Raleigh Cafe & the Set of Castle at Raleigh Studios

Photo – ABC TV

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All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2012

Well – I haven’t been on the set of a network television show in a while.  I knew I missed it – but I now realize –  I didn’t know how much.

OOOOH!  A lot!  I love studio lots!  So much history.  It makes you really feel like you are part of something big.

My character is one half of a Jersey hair & make-up team for a fictional TV news program.   The original breakdown compared them to the Simpsons characters – Patty & Selma.

(Stock photo)

Here is my dressing room:

My first step in the process of becoming one of these women was wardrobe.  Here is one of the two outfits we decided on.

(photo – Castle wardrobe department)

The next step was hair & make-up – courtesy of the imaginative Anthony & Patricia.

Then came dinner.  There is a lovely cafe – with a wait staff and everything – there on the lot.

I ordered a Caesar salad, fries & an iced tea.

My cast-mate, Laura Niemi, joined me & we sat outside on a beautiful summer night & had dinner.

We worked until late Wednesday night – and enjoyed some craft service.

We worked again on Thursday & Friday.  Even got to change up our looks a bit.

Laura & I – I think you can see – got along famously!   And why not?  We are fabulous chicks on a great show playing really fun characters!    People were dripping gratitude like a George Foreman grill drips grease.    Ok – that was weak – and kinda gross.   But I’m exhausted.  Not feeling the “art” here today.

Additionally – the cast & crew of Castle rank among the friendliest I have ever worked with.  The two lead actors – Nathan Fillion & Stana Katic – went well beyond the call of duty in making their guest actors feel comfortable & welcome.  This is more rare than you might imagine.  They are both gorgeous to look at – and even prettier on the inside – so, if you are a fan of Castle – your heart is in the right place.  CLASS CLASS CLASS all over that joynt like white on rice.

The Raleigh Cafe hosted our dinner last night.  It was even more lovely eating there after dark – on another warm summer night.

The other guest actors were all charming & a delight to meet.  Also – not always a given.

Castle – I love you!  You will go down as one of the most pleasant professional experiences of my career.  And that is saying a lot because, for personal reasons, this was one of the hardest weeks of my life.  Seriously.  The hair & make-up trailer was witness to many a tear from me & much silent, shaking-shoulder-crying-into-the-hands melodrama (for reasons too sad to share here) – and they were incredibly kind, patient & compassionate with me.

By the time we wrapped last night at 1:30AM –  Laura was getting weepy with me – but this time it was because we were so sad to go.   So –

Cheers, to you, cast & crew of CASTLE!!!!  And thank you!