Present at the 63rd Monte-Carlo Television Festival, Fiona Gubelmann, aka Dr Morgan Reznick, and Will Yun Lee, aka Dr Alex Park, lift the veil on the end of this great adventure at the Bonaventure hospital in San José.
Seven seasons of The Good Doctor. How do you explain this success?
Fiona Gubelmann : “This show is so successful because so many people have had their lives touched by autism. It has brought a lot of knowledge about it and empowered a lot of people. It also has a constant message of hope and inspiration. People appreciate that. That’s why they’ve connected with it.”
Will Yun Lee : “It’s also because of the way David Shore tells the stories. Freddie Highmore plays a character you don’t usually see in a series. There’s something about him that resonates with people and makes them cry almost every episode.“
What can you say about this seventh and final season?
F.G. :”This seventh season concludes the series in a magnificent way. I think it’s one of the best finales ever. There were a lot of tears.”
How did the goodbyes go?
W.Y.L. : “It was hard, especially on the last day. We spent a lot of time together making this series which lasted 7 seasons. During one episode, we say goodbye.“
F.G. : “We both cried a lot. We were real fountains!“(laughs)
What kind of couple do Dr. Reznick and Dr. Park play on the show?
F.G. : “A couple with flames at the beginning but also jokes and bickering. I think Morgan found a man who is as competitive as she is. That’s what he liked about him.“
What is “The Gathering” about, a series which won 3 trophies at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival?
What have these years of filming brought you? The Good Doctor ?
F.G. : “Morgan is a character who is not afraid of anything. She is proud and confident. Playing this kind of character has helped me a lot in my own life. I became more confident myself. I feel stronger as a woman. I hope her character inspired other women as well.“
W.Y.L. : “This is a medical series for which we had to be very precise with regard to the terms and gestures used. I found it interesting to have David Shore guide me on this.“
Do you remember your first day of filming?
W.Y.L. : “I was very nervous. It was Freddie Highmore who introduced me to the group. For me, it was like the first day of school.“
F.G. : “I was already a huge fan of the show when I was asked to join the cast. So for me, it was surreal to play in an environment that I knew by heart from television. For a long time, I called the actors by their character’s name because that’s how I knew them. (laughs) I was in awe of what the team did. So it was an honor for me to play in this show..”
Through this series, you discovered the behind the scenes of the medical environment. Are you now more confident when you walk through the doors of a hospital?
F.G. : “Part of me is less stressed and fascinated by it. But, since I’ve been on the show, I know that a lot of medicine is based on assumptions. I think about things that can go wrong, so there’s still a level of stress.“
What will the post-The Good Doctor for you ?
F.G. : “I have several projects behind the camera. Among them, the production of two films for Hallmark which will be released at Christmas 2025. Besides that, I try to make the most of my free time.“
W.Y.L. : “Like Fiona, I am in the process of producing a few films. I enjoy being back in Los Angeles because I haven’t been home continuously for almost 10 years.“
