Exclusive Interview: Shanola Hampton Teases Found Winter Finale, What’s Ahead, and the Parallels Between Her and Gabi’s Leadership

In Season 2 of NBC’s Found, Gabi Mosely’s carefully guarded secret is exposed, throwing her team into turmoil. With Sir at large and Mark Trent circling, the stakes have never been higher.

At the center of this gripping drama is Shanola Hampton, who delivers a powerhouse performance as Gabi navigates the fallout of her revelation while trying to keep her team—and herself—together. The season dives deeper into the show’s emotional core, blending high-stakes suspense with moments of profound vulnerability that push every character to their limits.

In this exclusive interview, Shanola reflects on how trusting her instincts has guided both her performance and her leadership on set. As an on-the-ground producer and #1 on the call sheet, her collaborative style mirrors Gabi’s own ability to balance strength and compassion. She also teases what fans can expect from the winter finale, promising twists, turns, and emotional moments that have made Season 2 Found’s one of the best shows on television today.

PC: Something I’ve always appreciated about you is how you’ve worked to build the career you have. So many shows fall victim to the sophomore slump, but Found is not one of them. Not only are you #1 on the call sheet, but you’re also an on-the-ground producer. How have you all doubled down on what makes this show so special while keeping it fresh and exciting?
Shanola: What makes the show special is that there’s no shortage of people who aren’t getting the attention they deserve in the media when they go missing. We try to keep it authentic by showing and highlighting those communities and really diving into the cases, while also exploring a cast of characters dealing with deeply human issues and healing. I think audiences are drawn to both the main characters’ stories and the suspense of what Sir will do next. It’s not just one thing; it’s a formula that blends procedural drama with thriller elements to create excitement week after week. We always end with a cliffhanger, but it never feels forced—it feels earned. It’s incredibly rewarding to see it working because when you believe in something as much as we do, you want it to succeed. I’m so glad audiences have responded to our sophomore season the way they have.

PC: Throughout Season 1, we hear about all the things Sir has taken from Gabi, and we catch glimpses here and there. But this season, it’s so visceral with the flashbacks. How has A’Zaria Carter’s interpretation of Gabi influenced your own?
Shanola: A’Zaria is such a force. She has this incredible ability to embody both brokenness and strength simultaneously, especially in her relationship with Bella and the sisterhood they create. What’s amazing is that we never look at each other’s work to try to mimic it. It was one of those magical things where we both instinctively knew how to play Gabi at whatever stage she was in her life. You see that strength carry over into adulthood, especially in her drive to help others. I’m constantly inspired by her talent and her willingness to go so deep emotionally without fear.

PC: After your time on Shameless, it was so important to you that you not just be an actor for hire. Correct me if I’m wrong, but this season, you, Kelli [Williams], and Mark-Paul [Gosselaar] are all directing episodes. How has your work behind the scenes strengthened your connection to the material and these characters? And what is it like collaborating with your ensemble in a different capacity?
Shanola: Kelli and Mark-Paul did direct, but I didn’t end up doing it because Gabi’s workload was too demanding. As a producer and #1 on the show, I felt it would have been a disservice to the crew for me to take on directing this season and not give them what they needed from me as an on-the-ground producer. Working with Kelli and Mark-Paul in that capacity was fantastic, though. Mark-Paul and I have such a strong shorthand with one another. Having a director who completely understands me—on and off screen—and truly gets the character means he’s able to pull a performance out of me that others might not. He knows exactly what he wants and communicates it with such clarity. His presence on set is incredible. It was a delight to collaborate with him in that way. And when you interview him, he better say I was his favorite #1 ever. [laughs]

PC: The two of you are hilarious when you do joint interviews. For people who may not know—and I didn’t either—it was through an early conversation with Kelli where you both discussed how difficult it was to land that next directing job that ultimately led to your general meeting with Nkechi [Okoro Carroll]. More than any other character on the show, Margaret has felt the impact of Gabi’s secret, leaving her in such a fragile state, which we see in Episodes 7 and 8. How has your trust with Kelli grown over time, and how have your shared experiences influenced this dynamic, empowering you to go to such vulnerable places—especially at the end of Episode 7, which is so heartbreaking?
Shanola: Kelli is incredible at reaching those vulnerable places and going so deeply into the emotions her character demands. Margaret has to go there a lot, and it’s draining and exhausting. My job, not just as a producer and #1 on the call sheet, but as her scene partner, is to make sure she feels supported. That’s also Gabi Mosely’s job—to be someone Margaret can literally lean on, someone who will catch her and lift her up. That mirrors our off-screen relationship, which translates into our on-screen dynamic. What’s ahead for Margaret is going to be so satisfying for audiences. We’re about to start digging into the Jamie case, which is what everyone has been waiting for. It’s going to give Kelli and the Margaret character a real chance to shine.

