Friday afternoon in Hyatt Regency VI–VII, Lucifer cast members Aimee Garcia (Ella Lopez) and DB Woodside (Amenadiel) entered the stage to resounding cheers. They begin the panel by thanking these fans—the very ones whose passion brought back their beloved Lucifer back from the dead (or at least from cancellation).
DB Woodside shares that “the support that we [the cast and crew] have felt and continue to feel at Netflix is incredible.” However, the time between cancellation and Netflix picking up the program was not without its frustrations. DB Woodside emphatically declared that he was “pissed off” when he found out the show was cancelled. The fans certainly wouldn’t disagree. However, the move to Netflix has allowed the show to expand its identity, with the new season moving towards content that is darker, funnier, and, as interjected by Garcia, “more naked.” Even with this shift, though, much will stay the same, including what Garcia describes as the tightest forensic scientist jeans ever created.
Despite a later dive into more serious topics, the panel, moderated by Kevin Bachelder, also recounted some lighter moments. Garcia remembered her experience filming in a genuine 1960s showgirl dress in season three as “like kids in a candy store.” She doesn’t drink coffee, but she said she shares the electric and unending energy of her character, forcing her castmates (including costar Tom Ellis) to keep up via caffeination and sheer will. In another instance, Lauren German (Chloe Decker) somehow acquired camel toe underwear, which she then wore (over her pants) to rehearsal until the intervention of the showrunner (who tried very hard to seem unamused. It didn’t work.). When asked what they would do if given control of an episode, Woodhouse says he would “make Lucifer apologize to someone” and get Amenadiel a job, earning another laugh from fans.
When considering their propensity for leaking information, Garcia and Woodside wonder whether it was a good idea to put them on a panel together. Whether or not this was the case, the fans certainly benefited from the combination, which revealed new information on the original plan for the first season (at risk of repercussions from Management) regarding the relationship between Maze and Amenadiel. The plotline made Fox uncomfortable, so it was cut from the final version, though traces of it are still visible. After the two characters hook up and Amenadiel is forced to confront his growing feelings towards Maze, she was meant to die! Amenadiel would then bring her back to life and lose his powers as a punishment. In the words of Woodside, he “loved Maze so much that he was willing to risk anything to bring her back.”
Garcia also discussed her fondness (amid exclamations that she was going to be “so in trouble”) for the theory that Ella is actually God. This stems from the similarity of the name “Ella” to “Elaine” a character who, in the original comics, has a close connection to the divine.
Another question steered the cast into a more serious discussion: one of faith. Aimee described her character Ella as “almost godlike in her unconditional love and acceptance,” especially in considering the difficulties she faced growing up. She is glad that Ella’s crisis of faith was shown, as having and losing faith is an integral part of being human. Garcia said she is glad that Ella is not “in the know” as far as Lucifer’s true identity; her faith is an integral part of the show, but so is her banter with Lucifer over his “method acting.” This crisis also gave Ella the opportunity to explore her wilder side—how else would we see her adventure in a nudist colony or her defusing a bomb while tripped out on drugs?
Diversity, which plays such an integral role in the show, also came up in the conversation. As a show, Lucifer handles this topic very well not only through representation but also through the fact that it is not overtly commented on, but meant to truly show the varying identities that exist in our world. Garcia says that she is excited to play Ella because of the lack of representation for women of color in STEM is especially lacking. Woodside notes that addressing these issues is especially important now, as it is “an interesting time to be American” in the current political climate. Since experiences of prejudice and marginalization are often normalized for people of color, it is both a challenge and necessity to represent these realities in media. Since television is such a powerful form of media, it has a responsibility, according to Woodside, of educating viewers on these issues.
