Nathan’s desire for a break from life is taking him down a dark path inBased on a True Storyseason 2. Played byJuror #2star Chris Messina, Nathan was introduced in season 1 of the Peacock dark comedy thriller as the husband to Kaley Cuoco’s true crime-obsessed Ava and a former tennis star who, after a career-ending injury, has turned to teaching tennis. Season 1 saw Ava and Nathan determine their plumber Matt was the local serial killer, The Westside Ripper, and make a deal with him that as long as he doesn’t kill anymore and makes a podcast with them, they won’t turn him in.
Based on a True Storyseason 2picks up three months after the season 1 cliffhanger finale, in which Ava and Nathan were caught by Aaron Staton’s Simon covering up the murder of Ruby. Having given birth to their son and cleared of involvement in Ruby’s death, Ava and Nathan find themselves struggling with their new parenthood, which is made all the more complicated when they learn that Ava’s sister Tory is now engaged to Matt. All the while, a string of new murders are copying those of the Westside Ripper and other famous killers, leading to Ava going down another investigation rabbit hole.
Is Peacock’s Based On A True Story Actually Based On A True Story?
Peacock’s new comedy thriller appears to make a claim with its title, but is the new true crime comedy actually based on a true story?
Alongside Messina, theensembleBased on a True Storyseason 2 castincludes the returns of Kaley Cuoco as Ava, Tom Bateman as Matt and Liana Liberato as Tory, as well as recurring appearances from Priscilla Quintana as Ruby, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Aisha Alfa, June Diane Raphael, Jessica St. Clair and the introduction ofBrooklyn Nine-Ninealum Melissa Fumero as Drew. Deftly balancing some heart-wrenching character drama with biting humor and a tense new mystery, the show is keeping the bar high after its well-received debut outing.
In anticipation of the show’s return,Screen Rantinterviewed Chris Messina to discussBased on a True Storyseason 2, why he thinks Nathan is more susceptible to Matt’s manipulations and his gradual turn to the dark side, finding the balance of being endearing and a misanthrope, and the surprising ease of the babies cast as Ava and Nathan’s son.
Nathan’s Misanthropic Nature Is A “Fun Part” Of Playing Him For Messina
“In a way, I can relate…”
Screen Rant: I’m so excited to talk with you about season 2. I watched all of it the other day, and I was just so hooked from start to finish, it’s somehow even funnier, even more intense than season 1. So, one of Nathan’s big things, I feel like, across both seasons is he’s a bit of a misanthrope in how he’s always kind of down, but yet there’s still something really endearing about him. What is it like really finding that balance in the performance?
Chris Messina: Yeah, that’s a fun part of the character, his constant need to be somebody, and his struggle to make friends with what is. That dichotomy ends up, at times, I think, to be funny and, hopefully, maybe even heartbreaking. In a way, I can relate, not in the sports aspect, but in the acting aspect, and the struggles of maintaining a career and dreaming about what you thought it was going to be and what it is, and kind of, again, making friends with that, making peace with that. So, it’s a fun character to play.
Ava Is “A Much Stronger Character” & Therefore Avoids Matt’s Manipulations
“…I think it leaves him very vulnerable to what Matt’s selling.”
As we see this season, one of the areas of yours and Matt’s relationship as the show goes on is he really starts to goad you towards the darker side. I’d love to hear why you think it is that Nathan is a little more vulnerable to Matt’s manipulations than maybe even Ava is.
Chris Messina: Well, I love Tom Bateman, and it’s great to act with him, and I loved what they gave us this season. In a way, obviously, it is the darker side, but in a way, it’s kind of what Nathan needs most. It’s like diving into some more animal qualities, back to the fighter [mentality]. I think he probably falls into it, [because] I think, in a way, Ava’s a much stronger character. She also isn’t thrilled with where she is in her life, but I think has more coping mechanisms, and Nathan is just completely living in the past, so I think it leaves him very vulnerable to what Matt’s selling. But I love that aspect of the season. Matt’s kind of like a muse to Nathan. Because of him, he starts to see gains in tennis and a trip back to his old self.
“…it just amped up the stakes more for the couple.”
I’d love to hear about Ava and Nathan becoming parents this season. Obviously, much of season 1 was building towards that, but what was it like actually getting to then play the story in which the baby’s now there, and you’re involved in that side of parenting?
Chris Messina: I loved having the baby, because it just amped up the stakes more for the couple. By the way, we had the best babies. I’ve worked with a lot of babies, and the babies we had were so beautiful and sweet. Often, you have to stop because they’re crying or fussy, and all these babies were so calm. Kaley has a very beautiful touch with the kids, so when they did start to fuss, she would grab them and cuddle them or rock them, and they would just cool out. But yeah, having the baby, I think was a great add to the confusion, and also in terms of my character, wanting to be a better man, wanting to be successful for my kid. It kind of highlighted even more what I wasn’t.
A Key Tennis Scene Was One Of Messina’s Favorites To Shoot In Season 2
“We did a lot of different versions of that.”
It becomes really powerful, and I think back to the tennis court scene where Kaley has to bring you in. That’s such a powerful one. I’d love to hear about performing that scene in particular, where Ava really breaks through that rage that he’s seeing, and is able to bring him back down.
Chris Messina: That was a fun scene to do. I kept sending our showrunner, Annie, all these clips of McEnroe and different tennis players having fits. I really wanted to have a fit on the court, I thought it would be right for the character, so I was happy that she gave that to me. We did a lot of different versions of that. I haven’t seen it, so I’m not sure what they used, but there was a great direction there about Ava snapping him out of it, and him coming to, like, almost that he was in a total panic, almost a panic attack, and that the director wanted me to all of a sudden look into Kaley’s eyes like I was waking up from this other side of myself.
I don’t know if they used that or not, but I thought it was a great direction. Yeah, it’s funny, this show’s difficult in that it lands, or tries to land, these moments full of heart, but then it’s completely absurd slapstick, and then you have people dying. So, it must be a difficult show to write. It’s certainly a difficult one to act, because it’s a fine line of being not funny at all, or too pushed and absurd and not landing the heart. So, I hope an audience kind of receives all of that.
AboutBased On A True StorySeason 2
Season 2 finds new parents Ava and Nathan Bartlett three months into parenthood. Focused on taking care of her family, Ava is determined to resist her true crime obsession and return to work as a real estate agent while Nathan trains private tennis clients. But a series of new murders pulls her back in – is Matt behind the slayings? Is Tory, now entangled in a relationship with Matt, in danger? For a while, life is good – Ava’s TikTok habit and her new friend Drew provide a welcome distraction, and Nathan’s all in on reigniting his tennis career as well as his friendship with Matt – until danger comes knocking, literally.
Check out our otherBased on a True Storyseason 2 interviews with:
Based on a True Storyseason 2 premieres on Peacock on November 21.
Based on a True Story
Cast
Based on a True Story is a Peacock original crime thriller starring Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina as a married couple who starts their own True Crime podcast. Ava and Nathan Bartlett are expecting their first child despite marital troubles as their finances continue to plummet, and their decision to hire a charming plumber to install a new toilet leaves them stuck in a true crime story of their own.
