Sarah Shahi just popped out two babies, but she’s already planning to return to Person of Interest for its fifth season on CBS. Even better news: the actress tells us Root and Shaw is definitely on.
“This is absolutely going to be a romantic return,” Sarah said. “Root and Shaw should have little Samaritan babies and they’ll just take over the universe. I just had the twins not too long ago and we wanted to find some kind of way for me to come back and make it work with my family because it’s just so much harder. I know nothing about what I’m doing, what my role is going to be. I’m assuming I’m still Shaw.”
I asked Sarah if she was thrilled about the pair’s relationship and she responded with a spirited, “Fuck yeah, man! The lesbian theme is a very recurring theme in my career and I love it. I love women.”
POI showrunner and executive producer Greg Plageman was able to give us even more intel on what Shaw’s return will mean for Root and the show.
“It means everything,” Greg said. “I think Sarah’s phenomenal. Amy and Sarah are very complementary in ways a lot of people really responded to. Shaw’s character has two personality syndrome; Amy Acker has her own issues on her show-former assassin turned hacker. Two people who have a really difficult time connecting in the world. I think Shaw has come around to realize maybe this is the person for her in the world.”
Greg said the passion of POI fans has been “amazing.”
“When Sarah’s character had to step away from the show, for obvious reasons, how crushed people were-it was really startling. I think the thing that struck me the most in terms of the two of them the first time they were on camera, the moment they were on the screen and she pulls out the iron, and I went ‘Something that is supposed to be sadistic has somehow become seductive. There’s something here that we’re missing on the show.’ And we just went with it.”
But it’s not all hand-holding and sexting for Shoot when Shaw returns to the show, as her whereabouts are still unknown, as is the state that she’s in. There are outside factors keeping them apart.
“I think that Root is longing for that and the question for Shaw is, how damaged will she be when she comes back?” Greg said. “How much will she even remember Root and where they were? She’s been through a lot. When Shaw returns to the show, it’s a fight for her just to come out and stay alive. What we have to do is, we have to be honest with the audience but we have to take heed of where the story is in terms of the stakes. Right now, Shaw’s character is captured by Samaritan, and they’re doing some fucked up shit to her head.”
Greg says fans should have “more than hope,” however, because Shoot has officially moved beyond subtext.
“We’re super excited. I’m elated. I’m so happy for Sarah having the twins and I know she has to be exhausted, and we’re asking a lot from that little lady but she’s tough, man, and I think she’s ready,” Greg said. “I know that Amy Acker’s character-we have some huge things planned for her in terms of her connection to the Machine this year. So, on the one hand, she’s fighting for the survival of her first love, which is the Machine, and then the return of Shaw will throw everything into a tizzy.”
Sarah begins shooting Season 5 next week. In the meantime, Sarah’s husband, Shameless star Steve Howey, reminded her she recently shared some time with her L Word co-star Kate Moennig again, too.
“That’s right! Kate and I are back on screen together in one of the final episodes of Ray Donovan,” Sarah said. “We tried to play some kind of underlying tones to see if the audience will pick up on it. Even if it’s not there, they will read into it.” She knows us too well.
No caption necessary @katemoennig pic.twitter.com/nj1QSdQ6Us
– Sarah Shahi (@onlysarahshahi) June 17, 2015
Person of Interest will return mid-season to CBS.
