Fortunately, we were able to get some insight into what will can expect when it comes to the hit series's sophomore season. Moviefone spoke with one of the show's stars, Harry Lennix, who plays FBI Agent Harold Cooper, and he let us in on what's in store for "The Blacklist" and his character, what it's like to work with the great James Spader, and if we will get answers to any of those unanswered questions.
Lennix has had a long and accomplished career in TV, film, and stage, and has appeared in shows like "Dollhouse" and "ER." He played General Swanwick in 2013's "Man of Steel," so we also couldn't help asking what he could share about the upcoming "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice."
Moviefone: Let's talk a little bit about Season 2. What can we expect and how will things be different?
Harry Lennix: The short form answer would be it's Season 1 on steroids. We're gonna amplify it. We do a show that has garnered the attention of the public, which this fortunately has. We want the fans to have more of what they want. This is kind of a super=sized version of Season 1. So, we pick up where we left off, which as you remember, everybody was pretty much in the jaws of danger. I think you'll see more of the same. Red is the same. We will have some extraordinary exciting guest stars on to play Blacklisters. It will just be exciting. I was excited about my friend Ron Cephas Jones coming on, and there's more and more. We've got a new agent working with us in Mozhan Mornò. She's a terrific actress. So, we're excited about it. The most important thing is you can depend on the same level of intrigue, action. and acting.
The Season 1 finale was just so chock full of suspense and there are a lot of open-ended, burning questions out there. In the Season 2 premiere, will we get answers to any of those questions?
You'll get some answers and more questions will be raised. We can't solve everything in one episode.
What can we expect from your character, Cooper, this season? It's safe to say he survived. What does that attack mean for the FBI and will we learn more about his past at all?
Well, it's interesting. I read something online that said they would go into the past, but I can't say because I'm not in the writers' room. So far as the character is concerned, Cooper is very comfortable with people not knowing anything about him at all. He's a company man. The real purpose of his job is to get as many dangerous people off the streets as possible. To that end, Reddington is the goose that lays the golden egg. Cooper, speaking for himself, would love to keep the spotlight off himself and to put it on these criminals that he's trying to apprehend. I read John Eisendrath, who's the showrunner, that we will find out more about Cooper.
One big unanswered question that was brought up during the season was an unfortunate incident involving Cooper in Kuwait, information that Red threatened him with. Will we find out what he was referring to?
I hope so. Harry hopes so. Cooper hopes not.
What do you think makes people so drawn to "The Blacklist"? This show is sort of unlike anything on TV -- it's comical at times, but deadly serious. What's your favorite thing about playing a character like this and being a part of it all?
It's an interesting thing. It's one of those things where I think we achieve some form of gestalt. I don't think we knew all of what we had when we were assembling the pilot. But the fact that Joe Carnahan was so adept at action directing, the fact that James Spader is such a masterful actor and Megan and Diego are so winning. And Ryan Eggold was a big surprise to a lot of people just showing how many layers he has. I don't think that we knew all of the assets that we had until it was all put together. It's hard to say and I don't know if there's any one reason that it's gelled so well.
I think it starts at the top and that's been my experience on television in general. If you've got someone who as meticulous and prepared as James, he's gonna ask the right questions to the right people. From the writing room to the director to the other actors, we're all working together. But he is, in my opinion, he's the captain of the team. He's one of the reasons, certainly.
I'd say the other thing that makes it work is the writing. In this age of more permissiveness in television the rules have been relaxed a bit in terms of what you can show or what you can see compared to say the '80s or something. We get to do more and we get to see more. Technology is of course important. These cameras and this equipment can do so much and show so much. It's really all worked together to our benefit and whatever the man behind the curtain in Oz is doing, whoever that is, they put this thing together in such a way that keeps people coming back. I guess if I knew the answer to what made it work I'd be a very rich man.
What's the best part of working with James Spader? Anything that would surprise us about him?
I don't think so. When you watch him, you see someone who has been doing this for a very long time and who is very good at it, who has developed an expertise in it. He's very well prepared, and I don't think that would be a surprise. I think the thing that's great about working with him is that there are no surprises, really. In terms of the methodology of work, his incisiveness as an actor and the joie de vivre that the character has, I think, is a rare mix. Not a lot of people can get away with it. He seems to be having a great amount of fun doing some pretty despicable things. And that's always fun.
Anything else you would like to spill about Season 2? Anything that would make our jaws drop?
I know that they're working on it. I don't know. I don't have anything up my sleeve.
We have to ask: Can you tell us anything about "Batman v Superman"?
"Batman v Superman" ... [Laughs] Well, no. Anybody who's a fan of the '86 graphic novel "The Dark Knight Returns," I think will be well pleased by that. This is a historic event. Clearly, Zack Snyder is on the cutting edge of directing movies of this scope and scale. I think you can depend on the acting -- you've got Amy Adams, of course. You've got Henry [Cavill]. I don't think there are any surprises with regard to that. What will happen remains to be seen. I'd probably wind up in a box some place.
"The Blacklist" Season 2 premieres September 22 at 10 p.m. on NBC.
Photo courtesy of Justin Stephens/NBC
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