Elizabeth Mitchell will attempt to save the world from an alien invasion in ABC’s new drama V, a reboot of the memorable 1983 miniseries that debuts tomorrow. She’s also dealing with some deadly serious business on another freaky ABC series. In Lost’s season 5 finale, Mitchell’s Juliet seemingly met her end after plunging down a hole and triggering a hydrogen bomb that may or may not have reset the timeline. SPOILER ALERT: While Lost exec producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse confirm that death becomes her (“The decision to kill Juliet was absolutely brutal,” says Lindelof), they note that she’s scheduled to appear in multiple episodes this season (“There’s still something very significant that we have not yet learned about the character,” hints Cuse). As you speculate away, enjoy these juicy quotes from Mitchell, Cuse, and Lindelof:
On shooting Juliet’s final scene in the season 5 finale:
MITCHELL: “At the time, I didn’t think I was ever coming back. So for me it was just a really big goodbye and easily heartbreaking. It wasn’t one of those things to think about it. Also, Josh [Holloway] is really strong, so I was on this pulley, and I had them loosen the pulley so he’d really be holding me up, and it killed both of us every time. When my hand slipped from his, it was because he couldn’t hold on any longer. So that hit us with a real punch. And then, to be trapped in that cave and to have no way of telling anybody and to be too hurt to move—who does that happen to? Is that not your deepest, deepest nightmare? So that was very easy to play because it was so big…. We were all broken-hearted and crying quite a bit. Evangeline [Lilly] couldn’t have been more supportive about all of it. Everyone came to say goodbye. I think Jorge [Garcia] brought champagne. It was a cathartic and amazing experience.”
On why she enjoyed that scene:
MITCHELL: “It was really primal. And it was such a lovely opportunity because there’s always been this theory that I just may be a really really horrible actor because I don’t show any emotion. I love that we got to see all of her rage, because to me, that’s what’s driven her. To have the calm exterior, I always had to have that underneath. That’s what made playing her kind of hard in my personal life because there was so much unexpressed. So I’d be on the way home, Agggghhhhh!, crying or screaming. That was the very first time that we got to see her naked—besides being in love. We actually got to see all of that pain and rage that had been built up for some time. Then there it was—Juliet unmasked. And it was fun. I remember the director saying, “Can you just push it to the limit?’ And I’m like, ‘Really?’”
On the decision to off Juliet:
CUSE: “As the story is now nearing its conclusion, some characters just aren’t going to make it all the way to the end. Even beloved characters aren’t going to make it all the way to the end. And sometimes we have to do things that are really painful, like killing Juliet, because that’s what makes the story feel like the stakes are genuine, and people feel invested that characters who are beloved can actually perish on our show. It was an enormously powerful story that concluded the entire season of the show. So she was sacrificed in service of the story, and I think was hugely responsible for the season being viewed as successful because that was how it ended.… But she will always loom as one of our favorite characters, and even more importantly, favorite people that we’ve ever worked with on this show.”
LINDELOF: “What always gives us pause—especially in this instance—is we just love working with Elizabeth. And she always brings it, she always gives more than we expected, and transcends the material. She has always been so gracious and sweet and lovely…. That conversation [in which he and Cuse delivered the bad news] went the same way that the entire relationship did, which is Elizabeth was completely understanding, sweet, and wonderful. And she was bummed, as were we.”
MITCHELL: “I really only thought [the job] was going to be a year. I didn’t in any way think that that character would be liked because I didn’t think of her as a likable person. I was just in love with her, so that was what was fun. She didn’t have to be beautiful. She didn’t have to be sexy. She was someone who we really haven’t seen. It was new, it was virgin ground.… [But after season 3], I was told many, many times that they weren’t sure what to do and that they wanted to keep her a mystery. Which I thought was great, to keep her a mystery. I’m glad they didn’t go the other way, and make her completely nothing. In many ways a lot of it was just inevitable. [Season 4] wasn’t as exciting as season 3 was, but I was still pretty grateful to be there, to be honest with you. They’d done a lot for me, so I still felt pretty good about it and I still loved her. Even if I was just walking around in the background, I was still having my Juliet thoughts…. [In a phone call right before the end of season 5, Lindelof and Cuse] said they didn’t have any story left to tell, and they didn’t think there was anything left for her to do… They were very open and honest and kind about it. And they seemed to be sad about it.”
CUSE: “There are so many characters in the weave of the fabric of Lost that at various times certain people get to shine and other people are forced into the background. Juliet’s character had that kind of an arc on the show: She burned brightly, but then we moved on in the storytelling and other things became more important. And it’s always painful. It’s like having a garage full of the most beautiful cars in the world but you only can drive one to work every day. And it was frustrating for us, too, because we were pursuing other stories which rose to prominence and hers ended up taking a little bit of a backseat. But Damon and I came to a place where we came up with a fantastic ‘ending’ [for Juliet]. And ending is in quotations, of course, because just because a character’s died doesn’t mean that their story’s over on Lost.”
