Image Credit: Adam Larkey/ABCSo…you know that dark, tragic tale I told you was coming down the pike on Private Practice? The top secret plot you’ve been begging me to give you more info on? Well, be careful what you wish for: At the end of the ABC drama’s Oct. 28 episode, Charlotte King—the tightly wound doctor played by KaDee Strickland—will be attacked and raped by a deranged patient (Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s Nicholas Brendon). The incident kicks off a major season-long story line that will touch every character on the show. “A lot of violence against women on television is from the point of view of law enforcement,” points out executive producer Shonda Rhimes, “as opposed to standing in the shoes of the actual victim and seeing how it is for them and the people around them.” To that end, the Nov. 4 episode will be unlike any previous hour of Private in that it will revolve solely around the immediate aftermath of the attack. “It takes place all in one night, and it’s [set] almost entirely in the hospital,” reveals Rhimes, who penned the episode. “And there’s almost no music. It’s a fairly silent episode. It’s a compelling, painful episode. The work KaDee did in it was amazing.” Speaking of Strickland, what does she think about all of this? In the following interview, the actress reveals her surprising reaction upon first learning of the story line, explains why she didn’t use a stunt double while shooting the assault, and assesses the long-term fallout for Charlotte and Cooper.
What went through your mind when Shonda presented the story to you?
KADEE STRICKLAND: I was thrilled. I was so on board. It’s funny, we were at a table read and I gave Shonda my usual hug and “What’s up?” and she said, “I’m going to do something with your character this season, and it’s huge and you’ll know soon.” And I’m like, “Are you kidding me?” Once she saw the look on my face, she said, “We are going to have Charlotte be raped this season. Are you okay with that?” And my response was “Hell, yes. Let’s do it. Let’s go. I’m in.”
Why were you so enthusiastic about it?
STRICKLAND: There’s something wonderful about playing a character for four years and then having her completely turned on her head. Creatively, it’s a real gift for an actor. I also knew that this would reach so many people who have either experienced it or have been close to people who have experienced it. The only thing I said was that we have to get it right. And Shonda was totally on board with that.
Talk to me about the Nov. 4 episode.
STRICKLAND: It was amazing. It’s a page-turner. It doesn’t feel like our show—and I don’t say that with any negativity toward our show. It almost feels like a movie in some ways, because it takes place in one night.
Rape stories are a dime a dozen on TV these days. How will this one be different?
STRICKLAND: I think what you’ll find different about this is that Shonda poured her heart and soul into getting it as accurate as possible. And it is. I mean, it’s legitimately very accurate. We worked very closely with RAINN [Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network] on this. Also, we in no way are going to let this thing go away in four episodes. Charlotte will live with this for as long as she’s a character on Private Practice.
Over the past three seasons, Charlotte has been slowly tearing down the walls she built up around her. She’s less closed off than she was in the beginning. Is she going to revert to old Charlotte now?
STRICKLAND: It’s a shifting thing. And that’s the other thing that’s so great about this; no one responds to rape in the typical fashion. And that’s the one thing that I learned in doing my homework. I spoke to survivors on [nearly] a daily basis. Also, this is a very violent rape. It’s a very brutal attack. So yes, you will see those walls go up. She’s in denial at first. She is not accepting of what has happened, and she is trying very hard to act as if it didn’t.
Did you use a stunt double while shooting the assault?
STRICKLAND: No way. I wasn’t letting anybody else step into those shoes. I would’ve been heartbroken if anyone suggested it. We had a great stunt coordinator, and we gave [Nicholas Brendon] full permission to go for it. I didn’t want to act around it and play around with it. I wanted to make it as realistic as possible.
Did you get injured?
STRICKLAND: Yeah, a little bit. It was really safe, but I definitely wasn’t unscathed. And I don’t think [Nicholas] was either. Let’s just say that the day after, the makeup artists had a few legitimate bruises to cover up.
I’m assuming this will derail Charlotte and Cooper’s wedding plans.
STRICKLAND: Well, it is Shonda-land. But I think derailing things with something like this is a lot more interesting than [one of us having] an affair or [getting] cold feet. This is very real. Do I think the wedding is off? I don’t. I think that you’re going to see Charlotte and Cooper as you’ve never seen them before. And you will see sides of Cooper you’ve never seen before. I love working with Paul [Adelstein]. Charlotte leans into Cooper in a way that I don’t think she ever has in the history of the show.
I understand Addison is the only person Charlotte confides in about the actual rape. I’m guessing that will bring those two characters closer together.
STRICKLAND: I love what it does to my dynamic with Addison. She is our hero, and it’s really fascinating what they’ve given us here. It’s a different dynamic than we have gotten to play together.
