Brenda Khan
Santa Clarita Diet is an American horror-comedy series that aired on Netflix from 2017 to 2019. The show centres around suburban realtors, the Hammonds, whose lives are upended when Sheila Hammond (played by Drew Barrymore) becomes a zombie. Over its three-season run, the show featured a dynamic cast of characters and actors. One notable change was the replacement of actor Nathan Fillion by Alan Tudyk in the role of Gary West, a co-worker of the Hammonds, from season 3 onwards.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Show Name | Santa Clarita Diet |
| Show Type | American horror sitcom |
| Creator | Victor Fresco |
| Streaming Service | Netflix |
| Main Cast | Drew Barrymore, Timothy Olyphant, Liv Hewson, Skyler Gisondo, Thomas Lennon, Ramona Young, Sydney Park, Grace Zabriskie, DeObia Oparei, Jonathan Slavin, Joel McHale, Maggie Lawson, Zachary Knighton, Goran Visnjic, Portia de Rossi, Markie Post, Patton Oswalt, Ryan Hansen, Derek Waters, Ravi Patel, Gerald McRaney, Leo Howard, Malcolm Barrett, Kerri Kenney-Silver |
| Gary West Actor (Seasons 1-2) | Nathan Fillion |
| Gary West Actor (Season 3) | Alan Tudyk |
| Cancellation | Cancelled by Netflix |
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What You'll Learn
- Drew Barrymore played Sheila Hammond, a zombie with a craving for human flesh
- Timothy Olyphant played Sheila's husband Joel Hammond
- Liv Hewson played the Hammonds' daughter Abby
- Skyler Gisondo played Eric Bemis, the Hammonds' neighbour and Abby's friend
- Nathan Fillion played Gary West, a realtor and the Hammonds' co-worker
Drew Barrymore played Sheila Hammond, a zombie with a craving for human flesh
Sheila's transformation is marked by a vomiting incident, after which she dies and comes back as one of the undead. She develops a craving for human flesh and exhibits out-of-character behaviours, including a newfound impulsivity and a more primal and sexually liberated personality.
As Sheila, Barrymore portrays a suburban zombie navigating her new existence while her family seeks a cure for her condition. The show explores themes of narcissism, with Fresco commenting that "the undead are the ultimate narcissists", reflecting on their self-centred nature and lack of concern for others.
Barrymore's portrayal of Sheila in Santa Clarita Diet marked her return to acting after a hiatus, with the actress noting that she took a break from filmmaking to focus on being a mother and raising her kids. The role allowed her to explore a unique character within the zombie genre, presenting a different take on the typical portrayal of zombies in movies and television.
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Timothy Olyphant played Sheila's husband Joel Hammond
Timothy Olyphant played Joel Hammond, Sheila's husband, in the Netflix horror-comedy series Santa Clarita Diet. The show centres on the lives of mild-mannered realtors, Joel and Sheila Hammond, whose mundane but comfortable existence is upended when Sheila suddenly becomes a zombie and develops a craving for human flesh.
Olyphant's character, Joel, is a devoted husband and father, supporting his zombie wife in her murderous escapades. He is described as a wholesome, doting family man, who remains positive even in the face of his wife's undead transformation. In one instance, he is seen making his wife "spaghetti and meatballs" out of human flesh.
Santa Clarita Diet was created by Victor Fresco and premiered on Netflix in 2017. It stars Drew Barrymore as Sheila Hammond, alongside Olyphant. The show received generally positive reviews and was renewed for a second season, which premiered in 2018. Despite its popularity, the show was ultimately cancelled.
Olyphant is known for his charming on-screen presence and has appeared in various other films and television shows, including Deadwood, Mother's Day, and Snowden.
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Liv Hewson played the Hammonds' daughter Abby
Liv Hewson is an Australian actor and playwright known for their supporting role as Abby Hammond, the daughter of Joel and Sheila Hammond, in the Netflix horror-comedy series Santa Clarita Diet. Hewson, who is of Swedish descent, was born in Canberra, Australia, on November 29, 1995, and grew up in the suburb of Hughes. They attended Alfred Deakin High School and Canberra College and began acting as part of the Canberra Youth Theatre.
