Melissa Benoist talks female friendship with ‘The Girls on the Bus’ cast

Hit the campaign trail with The Girls on the Bus.

Four women navigate their lives as political reporters in the new series that debuts Thursday on Max. Star and producer Melissa Benoist told ABC Audio while it covers everything from politics to romance, the most important part of the show is the friendship between the women.

“All of their messiness and them making mistakes and pivoting and finding a way to do what they love and love each other,” Benoist said.

Carla Gugino expanded on this, saying the divisive time we’re living in is not conducive to communication or true connection – but that the characters in The Girls on the Bus find it.

“These women come from all different backgrounds and political beliefs,” Gugino said. “They’re thrown together and they find not only appreciation in things that are different than themselves, but also they find more of themselves because of that very fact.”

Scott Foley stars as a small-town mayor running for president. The Scandal veteran is no stranger to playing a politician. He says he modeled this one after Pete Buttigieg.

“I spent a lot of time on YouTube looking at Buttigieg … and how he found a narrative about being a small-town mayor,” Foley said. “He was able to get the media attention that he needed to propel him to ultimately where he went. And look, he’s now transportation secretary.”

Gugino hopes if people take anything away from the series, it’s to listen and express fully.

“Actually expressing your truth and hearing someone else’s and allowing those differences to exist and actually celebrating them will get us somewhere,” Gugino said. “I love that, in a non-preachy way, this show does that with humor and insight and depth, and it hopefully will allow people to start a conversation.”

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