NEWSChris Lowell and Jason Dohring on Veronica Mars, Kristen Bell and Being Each Others "Biggest Fans!"
March 13 2014, Published 3:57 p.m. ET
Veronica Mars fans, Marshmallows if you will—you're a pretty united bunch. It was YOUR devotion and checkbooks that got the movie made with an unprecedented Kickstarter campaign. But, there is one thing and one thing only that will divide you all—are you Team Logan or Team Piz? Ah, Veronica's two very different lovers— Stosh "Piz" Piznarski is the kindhearted, sensitive radio guy versus Logan Echolls, the spoiled, misunderstood rich kid with that magnetic pull on Veronica's heart and soul.
So when we had the chance to sit down with the boys who play Piz and Logan together in the same room—it was time to get down to business. Read on for our joint chat with Chris Lowell (Piz) and Jason Dohring (Logan) where they talk about what playing Veronica's love interests has done to their own off-screen friendship, what they both really think of Kristen Bell and how the fans never let them forget which team they're on!
OKMagazine.com: The fans who have seen the Veronica Mars movie already have been going crazy over it—why do you think that is?
Chris Lowell: I think the best thing for this film is the film that Rob Thomas wanted to make and the film that the fans wanted to see was the same thing. I think that was a real fear and a lot people worry about with crowd sourcing major motion pictures is feeling like your hands are tied to what the fans want. I think in this case it was one of these really serendipitous unions where Rob’s hopes for the future of Veronica Mars reflected that of the fans.
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Jason Dohring: For me, I enjoyed playing this character so much and I think there are so many sides of him that are enjoyable—the bad boy aspect to the love story and I just get him. When Rob writes him I just get it—I know what that feeling would be like, I know that scene. I’m in love with this as I’m reading it—it’s already there. I just have to go and be with Kristen Bell and just do it.
OKMagazine.com: What was it like stepping back into these characters that you left behind over seven years ago?
CL: Starting off on Veronica Mars, my character Piz was really nervous and shy. I think for me personally, at that time, Veronica Mars was only my third or fourth job. So, I was still really young and doe eyed and then years later I’m a lot more confident in my abilities. And, that’s where we meet Piz. He's a lot more confident. He's still a nice guy, there’s still all those traits of his that are still there but I think he’s a lot more confident in who he is and knows what he wants. Hes not pining for attention or validation the way he used to which is nice.
OKMagazine.com: Can you talk about the chemistry you each have with Kristen Bell?
CL: For me, I feel like my priority with Kristen is to get her to put the liquor down and remember her lines and just stop boozing and throwing out politically incorrect racial slurs left and right—it’s work, it’s not easy. But that’s just my experience . . . Jason probably has something better to offer than I do . . . laughs ED NOTE: he was joking!!
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JD: Chris Lowell just lies laughs. I’ll give you a serious answer. I think there’s a visceral agreement that Veronica and Logan have even if it’s unspoken where they just understand what each other has been through. So, I think there’s a mutual respect and reality that’s there and it’s never talked about—between my struggles with my family, her struggles with her family and we both do understand that in hard times—they get each other and get each others' struggles.
OKMagazine.com: So you know this question is coming. Jason, you already told us that you're Team Piz. Is that still the case? And Chris, what about you?
JD: It would get me off the hook a little because whenever I’m with Veronica I always have to be a little bit better morally. I can’t be with the title character if I’m sleeping with other women and you know, lighting things on fire, so I like to do those things and I like to help my friend out . . .
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CL: It’s so funny, I think the best thing about this whole rivalry is that it’s just made me an even bigger Jason Dohring fan and just made Jason an even bigger Chris Lowell fan. We always had a friend crush on each other during the show and now that it’s turned into this crazy rivalry of Team Piz versus Team Logan—we just keep supporting each other.
JD: The Team Piz people are VERY Team Piz. I’d have fans around me on set and then every so often, someone would come up to me and say, 'Just so you know? I’m Team Piz!' And I’d be like, 'Okay? That’s fine—I am too!'
CL: Yeah, that would happen to me a lot. This is how pathetic it was for me. I remember we did Comic Con and they introduced Kristen Bell and everyone cheered. Jason Dohring—cheers and clapping. And then they said, 'And Chris Lowell!" Dead silence. Crickets weren’t even around. And I remember running up on stage and being like, 'I know, I know, I got it . . .'
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JD: The people who really wanted to see Veronica do well and make good were Team Piz fans because they just want her to have the happy ending which they just might not ever have with this guy.
OKMagazine.com: Did you guys stay in touch between the TV show and the movie?
JD: We went on a couple of ski vacations.
CL: We all stayed in touch but it was funny to come back and be like, 'Oh right, you’re like my enemy on this. We’re not going to have any scenes together!'
So, what do you guys think of what Logan and Piz had to say? Are you Team Logan or Team Piz? And are you going to be first in line to see the movie when it hits theaters on March 14th? Tell us all by tweeting @OKMagazine or leaving a comment below!
