Pop-Culturalist.com

Ever since Danielle Savre joined Season 2 of Found as Heather, fans have been trying to piece together if she’s really who she says she is. From the start, there was something about her that didn’t quite add up—her presence was calculated, her words carefully chosen. It quickly became clear she wasn’t just another defense attorney passing through. That suspicion turned to shock at the end of Episode 2×17, when Heather was revealed to be Lena—Hugh, a.k.a. Sir’s, sister.

With the truth out in the open and Lena’s walls beginning to crumble, Danielle has brought a quiet intensity to the role that’s kept viewers guessing about what’s really driving her. Until now, Lena has kept a mask on—calculated, composed, and careful not to let too much slip. But that all changes tonight. As she steps fully into the light, her facade gives way to the pain, loyalty, and unresolved trauma she’s been carrying for decades. It’s a turning point that reframes everything we’ve seen before—and Danielle’s performance will leave you speechless.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to catch up with Danielle ahead of tonight’s episode. She opened up about the creative process behind building a character whose story was revealing itself as she was filming—and how much of Lena’s journey has been guided by instinct. Danielle reflects on filming the pivotal confrontation in Episode 2×18, why Lena’s relationship with Gabi is more layered than it appears, and how growing up under Hugh’s control shaped her sense of loyalty and love. As for what’s next? She teases a long-awaited showdown and shares her hopes for a potential Season 3—where Lena might not only face her past, but possibly forge a path forward alongside the very people she once worked against.

PC: You teased early on that Heather/Lena’s motivation and drive stem from trauma, and as the season went on, there were a lot of characters—and viewers—questioning her decision to represent Sir. Now that the cat’s finally out of the bag, did you know about her relationship with him going into the show? When your casting was announced, there was definitely an assumption there—but you’ve really taken audience members on a roller coaster, and your performance kept everyone guessing.
Danielle: Thank you for saying that. I had no idea when I signed on. I knew there was more to her than meets the eye. On my first day of filming, after my first scene with Brett [Dalton], they were like, “Mark-Paul [Gosselaar] wants to talk to you.” He came to my trailer and knocked on the door. He was like, “Hi, sister!” I was like, “Don’t tell me anything else!” He said, “I’ll just send you the scripts, it’s no big deal.” And I was like, “No, don’t!” [laughs] I almost didn’t want to know until Nkechi [Okoro Carroll] told me. But it was fun.

The crew was also so invested. Everyone was whispering about who my character really was and all of that, but I didn’t know. I knew I was coming in as a lawyer who seemed a little shady—there was something going on—but I did not, in a million years, think I was going to be Sir’s sister. So that was a shock to me, but it’s been so fun to play. It was a lot of fun not fully knowing my character’s backstory until Nkechi was ready to share it because, as an actor, I was able to play around with a lot of different nuances. Almost every take I did was slightly different.

As an actor, that’s amazing—because sometimes, when you know your character so well, you start thinking, “My character wouldn’t do that. She wouldn’t say that.” Instead, I was like, “This is great.” After the hospital episode—or maybe the one right after—I emailed Nkechi and asked, “Am I doing this right? Is it hitting the mark?” She replied, “Girl, trust me, if you weren’t, I would let you know.” I was like, “Okay!” She said, “You’re killing it. Keep doing what you’re doing.” But yeah, I had no idea. The fans guessed everything before I could even imagine it.

PC: Your creative process is often about building backstory through the dialogue you’re given, but with Heather/Lena’s storyline, it’s become clear that so much of it is about what hasn’t been said. How did you find your way into this character when she appears one way to the world but is carrying so much beneath the surface?
Danielle: It was about exploring those nuances. What’s great about her journey is that, at first, it’s a bit restrained. There’s more there, but I can’t let it be known. I didn’t know what it was that I was keeping a secret, so it became about restraint and subtlety—playing with that nuance and not giving too much away. I knew her ambitions. I knew there were similarities between her and Gabi, and that she obviously has some kind of connection to Gabi. But as the story unravels, this character goes on such a roller coaster ride.

Then I was able to just be free—because we’re not seeing unhinged Lena right away, and that’s what made it so fun and exciting. We don’t know what to expect from her, and you won’t. Anything anyone has assumed about her from this point on—I don’t think you can imagine it. I couldn’t! I gasped when I read the second-to-last episode. I literally said, “Oh my God.” So people are going to go on that journey with her, and it’s been such a fun character to play because I get to be unhinged.

Through all of it, there’s this throughline and a deeper layer to Lena where she starts questioning why she’s doing what she’s doing. She loves her brother, but she’s been manipulated by him since birth. In a sense, she’s Hugh’s first victim. It’ll be interesting to see if Gabi can recognize that, and if they can see that they have something in common. Can Gabi still have compassion for Lena—even when Lena doesn’t fully understand where she’s at? Lena needs therapy. She needs someone to walk her through everything she’s been through over the last thirty years. But she’s starting to realize, “I would do anything for my brother. He’s the only person I care about in this world.” And she thought it was the same for him. But now he’s so connected to Gabi. In her mind, the only way she’s going to get her brother back is if she gets rid of this Gabi person.

PC: There’s such a powerful scene in Episode 2×18 between Lena and Sir where everything Lena’s been harboring really comes to the surface—and we finally start to understand what’s driven her to make the choices she has, whether people agree with them or not. I’d love to know how you prepared for that moment, especially because there’s a crack in your voice that perfectly captures the pain she’s been carrying. It’s also such a different side of Lena than we’ve seen up to this point. How much of that came from preparation versus what Mark-Paul was giving you as a scene partner?
Danielle: Working with Mark-Paul is so much fun because there are some actors where, the second they say “action,” you just go to a different place with them. You’re so invested and engaged that you don’t even realize you’re shooting a scene—you’re just in it, fully immersed in the moment. That’s the best, and I got to do that with Mark-Paul every single time.

