For Kaitlin Olson, stepping into Morgan Gillory's shoes on High Potential has become second nature of sorts. The ABC crime drama has proven itself as a huge success for the network, leading a revival in attention for network shows alongside Abbott Elementary and Matlock, among others, and has earned the comedienne major acclaim for her more dramatic turn. And she's taking some of that experience as the whip-smart and extremely intelligent cleaning woman-cum-police consultant home with her.
The actress, who turned 50 last month, spoke with Good Morning America on Wednesday, September 24, about the hit show's second season and whether she possesses much of the same true crime sensibilities that her character does, which ends up extending specifically to discerning when people are telling her the truth. And that definitely comes in handy with kids!
"I know when you're lying, I know when my kids are lying, I know when people are lying," she explained. "I don't know maybe what the right answer is, but I can absolutely tell when someone's not telling the truth." Kaitlin and her husband since 2008, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia co-star Rob McElhenney, share sons Alex, 15, and Leo, 13.
She also affirmed that she indeed was a true crime junkie, so much so that she was always hoping to be one step ahead when indulging in it herself. "But here's the thing, it's always the boyfriend or the husband," she quipped, later joking that that was her "big spoiler" for season two of High Potential.
The show centers around the fashion-forward Morgan, a cleaner for the LAPD who gets promoted to police consultant when they discover her genius-level IQ of 160, and employ her to get into the mind of a criminal and help solve cases. It is a remake of the French and Belgian series HPI, with its second season premiering on September 16.
The actress, who is also an executive producer on the series, told GMA: "One of the things I'm most proud of about this show is we are blending two completely different tones. It is a crime procedural, but at the heart of it is a very well-rounded fully human woman with a big heart."
However, her skills both on and off the screen aren't just making an impact on her actual sons, but also the actors playing her on-screen children, Amirah J (playing Ava Gillory) and Matthew Lamb (playing Elliot Radovic). In a recent conversation with TheWrap, they praised the way Kaitlin not only made them feel "so welcome" on set, but showed them the tricks of the trade.
"Kaitlin is a powerhouse, she's fantastic," Matthew told the publication. "It's a masterclass watching her work and she makes everybody feel so welcome. She will always go up to the day players or a background character and introduce herself. Amirah added: "Kaitlin is incredible, I've learned so much from her over the last two, three years. She's very motherly and nurturing, on and off screen, so I always feel super comfortable any time I get to work with her, and she's definitely the person I work with the most."