Kaitlin Olsen chats all things High Potential, an Always Sunny in Philadelphia crossover, and tequila lime & soda

You might know Kaitlin Olsen as the iconic Sweet Dee in the long-running It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Or you might be a fan from the hit show Hacks, where she plays Deborah "DJ" Vance Jr. But the early-adopters amongst us (a gang which I for once will tentatively count myself in) will soon know her from playing the sassy, and smart Morgan in Disney+’s new show High Potential. Think the wit and pace of Lorelai Gilmore and the brains of Sherlock Holmes merged together, solving crimes in eccentric outfits in LA, and you’d be on the money. As you can imagine, it’s one of the best watches you’ll have this year.

Already renewed for a second season that’s set to film in May, Kaitlin Olsen sat down with us and spilled all the BTS secrets on her new crime-solving hit.

Shortlist: Hello Kaitlin! What has been your favourite episode of High Potential so far?

Kaitlin Olsen: I loved the Pilot - it’s hard to say as all of them are great but I think the pilot encompassed all the elements of Morgan - how her mind works, but also her family and how much they mean to her. I also loved the hostage episode as that showed Morgan’s family and her relationships. Basically I love all the moments that show those authentic family moments.

SL: In High Potential you make a great crime fighting duo alongside Daniel Sunjata — but if you could be a member of any other crimestopping team, which would it be?

KO: Jessica Fletcher from Murder She Wrote. I think she would be a great duo with Morgan - Morgan would be sassy and Jessica would bring that sweet older-lady energy.

SL: High Potential is streaming on Disney+ — if Morgan was going to feature in any other Disney+ show which would you love her to be in?

KO: I mean, why not put her in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia? I think that would be such a fun crossover. I think Sweet Dee would hate her - I do not think they would get along!

SL: Are there any of Morgan’s traits that you feel like you have in real life? What do you feel connects you with her?

KO: Definitely being a mother and how much she loves and prioritises her kids, I really relate to that and connect with that. She’s quite a smartass too. Although whereas Morgan doesn’t care what people think and is a rule breaker, that’s definitely where we differ - I’m a rule follower.

SL: Which of the characters do you feel you would get on with in real life?

KO: Daphne and Soto. I love the relationship between Morgan and Daphne - as Daphne is a younger, up and coming detective there was potential for her to be jealous and have that rivalry with Morgan but [we] fought hard for that not to happen. I think Daphne and Morgan have a unique camaraderie.

When Morgan first starts, she doesn’t really trust anyone in the squad, but she does trust Daphne. They have a more unique relationship from the start - you know, I steal her lollipop and apologise because I feel really bad about it, this helps bring a more unique dynamic and relationship. It’s really great to see female leads relying on each other and being supportive instead of jealous as they can often stereotypically be.

SL: Who does Morgan have the most interesting relationship with?

KO: Karadec definitely. They have this ongoing relationship where they like and don’t like each other simultaneously. I know there are a lot of people gunning for their romance and for that to happen - maybe it will, who knows? I think what they do have is an authentic mutual trust that builds between them - they have a sort of sibling relationship at some points as they are both very different characters and personalities but ultimately need one another.

SL: Is there anything you’d love to see Morgan take on or to challenge her in the next series?

KO: Maybe lose one of the team for an episode and not have them working on one of the cases - Morgan always is the one who does the final solve, but she needs the team - so maybe a situation where she needs Karadec’s help.

SL: What was the hardest scene to film?

KO: Having to memorise that much information - like, Morgan’s mind works really fast and she knows so many facts that having to memorise it all can be a lot. One of the first scenes where I’m in a grocery store and doing all this quick maths - remembering all the figures was so hard - I had to put a post-it note on the ham!

SL: Anything you can hint about what people can expect from Season 2?

KO: Looking more into the characters’ backgrounds more and Morgan’s childhood. We start shooting in May…

SL: What drew you to Morgan as a character?

KO: How beautifully flawed she is. I think she’s quite misjudged because of the way she dresses and looks - when she joins the team she is seen and valued for the first time for what she can offer. There’s also a certain reluctance about Morgan with her intellect - it’s more of a challenge to her than something she brags about. Her brain is secondary to her personality and her identity as a mother. I really fell in love with Morgan when I read the script and thought I could bring something special to the role.

SL: What are you currently binge watching? And what do you think Morgan would be watching?

KO: I’ve been watching Paradise and Lioness. I don’t know, I think Morgan’s probably the same as me, but I don’t think she would be good to watch TV with - I think she'd be really annoying to watch with - a bit like my husband because he’s a writer! They’re the kind of people you want to watch stuff in a separate room from for sure.

SL: In the series, Morgan orders a Manhattan as her go-to drink, what’s yours?

KO: Probably a tequila, soda and lime.

SL: Finally, what can viewers expect from the season finale?

KO: A cliffhanger. (*cue dramatic pause). More on the Morgan and Roman storyline too.

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Main Photo Credit: High Potential is available to stream on Disney+