For more on this sure-to-be-groundbreaking story, check out Ask Ausiello tomorrow. And to learn more about RAINN, call 800.656.HOPE.
I do not care.
good to know…
I don’t care either. The actress can’t act her way out of a paper bag/.
Again, what is it with you douchebags who just have to shoot your hand in the air, beg for attention and shout “I don’t care.”
You guys are awesome.
Thank you.
Totally! If you’re so above it, why take the time to actually type that!
I love Charlotte, and glad to see Nicky B getting some work
he is very talented. Nice guy, too.
I hate this character
Nice to see rape hyped as entertainment again. NOT
OMG
That’s crazy! My poor baby Charlotte was just starting to get all sweet and open.
You do realize these are TV characters don’t you?
LMFAO
Also, the fact that the person playing the rapist is XANDER! I don’t think I’ll be able to handle this…wow.
That’s what I was about to say. Xander how could you do such a thing!
im actually watching buffy on dvd, and this might just ruin the rest, because i consider rape repulsive.
I know I don’t even watch Private Practice or Grey’s for that matter but I’m a Buffy fan so I’ll be watching it just because Xander is in it. I can’t believe Xander is the bad guy knowing that is traumatic enough, lol.
As opposed to when Xander tried to rape Buffy? Oh, okay.
kelly, xander DID NOT try to rape buffy. it was spike. know what you are talking about before attempting to be snarky.
Actually, lettergirl, Xander did try to rape Buffy. In Season 1, Episode 6. He was possessed by a hyena spirit.
Thanks AMF. Know your Buffy, Lettergirl, before you try to correct someone. Otherwise, you just look like a fool.
I’m surprised people remembered Xander actually tried to rape Buffy too. Granted, he was possessed…but it did happen.
I will stay far far away from this episode. I don’t watch the show anyway, but I can’t stand watching things like this so I am glad I know to avoid it. I also don’t want to see my Xander raping anyone. On Buffy he was supernaturally possesed and I knew Buffy would kick his butt so it was different but this is too much. I wish Nichlas Brendon could get a less creepy acting job.
aww im proud of my fellow buffy fans. yes, xander was posessed. spike, was just his vampiric self. good for nick, he is an incredible actor.
I won’t say that Xander actually raped Buffy or attempted to. He was possessed, so it wasn’t Xander.
I get that he’s probably trying to get away from buffy but this disturbs me. Plus this is going to be involved the rest of the season? How about Dell’s death? No one really seems to care that much about that.
Did you watch last week? They absolutely have not forgotten about Dell or his death.
That was less about Dell, and more about Sam and his inability to honor his oath. Also, he was more pi**ed about Maya than Dell.
Well, he’s a recurring character on “Criminal Minds,” so I guess that’s somethi–wait, that shows pretty creepy as well. But his character isn’t, so at least there’s that
OH NO! Not Nicky! I wish they had found a different actor. I can’t see my beloved Xander as anything but, well, my beloved Xander. Maybe I’ll just pretend it’s Nicky Brendan’s twin brother, whose name I can’t remember right now.
Kelly… Nicky’s twin is Kelly Donovan. They both use their middle names as last names in the acting world.
I love Xander! Miss you dude.
Wow. I feel so sad just looking at that picture. I’m sure he’ll be totally supportive and devastated for her but I can also imagine Cooper being filled with rage at his fiancee going through that, as well as Guilt in not being able to protect her. Then he’ll act like her father and be WAAAAAAY over protective which will make Charlotte really mad and cause conflict. They have a lot to work on!
In the end, Charlotte will not want to give the rapist the satisfaction of ruining her life plans so they’ll get married.
I’m not a writer but something similar happened to me and this is the natural course of things if you talk to couples who have endured through it.
This mirrors something that happened in my life and I think that’s the reality of how the relationship halts, stops, and in the end, grows.
OMG Poor Charlotte but at least it brings Charlotte and Cooper closer. I can’t wait to see how KaDee says we eill See Cooper like we’ve never saw him before.
Xander, no!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can we please move all of these spoilers out of plain view, like on a side page of the website. I am so tired of good stuff being spoiled because its “what people want.” And I already know people will say “Don’t read it.” But if its on the main page and does not say spoiler, once you open it, its ruined. This is really annoying.
Agreed!!! You have it on the main page with a picture of who the victim is with no mention of a spoiler! Super annoying!!!!
I agree. This this has kind of been everywhere lately. TV guide had an article on it, too.
