'HTGAWM' Stars Are Helping Us Get Through Shondaland's Dreaded Winter Break Together

We have good news and bad news.

Bad news first? OK. Tonight, we embark on the dreaded journey that is Shondaland's winter break. I know, it's tragic. But don't drown yourself in an Olivia Pope-sized glass of wine just yet.

Here's the happy news: the Shondaland family is as strong as ever. How do we know? We caught How To Get Away With Murder newcomers Amy Okuda and Kendrick Sampson at VH1 Big In 15 With Entertainment Weekly on Sunday, who couldn't stop gushing about queen Viola and the tight-knit family Shonda has created. This is exactly what you needed.

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"I love the Shondaland family. The whole vibe of it," says Amy. "Everyone kinda knows each other, even on the different shows. That was the biggest pleasant surprise." Adorable.

And did you know Viola is actually the cast goofball? "[She] a really good sense of humor, which I didn't expect because she's such a serious actor and such a badass on the show," says the HTGAWM star. "But she's so funny, she's so warm."

FEELS.

Kendrick agreed, and said working with these "extremely warm and intelligent" ladies came as no surprise.

See? The break is just temporary, and you can rest easy knowing the pile of love that is the Shonda family isn't going anywhere. Count your blessings at the Thanksgiving table until we see them back this spring.