The actor opens up to ET about the return of the HBO Max series and surviving the latest slasher sequel.
As one of TV's most reliable supporting players, Josh Segarra has built a career off playing "that fun-loving, loyal guy" on everything from She-Hulk: Attorney at Law to The Big Door Prize. Now, he's back as the often-shirtless Lance for the third season of The Other Two.
On the HBO Max original, the 36-year-old actor plays the on-and-off again boyfriend of Brooke (Heléne Yorke), who has been struggling to carve out her own path in Hollywood after her younger brother, Chase (Case Walker), and mother, Pat (Molly Shannon), have become huge successes within the industry.
The new season also sees Lance evolving in a big way -- slight spoiler warning for the first two episodes, which are now streaming -- with the shoe designer leaving the fashion world behind to become a nurse during the pandemic. Not only that but he and Brooke are finally a couple again, with the two now engaged and living together.
"One of my favorite things is that you see Lance and Brooke go through every level of a relationship. They're together. They're apart. They're madly in love. They sometimes hate each other. But they're always gonna be connected," Segarra says of the two, who certainly have their ups and downs in season 3.
To that end, Yorke adds that during the pandemic, "he chose one path through that experience and I think [Brooke]'s really questioning who she is in light of that." That said, Segarra's co-star "loves how [Lance] lets her be herself… [But] she's always testing the limit and he does push back on being tested," she teased of an upcoming, big episode for the actor.
But for all the heartfelt moments, there's plenty of scenes involving Segarra stripping down as Lance, with Drew Tarver, who plays Brooke's brother Carey, joking that "there's just a runner of him always getting out of the shower."
In fact, it's something creators Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider took full advantage of, even if they didn't realize it until the end. "Josh always said, 'Hell, yeah,' on the day. And then, I think when it actually came to shooting, he was like, 'Oh, I really am shirtless a lot this season,'" Kelly recalls with a laugh. "We were like, 'You're not shirtless in [episode] nine.' And he's like, 'Yes, I am.' And we were like, 'You're not shirtless in five.' And he's like, 'I'm shirtless in that episode.' And we're like, 'Oh…'"
Of course, Segarra doesn't seem all that upset about it. Well, aside from the fact that he can't indulge in his favorite snacks. "For some reason, I'm starting these jobs and within a week, I'm getting a text from Chris and Sarah or Matt [Bettinelli-Olpin] and Tyler [Gillett] and they're like, 'Hey, just so you know, week three you're shirtless.' And I'm like, 'OK. Well there goes my fascination with nutty bars and potato chips,'" the actor quips.
But it's not like any fans are complaining, with one such example being his most recent turn as Danny, Sam's (Melissa Barerra) new boyfriend, in Scream VI. The latest, hit sequel from directors Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett saw him briefly baring his chest while getting ready for the evening.
It was such a notable moment that it left one Reddit user writing, "The way my soul left my body in theater." It was a feeling shared by the many other viewers who left comments (or tweets) about the need for more ironing scenes in future installments.
When asked about those fan reactions, "I think it was 'cause I'm so hairy," Segarra says, joking, "I think people are like, 'Oh, my goodness. What's going on?' But that's me, baby. I'm Puerto Rican through and through, alright. Can't change this!"
And if those same fans want more of Segarra in the Scream franchise, they're in luck because he's willing and ready to return as Danny after making it out alive. "If there's a Scream 7, your boy will be back a hundred percent," he says, adding "that relationship between Sam and Danny, I love that."
However, despite not being one of the killers in Scream VI, Segarra acknowledges that fans are still suspicious of his character. "No matter what Danny did, he was still a suspect. Even now, I've seen all those chatters where people are being like, 'Nah, he's definitely the killer still.' I'm like, 'Can you just let my man live?' He just loves Sam. He wants to be part of the Core Four. He just wants to be nice and protect her."
While fans await an official confirmation for Scream 7, Segarra already has set his sights on his next project -- and one that would see him following in the footsteps of former Scream star, David Arquette: The WWE. "I'm a big wrestling fan," he says, acknowledging how "Arquette has gone on and created such a legend in the game of professional wrestling."
A lifelong fan of the WWE, Segarra recalls watching it with his uncle while growing up. "One of my earliest memories is The Great Muta spitting his legendary green mist into Sting’s face. Ever since then, I was hooked," he says, while praising Arquette, Bad Bunny, Logan Paul and Stephen Amell for setting a new bar "when it comes to outsiders stepping into the ring."
He adds, "I can promise you, when that phone rings, I’ll be ready. Ready for the mic or the ring. Whatever they need from me. I will be ready."
The first two episodes of The Other Two season 3 are now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes debuting on Thursdays.
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