Evil is again—streaming on Paramount+ as an alternative of CBS in its second season—and its most memorable character, Leland Townsend, is already inflicting mischief for its trio of Catholic Church-sponsored supernatural investigators. To be taught extra about what’s to return, we hopped on the cellphone with the actor who brings him to life: Michael Emerson, whose previous credit embody Lost and the late, nice Person of Interest.
It’ll be laborious for Leland to high all of the malevolent hijinks he bought as much as in season one (getting a serial killer free of jail, seducing the mom of one among his enemies, encouraging a budding “incel” to plan a mass capturing), however the present is named Evil—and there’s no telling precisely how low Leland will go. “People have cause to fear him. And that probably does his heart good,” Emerson advised io9. “He probably wakes up happy every morning.” Shivers. Read on for our interview…
Cheryl Eddy, io9: Evil is a present in regards to the precise satan, with characters which are literal demons, and but Leland Townsend is totally probably the most sinister character on the present. What’s it like attending to play somebody like that?
Michael Emerson: It’s nice enjoyable! He’s a thriller to me, definitely. We’re undecided what his motives are or what the long-term plan is—apart from form of devilment and creating as a lot mayhem as he can, getting in the way in which of David’s [Mike Colter] holy orders. That appears to be form of it. But then he appears to be a reasonably excessive office-holder in a form of underground world of, you realize, secret rituals and mischief. He appears to slightly relish the stuff he does! He appears to take some pleasure in it, and he’s humorous upon event.
io9: I used to be really going to ask you about that, as a result of though he’s positively a foul man, Leland typically features as Evil’s comedian reduction, too. What’s it like bringing that aspect right into a present that tends to be extra critical?
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Emerson: I believe there’s a good quantity of wit within the present throughout, however I’m lucky that I’ve extra alternatives to show it. I assume if you happen to’re a pressure of misrule, then making enjoyable, or mockery, or blasphemy on this case, these are all simply pleasurable instruments for his work. Whatever it’s in his childhood or his youth that has pushed him to this place, he will need to have a way of energy and vengeance, all of that’s so good as a result of now he can do issues that different individuals can’t, and other people have trigger to concern him. And that most likely does his coronary heart good. He most likely wakes up joyful each morning [laughs].
io9: What attracted you to the position of Leland, and the way a lot did you personally carry into shaping his character?
Emerson: I simply play what’s written on the web page. I imply, I assume there’s some interpretation concerned, however I simply attempt to let what’s written for me be the form of parameters, or the blueprint, for the position. And then the remaining is simply me getting down inside it and enjoying round with it, actually. I don’t need to say that it’s not laborious work, however it’s extra enjoyable than numerous performing jobs are as a result of the language is sweet and so they write him with a pleasant flip of phrase right here and there. He’s droll. He’d be fairly good firm if he wasn’t so lethal harmful.
io9: Did you base your portrayal on anybody, fictional or actual?
Emerson: Maybe I’ve seen individuals in my life who had been dangerous actors however did it in an enthralling manner—I may need form of filed that away someplace. But I believe my expertise of enjoying villains, whether or not it’s on the stage or earlier than the digital camera, you’ll be able to’t do numerous mustache-twirling. You should play the alternative. You have to search out what retains them going, and what retains them efficient. And additionally you may have some obligation to be entertaining [laughs]. So I attempt to dwell as much as these probably self-imposed requirements.
io9: Most of the time, you’ll be able to assume that the villain of a narrative doesn’t suppose he or she is a villain; they consider they’re in the correct even when it’s in opposition to the opposite characters. But do you suppose on this case of Evil, Leland is aware of he’s the dangerous man?
Emerson: Yeah, in contrast to a lot of the dangerous guys I’ve performed, or the boys of questionable ethics, I believe Leland will get that he’s a foul actor, that he’s a actually dangerous one, and he doesn’t care. And that’s form of good, and releasing for me as an actor within the position—it releases me from grey-er concerns of morals, ethics, behaviors. He can simply play, form of. Play with it.
io9: Viewers don’t know but what Leland will rise up to in season two, however I assumed season one’s terrifying “incel” episode was his greatest worst second up to now. Would you agree?
Emerson: To me that was the scariest episode as a result of it was believable. Because there are weak individuals on the market who might be persuaded by somebody like Leland to do one thing horrible. It scared me. It nervous me to work that quantity on a weak soul. That one, I assumed “Wow! I hope somebody doesn’t punch me out on the street after confusing me with this character I play!”
io9: Has that ever occurred, perhaps not getting punched out, however somebody complicated you with one among your characters?
Emerson: For some individuals, the road will get a bit of bit blurred typically. You know, I’ve performed characters that make individuals nervous. I’ve had individuals scream and run away from me. That form of factor. Which is flattering, in a manner—it’s additionally form of foolish. But it’s a testomony to how a lot they’ve immersed themselves within the story, how a lot they’ve suspended their disbelief.
io9: We’ve realized a bit of bit about Leland’s background—his actual title, the place he grew up, and so forth. Will we be studying any extra this season?
