MAKE HOMEPAGE
TORONTO - The recent season finale of "Smash" had fans questioning the fate of Megan Hilty's conniving character after — spoiler alert! — she lost the part of Marilyn Monroe and was seen in her dressing room with a bunch of pills in her hand.
But Hilty assures we haven't seen the end of troubled Ivy.
"It's a good sign that I'm here," Hilty said with a laugh in an interview at CTV's downtown Toronto studio on Thursday as the network, which airs "Smash" in Canada, unveiled its upcoming lineup.
"I will be back but I don't know in what capacity. I'm not quite sure what the storylines will be but I know I'll be back, probably causing a lot more drama next season."
However, some characters won't be returning on a regular basis for Season 2 of the NBC series, about the making of the fictional Monroe musical "Bombshell" on Broadway.
They include fired personal assistant Ellis (Jaime Cepero) and Dev (Raza Jaffrey), fiance to lead character Karen (Katharine McPhee), said Hilty.
When asked about reports that series co-stars Brian d'Arcy James and Will Chase are leaving the show, Hilty said: "Yeah, that's what I read, too."
"And I've talked to them all and stuff and unfortunately it is a part of our business, and it's something (the characters) deal with on 'Smash' even," said the blond and blue-eyed Hilty, decked out in a figure-hugging dress.
"But just because people are gone now doesn't mean they can't come back later, so nothing's ever definite."
"I'll miss my friends dearly," added the 31-year-old Bellevue, Wash., native, who's starred in Broadway musicals including "Wicked" and "9 to 5: The Musical."
The cast overhaul comes after "Smash" creator and showrunner Theresa Rebeck recently announced she's leaving the series to pursue other projects. Her replacement is Josh Safran.
"I just met him for the first time a couple of weeks ago and he's really great," Hilty said of Safran.
"He's got a really great energy about him and he's got fantastic ideas and he loves all these characters, so I feel like we're in really good hands."
Hilty is set to perform a medley with actor Cheyenne Jackson on June 4 as part of the fundraiser "Barack on Broadway" featuring U.S. President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton, in New York.
When she returns to the set of "Smash," she's hoping her character "can have a small victory," she said.
"Like something that she can celebrate and not feel insecure about or be threatened by ... and maybe even get a nice boyfriend — wouldn't that be nice?" added Hilty, whose character has been in a toxic relationship with director Derek (Jack Davenport).
"I don't need for things to go smooth for her. She's a real person and she kind of thrives on the drama, but I would like for her to have something nice."
