As Ghosts returns for its fifth season on CBS this Thursday, October 16, actress Sheila Carrasco can’t help but reflect on the surreal journey that’s brought her to this moment. The series, already renewed for a sixth season, continues to charm audiences with its mix of heart, humor, and a hauntingly delightful ensemble. For Carrasco, who plays the eternally optimistic hippie ghost Flower, the experience has been nothing short of life-changing.
“I regularly have to pinch myself, even going into Season 5,” Carrasco said. “We feel so lucky to make the show we make because it’s so much fun, and we all love each other. To be able to keep doing it feels like a dream come true.”
From Childhood Dreams to a Career That Clicked Late
Born and raised in Chicago, Carrasco’s love for performance began early. “I really loved singing, and then I saw the movie Annie,” she recalled. “I wanted to be an orphan singing ‘It’s a Hard Knock Life.’” After joining her local community theater production “I had no speaking role; I was in the Orphan Chorus, and I loved it”. Carrasco just knew performing was in her blood.
But it wasn’t until years later that acting began to feel like more than a dream. “I think for a long time it felt like an unattainable goal,” she said. After college, Carrasco spent years hustling in New York, working odd jobs while auditioning. “It took me six years to get my agent,” she said, laughing. “I’m kind of a late bloomer.”
That perseverance paid off with Ghosts. “It didn’t really feel real until I got Ghosts,” she said. “Before that, you’re living paycheck to paycheck and just hustling. Now, I finally feel secure.”
Auditioning in a Pandemic and Finding Calm on Zoom
Carrasco landed her role through a process that mirrored the uncertainty of 2020. “I auditioned via self-tape, then had a Zoom callback and a Zoom pilot test,” she explained. “At the time, that was all new. Productions were just starting to come back.”
Surprisingly, the virtual format became a gift. “I love performing on stage, but auditions always made me nervous. Doing it on Zoom helped me block out the noise,” she said. “Weirdly, it made me more comfortable.”
Once the pilot was filmed in Los Angeles, the pandemic made things tricky. “Everyone had to quarantine, wear masks and shields it was so locked down,” she recalled. “But even within all that, we were able to connect and have a great time. When we finally got the call that the show was greenlit, it came at 5:56 PM on the last possible day. We were all sweating!”
The Power of Ensemble and the Bonds That Last
Fans of Ghosts know the chemistry among its cast is part of what makes the series shine. For Carrasco, that bond is real. “I always wish we had more full-cast scenes where all ten of us are together,” she said. “Those days only happen a few times a season now, but they’re so much fun.”
She’s especially fond of working with her co-stars. “John Hartman, who plays Nigel, I always pitch that Flower and Nigel should be best friends who have tea parties and gossip,” she joked. “And anytime you get to act with Betsy Sodaro, it’s just a treat. She’s the sunniest person I’ve ever met.”
Motherhood, Support, and a… Well-Timed Storyline
Carrasco’s personal life and her on-screen one intertwined during Season 3 when she became a mother. The show’s writers worked her maternity leave into the story by trapping Flower in a well, a creative workaround that she embraced with gratitude.
“When I called the showrunners to tell them I was pregnant, they were so supportive,” she said. “It wasn’t the original plan for Flower to be ‘sucked off,’ but it worked out perfectly. I could have missed the whole third season, but I wanted to come back for at least part of it.”
Carrasco returned to film the final episodes of the season just two months after giving birth. “They were so accommodating,” she said. “I felt so lucky. You hear horror stories about actresses being afraid to get pregnant, but things have changed so much.”
Now, she hopes to pay that forward. “I would say to anyone listening: have your family. Career will also happen,” she said. “It’s not easy, but you can do both.”
Rediscovering Flower and Herself
Coming back after maternity leave brought new challenges. “I was worried my voice had changed and that I couldn’t hit Flower’s pitch anymore. Even memorizing lines was harder. Mom brain is real!” she said with a laugh. “But once I put on the costume and the jewelry, I was like, ‘Ah, there she is. We’re back, baby.’”
Carrasco’s connection to Flower runs deep, particularly as the show continues to reveal new layers of her character. “Flower might seem like a stereotype at first, but the writers have given her so much depth,” she said. “She was in law school, she knows basketball, she’s a pacifist but passionate about justice. The more we learn about her, the more interesting she becomes.”
If it were up to Carrasco, fans could expect even more surprises. “I’d love to know more about her family,” she mused. “Anyone who joins a cult is running from something. What was she escaping? And we see different parts of her transformation from Susan to Flower through the flashbacks. It’s been so cool exploring that evolution.”
Looking Ahead to Season 5 and Beyond
As Ghosts prepares to premiere its fifth season and film its sixth, Carrasco remains grateful for the ride. “To be part of a show that’s lasted this long, with 22-episode seasons, it’s so rare now,” she said. “We’re all just thankful to keep doing what we love.”
And while Flower might not get recognized often on the street, Carrasco is okay with that. “I love that I look so different from her,” she said with a laugh. “It’s nice to have that anonymity and it’ll make it even more fun when I play someone completely different one day.”You can see Sheila Carrasco in the season 5 premiere of Ghosts, October 16 at 8:30pm on CBS, available to stream next day on Paramount+.