LINDELOF: “Juliet basically birthed season 6 by the actions that she takes in the final seconds of season 5. She is completely responsible for the endgame of the show. So the character is going to be seen in a slightly different light this year. We gave her that action for a reason, and that’s because she’s so important to the fabric of the story.”
On later being asked to return in season 6:
MITCHELL: “The only thing I could think of was that she gets to beat the c-r-a-p out of Ben [laughs]…. I was like, ‘I think I’m going to be really busy. But I’m so in love with this character, it’s not like you have to twist my arm. So, thank you.’ It was just a complete roller coaster of [emotions], though, because I had already said goodbye.”
On what we should expect when we see Juliet again:
MITCHELL: “It’s probably exactly what you expect, but because it’s Damon and Carlton, you know they’re just going to turn it on its ear.”
For more from Mitchell on Lost and V, check out this week’s issue of EW—as well as this video interview. You definitely should click here too.
PHOTO CREDIT: Mario Perez/ABC
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elizabeth mitchell is a very talented actress, since e.r.. i hope V will works fine!
Why can’t I be riding in a car with Elizabeth Mitchell?!?!
Why can’t I be in a car riding Elizabeth Mitchell?
By far Juliet was my favorite character on Lost, not only because of Juliet herself, but also because of Elizabeth Mitchell and her gracious, endearing demeanor. Though I love the way Juliet’s story ended, I was really looking forward to the day when she was finally reunited with her sister, and so it’s really rather heartbreaking to know that will never happen (probably…this is Lost, so anything can happen I suppose). I’m glad we haven’t seen the last of Juliet.
Also, I’m really looking forward to V and hope it does well.
So sad to see her leave the show. Best love story in the show killed off in one season. Best female character killed off for ridiculous reasons. Don’t think I have the heart to watch V.
Looking forward to more of Elizabeth Mitchell in her new series V and season 6 of Lost!
I don’t know why everyone makes a big deal about Juliet’s “death.” She blew up a hydrogen bomb. Technically, didn’t everyone die? Or am I just missing something here?
Technically you are correct in that they all died but, the majority of the characters will return is some way. Juliet will not. So in a way, she has been killed off while the others still go on.
Yeah, see this is bothering me. I know it is Lost, and I give it the benefit of the doubt all the time. But they were ALL alive when she hit that bomb. So why is it she the only one who dies? I really hope they explain it, because it will really bother me. Or maybe someone else can? Or maybe we just won’t know till January? Help!
The prevailing theory is that since she is right next to the bomb, she is toast; the others get caught in the blast/time warp back to the present.
Really? Hmmmm… I guess I could buy that, but still seems like a stretch.
Remember, she was sucked into the pit and did just fall quite a long way down. It’s quite possible that she goes through the time warp with everyone else but still dies because of her injuries from the fall.
I assumed that she is the one that dies because we do not see a flashback where Jacob touches her. Most of the other key characters have had a run in with Jacob somewhere in the past, at which time he touched them. I think that touch is what revives those individuals, and since Juliet was not among them, she is not revived.
Also, she was the only one not touched by Jacob.
I keep thinking John Locke and Desmond were in the hatch when it blew or imploded Charlie was near by and they all survived, this is LOST expect anything! I really enjoy reading your blogs
I imagine that since Juliet’s presence on the island wasn’t ‘ordained’ by Jacob, while she was responsible for resetting the timeline by exploding the bomb, she didn’t leave the timeline like the others probably have.
If I’m to believe the promos, in season 6, the plan crash never happens, so the timeline was probably reset at some point back in the 70’s or earlier – Juilet may never have been born in the season 6 timeline, or is alive but living under different circumstances and totally unaware of what occurred in the other timeline.
I was hoping that they’d have to visit her in the reset timeline, under the circumstances that she’s never met them in her native timeline.
I’ve been a fan of Elizabeth Mitchell ever since I saw her on ER. She always brings such depth and emotion to her characters. Juliet was one of my favorite characters on Lost and I will miss her greatly.
I was looking forward to V anyway but I am even more excited knowing that EM will be on it. I’m sorry that Juliet is gone but I’m really excited for the new show. I wish her all the best.
I am still in mourning the loss of Juliet (even though, can’t complain because she had one of the best exits from a show that I’ve ever seen), but look forward to the last season of Lost and the premiere of V.
Hope lots of future success for Elizabeth Mitchell because she is one of the best actresses on Television.
