Switched at Birth's Lucas Grabeel: Toby's Gambling Problem Will Snowball
Lucas Grabeel
ABC Family's new series Switched at Birth has so far focused mostly on the struggles of its main characters, Bay (Vanessa Marano) and Daphne(Katie Leclerc), as they adapt after their mistaken identities were discovered. But last week's episode revealed that Bay's brother, Toby (Lucas Grabeel), has a serious struggle of his own: his problem with gambling.
"It snowballs and continues to accumulate, and I get into some pretty deep trouble," Grabeel tells TVGuide.com.
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After Toby realized that Daphne and her friend, Emmet (Sean Berdy), were extra perceptive because of their deafness, he invited them help him in a high-stakes poker game. Although Bay tried to warn Daphne not to get involved, she didn't heed Bay's warning and Toby lost a couple thousand dollars to his band mate Wilke (Austin Butler). On Monday's episode, Toby desperately searches for a way to pay Wilke back.
"The situation gets better, then it gets worse again, but then it gets better," he says. "He [eventually] comes to the realization that he does have a problem and it's from an unlikely place that he finds wisdom that helps him out."
Switched at Birth star hopes to bridge the gap between the hearing and deaf communities
While the gambling issue strains Toby and Daphne's relationship — the two just learned they're biological brother and sister — Grabeel says it ultimately brings them closer together. But with the series halfway through Season 1, Grabeel is already thinking about exploring some non-family relationships next season.
"If we get picked up for another 10 episodes," Grabeel says, "I've been promised by more than one writer that I'll have a girl come along."
Switched at Birth airs Mondays at 9/8c on ABC Family.
Watch a clip from Monday's episode below.