After Elsbeth’s Holiday Episode Delivered A Christmas Surprise, The Newest Cast Member Explained Keeping Their Arrival Secret With A Wicked Comparison

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As a dedicated fan of “Elsbeth,” I must say that the holiday episode, “Gold, Frankincense, and Murder,” was nothing short of a delightful surprise! The addition of Vanessa Bayer as the week’s killer and DeeDee Dashers’ heart-wrenching predicament truly made this episode shine.

Spoilers ahead for the holiday episode of Elsbeth Season 2, called “Gold, Frankincense, and Murder,” which will be available streaming via Paramount+ subscription.

In the 2024 television lineup, Elsbeth marked the holiday season with the show “Gold, Frankincense, and Murder,” starring Vanessa Bayer from Saturday Night Live as the week’s killer. DeeDee Dashers, the Celebrity Christmas Curator, had planned to get away with murdering her husband, but Elsbeth thwarted those plans. Despite this, DeeDee was disheartened as she would spend Christmas alone. However, Kaya and Wagner rescued the holiday by convincing Teddy, their son, to visit his mother unexpectedly. This was a pleasant surprise not only for DeeDee but also for viewers, and new cast member Ben Levi Ross discussed with TopMob about securing the role and an intriguing twist reminiscent of “Wicked.

Previously, Teddy was discussed on ‘Elsbeth’, and earlier in “Gold, Frankincense, and Murder”, the ex-lawyer informed Kaya that he would be celebrating Christmas with his father this year. Consequently, Elsbeth exhibited a Scrooge-like demeanor throughout a significant portion of the episode, and it seemed unlikely that her son would appear any earlier than the 2025 television schedule suggested the latest possible time.

I had the pleasure of chatting with Ben Levi Ross, a Broadway veteran and cast member from ‘Tick, Tick… Boom’, about his role as Teddy alongside Carrie Preston’s Elsbeth. Interestingly, at that time, CBS hadn’t yet revealed the character had been cast. So, I was curious to learn from the actor himself: what was it like for him to maintain this secret until the episode went live? Ross shared his experience with me.

They’ve managed to maintain secrecy quite effectively, which is quite impressive. It’s been rather straightforward since I get to work and then return home. This way, I still feel connected to everything, even before the episode has been broadcasted. The only moment it’s tough to keep a secret is when you’re [done with your part].

In the upcoming episode, Ross will reappear as Teddy for an extended period, not just a fleeting moment in a Santa suit. This allowed him to keep contributing to the show instead of idling around with nothing to do but wait. Interestingly, the actor compared this experience to some members of the Wicked cast, sharing his thoughts further below the image of Teddy. If you’d prefer to avoid spoilers about the movie, feel free to scroll past the picture of Teddy. Here’s what the actor revealed:

I’ve been pondering on the musical Wicked, and I’ve also been reflecting on Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who managed to keep their cameos in that movie a secret for all those years. I’m not sure if you’ve watched it yet, but just a heads up – they do indeed appear in the film. A bit of a spoiler alert there. It’s fascinating because they filmed it such a long time ago and the anticipation was so high. But at least for me, I got to keep enjoying their performances more recently.

It’s yet uncertain how frequently Ben Levi Ross might show up in the second season of Elsbeth, and Michael Emerson, Carrie Preston’s real-life spouse, is set to arrive next week, stirring up some trouble. Interestingly, Teddy was introduced in a way that effectively established him as Elsbeth Tascioni’s son – quite an impressive debut, wouldn’t you agree?

Indeed, television productions frequently shoot episodes out of sequence because of scheduling constraints. Given that Teddy was set to feature towards the end of the Christmas episode and also in the following one, it made me ponder whether Ross donning the Santa suit was actually his first scene in the entire series. He explained:

In my initial appearance, I donned Santa attire, stepped onto the set, and had the pleasure of meeting everyone present that day. It was an enjoyable icebreaker, and since we all anticipated my return the following week, it felt like a brief, enticing preview of our future interactions on set before the main event unfolded.

At the heart of the Christmas special’s climax, Elsbeth and Teddy exchanged a heartwarming, joyful, bright, and cheerful embrace, and I, for one, found Carrie Preston and Ben Levi Ross convincing as mother and son from that moment on. As per Ross, bonding with his co-star, the ‘Elsbeth’ character, turned out to be effortless for him. He stated:

It was honestly so wonderful and so natural and easy. I think Carrie is just one of the best actors we’ve got. I have been a fan of hers since True Blood, so coming in to just the chemistry read that we did together before I got cast felt very easy and natural right off the bat. There’s something very maternal just about Elsbeth as a character, I think in general. She’s so warm and Midwest, and you have that energy. For me, my job is so easy, because all I have to do is lean into that, and suddenly I feel [like a] child.

The wait isn’t much longer until we can enjoy more performances from Carrie Preston and Ben Levi Ross as mother and son. I’m already excited, having been impressed by their brief scene at the end of “Gold, Frankencense, and Murder.” For those who haven’t seen it yet or would like to revisit a heartwarming moment, here’s the video below:

Don’t miss out on CBS this Thursday, December 12 at 10 p.m. Eastern Time! You’ll be introduced to Michael Emerson’s intriguing new character in the latest episode of Elsbeth. Additionally, Ben Levi Ross as Teddy will be showcased more. Catch up on earlier episodes of this popular drama on Paramount+, or revisit Carrie Preston’s portrayal of Elsbeth Tascioni in The Good Wife and The Good Fight, which aired before she got her own series.

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2024-12-06 07:37