I really like Elizabeth Mitchell but I have to say I never really took to Juliet and I found her and Sawyer together just unconvincing. I do look forward to whatever of her we see in the upcoming season however. I too was hoping she would make it back home to see her sister. Just because I didn’t take to her didn’t mean I hated her.
I feel the same. I really want to see what everyone else sees in Juliet, I just don’t. Also, I thought her death scene was…not good. Not when you compare it to, say, Charlie’s. I needed to take a pill w/Charlie’s final moments, haha, but I didn’t even get watery eyes w/Juliet. And I love Elizabeth Mitchell, I watch her in everything (she was great in the Linda McCartney movie, Gia, ER), but Juliet just didn’t move me. While I’m at it, I hated the whole finale. If John Locke is doorknob-dead, I’m going to be pissed.
Charlie’s death was gut wrenching and I cried for a couple of days but I cried equally as hard for Juliet. I don’t know what it is/was about her but she was in my top 5 favourite characters almost from her very first episode. I love Elizabeth Mitchell. As you say she was great in Gia, ER, and even made a lovely Mrs Claus in The Santa Claus 2. I am so looking forward to V and hoping that ABC’s idiotic decision to air four eps now and then nothing until next year doesn’t blow up in their faces.
Ah, I really loved Sawyer and Juliet together. I think that’s what finally made me a fan of her. They worked so well together and I loved how they had each other’s backs without asking too many questions.
Dead is dead. As Cuse said, they killed her. Keep it that way.
*sigh* I loved Juliet and I hate to see her go, but her death was well-written and her death scene was phenomenal! I am really looking forward to her being on V. I really appreciate the writers on Lost taking the time to concern themselves with whether a ‘death’ is meaningful or not. I’ve been a fan of a show where the writers killed off characters on a whim and it was really frustrating as a fan. Juliet’s death made sense, however much Juliet fans dislike it, and I’m glad to see we’ll see her in some capacity in the Final Season.
I am sorry to see Juliet go but I am happy that they will touch on her story again and reveal some secrets.
Someone please refresh my memory fans: Wasn’t Juliet a double agent in Season 4, sneaking information about the castaways to Ben. I thought they “forgave” her way too fast. What changed?
Yes she was but she confessed to Jack almost immediately what was happening. At that point he was the only one who was on her side anyway.
It was the end of season 3, and she ended up betraying Ben by telling Jack she was a double-agent, allowing the castaways to set their trap.
Yay! I heart Elizabeth Mitchell. I’m so glad to hear she’ll be back for season 6. Hopefully we’ll get some Sawyer/Juliet scenes. I’m also looking forward to “V”.
“So she was sacrificed in service of the story”
Er, what? I thought they killed her off since she had signed off to be on V…or did she join that after they told her they were going to kill her off?
“There’s still something very significant that we have not yet learned about the character,”
The why the ef don’t they reveal this stuff BEFORE they get rid of the person? Like with Libby or Danielle…they get rid if actors/characters, THEN mention that there was more to tell? Ugh.
Sorry, but Dalton and Cuse really p*ss me off in interviews. They sometimes make me enjoy the show less, especially when they keep saying it’s all planned. Oh well…at least we’ll be getting some Juliet in season 6. I hated her when when she first appeared, but ended up loving her, so hope she gets some good scenes, especially with Josh.
I’m not 100% certain, but I think they made the decision to kill her character before she was cast in the pilot for V.
This woman has an energy that very few actresses possess. She’s magnetic and any show that has her is the better for it. I watch a lot of TV and love many characters, but few hold a candle to Juliet and few actresses are in the same league as EM.
Are you her agent or father?
Even if he were, he’d still be right.
Thank you Elizabeth
I’m too sad about Juliet’s death but I’m happy we will see her again…she’s my fav character on Lost 
I think Elizabeth Mitchell is brilliant in Lost. Her controlled and nuanced portrayal of Juliet will never be forgotten. I’m really anxious to see how an H-BOMB only killed someone right next to it and spared the others who were still in relatively close proximity.
hehe…exactly (see my comment below)
Err, correct me if I’m wrong, but since the bomb went off, surely either all of them are dead, or the timeline has been reset meaning all of them are alive..? So why are we talking about Juliet’s death as if it is isolated from the others..? Confused.com…
I was thinking the same thing. Maybe she will be “reunited” with her sister, in that they were never apart bc the H-bomb reset everything.
Two theories:
1. The bomb causes a “reset” like Jack predicted and they go back to before the Oceanic flight crashed. Events could then occure which changes the course of Juliet’s life and she never goes to the island.
2. Everybody survives the blast because it sends them through a timewarp into the present day. However, Juliet still dies because of the injuries she sustained from the fall into the pit.
