“More money, more problems, you know?” Claws star Carrie Preston says in New York City’s Paintbox nail salon. She’s talking about the show's upcoming third season, premiering June 9 on TNT. There are few better places to chat with Preston, who has played an expert manicurist on Claws since 2017. But, Preston’s Polly isn’t just a nail art queen anymore. In season 3, she’ll be helping ride or die BFF Desna Simms (Niecy Nash) run a gigantic crime-ridden Florida casino, too.
Hence, all of the money and problems on the horizon for her character. Thankfully, Preston is ready to break down all the deliciously Floridian chaos ahead, just in time for National Best Friends Day on June 8. After all, the Claws crew will take a bullet for each other — just ask Karrueche Tran’s Virginia after the season 2 finale. Nothing says friendship like that.
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“We’re in this whole new scenario with this casino,” Preston teases with an excited look in her eyes. While she doesn’t spill how Polly’s season-ending trip to a mental health facility went, the True Blood alum does add, “The conflicts are gonna get bigger. The villains of the season are weirder than ever.”
“Weird” may be the understatement of the year when it comes to season 3’s Big Bads, new additions Mac (Michael Horse) and Melba (Rebecca Creskoff). As Polly says of the couple in the trailer, “They’ve got their creepy mixed up with their scary.” Yes, Mac and Melba will try to kill you like any other Claws baddie. But they’ll also lick your blood off of their own fingers when they’re done with the whole murder thing.
“We’re kinda going to lose our way a little bit as a result.,” Preston says of the Claws cast. But this isn’t the end for TV’s baddest girl crew — all thanks to their unshakeable bond. “I mean that is always at the core of the show,” Preston continues. “Certainly for Polly. Her loyalty to Desna is impenetrable, so that’s not going to change any time soon.”
Considering just how close these fictional ladies’ bonds are, it seems fitting their real-life counterparts will be celebrating a major career milestone together in season 3: directing. Niecy Nash will make her directorial debut with the fifth episode of 2019. Although Preston has helmed her own indie films before, this season’s eighth episode will be her first episodic TV directing gig. Unsurprisingly, Claws threw Preston a few curveballs.
“When they told me I was going to be directing the eighth episode, I knew it would have a lot because it’s happening towards the end of the season,” the director/performer recalls. “But when I got this script and I read it, I was like, You want me to do what? A culmination of a lot of stuff that’s been building [throughout the season] happens in eight, which usually happens in ten. It’s going down.”
Then what the heck should we expect for the all-important 2019 finale? “It gets even crazier,” Preston promises with a laugh. So strap in, and claws up.