TV

'Scandal' Cast Previews S3's Biggest 'OMG' Moments

By Jarett Wieselman
ABC

The elevator doors to Pope & Associates will slide open on October 3 but the cast and crew of Scandal have been hard at work for the last three weeks on the upcoming third season and ETonline has a sneak peek of what you can expect from the season premiere!

Mystery shrouds the episode, but during ABC's All-Star Party at The Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour I was chatting with Darby Stanchfield about the first season three table read. "I think I uttered 'Oh My God' 12 times throughout that first table read and not a single one of those "Oh My Gods" was written in the script for Abby," she laughed. "The whole cast was screaming!"


VIDEO - Scandal Cast Talks Father of all Shockers!

So I thought it might be fun to ask the cast which storyline elicited the most "OMG" exclamations from them -- and why! Here are their answers.


Darby Stanchfield chose President Fitzgerald Grant:
"I continue to be shocked about what President Grant does on this show. I mean, Tony Goldwyn can do no wrong ... he even makes you forget that he's having an affair. He couldn't be a more lovely, well-balanced individual -- and he's so good looking. But in this episode..."


Tony Goldwyn chose President Fitzgerald Grant:
"I can't tell you why, but I really did not expect Fitz to go where he goes in the episode. It's quite shocking. We're going to learn a lot more about Fitz than we ever have before. There are dark spaces in Fitz's past that we'll find out about. Shonda [Rhimes, creator] has a way of weaving backstories and themes together in really shocking ways that are illuminating, not gratuitous.


Kerry Washington chose Olivia Pope:
"I'm excited for them to get a peek into Olivia's past. There have already been so many hashtag moments. The bar keeps being raised this season."


Katie Lowes chose Olivia Pope:
"It has to be Olivia's. I mean, in that moment where we left off with her and her dad, we learn things about Olivia Pope I did not know. What's cool about that moment is it shows you how far we've gone in this show yet you really don't know a lot about these people. There are a lot of characters we have yet to explore and we really do that this season."


Scott Foley chose Mellie Grant:
"I am a huge Mellie fan, but I chose Mellie because her unexpected participation in an event where she should ... oh God, I think I've said too much."


Bellamy Young chose Olivia Pope:
"In the first scene of [the season premiere], there is a sentence that will reverberate across the world. Shonda's written one sentence between Rowan and Olivia that hasn't been said in the light before. It's been said quietly but it's such a wonderful moment that makes me so proud to be on a show that's honest like this. I think it will mean a lot to a lot of people."


Scandal premieres October 3 at 10 p.m. on ABC.