Cuz Jacob didn’t touch her. He touched all the rest.
I’ve already just about forgotten Lost. I can’t even remember who is still on the island, who is in the past , who is in the present. Way too long between seasons. I know some of it was becasue of the strike but still this is way too long to wait.
That’s what dvds are for!
Nothing to do with the strike this time. The show started in January and ended after a normal run of new shows. It will start in January again.
There will most likely be a recap episode before the season premiere. I know they’ve done that for at least the past 2 seasons.
The bomb going off does kill everyone, but the consciousness of their experience will probably live on. Since Juliet’s consciousness is seperate of the others (since whe wasn’t touched by Jacob), her life IS treated differently. She will be back in some other respect, but not with the Oceanic crew for some time. But that’s my opinion… can’t wait until January!
Um, Dan? Thanks for that spoiler warning in the headline or somewhere else BEFORE I started reading the article! Oh, wait… The “SPOILER ALERT” didn’t come until I was into the article and the actual spoiler was right there, next to the “SPOILER ALERT” with no space to allow people to avoid it? Jerk.
Oh, and Dan… I don’t really hate you. Sorry for calling you a jerk. I love you and Doc on Totally Lost. I just think the spoiler-ish nature of this article could’ve have had better warnings BEFORE people started reading it.
Um, Shaun? The title flatly states the producers and the actor are going to talk about Juliet’s fate. If you didn’t want to know why even bother reading after the title?
Juliet is heartbroken because she is saying goodbye to Sawyer and their love story. By possibly resetting the clock she is erasing the past and possible future she had with Sawyer. THAT is what is so heartbreaking. She is putting Sawyer before herself and her love for him and allowing another path of fate to take its course. She is giving him the chance to have a life in the future with Kate.
I don’t quite understand how EM was let go because there was no more story to tell only to be called back because apparently there is. This whole “something big we haven’t revealed” thing seems to indicate that they really are making it up as they go along. Still love the show but I hope they’ve worked everything out now. Oh and a big part of me will forever be dissapointed that it wasn’t Kate who died. Least favorite character.
I was just saying the same thing!!!
By the way, if killing off Juliet was so hard for them (and us), why didn’t Darlton make it easier for everyone and KILL KATE! Easily the most worthless character (unless there’s a big twist, such as her being a mole who worked for Ben since before the crash… Hey, we still never learned why she went to Australia or how she got there)on the show, and she’s gotten more annoying with each passing season. Why Sawyer would be torn between her and the wonderful Juliet is perhaps the show’s biggest myster of all. Kill Kate, most of us rejoice. Seems win-win to me. By keeping Kate alive, there had better be a big twist that justifies her ongoing existence.
You’re kidding, right? Kate is one of the best characters on the show – Easily in the top 3.
Actually, I kind of agree with him. Kate did start out as an amazing character, but Im afraid that in the last 3 seasons she has been reduced to a whiny island bicycle. The stupid love triangle between her Jack and Sawyer really hurt her character development.
Funny, i agree though. Sawyer and Juliet no contest
agree 100% Kate should have died if they wanted to off another one of the already few female characters on the show.
Love this interview, it is so nice to hear both the actress and exec producers view of everything. Also I loved the tidbits about the behind the scenes of the film with Josh. She was absolutely great as Juliet and I can’t wait to see how she appears in S6
Kate is way too wishy washy. She is so “woe is me”. I can’t stand it. I loved her when she had a backbone, but lately, she’s turned into a bumbling caricature of someone who thinks they’re tough. She’s just a little girl lost, and personally, I hate it. There are much stronger female characters on the show. I could do without Kate.
Shaun, I was ecstatic when Juliet bit the dust, I have always hated the character and this year confirmed it. Anyone who still cannot have chemistry with the awesome Josh must be dead already, and she was painful to watch, that relationship was like watching paint dry, and just horrible to see Josh stripped of all his vitality like that. Thank God she died, it was already worse than waterboarding watching her try to act with Josh.
@BA- its pretty easily explainable, Jacob’s visits selected who was important and who was not. What remains unexplained YET is people like Frank and Miles who did not get a visit but are clearly yet important.
Juliet has been my favorite Lost character since she was introduced in Season 3. I bawled in the finale when she got dragged in to the hole & Juliet/Sawyer had their scene. I was ecstatic when she survived long enough to explode the bomb. And now that Darlton/Mitchell are making the rounds saying she really is dead…I cry every time I read one of these articles. The ending of the finale gave me so much hope that she’d still be around, but now it’s like they’re telling me to mourn her.
At least she’ll be appearing in Season 6, or I’d be a million times more upset!
From the moment that Sawyer said, “She’ll do it” referring to the fact that she would kill them, I loved that character, pure badass.