Secrets, Lies, and Abs! Stars Preview Tonight’s Grand Hotel

Grand Hotel, the sexy, soapy summer series returns to ABC tonight for another all-new episode, titled Groom Service, in which viewers will see Danny struggle to keep his relationship with Alicia from her family.

Entertainment Hub recently chatted with series stars Lincoln Younes (Danny) and Chris Warren (Jason) about their onscreen bromance and if we’ll ever really find out what happened to Danny’s sister!

Soap Hub: Is Danny really pals with Jason – or is he using him to help figure out the mystery of what happened to his sister, Sky (Arielle Kebbel)?
Lincoln Younes: What’s interesting to play about Danny and to watch is you never know what he’s actually doing. The duality between his being sincere and manipulative is interesting. It’s up to the audience to figure it out.

Will Jason be upset if and when he finds out Danny hasn’t been completely truthful?
Chris Warren: If Jason were to find that out, he might not be happy. I think both of us are going to find out things [as the stories unfold].
Younes: Also, both Chris and Jason throw a mean punch! I wouldn’t want to get on the bad side of that!

What’s it like working for executive producer Eva Longoria [Desperate Housewives; The Young and the Restless]?
Younes: Eva’s the greatest boss you could hope for.
Warren: It’s nice [working] for someone who’s done it all – she’s a producer and director extraordinaire.
Younes: She’s maternal and meticulous. Her knowing what she wants in this project has been extremely helpful. You want specificity when you’re trying to form that in a show and she has that.

Danny’s determined to find – or find out – what happened to his sister. We don’t know if she’s alive or dead.
Younes: Correct. We just know she’s disappeared. I can tell you by the final episode you will know for sure what’s happened to her.

Jason’s mom, Helen [Wendy Raquel Robinson], has to know some big secrets!
Warren: Definitely. Some of them may come to light. I like the way the show has handled the whole ‘upstairs/downstairs’ element. There’s a lot of interaction between the two. Everyone is connected.
Younes: The show is intriguing and addictive. Not many shows show what happens in the underbelly plus in the penthouse plus with the guests. There’s a lot of scope. It fulfills the voyeuristic curiosity of what happens in the rooms on either side of you when you stay in a hotel or resort.

What’s like working with Denyse Tontz [Alicia, Danny’s love interest]?
Younes: She is wonderful. You never know if there will be chemistry but she’s just wonderful, quirky and extremely talented. I feel very grateful that she’s on the other side of everything I do. The same with Chris. We’ve developed this wonderful ‘bromance’ on the show. One of my favorite dynamics on Boston Legal, which one of our executive producers, Bill D’Elia, produced on, was the one with James Spader [Alan] and William Shatner [Denny].
Warren: It’s seen nice. [Lincoln and I] met after we’d been cast, and we got to hang out. An hour later, we realized this is going to be great. We clicked, and I’m grateful for that.

What does Jason want out of life?
Warren: He’s very family-oriented, which is why he’s worked at the hotel for so long. He wants to stay close to his family. Danny’s story helps Jason break away and become his own man as he learns things about himself.

Lincoln, your abs in those pool scenes are insane. How much working out did you do to prepare?
Younes: Thank you. You prepare for a show in a way that you wouldn’t in real life. You want to look the best you can. Eva’s inspiring. Danny needs to be fit. But just wait till you see Chris in [tonight’s] episode. You’re going to forget all about Danny. Trust me. Grand Hotel airs Mondays at 10 p.m. E.T. on ABC.