PC: Season 2 feels like it’s building toward a house of cards potentially crashing down. In true Gabi fashion, she’s not worried about herself—she just wants to make sure her team will be fine without her. Who have been the people in your own life who have held space for you in a similar way? Did you channel them into your embodiment of Gabi?
Shanola: That’s a great question. They call us a cult, but my family has always gone above and beyond—especially this year, which has been a challenging one for me. They’ve really shown up for me. I also have a core group of friends. As you get older, you realize you don’t need a lot of friends; you just need really good ones who truly know you—so that even when things are said or done, they know who you are at your core. There’s a group of people in my life who hold space for me a lot, and this year, they’ve really had to. I’m so grateful for them.

PC: Thank you for sharing that. That’s such an important lesson—it’s not about the quantity, but the quality. Gabi has an extraordinary ability to balance leadership, instinctively knowing when to challenge her team and when to give them space. One silver lining of her secret being revealed is that the team is stepping up in ways they might not have otherwise. What have you learned about yourself playing this role, and how has that influenced the way you lead the show as #1?
Shanola: I always want to make sure I’m leading with kindness. That’s my leadership approach—ensuring that everyone feels seen. To me, that means knowing everyone’s name, their children, spouses, parents, and even grandparents, and making sure everyone knows that no one on set is smaller or larger than anyone else. I see everyone, just like Gabi sees everyone. It’s her mission. That’s why the underserved, the forgotten people no one is talking about anymore, mean so much to her. My leadership is very much rooted in the same philosophy as Gabi’s: seeing everyone and hoping they feel secure and valued in that recognition.

I’m also an energy reader—almost spookily so. I’ll say things like, “Is your stomach hurting? Is it hunger?” [laughs] And people will respond, “Stop it, Shanola.” It’s almost like I’m reading them, the way Margaret does. Gabi has this innate ability to sense and see what people need, and we piggyback off one another in that way.

PC: Perception and reality are such fascinating themes in this series, especially in Episode 7, when Gabi warns the media about making heroes out of monsters. Then, when Sir seemingly comes to her defense, Gabi sees through his true motives. It leads to this rare moment where we see her have such an outward reaction in front of her team. How did you prepare for that scene? And when you’re getting new scripts, do you read them from your own perspective or Gabi’s, given how much context exists between the lines?
Shanola: Interestingly enough, because I have so much to carry in each episode, I’ve learned since Season 1 that I can’t read ahead. It’s too much for Gabi to carry, and it’s too much for me to carry. I don’t read the next script until I’ve finished the current episode. Sometimes, there are crossover days, and I’ll be honest—there may be one or two scenes I haven’t read yet because they’re happening while we’re wrapping another episode. But I always make sure I have a solid understanding of where Gabi is with each script.

For big moments like the one you described, I try not to overthink. As an artist, I want to give the audience my most authentic self. I knew that scene had to feel guttural because it’s not something Gabi has ever done before. My approach wasn’t to plan the scream—it was to let whatever came out of my body after that buildup just happen. It came from my gut and through my teeth. It’s not the prettiest, let’s be honest, but it wasn’t supposed to be. You have to let go of how it looks and just trust your instincts. That’s how I approached it—to make it come from a deep, authentic place.

PC: As audience members, we felt it in our gut as well. How much do you credit trusting your instincts to your theatre background?
Shanola: A lot, especially in those basement scenes in Season 1. It felt very much like being on a theatre stage. We have the procedural aspects with the cases, but those character-driven moments—when it’s one-on-one and emotions are building up—that’s where my theatre roots come through. That’s what I really love. I enjoy connecting in that way because it allows me to fully tap into the emotions and bring them to the surface.

PC: I’m not sure how the show will continue to build on all this success, and we’re only eight episodes into a twenty-two-episode season. What can you tell us about what’s ahead?
Shanola: It’s wild to me that we’re already talking about a “winter finale” because this is just the beginning. There’s so much more ahead—more cliffhangers, more cases to solve, and more powerful interactions between the characters. We’re going to dive deeper into Jamie’s case, and Sir is absolutely going to get what’s coming to him. It’s going to be so good. There are so many great stories left to tell. What I can tease is that it won’t disappoint. You’ll get satisfaction in some areas, but in others, you’ll have to wait for Season 3!

To keep up with Shanola, follow her on Instagram. The winter finale of Found airs on November 21st at 10/9c on NBC. Stream it the next day on Peacock.

Photo Credit: Matt Miller/NBC