Veronica Mars fans have had plenty of opinions about who our beloved pint-sized detective should end up with, but the show and the film are not just about romance. In fact, the love triangle often, thankfully, takes a back seat to Veronica’s cases –- and the lives of her friends, clients, and enemies. Part of the fun of returning to Neptune was getting to see so many of the show’s characters back in action.

At the SXSW red carpet premiere, we were able to speak with Percy Daggs III, Veronica’s very best friend Wallace Fennel, to find out his thoughts on the film, his character, and Veronica Mars, ten years later.

When we first met Wallace Fennel, he was duct taped to a flagpole by Weevil and his biker gang. An immediate outsider in a new town, Wallace was rescued by none other than fellow outcast Veronica Mars, and a beautiful best friendship was born. Wallace even gave Veronica (and inadvertently, her ardent fans) the nickname “Marshmallow.”

Veronica and Wallace both grew throughout the course of their friendship. Through false accusations, break ups, murders, and even their parents short-lived relationship, Veronica encouraged Wallace to be himself… and Wallace had a knack for calling Veronica out on her shortcomings in a way no one else quite could. When asked about the pair’s dynamic, Daggs reflected how his character has evolved over the years.

“That is a lot how it started out, [Wallace] coming into Neptune, getting duct taped to that flag pole, having her be the one person to cut you down, and establishing your relationship that way… he really DID need her to matriculate through school and find his way…. I think once he did get comfortable and he found himself, he was able to be more of an asset to her as a friend, and more responsible for his own choices as an individual. I think as he got older, now in this film, you’ll see that Wallace is a very capable individual and he’s still a great friend.”

When Veronica reunites with Wallace in the film, she finds him happily working as a basketball coach at Neptune High. Daggs admitted that Wallace was “loyal to his family, loyal to his friends…. He loved sports, he had dreams and goals that were in Chicago — being a mechanical engineer, he still had them — he did his best. He is steadfast and steady in who he is, and to be able to be there for Veronica, I think you’ll be able to tell in this film that… he misses her, he misses his friend. He wants her back and is really cherishing the time that he has there with her. Hopefully you guys get to see that relationship and that chemistry still in the movie.”

Don’t forget to check out our interviews with Veronica’s former flames, Jason Dohring and Chris Lowell. You can still download Veronica Mars on iTunes, or watch it again in the theaters. Let’s aim for that Netflix show, guys.