Next Thursday, a new and exciting chapter in the career of actor Gregory Smith (pictured above, left) will begin thanks to his much-anticipated return to the small screen in ROOKIE BLUE. But before that happens, we thought it might be fun to look back one last (okay, probably not last) time on his remarkable time spent in that magical little town of EVERWOOD. What follows, an exclusive one-on-one with the artist formerly known as Ephram Brown, who was kind enough to indulge us with a few EVERWOOD-related questions while visiting the set of ROOKIE BLUE last fall.
How surprised were you when the CW pulled the rug out from under you and cancelled EVERWOOD? (A show which we inexplicably feel the need to mention attracted a VAMPIRE DIARIES sized audience for the majority of its run.)
Gregory Smith: Right up until the last minute, EVERWOOD was supposed to come back and we thought we were coming back. But because we knew there was a chance we weren’t coming back as a result of what was happening with the WB and UPN [merging into the CW] we shot two endings. It’s funny, because after we shot what turned out to be the final scene of the series — I don’t know if you remember, it was the scene with Amy and Ephram at the Ferris Wheel [Editor’s note: How could we forget!] – I remember feeling really like we just shot a great moment for the show that probably never was going to see the light of day. I was almost bummed that we had done it to waste, but it turned out that was the scene they ended up using. It really was a last minute decision that sort of surprised everybody. But at the same time we ended on a high creatively.
You mentioned that was the scene they ended up using? What was the scene that fans never got to see?
I was trying to remember that. I basically ended up not going outside and somehow missed Amy. Amy ended up outside the house with the Ferris Wheel while I ended up with Madison. They were going to bring Sarah Lancaster back and continue that storyline.
If there is a silver-lining to EVERWOOD’s cancelation, it’s that the cast has flourished on so many different shows. Do you keep in touch with them and watch what they do?
I see Scott [Wolf] around Los Angeles all the time and speak regularly with Emily [VanCamp] and Chris Pratt, those are the two who I keep in touch with most. Chris is awesome by the way, glad he’s totally kicking ass and taking names now [on PARKS AND RECREATION] because he’s the funniest guy I’ve ever known. Sarah Drew, she needs her own show and she’ll get it for sure one day soon [Editor’s Note: This interview was conducted prior to Drew signing on as a GREY’ S ANATOMY series regular!]. The younger cast I keep in touch with often, but even Treat [Williams] and Tom (Amandes] we all keep in touch. We don’t have reunions but we all sort of keep in touch individually. Same goes for [Executive producers] Rina Mimoun and Mickey Liddell.
Fans were certainly rooting for Rina’s PRIVILEGED not to get canceled so that you might have had an opportunity to guest star.
Actually there was one episode of PRIVILEGED, I think maybe in the pilot, because I’m a photographer as well, they had an art show and they used all my pictures as set dressing for the art show. We all kind of pop up in each other’s lives in different kind of ways. And then of course I did guest star for Greg [Berlanti] on ELI STONE and the reason I ended up doing the ELI STONE thing is that I hope and plan to start directing so Greg let me shadow some directors. I was on the ELI STONE set for a month and then I ended up coming back a month later to do that guest spot.
Looking back on EVERWOOD, do you have a favorite episode?
The pilot, obviously because that was just so so life changing. There was an episode “The Unveiling,” episode 17 of the first season I really liked. And the last scene in the last episode was good. There are so many I have trouble remembering, but the one I talk about the most is probably the episode with the deer just because that deer hated me so much! The first shot I did with it, I had to walk it on a leash past a waterfall and as it turned out it was scared of the water. So it freaked out, bumped me and tried to run off. And then from that moment on it forever associated me with this terrible waterfall, so I had to do a whole episode with it and any chance it got it would knock me down and run away. Not necessarily my favorite, but definitely the episode I talk about the most.
And finally, your brother [actor Douglas Smith] guested on EVERWOOD as a high school wrestler, when can we expect him to return the favour and hook you up with a spot on BIG LOVE?
I don’t know. I really pushed for him on EVERWOOD and I never felt the same sort of reciprocation from BIG LOVE! But funny enough, the producers were talking about — which I don’t think will happen this season because we’re out of episodes — but if we get another season I think he’ll guest on ROOKIE BLUE. He was up here a little while ago and it would be fun. They might even have him come on as my brother, not sure if that would actually happen, but it could be fun. We’ve never been on screen together. Ever. On EVERWOOD we only passed each other in the hallway. 
Stay tuned next week when we talk to Gregory Smith about his new series, ROOKIE BLUE, premiering on ABC (and Global TV in Canada) Thursday June 24 at 9PM.