› Behind the Scenes of Life UneXpected (December 21-January 3 in TV Guide)
A new teen drama joins the CW on January 18—and it doesn't revolve around pretty, rich kids or hottie vampires. Life UneXpected follows a 15-year-old foster child named Lux (Swingtown's Britt Robertson), who sets out to become an emancipated minor when she's taken in by her just-discovered birth parents, Cate (Shiri Appleby) and Baze (Mad Men's Kristoffer Polaha). "People will relate to her because she's very much a normal girl who's just trying to find her place in the world," says Robertson.
The actress moved from Los Angeles to Vancouver for the series and tells TV GUIDE MAGAZINE that she has found a new family of her own in the cast and crew—"There's not one bad seed"—and a new roommate in Appleby. "It's great, because we're not up here alone going through this. We have a nice little partner in crime." —Megan Walsh-Boyle
WB alums Appleby (Roswell) and Kerr Smith (Dawson's Creek), who plays Cate's fiancé, Ryan, pose with the crew. Says Appleby, "Everyone cares so much, it makes the days fly by." Their shared obsession with Seinfeld trivia also helps.
"Shiri has that maternal vibe to her," says Robertson, with Appleby and director Jeff Melman. "She gives advice and helps me out if I'm having a bad day." The admiration is mutual: "I just love that girl!" Appleby says.
"It's weird since we're dating on the show, but we have this brother-sister relationship," says Robertson of Rafi Gavron, who plays Lux's boyfriend, Bug. "He has a lot of good stories and teaches me the ways of the world. He's fun."
Polaha (Baze), Austin Basis (Math) and Reggie Austin (Jamie) chow down on churros when they take Lux to a carnival. "That's their version of bonding time," says Appleby. "Oh, the differences between men and women!"