going to take the crème de la crème of both UPN and WB, and fortunately, I consider our show one of those shows. There's a lot of under-the-radar positive reinforcement happening here, so I'm not worried. I think it's a great thing for us.

Any gossip or rumors flying around about the show's status?
Not really. We're just doing the work that needs to be done to keep producing a great show. They're already layering bits of season three into season two this year. There are bits and pieces, innuendo and foreshadowing, of what will happen next year.

So what IS going to happen in season three?
I don't always know what's happening in the writers' minds because they may change it. Nothing that I say should be taken as fact, let me just preface that. [It'll be] stuff about the college, introducing characters you may see a lot next year. There's an episode where Veronica goes to visit the college and you meet some kids at the college. That gives them a chance to try out new characters and see how they work. [Veronica is] going to be able to live a young adult life, which is going to create a lot of storylines, I think. Like, Veronica Mars needs any more drama, but...

Two of those college characters are played by 'Arrested Development' stars Michael Cera and Alia Shawkat. Will we be seeing them again next year?
I think there's a definite chance you could see them again. We had such a blast shooting with those kids. Everybody here watches 'Arrested Development' obsessively, so we were all like geeky fans. They're both really professional and really fun, so I kinda hope they stick around next year. Although, I'm torn because I love their show so much that I hope Showtime picks it up.

Can you reveal anything about the rest of this season? Do you know the resolution of the school bus crash?
I personally do, because I was lucky enough to be at the AFI luncheon with Rob [Thomas, the executive producer] when he decided to divulge it, because he doesn't divulge a lot of details to anyone. I will say it's one of the more brilliant things that he's ever done. There's a really big twist which is going to be way more unexpected than last year. I think it's brilliant. I think that the fans are going to be satisfied and confused and angry and excited when they find out who it is.

Recently, Duncan (Teddy Dunn) got written out of the show. Was that a surprise?
It surprised me, which the writers do very often. There was a very Romeo and Juliet sense to Veronica and Duncan's love life. They wanted to be together and couldn't be, which this only amplifies. But as far as personally, I love Teddy and he's a very dear friend. Everybody was sad to see him go.

Could he make a reappearance?
I don't think you've seen the last of Duncan, let me just put it that way.

In December, our site hosted an alternate ending to the episode where Veronica found out Meg was pregnant. Is that something you guys do often?
We did that especially for you guys. We were kind of confused because we had already read the next episode, so we were like, "Wait she can't die! That's in the next episode." Then they explained to us that we were doing it for the fans. I think that's the great thing about the show and the writers, a lot of things could really go either way and totally turn the show around. It was a fun experiment.

Fans want to know -- will Logan and Veronica get back together?
Mmm… I think that Logan and Veronica have such a chemistry together that it's rarely going to fall in the category of normal. It's always going to be hate or extreme love and passion. I think there's a definite chance they could get back together.

Are you a Logan or a Duncan girl?
I gotta go with Duncan. All girls hit that phase where they like the bad boy. I grew out of that really young and I have a wonderful guy in my life who's not a bad boy at all. I like the satiric, consistent nice guy.

How about Veronica and Wallace? Could the best friends ever become more?
We joke about it all the time, Percy [Daggs III] and I. The writers are really able to do anything. Veronica's really a guy's girl. In all honesty, it wouldn't surprise me if she hooks back up with Logan and it also wouldn't surprise me if she hooks up with Wallace.

What do you TiVo?
I love 'Extreme Home Makeover.' I think that it's one of the best shows on television because it makes me believe there really are angels out there. I just sob every Sunday. I love 'Arrested Development.' I like comedies. I love 'Curb Your Enthusiasm.' I love 'The Office,' both the British and American versions. And I like a lot of BBC shows, like 'League of Gentlemen' and 'Little Britain.'

You're starring in the upcoming movie 'Fanboys.' What's that about?
It's kind of like 'Swingers' for nerds because it's about these four awesome guys who are 'Star Wars'-obsessed and they drive cross-country to break into [George] Lucas' ranch to steal the final episode. It's so funny. There's a scene where there's a full-on war between Trekkies and the 'Star Wars' kids, 'Braveheart' style. I'll be shooting on the weekends for six weeks. It's going to be a big workload, but I wasn't willing to turn the part down because it was such a great script.

Is there an Oscar-nominated role this year that you wish you'd played?
I would probably go with [Felicity Huffman.] I saw 'Transamerica,' I was so moved by her performance. As an actor and as a woman willing to step outside of her comfort zone, I admire actresses that do that, like Cameron Diaz in 'Being John Malkovich.' Any woman who's willing to not look beautiful. A lot of this business is based on your looks. I think Felicity was beyond brilliant in that role, she absolutely deserved the Golden Globe and I hope to accomplish things in my career like she has.

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