Interview: James Roday talks about PSYCH: THE MOVIE

James Roday is a man of many talents; actor, director, screenwriter. But it is his performance as Shawn Spencer, a hyper observant consulting detective on USA's show PSYCH for many years, from which many people know and love him. This quirky and beloved comedy was full of fun and mischief and sadly ended in 2014. But just in time for the holidays here is a present to everyone - PSYCH: THE MOVIE a new two hour movie brings the gang, and Zachary Levi as the villain, back on December 7th.

So what better way to learn what to expect then from James himself?

Set in San Francisco, where the main characters moved at the series finale, everything has played out in real time. So the same amount of time has passed since we have seen everyone. While everyone has grown over that time, it's safe to say that Shawn has matured a bit, but not completely since we last saw him.

"I think that for this show to work Shawn is always going to have to have further to go, but we do our best to have him continuing to take baby steps," Roday says. "I think knowing is certainly half the battle and he knows more than he ever has, it's just executing it that I think will always be his weak point. For better or worse."

One notable cast member, Timothy Omundson, suffered a minor stroke earlier this year and was not able to join the cast for filming and his presence was sorely missed when the rest of the cast got together. .

"It was beautiful to get together, but obviously we were short one who was incredibly important to our family and I guarantee that you will feel it as well when you see the movie. PSYCH is not quite the same without Lassiter. He was certainly with us in spirit and we were communicating all the time. We have so much love for each other."

PSYCH's fans also have a lot of love for this cast and show- supporting, watching and talking about it even years after it ended. Roday says that seeing this fandom love has been amazing to watch.

"It is nothing short of remarkable and never ceases to amaze me. Not only that our fans have stayed so true to a product there was never any guarantee they would get more of. On top of that, fans had kid brothers or kids sisters and now there are nine or ten year old kids coming up to us saying PSYCH is their favorite show and it doesn't make any sense to me because they weren't even alive when we shot the pilot. So that is how technology and social media, and all these other ways to watch television have done for us. We're still a silly little group of people who made a tiny cable show. So it always blows me away."

Another thing that is finding it's way back is RED DOG SQUADRON , a non-profit theatre in LA founded by Brian Raider and James Roday in 2002.

"We are coming back! We are rising from the ashes! We are developing a new play with the Wallis- a new play by Craig Wright who is a pretty bad ass playwright. So if it all goes well for the rest of the year then hopefully we will have a slot in the Wallis' season next year. It is great feeling, we have been dark for a while but we have found a great piece of material and the Wallace has been a great partner so we're excited and cautiously optimistic and can't wait."

For now though, it's PSYCH: THE MOVIE that's got him so excited. "I'm mostly excited to give the fans this gift, I think it's poetic it's happening round the holidays. I hope we deliver on the promise of all the things they love the show. For us it really was a love letter to them. If they dig it that's the best Christmas present I could hope for."

PSYCH: THE MOVIE is premiering on USA on Thursday, December 7th. Check your local listing for show times or go to www.usanetwork.com

Photo credit: PSYCH: THE MOVIE -- Pictured: James Roday as Shawn Spencer -- (Photo by: Alan Zenuk/USA Network)

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