As episode two airs, a look at Big Little Lies through the eyes of local extras.

“I had to poke a dead animal,” Aidan Aruiza says, with glee.

The 10-year-old Watsonville resident was one of some 250 guests who showed up at Carmel Mission Inn on Feb. 19 for the Monterey County Film Commission’s screening party of the new HBO series, Big Little Lies, many of them extras paid to participate in the production.

Aidan’s moment will be revealed in a later episode—though he did admit the animal was not recently killed, and stuffed to look more realistic.

Lori Crisan was another extra in attendance, and one with a little more seasoning than young Aidan.

Crisan has appeared in several films filmed in the area like Junior (starring an underrated Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Turner and Hooch (starring Tom Hanks and dog slobber). Along with a noteworthy impersonation of Schwarzenegger, Crisan recalled sitting in Richard Burton’s lap as a young girl.

Although none of the star-studded cast was at the event, MCFC President Alan Vasquez and his wife Tracy (who works at the Weekly) wanted the evening to feel like a Hollywood event.

Parked out front was a limo where guests could pose for photos. Inside, cured salmon with shaved fennel and bacon was served while a buffet table held snacky foods like vegetables, pretzels and fondue.

While munching on popcorn during the screening, the crowd laughed when Celeste Wright (Nicole Kidman) made a joke about people in Monterey being too nice.

Adam Chavarria, a 20-year-old student at CSU Monterey Bay, was surprised he was cast as a dad, complete with two kids and a wife, on set. He also got paid for his car’s appearance.

“Oh, there’s my ‘kid,’” he said excitedly as a youngster ran past. His favorite part? Talking with Shailene Woodley, who is a huge Bernie Sanders supporter.

Coty Burnett, an extra with a square jaw, crew cut and striking resemblance to Brad Pitt, was selected for a courthouse scene, and politely refused to divulge what he’d seen on set—Burnett and the other extras signed a non-disclosure agreement binding them to silence until the show airs.

The celeb look alike had never been an extra before, but he was inspired by filming taking place in his backyard. Reese Witherspoon, he said, was “gracious and humble.”

One thing that unified all the extras at the party was a genuine pride in Monterey, and the feeling that the area will benefit from the show. After the screening, groups of people stood around chatting, clearly abuzz.

When Monterey County Film Commission spokesperson Karen Nordstrand called the show a fantastic opportunity for the Monterey Peninsula, an extra nodded in agreement, adding, “It was better than I’d expected.”