‘You Me Her’ Star Priscilla Faia Talks Love In The Modern Age
Priscilla Faia stars as Izzy Silva in “You Me Her.” Photo Credit Kristine Cofsky.
It’s not every day you can turn on the television and watch a love story involving a polyamorous relationship. Love triangles, sure, but an interconnected, committed, and loving relationship between three fully formed individuals? Not so much. But then again, it’s not every day that you find a show with as much heart, charm and soul as DirecTV’s original series You Me Her.
This first-rate comedy (or rather dramedy) follows the lives of three characters — Jack (Greg Poehler), Emma (Rachel Blanchard) and Izzy (Priscilla Faia) — as they navigate fresh territory for all of them. Jack and Emma are married and going through what can only be referred to as a marital rut after yet another failed pregnancy attempt. Their solution to lighting that spark up again — and not just in the bedroom, either? Getting a girlfriend (yes, you read that right! And you thought your relationship was complicated…). Of course neither of them accounted for the fact that they’d fall in love with her.
Canadian film and television actress Priscilla Faia plays Izzy Silva, a 24-year-old who is paying her way through graduate school by moonlighting as an escort. Along the way, she gets hired by Jack, and then eventually by Emma, and so begins a long, perplexing and beautiful relationship between all three individuals.
After playing the infectiously cheerful and spontaneous Chloe Price for two years on Rookie Blue, Faia was looking for another creatively satisfying role to sink her teeth into, and as the universe would have it, she found Izzy. Or Izzy found her.
“With Izzy, I really just empathized with what it’s like to be 24 and to be scared to get into anything that’s real because of what relationships have shown me in the past,” she says.
Well, get into something real she did. This entire show (the brain-child of Save Me creator, John Scott Shepherd) is a portrayal of a situation that not many people discuss, let alone believe can exist in the world. Faia, alongside her talented cast mates, helps put a face to a group of individuals who aren’t usually explored in entertainment or our regular day-to-day lives.
Priscilla Faia. Photo Credit Kristine Cofsky.
Of course, not to be repetitive, but we know what you’re thinking: this doesn’t sound like a show with a whole lot of “heart” at its core. Well, it most definitely is. It could have very easily taken a turn for the weird or treated the matter pornographically, but somehow the series manages to bring a lot of depth and emotion to an otherwise alternative way of living. And it doesn’t hurt that there’s a good amount of humor and, of course, some physical action, too.
“These characters, although grounded and real, are very flawed. I think as human beings, we can all relate to that — those times in our lives where we’re really trying to figure things out,” Faia, who is a self-proclaimed finger painter with “abberant tendencies,” explains.
“I think that’s why this show is so relatable. These people are your next door neighbors. We can relate to these people, and they’re really trying to work out what’s going to work best for them,” she adds.
Her words are a testament to the influence of these characters. Love them or hate them, there is something about them that is very true to life. Additionally, the show explores issues that many normal people face in long-term relationships (for instance, falling into a routine and the consideration of an open marriage), opening us up to some interesting conversations.
“I think it’s really brave for this married couple to look at each other and go, ‘what do we do here? I’m falling for this person.’ It’s scary, but I think that what’s exciting about this show is that we watch these people have these uncomfortable conversations [and] live a life that works for them,” Faia says.
And it’s exactly that strange appeal that has made this show so successful after only just one season. It’s also one of the reasons that Faia chose to play Izzy.
“In terms of playing Izzy, as a human being, she is someone who jumps in. That can be seen as wild, not thoughtful and [even] selfish sometimes, but I think it’s incredible to play someone who jumps in and asks questions later,” she says.
Missed the season finale last night? Fear not! You can catch-up on all the episodes from Season 1 on DirecTV. Want to stay up to date on all-things Priscilla Faia? Follow her on Twitter @priscillafaia so that you never miss a beat!
