How Melissa Fumero Prepared to Film a True Story Death Scene

Based on a true story it was the first time Melissa Fumero she had the chance to die on screen – and she nailed it.

“It was my first death scene. I was really excited and really nervous,” Fumero, 42, exclusively said Us Weekly after the season 2 premiere of the Peacock. “You want to get it right (even though) you’ve never done it before. So I was watching some famous death scenes – like going into holes on YouTube – and just trying (to do it).”

Fumero rates showrunner Annie Weisman warning her about it the fate of her characteradding: “They were also very generous to tell me a week or two before. They said, “This is what will happen, this is how you will die and be stabbed. And these are all things that will happen in your body.”

Based on a true story, which premiered in 2023follows the fictional couple Ava (Kaley Cuoco) and Nathan (Chris Messina) as they team up with serial killer Matt (Tom Bateman) to start a podcast and make money from the true crime trend. Season 2 raised the stakes by having Matt get engaged to Ava’s sister, Tori (Liana Liberato) while trying to stop killing people

Fumero joined the latest season as mom Drew, who befriends Ava — and turns out the detective working the West Side Ripper case. However, it is eventually revealed that Drew is actually Olivia – aka Matt’s ex-wife. As Olivia explains why she wanted to take Matt down, Tori stabs her to death.

“The thing I didn’t expect was how difficult it would be to cough up blood,” Fumero said us. “So I don’t think the first few shots were great. I figured it out then, but it’s more complicated than I thought it would be. I had to keep it in a certain place and make it look really natural and real.”

The actress felt extremely supported after coming on board for the second season, adding: “It was really fun and they took really good care of me. Everyone was really supportive and fun tonight. So it’s – weirdly – probably one of the fondest memories I have of the show is doing my death scene with them because it was really fun.

While building her season 2 arc, Fumero takes advantage of knowing Drew’s true identity.

“I was so grateful to them for giving me all this information before I started. To know where it’s going and where all the twists and turns are going to be, that really informs my choices,” she explained. “It’s really fun as an actor to have a secret and carry it with you all the time on set.”

Fumero wasn’t sure if her performance would have been the same if she was “in the dark.” where the story was goingnoting, “I might have made completely different choices. So it was always with me in my mind. It’s fun picking the moments you want to reveal the secret.”

before Based on a true storyFumero became a star with his role in NBC cop sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Awning for smokers us she didn’t choose murder-mystery shows on purpose—but she didn’t mind the coincidence.

“They happen to be coming for me. My new show coming out in February – Grosse Pointe Garden Society – is also a killer show,” she shared. “So something inside me screams mystery. But I’ll take it. It’s a genre I like and I’m not complaining.”

Fumero also assessed her chances of going back to Based on a true story despite her character’s death. Black comedy has found ways to bring people to life through hallucinations and flashbacks, which sounds right in Fumero’s strip.

“I had a great time with this group of people. I adore them all. I’m a fan of all of them. In whatever capacity, if they wanted me to come back and if they got Season 3, it would be a very happy yes,” she said. “Whatever we have to do to make that happen, I have to be there. I’m there if they want me.

Based on a true story currently streaming on Peacock.