Jolene Purdy’s actual first thought after learning she had booked the second season of Firefly Lane: “This is the best Christmas present ever!”

The actor, who plays the hard-working agent of journalist and TV host Tully Hart (Katherine Heigl), tells Tudum that she was cast in the fall of 2021, and knew filming would take place ahead of the holiday season. “I was like, ‘I get to maybe see snow and work with amazing people and play a boss bitch? Yes!’”

Purdy describes Justine as a “hustler” who is not necessarily like the actor is in real life. “She’s so fun. I second-guess myself on everything, and that girl does not,” she says. “She’s so self-aware and I love it. I want to be her. I’m not her. It’s sometimes fun to get to play things that are just outside of your comfort zone. I want to be that boss bitch!”

Everyone needs a Justine in their corner. Friendship drama Firefly Lane follows Tully and Kate (Sarah Chalke) over the course of three decades, with Justine guiding Tully’s career in the story line set in the fashion-challenged mid-2000s. Below, Purdy tells Tudum about working with powerhouses like Heigl and Chalke, how her character might have invented vlogging — and the pole-dancing scene that wasn’t.

What was it like working so closely with Katherine Heigl?
She is incredible. She is so kind. We are both married and have kids and we talked about how annoying and amazing our children are at the same time. And just how hard it is to be a working mom in this industry.

Working on Firefly Lane, with women running the show, they understand work-life balance. The entertainment industry is 16-hour days, but they really catered to a better balance and the overall well-being of not [only the] cast, but [also the] crew.

It’s so lovely that the themes of the show are reflected behind the scenes.
It is the warmest set I’ve ever been on. I feel like as an actor, you always say, “It was so amazing.” But I want to say it was a very warm, welcoming set. It was amazing. The trailers they gave us really were homey. There was a fireplace in my trailer. My character wore stilettos, but they put my Ugg boots by the fire so that I could put them on and they’d be warm. The detail and care that everyone took with their job made it so pleasant.

Let’s talk about those stilettos though, because Justine has some outfits.
Do you remember the early 2000s? I wear jeans and dresses. Are the 2000s coming back? Are people doing that again? That was cargo pants with midriffs? But jeans and dresses should never come back. I did love it [though] when they pulled that specifically. The hot pink with the jeans and the pointy stilettos. This was 100% what I wore to school dances.

The white shirt and black corset with the blingy earrings, too.
That was a last-minute find. Originally Justine was going to be pole-dancing in her opening scene. And let me tell you, it was a questionable situation. I was trying to do all these funny bits, but I think I was having too much fun. We decided to ground her and make sure that everyone knew that she was in control a little bit more. So then I got to wear that outfit. And when they brought that in, I don’t think I even tried it on, they just had it. And they’re like, “Well, if this works… otherwise we have this other thing you did try on.” I was like, “No, this is going to work.”

It’s cool to see that Tully has this badass woman in her corner this season. She’s struggling against all these executives, but Justine’s there for her.
Female dominance. You know what I mean? One boss bitch is great, but you get two, three — let’s just take over. When I auditioned, I was like, Tully is fiery. And if I came in with just as much fire, I don’t know that it would’ve been as good of a partnership. What I love most about approaching characters is who the other character is and how the puzzle pieces match together. So Justine was fiery, but in a different way, and knew when to take a back seat.

But Justine’s also an entertainment genius, because she invented vlogging.
Yes. Right. Jolene personally has no idea how the internet and social media work, but good for Justine and Cloud [Tully’s mother, played by Beau Garrett]. Cloud was already vlogging. Shooting that was hilarious. We all watched her vlog for the first time together.

But it’s true. The business plan that she lays out —  a reality show called I’d Hit That? Would watch.
I watched the singing Bachelor [The Bachelor Presents: Listen to Your Heart], so I’ll watch anything.

What she lays out is actually a very ahead-of-its-time business plan.
Women understand things, I think, in a more multifaceted way. I can navigate an audience, a toddler.

Did you look to anything for inspiration in terms of how to be an agent?
I throw in some things that my agent actually says. I adore my agent; we’re friends. But he’ll sometimes go, “Good, good, good.” And I’m like, “Oh, he’s not paying attention right now. He’s doing something else.” And so even in the opening scene, I grabbed my phone and I was doing something else. I was multitasking.

Why do you think this story continues to resonate with people, especially as we’re going into the next half of the season?
I feel like in the world right now, especially with the internet and social media, there is a lack of companionship, connection. As connected as we can be with anyone around the world, the physical, tangible, “I’m there for you” reliability — that love and devotion to each other [is enviable]. Watching them lift each other up, and be able to say hard things to each other as well and move past it. I wish I had that friendship.

What’s one thing that you will keep from Justine going forward?
I always take something from [the] set as memorabilia. What did I physically take? It may have been a pair of shoes.

Her shoes are great.
But maybe it was a belt or earrings. No, I took a pair of earrings! But metaphorically, what am I taking? Her sass, her confidence and self-awareness. As I age, I’m getting more and more like that — that, like, “fuck it” attitude. Fuck it, and move forward.

Watch Ali Skovbye's Audition Tape for Firefly LaneSee Ali's reading for Young Tully.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Additional reporting by Anne Cohen.