Hewson's mother, Angela Hewson, is a public servant, and their father, Tony Hewson, is a psychologist. They have three brothers. Growing up, their family watched a lot of American television shows, such as The Simpsons and Futurama, which Hewson said made it easy to act with an American accent. In 2011, at the age of 16, they came out as non-binary and gay, and they use they/them pronouns.
In 2014, Hewson travelled to Los Angeles to attend an acting workshop. They made their onscreen debut in the short film Alfonso Frisk in 2013 and have since appeared in several TV series and films. Before their role in Santa Clarita Diet, Hewson played the lead role of Claire Duncan in the fantasy web series Dramaworld in 2016. In 2017, they appeared in the film Before I Fall and had recurring roles in the second series of Top of the Lake and the miniseries Inhumans.
In Santa Clarita Diet, Hewson's character, Abby Hammond, is the daughter of real estate agents Joel and Sheila Hammond, played by Timothy Olyphant and Drew Barrymore, respectively. The series centres around the Hammonds, who are a typical suburban family in Santa Clarita, California, until Sheila undergoes a transformation and becomes a flesh-eating zombie. As Abby's parents and the rest of the family try to help Sheila, they must also deal with neighbours and cultural norms while trying to uncover a potentially mythological mystery.
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Skyler Gisondo played Eric Bemis, the Hammonds' neighbour and Abby's friend
Skyler Gisondo is an American actor born in Palm Beach County, Florida, on July 22, 1996. He is known for his roles in films like Licorice Pizza, Booksmart, and Vacation, as well as television programs like Psych, The Righteous Gemstones, and Santa Clarita Diet. In the Netflix horror-comedy series Santa Clarita Diet, Gisondo plays Eric Bemis, the Hammonds' neighbour and Abby's friend.
Gisondo made his television debut in 2003, playing Jeffrey in the comedy-drama series Miss Match. In 2006, he made his feature film debut in Craig E. Serling's drama film Jam, portraying Robert. He has since appeared in various films and television shows, including Halloween (2007), where he played Tommy Doyle, and The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), where he played Howard Stacy.
In Santa Clarita Diet, Gisondo's character, Eric Bemis, is the neighbour of the main characters, Joel and Sheila Hammond, and a friend of their daughter, Abby Hammond. Eric is also the son of Lisa Palmer and the stepson of Dan Palmer, a sheriff's deputy who is killed and eaten by Sheila in the first season. The show centres around the Hammond family's life as they deal with Sheila's transformation into a zombie, including her cravings for human flesh and her altered personality.
Santa Clarita Diet received generally positive reviews for its first season, which premiered in 2017, and was renewed for a second season by Netflix in 2018. The show is known for its unique premise and dark humour, exploring themes of narcissism and the challenges of maintaining appearances in suburban life.
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Nathan Fillion played Gary West, a realtor and the Hammonds' co-worker
West is a realtor and co-worker/competitor of the show's protagonists, Sheila and Joel Hammond, a husband-and-wife real estate team. In the pilot episode, "So Then a Bat or a Monkey", West tries to seduce and blackmail Sheila Hammond. He becomes Sheila's first murder victim, as she kills and eats parts of him. In the second season of the show, the Hammonds have to exhume West's body when the location where they had dumped it is about to be turned into a building plot. They take his head home and keep it in their basement.
Fillion's character was recast in the third season due to scheduling conflicts with his new series, The Rookie. While Fillion portrayed West in seasons one and two, actor Alan Tudyk voiced the character in season three.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, for the first two seasons, Gary was played by Nathan Fillion, but in Season 3, Alan Tudyk took over the role.
The reason for Nathan Fillion's departure is unknown, but it could be due to his busy schedule with his new show, "The Rookie" on ABC.
In the show, Gary is a zombie, and zombies deteriorate if they don't receive the serum. So, the change in Gary's appearance was explained by Sheila and Joel forgetting to give him the serum.
Gary, a realtor, was killed by zombie Sheila, who then stored his head in their basement and later their storage unit, speaking to it on occasion.
Some fans expressed disappointment and considered the new Gary an "imposter". However, many acknowledged that Alan Tudyk did a great job in the role, and they were glad that Gary's head was not written out of the show.