I’m guessing at Cooper’s response, because when it happened to me, the police came here and then my husband got home from work, walked in and talked briefly to police, checked on me, and then went to our basement and broke four hockey sticks in half, then punched the concrete wall several times till he had broken his hand. I had no idea until much later that night when i was alert enough to see his hand. He was so angry, and couldn’t control it; had the perpetrator still been there my husband thinks he could have killed him but since he wasn’t, he hid the anger because he didn’t want me to worry. I just see Cooper in my husband, always have, so I think he may initially feel the same way.
This is going to be amazing. I don’t care what anyone says. KaDee haters to the left.
Definitely!
With this picture on your home page, you don’t even give people a chance to avoid the spoilers. Hey while you’re at it, why don’t you just print the script. Why should anyone watch?
Thank you! Same point I was making. I hate when they insist on ruining stuff that people do not want to know yet. Take all suspense out.
I am a regular watcher of this show, but I didn’t recognize KaDee Strickland in that picture when I first saw it.
Well, that’s great for you, but for those who are a little sharper, it’s annoying.
I only recognized KaDee by her hair color…I think she is a fine actress.
You guys realize this website is primarily for spoilers? Don’t get on if you don’t want to know
exactly!
It is a spoiler site, but Ausiello himself has said that he won’t give us names, or the whole story or anything like that. If you pay attention, he always knows what will happen, but he still doesn’t tell us. Generally, there’s a ‘read full post’ before any big spoiler and not this times. I recognized Charlotte, and the title had ‘Private Practice and rape’. It was not cool.
What’s most heartbreaking about this is that Xander will be the one to rape Charlotte. I just loved Xander so much, and I really don’t want to see Brendon in such an evil, deranged role. Good chance for him to stretch, but really awful for me as a Buffy fan.
I hate rape stories in general, but for Charlotte to get raped is even worse. She’s one of the strongest women on the show, so it makes morbid sense. But I just don’t want to see it.
He’s lucky to be getting any work at all. I mean, really, other than completing rehab he hasn’t accomplished much since Buffy.
This is true. I’m glad he’s getting the work. I’m sure he’ll be so different that I’ll forget Xander immediately, but yikes.
Good to see Shonda continuing to give Buffy alums work.
He’s had a recurring role as Garcia’s boyfriend on Criminal Minds, starting shortly after she was shot.
IDK why bc he is a great actor. Done some tv movies.
Saying “Xander” is the rapist is silly. Xander was a character he played, therefore Xander is not a rapist.
Yeah, I know. Can’t help it, I guess.
‘Once she saw the look on my face, she said, “We are going to have Charlotte be raped this season. Are you okay with that?” And my response was “Hell, yes. Let’s do it. Let’s go. I’m in.”’
Then she says:
“There’s something wonderful about playing a character for four years and then having her completely turned on her head.”
Those are pretty messed up responses. Why didn’t she just say, “Yay, rape! Bring it on! Love it!!”
That is exactly what I thought. Pretty insensitive.
I also found it repulsive. Rape shouldn’t be entertainment. There are far too many shows about rape, murder, child abuse, and generally insane ways to hurts each other and we use them for entertainment. Look, I like to be stimulated with things I’ve never seen before, but I’m so desensitized to violent images. I mean, does anyone like rape? DO we need another hour of tv devoted to it just so the same people will still hate rape? I understand that it’s moving to watch Good triumph over Evil, but for a woman especially to write this–because all women are afraid of being raped–it grosses me out. And not just PP, but Criminal Minds, SVU, CSI–it’s women and children who are the most vulneralble in life and on television, and it’s not until we become victims ourselves that we stop taking pleasure in it. Yes, I’m square, and picking on poor television writers at that, but you know, I member seeing Judy Hoffs get raped on 21 Jump Street when I was seven years old. Has nothing changed in twenty years? Or does Shonda Rhimes have no other talent than shocking people?
She’s speaking as an actress – as someone being given the chance to ACT – trust me, when actors are given the chance to do difficult things, from disabled to Holocaust to rape and murder – they are thrilled because it let’s them spread their wings.
AMEN!
Yeah I don’t she meant to come across as sounding insensitive. I think she’s more just honored and excited to get to play out a story as important as this one.
Why do you have to take a negative look at this? I read her comments to be that she is excited to have her character do this to help people who may have had the same horrific experience. And yes, selfishly; it is a meaty attention-receiving role to play and for her career, it is challenging and rewarding.
She is in no way trivializing the situation and you should be embarrassed to insinuate that
I can not imagine Xander as a rapist… It’s so out of my mind. Don’t want to sound to enthusiastic about this, but I can’t wait to see that.
It’s not Xander, it’s Nicholas Brendan, an actor. Buffy ended years ago. And though I was pretty of snarky about him earlier, because I’m like that, it’s good to see him getting something high-profile, even though the role itself is unpleasant.