'Scandal' Season 5 Spoilers: Series Will Jump Six Months Into The Future; Fitz 'Being Stoic,' Actor Reveals
ABC's top-rated political drama "Scandal" took a huge leap in terms of its portrayal of abortion and the surprising departure of the show's heroine, Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington), from the White House and from her relationship with Fitz (Tony Goldwyn), the fictional U.S. president, in the show's winter finale. Now, it will again take another big leap - this time, a chronological one - when it takes a six-month jump into the future with its Season 5B premiere.
Mirroring Washington's recent comment about her character, Katie Lowes, who plays Olivia Pope & Associates' recruit Quinn Perkins, told Entertainment Weekly, "She's so different." "Shonda Rhimes has done such a great job over the five seasons to really peel away at people's characters and show you different sides of them," the actress added.
Meanwhile, Goldwyn also revealed some information about where the characters stand in Season 5B, telling EW that when "Scandal" returns, Fitz, his character, will still be in love with Olivia. "I think he's miserable, but he's not showing it," Goldwyn said. "He's being very stoic."
"Everybody has evolved into the next phase of their lives," the actor disclosed. According to Goldwyn, without Olivia and former First Lady Mellie (Bellamy Young), and having lost his trust in White House Chief of Staff Cyrus Beene (Jeff Perry), Fitz will be on his own, "the guy alone on the top of the hill," the actor said.
Goldwyn also revealed that, following his break-up with Olivia, Fitz will be plunging himself into work and trying to make the best out of his last year-and-a-half as President. "You know there's a ticking bomb in there somewhere for him, that he's trying to function well," the 55-year-old actor said. "I don't want to give anything away, but he's trying to find his way," he revealed.
"Scandal" will resume its much-anticipated fifth season on Thursday, Feb. 11, at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.
