Collider: This is not the kind of character that you come across every day, or probably ever.
When this came your way, what was your reaction to it?
CHACE CRAWFORD: The casting happened so fast.
I just read the sides first and was like, Oh, my god, this is amazing!
I know this character.
I know this guy.
Image via Amazon Prime
I think I have a good take on it.
When I went into the room, I wanted to take a risk.
I wanted to just own it and do my own thing.
Image via Amazon
I improved a bit and I had them laughing in the room, and that was it.
They used that casting tape for the test.
And then, I read the script, and the script was wild, obviously.
Image via Amazon Prime
It all wrapped up pretty quickly because they had to get us into the fittings for the superhero suits.
Theres nothing out there like it.
CRAWFORD: I was so into it.
Image via Amazon
I was so into the comedic element of my character.
I still think it was cast so well.
Antony was cast so well, for Homelander.
Kripke knew what he wanted.
I was just in.
I was like, I love this!
This is probably the most fun Ive ever had gone to work.
CRAWFORD: Yeah, you get the vibe on set, really quickly.
I was super impressed with the crew, and Dan Trachtenberg on the pilot.
All of the directors were phenomenal.
Everyone showed up to set, and theres an energy to it.
My character had people cracking up.
No one really knew what the tone of the show was.
It didnt feel restricted, at all.
I found thats the way I worked best.
The finale is so good.
When he came back to shoot that finale, we were just so pumped.
It was such a great ending for a long five months.
It was a special time.
We all got along, too.
That was so nice to have.
Were a family now.
CRAWFORD: Its pretty wild.
I went, Oh, my god!
It can get pretty warm.
Even the booties I wear are like neoprene scuba diving boots.
Hes got a bunch more moving parts to his suit, and that gets really hot.
I got a good deal.
But Im in that thing, all day, every day, and theres no changes.
It was pretty funny.
CRAWFORD: I dont know if I can talk about it.
Theres a moment in Episode 4.
I have a big episode that involves a dolphin, and something happens.
That was a wild day, but it turned out so funny.
I fuckin love this!
There was something that I had to witness there, that was over the top.
That was probably one of the craziest moments for me.
CRAWFORD: Oh, yeah.
I just really went for it and had one take to do it, and it was wild.
Id never done that.
What were the conversations that you had about how to handle that scene, and how did that evolve?
CRAWFORD: Its funny because I read the script and that scene wasnt in there, originally.
The women have a lot of agency in this show and a lot of power in it.
Its grounded in reality.
No one is glamorizing anything.
It was interesting to talk about The Deep and trying to layer him.
Hes deeply insecure, and he has find out who he is.
CRAWFORD: No, I dont think hes self-aware.
It just comes natural for him.
Hes like, Ive done this before.
Hes not self aware, at all.
Hes got this inferiority complex.
He looks up to Homelander and wants to be him, and hes jealous.
Hes also always seen himself as this freak, and he was picked on and wasnt ever the guy.
This is his way of getting validation, which is really sad.
We talked about that.
He just isnt self-aware and he doesnt understand.
That was our take on it.
What does he feel about these other superheroes that hes stuck with?
And he has this inferiority complex about being a fish guy.
Hes got the lamest power, so we thought it was funny to lean into that.
We also played with the fact that hes actually this super sensitive guy, too.
He swims down and talks to the lobsters cause theyre his only friends.
Hes sensitive about saving fish.
But on top of it, he covers that up with narcissism and false confidence.
CRAWFORD: Yeah, absolutely.
I can promise you that.
Theres an arc there.
He does get his comeuppance, and he goes to a bit of a dark place.
Theres definitely an interesting arc there.
And we all get our moments to shine.
I was blown away.
The production value was great, and Dan Trachtenberg set such a great tone with the lighting.
I was really impressed with how cinematic it is, and I was blown away by the special effects.
It really looks like $100 million.
Whats it been like to end up with this cast, playing these characters?
CRAWFORD: Yeah, you never know.
We all really got along.
I connected with everybody, and we all hang out.
We even hanging out in L.A., all the time.
Its a testament to having really good people, and theyre really talented.
Im biased, but Im really excited.
Were all really excited about the show.
Its a really good, really diverse group of people, of all ages.
Its a really special group.
We were pinching ourselves when we were doing it because we were having too much fun.
It was a good deal.
CRAWFORD: I trust in Kripke and that writers room.
I know they had a lot of fun, last year, writing The Deep.
Kripkes always got great ideas.
Now, theyve got a better idea of what I do, what I did with it.
The Boysis available to stream at Amazon Prime Video.
