Secrets From the Set: 'Once Upon a Time' Cast Hook-Ups, Hangouts and More
When Michael Raymond-James got the part of Neal Cassady on the ABC drama "Once Upon a Time," he was pretty excited, to say the least. "It has comedy, adventure, magic - and at the same time, a deeply grounded human drama," says the actor, 35. "There's nothing else like it!"
The same can be said for what goes on behind the scenes. In an interview with ABC News, Raymond-James dished about the on-set relationships, hijinks and of course, craft service.
Who is your closest friend on set?
Me and J.Mo [actress Jennifer Morrison] are super tight. We're buddies. I work with her more than anybody and we got really close. We're always cracking jokes and we laugh constantly. There are days where I come to work and I'll have a freak-out about something unrelated and she knows how to fluff my aura and make it better vice versa.
What do you mean? Give me an example.
If Morrison's bummed out, right, she likes cheese. So sometimes I'll surprise her and go get some cheese, these particular crackers that we put peanut butter on and I'll find attractive fruit. Literally, she doesn't mess with ugly fruit - so attractive fruit. So if she's bummed out or frustrated I'll find attractive fruit, crackers with peanut butter and cheese - not expensive, French, stinky cheeses, but the gross prepackaged kind that kids carry. She likes that.
So, are you also friends with her real-life boyfriend, Sebastian Stan?
Are you kidding me?! Before we met, Sebastian and I would send messages through Morrison at work. She became a courier and [would say], "You guys are so much alike. I know you're going to be best friends."
Everyone in your cast is dating each other: Sebastian and Jennifer, Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas…!
You can't choose who you fall in love with and it just so happened it worked out that way. You mentioned four people who are incredibly happy in their relationships.
So do you ever third-wheel it with them?
Oh yeah, for sure. Absolutely. I've done it multiple times with each.
What else do you guys do for fun?
I will say this: The go-cart racing we do after work is pretty intense and pretty fierce. We keep records of who's what and who's last - and when things aren't going so well in your cart on a particular day, we feel free to smash other people. It's tons of fun.
Who wins?
The most consistently fast drivers are Lee Arenberg and Josh Dallas. I've totally got their number. The girls are always invited but they've yet to take us up on it. They say, "Boys will be boys. We'll do something more mature."