I was really excited about that scene because, up until that point, we’ve only had these small glimpses into Heather/Lena. But that was the biggest scene we’d gotten so far, and you really see her go on a journey with what she’s saying. She’s finally honest with her brother. You start to understand her more deeply and see who she really is.

I’ll share a little backstory that I haven’t told anyone, I don’t think. I wasn’t supposed to shoot that scene on the day we shot it. I flew in on Friday, and we were scheduled to film it on Monday. But everything was moving so fast, and they asked me, “Do you mind shooting that scene today?” And I said, “Of course—sure, I’ll do it. I’m a guest star. I’ll do whatever you need.” But internally, I was like, “Ah!” I had so much to do, and I already had a clear idea of what I wanted to bring to that scene because I’d read it over and over.

It was interesting because I was working with Mark-Paul, and I told him, “I wish I had more time to prepare and really go deeper with it.” And he said, “No—your instincts are perfect. Sometimes the best thing is to just go with your gut.” And he was right. It felt good, but also a little uneasy, because I hadn’t fully locked into every beat ahead of time. I was discovering it in the moment—even though I had a general sense of what I wanted the scene to show, and that it needed to reveal the real her, at least to some extent.

But it really was a scene driven by instinct. And it sounds like it connected with you, which means so much to me.

PC: I think the mark of great writing is that as we start to get answers—like the reveal of Lena’s true identity—we’re also left with even more questions. One of those is her connection with Trent. What’s your take on that relationship and how genuine it is from Lena’s perspective? Because she does seem to believe there’s still a future for them… or is that no longer the case?
Danielle: I think there is. At this point, she’s not getting any intel—even though she stumbles across some in 2×18—but she’s going to try to convince him that Gabi’s the villain and Hugh is innocent. You don’t do that unless you have something. She’s always someone who forms relationships to gain something, so she’s going to talk to him and try to win him over.

But the question is—does she really believe what she’s saying? Or is she trying to convince him of something because she needs to believe it? And then there’s this other layer: maybe she actually feels a kind of affection and care for him that she’s never felt before. Growing up, her love with her brother was conditional—she had to be who he wanted her to be in order to receive love. That’s still true.

But with Trent, I think there’s something there that even Lena doesn’t fully understand. She’s struggling with these feelings, like: “I have affection for someone. I want them to believe me. I want that affection in return.” Maybe she’s getting a little piece of it.

But the truth is… Trent loves Gabi. [laughs] There’s this running thing where all the men in Lena’s life love Gabi. [laughs] There’s definitely a bit of jealousy, like, “Really?” [laughs] But I do think there’s more with Trent than even Lena realizes. There was real affection—and she doesn’t know what to do with it or where to put it.
PC: Beautifully said. I don’t know how much you can share, but there’s this really interesting parallel between Heather/Lena and everyone at M&A—how they’ve all turned their trauma into purpose. Is there any chance that could be the bridge that helps them find solid ground with each other, or is it too late? What can you tease about what feels like a showdown between Gabi and Lena?
Danielle: There has to be a showdown, right? I think it would be disappointing if there wasn’t. And you really hit it on the head—there are a lot of similarities between Lena and the entire team at M&A. The real question is: will Gabi have compassion for Lena when the time comes? Because Lena is going to push Gabi to the limit. She’s willing to go to any extent, to any extreme, to save her brother because she’s so deeply manipulated.

If Gabi can get through to her—and wants to get through to her—because she sees how similar they are, that would be really interesting. I hope she does. I hope that when the moment comes where they’re at each other’s throats, Gabi is able to break through and reach Lena.

You said it perfectly—Lena has more in common with M&A than we think, especially with Gabi, because they were both under Hugh’s control. If anyone gets it, it’s Gabi. I can’t speak for her, but I imagine she looks at Lena and thinks, “Wow, this woman has been put through this her entire life. I couldn’t imagine being manipulated and controlled by him for that long.”

I hope they can get through to Lena—and that Lena can see the truth in what they’re saying. Subconsciously, I think she knows something isn’t right. She’s starting to sense that things aren’t exactly what she thought they were.

PC: It’s really profound what you said about Lena being Hugh’s first victim. It gives audiences a new perspective and allows them to see things in a different light. Going back to what we were saying earlier—how every answer leads to even more questions—as someone who’s no stranger to living with a character over time, what’s the biggest question you have for Nkechi and the writers’ room heading into a potential Season 3?
Danielle: Selfishly, I want to see those backstories—just like we’ve seen for everyone at M&A: how they got to where they are, and the trauma they’ve endured. I don’t think Lena is the priority, but I would love to see her backstory and how Hugh molded her into the person she became. I think it would be really interesting to explore that in a potential Season 3.

Nkechi and the writers have done such a beautiful job crafting a show that isn’t just a whodunit or a case-of-the-week format. That’s why the show is so emotional and why people are so invested. In every episode, we get to see the trauma these characters carry—as heartbreaking as that is to say out loud. But it’s also beautiful, because it reminds us that everyone has a backstory we may not know anything about. It’s fascinating to watch that get uncovered.

I’d also love to see if there’s a world where Lena could become more of a tool for Gabi than Hugh ever was. Is she as smart as Hugh when it comes to solving cases? Could Gabi lean on Lena instead of Hugh—because leaning on Hugh always comes with so much drama, and he’s such a villain. [laughs]

To keep up with Danielle, follow her on X and Instagram. New episodes of Found air every Thursday at 10/9c on NBC. Stream it the next day on Peacock.

Photo Credit: Matt Miller/NBC