Emerson: Not that a lot, I might say. We’re not gonna return in time and meet Leland at one other stage of his life or something like that. We’ll get little bits and items, however I believe every part [show creators Michelle and Robert King] need you to know, you just about already know. It’s not going to be a personality like I performed on Lost, whereas we return and study Ben Linus’ childhood or one thing, [and] it mitigates our feeling about him, the character. I believe Leland goes to stay a little bit of a thriller, and a extremely dangerous man—if a considerably entertaining one.
io9: Since we received’t be trying again into his previous, will we see Leland evolve as season two progresses? Will viewers’ opinions of him change by the tip of the season?
Emerson: Yeah! Because numerous the facility dynamics, sure relationships the place we thought he was in management or in cost, a few of that stuff’s going to get turned on its head. We will certainly see Leland in surprisingly weak conditions. We received’t really feel a lot pity for him as a result of they’re conditions he’s introduced on himself, however nonetheless, he will get into some bother. [Laughs]
io9: Leland’s relationship with Kristen (Katja Herbers) might be Evil’s most contentious, particularly now that he’s planning to marry Kristen’s mom (Christine Lahti). What’s it like enjoying these scenes with them?
Emerson: A few actual execs, you realize? We have numerous enjoyable, me and Katja and Christine and I. It’s a tribute to the writing, we go in and if we simply say the strains on the web page, the scenes will crackle. And Katja’s character, Kristen, has turned out to be fairly an ready adversary for Leland. The extra she stops enjoying by self-imposed guidelines, the extra bother she may be for Leland, I believe.
io9: Is that one thing we’re going to be seeing extra of this season?
Emerson: Yeah, I believe so as a result of one of many issues we discover in season two is: the place is Kristen on the dimensions of fine and dangerous? What are her actual ethics, values? What are the issues she received’t do? Are there any? [Laughs]
io9: I used to be going to ask one thing comparable about Leland. Is there a line that even he received’t cross? Is there any soul left in that man?
Emerson: I believe there are most likely some issues that even he would quail at. Not positive I may title one but, however I suppose it’s doable to ponder such a factor. But he’s slightly resistant to the traditional shocks and horrors that afflict feeling people. [Laughs] I imply, I assume he’s a human, however of a distinct kind.
io9: A recurring theme on Evil is skepticism. Leland, nevertheless, appears to totally exist in a world the place the supernatural is actual. What’s that like for him, and what’s it like enjoying a personality like that?
Emerson: It offers the character, and me the actor, the liberty to simply say audacious issues. Bold pronouncements, typically chopping observations which are painfully true. You know, he believes that he has discovered humanity’s quantity. He’s bought their quantity! And they’re frail, weak, contradictory, hypocritical—he a minimum of says simply what he means. So in a manner, I believe he considers himself as occupying a better floor.
io9: You’ve touched on this a bit, however in your profession, we’ve seen you play some very darkish elements—an antagonist on Lost, a serial killer on The Practice, a monster-of-the-week on that X-Files episode in regards to the Brady Bunch home. You’ve even voiced the Joker. For you personally, what’s the attraction in these kinds of roles?
Emerson: I’m drawn to the stuff that’s well-written, or humorous, or poetical. And I assume a lot of the stuff I actually reply to is characters who’re ambiguous and mysterious and probably harmful, but additionally—once more, characters which have a wit about them. I don’t know if it’s me looking for out the villain roles, or if it’s simply the scripts that come my manner, or if it’s the stuff I’m proper for. You know, I’m by no means gonna play the hero in a Western film or something like that. There are sure issues I’m proper for. Having a specific form of voice and talking in a specific form of manner that I’m not even all the time fully conscious of, I believe it alarms individuals. There’s that vein of intuition within the American society that distrusts people who find themselves verbal, individuals who speak an excessive amount of or speak too nicely. You know, we delight ourselves on being do-ers, and never talkers. Walk the stroll, don’t speak the speak, all of that form of factor. We actually cling to these concepts. And so I believe for me, these form of ambiguous or sinister roles are an excellent match. They’re form of pure for me. If the digital camera’s up near me and I speak a sure manner, ship the strains a sure manner, I believe it might be chilling. [Laughs] I believe by the identical token, one thing in my intonation or supply disqualifies me, in a manner, from enjoying a traditional good man. I’ve performed good guys, however they’re normally odd. So I believe it’s extra a top quality of oddness or grotesquerie that finally ends up being the correct match for me.
io9: The final shot of the season two premiere the place Leland simply laughs on the digital camera was very unsettling.
Emerson: Oh yeah, and so they made it seem like it was an digital glitch within the surveillance system! A glitch that reveals some deeper reality about Leland: that perhaps on some stage that isn’t seen from the floor, he’s extra monstrous than we expect.
io9: Hopefully we’ll be attending to see extra of that in season two! Anything else you’ll be able to tease about what’s developing?
Emerson: Oh sure, keep tuned. There’s going to be some wild stuff! There’s so much to do with turning Catholic sacraments on their head on this season. And there’s so much to do with blood. [Laughs]
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