Rose McIver stars in new CBS comedy “Ghosts,” which follows Samantha (McIver) and Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar), a married couple renovating a rundown country estate into a bed & breakfast — only to find that it’s already inhabited by a ragtag group of spirits.
“It was one of the first scripts I read in a long time where I laughed off the page,” McIver, 32, told The Post on the phone from Montreal, where she’s currently filming the show.
“It was so clever. I loved the ensemble nature of it, and the way they all pepper different flavors into this group dynamic. I hadn’t really done something that was quite such a large ensemble before. It was definitely something I was excited about.”
Premiering Thursday, Oct. 7 (9 p.m.), the show introduces ghosts such as a Prohibition-era lounge singer (Danielle Pinnock); a pompous 18th century politician (Brandon Scott Jones, “The Good Place”); a hippie (Sheila Carrasco); an ’80s scout troop leader (Richie Moriarty); a Viking explorer (Devon Chandler Long); and a slick Yuppie (Asher Grodman), among others.
They’re all uneasy at the prospect of their home getting heavier foot traffic thanks to the impending B&B — and matters become more complicated when they discover that Samantha is the only living person who can see and hear them.
It’s all based on a British series of the same name that premiered in 2019.
“As soon as I heard about this project, I watched the first few episodes of the BBC original [show]. I’m a huge fan [and] I think [star] Charlotte Ritchie is so brilliant,” said McIver. “And they did such an incredible job that it garnered enough popularity that we were excited to have the opportunity to re-imagine an American version of it. There are some direct comparisons, but there’s a lot of original characters as well. And, when you put 10 new actors together, you cook up a different stew, ultimately.
“We’re hoping that in the context of a different country with a different story of origin, we’re going to be able to explore the same concept with original ideas in order to tell our version.”
McIver, who’s from New Zealand, but is based in LA, is best known for starring in The CW’s “iZombie,” ABC’s “Once Upon a Time,” and Netflix’s hit “A Christmas Prince” franchise.
“I really love the audience and the fan base that comes with genre [shows]. It’s so dedicated and imaginative and creative. I really loved interacting with them over the years, and felt so supported by that fan base. So, I hope people who loved ‘iZombie’ or ‘Once Upon a Time’ or some of my comedy stuff would enjoy this as well.
“Halloween is coming up, and nothing would make me happier than seeing people dress up as their favorite ghost. That’s the kind of stuff I enjoy with the genre fans. We notice those things and we really appreciate it.”
McIver said there are no current plans for a fourth movie in the “Christmas Prince” trilogy.
“Look, the door is always open, I had so much fun making those films,” she said. “That whole group of actors involved became a very close bunch. We have a group text thread that’s active pretty much every day. We all very much want to keep that door open, but we haven’t been asked yet.
“We’re waiting for the call when they’re ready.”
