Judy Greer's Stepmom Experience Shaped Her Role in "The Last Thing He Told Me"

"The Final Thing He Said to Me" features new episodes on Fridays available on Apple TV.

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In an exclusive conversation with, Judy Greer shares her thoughts on becoming part of the cast ofThe Final Thing He Said to Meseason 2
She states that her character Quinn is quite distinct from her actual personality.
She also mentions that she could relate to the tension Quinn introduced into Bailey's relationship with stepmom Hannah, as she too is a stepmom.

Judy Greeris explaining why she felt a personal bond withThe Final Thing He Said to Mes storyline.

The 50-year-old actress joined the Apple TV thriller for its second season, which debuted on Friday, February 20, portraying Quinn. Quinn was the best friend of the late mother ofAngourie Rice’s Bailey.

Greer mentions that prior to joining the show, which is adapted fromLaura DaveHer best-selling novel of the same name had already made her a fan.

She explains, referring to her long-time friend, 'I read the book before they even began filming because Jen told me this was a project she was going to be working on.'Jennifer Garner, who appears in the series as Hannah Hall and also acts as an executive producer. "Of course, when the show was released, I watched it, because I love the book and I love Jen in this role."

I believe she's an amazing, intriguing, and powerful female character," Greer adds. "I know I could never be like Hannah Hall. She's much stronger than me, but I enjoy imagining that I could be.

In season 1, Hannah's husband Owen (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) flees into hiding, leaving her to safeguard his daughter Bailey, whose biological mother passed away when she was a child.

Although their early relationship was difficult, Hannah and Bailey make a comeback for season 2 — which is based on Dave's follow-up novel,The First Time I Encountered Him, and resumes five years later — with a strong, maternal connection. Then Quinn enters the scene when Bailey reaches out to discover more about her biological mother, creating some conflict between Quinn and Hannah as they deal with their roles in Bailey's life.

I'm a stepmom, and I really connected with the storyline of a stepmom taking care of her stepdaughter in that manner," says Greer, who is the stepmom to her husband Dean E. Johnsen's adult children, Lucas and Emilee. "I mean, thankfully my stepdaughter didn't lose her mother, so she didn't have to experience that, but I really enjoy stories about stepmothers.

Greer's grasp of that connection further enhanced her ability to comprehend the relationship between Hannah and Bailey and Quinn, whom Greer admits she otherwise shares few similarities with.

Quinn is very complex, and she's very reserved," she says. "That was really enjoyable because I am a very open person, and I show my emotions openly. So portraying someone who constantly had to protect herself, who wasn't allowing herself to become too attached to Bailey or Hannah or get involved in this whole scenario, was really intriguing for me.

"I discussed it extensively during therapy," Greer jokes.

Even though there was on-screen conflict, Greer mentions that working with Garner, with whom she played rival characters in the 2004 romantic comedy13 Going on 30, added immense happiness to the experience.

It's definitely the best to get paid for hanging out with your friend," she says. "It's amusing that we keep portraying characters who are against each other. I wonder what it would be like to work with her when we were truly close friends and deeply connected. We always make jokes about that.

Greer added, "Then we would never have to be separated on set — because there were instances where we had to keep our distance, particularly during some of those intense scenes we shared. I'd say, 'Keep away. You're a stone. You're a ghost. I need to be alone until we finish filming this scene.'"

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The Final Thing He Said to Menew episodes air on Fridays via Apple TV.

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