Fear The Walking Dead: Jenna Elfman On June’s Big Episode

Jenna Elfman returned to Fear the Walking Dead in a brief moment at the end of an episode just a couple of weeks ago where her June character was used as a piece of leverage to reward Garret Dillahunt’s John Dorie for not overthrowing Virginia. Colbie Minifie’s Virginia villain has become a major player in the new season, appearing in several of the new episodes unlike many of the cast members who are sidelined for several weeks at a time. However, the storytelling calling for some characters to sit out so others can tell a more complete story each Sunday night has been working really well through Fear the Walking Dead‘s sixth season. On Sunday night, it was Elfman’s turn to be at the center of the latest hour.

“What I love about it is we get to really spend time with each character and really permit them to go through these changes and evolutions in really, really meaningful ways,” Elfmam told ComicBook.com in an exclusive interview, adding, “that the audience can really spend time with each character and really invest and understand the journey for each one, and the changes in them are meaningful, they’re understood, they’re clear, they’re dynamic.”

Elfman’s June made several difficult decisions in Sunday night’s Episode 6×06, titled, “Bury Her Next To Jasper’s Leg.” June had an opportunity to kill the apparent tyrant who manipulates people into following her but chose to pursue a new opportunity with control of a hospital which might provide an opportunity to help people.

Elfman broke down the episode in a chat with ComicBook.com, which you can see in its entirety below.

The New Season

ComicBook.com: This season’s been fantastic. I want to start with the changes we’ve seen. What would you say are the biggest differences this year with the anthology style? At a minimum, I’m sure your schedule is quite different!

Jenna Elfman: Yeah. Well, what I love about it is we get to really spend time with each character and really permit them to go through these changes and evolutions in really, really meaningful ways, that the audience can really spend time with each character and really invest and understand the journey for each one, and the changes in them are meaningful, they’re understood, they’re clear, they’re dynamic. So I just think it makes for a really potent season of dynamic character change, and that’s really fun for actors because we get to really dig in, and that’s really enjoyable.

CB: What does it do for you to help you kind of feel more comfortable in character as, especially this week, the majority of the episode is you and it’s June, and there’s no fighting for screen time, which viewers sort of felt as the ensemble grew and the story filled up with more characters?

JE: It doesn’t really change for me. I don’t feel like some fight for screen time. That’s never been a thought I’ve ever had actually. And being in character is not ever a problem. If I’m in the background, I’m contributing to the story. My attention, my energy, my character, my emotion, everybody’s always contributing to the story, whether you’re in front, on the side, in back. That’s never ever a consideration. I’m just always happy to be there.

But I think that the getting to, like I said, just getting to really sink your teeth into a journey for a nice chunky time. It’s just odd. I don’t know. It’s just very satisfying. And I think for me, it’s really exciting for the audience because I just think it’s just more good for the audience, it’s like, they get to spend more time with the character, it helps them connect their heart and soul to these characters, and it’s a bigger investment that way, and it’s a more meaningful watch when you get to spend the time.

The Virginia Fight

CB: The big moment of the episode: June and Virginia’s showdown after Virginia got bit. June chooses to allow Virginia to live after Virginia shows that maybe she does have a little bit of a heart in caring for her sister. This says a lot about June, that she would be willing to spare somebody like this. From your perspective, what does that say about your character and where she is in that moment?

JE: I think it was sort of… this sounds weird to say. It’s the win-win for June, but it’s just such a horrible time that they’re under Virginia’s rule. How can you even have a winner? But June does see… I think it shows her compassion, her ability to be empathetic to another human being, that feeling of caring so much about someone and not be able to help them. that Jimmy says June knows that two-fold with her own daughter of trying to go help her daughter and it’s failed and not only did she lose her daughter, she lost the whole FEMA shelter, and it was all on her shoulders and the guilt.

And then with John, when you feel like you can’t help somebody you care so much about. And I know that feeling. I think any of us in our own life, if you think of someone you care about that you haven’t been able to help, it’s sickening. It will destroy you. So I think to have empathy and mercy for that, but also with some leverage because I think saving someone’s life puts a lot of coins in your pocket, and that’s not lost on June. And that’s valuable because it’s very hard to have leverage over Jimmy. She controls everything.

CB: So no pun intended, I don’t know what you could say, but is saving Virginia from a zombie bite something that might come back to bite anybody, especially June?

JE: I think the poetry is sitting more in your corner on that one.

The Difficult Choices

CB: A couple of weeks ago, it looked like Virginia was using June as a tool for leverage over John. Now, as you mentioned, it seems like the tables have turned. Do you think June was aware of this or is she just so genuinely desiring to get this hospital going and be able to help people that she would overlook it?

JE: June hasn’t been able to get it out of John what the hell happened. She needs to understand they’re a team, a team needs to know what the other person’s thinking, and he won’t open it up to her. It’s like he doesn’t want me to know so that I don’t fall victim to anything. I think it’s better June doesn’t know how she’s being used, but I think it’ tri-fold. Any way to get an upper hand on Virginia is going to be valuable because you know you’re going to have to play that card at some point, just gotta architecture of what’s going on.

There’s some other force at work that Jude wants to know about, and that also gives her… June and Ginny says, “We’ll talk.” And June’s like, “Yeah, we’ll talk.” You know? So I think to be empathetic and have the leverage, I don’t know, that’s the best of both worlds that June could accomplish right now. And June’s kind of on a little bit of a high from it.

CB: John decided he couldn’t live under Virginia’s rule and everything that happened between them, but June has shown she can live independently because she was doing that before she met this group. So if John decides to continue on this path, away from the group, how will that impact June and her choices going forward?

JE: Well, I guess that’s why you keep watching the show. But I think… I don’t know how to answer that other than you just have to watch.