Heres what they had to say…
It was very early.
I said, I love the film.
Ill write it myself.
That, right away you get a conflict right there, who wants that?
It was an opportunity that I jumped at.
Barbara Hershey:Yes, and yes.
AndThe Omenis that kind of film too.
So it was very important to me to hear that.
Bradley James:I loved the film and I think it is great.
Damien, of course, is half human, half devil.
Not necessarily enemies, but people he cannot trust.
Your two characters are people that are good people who he can trust.
Omid Abtahi:Yes.
Without giving away too much?
Abtahi:Just give it all away.
you’re free to trust us.
But Damien and Simone, not deliberately.
They do get closerthey end up getting closer for better or for worst.
Abtahi:As for my character, I think he stays pretty consistent.
He gets into this whole 666 anti-Christ business.
I feel like my characters there to ground him.
Not to say that theres isnt a point where he has to question everyone in his life.
I have a go at be the anchor to his life.
David Seltzer, when he wrote The Omen, had done incredible amounts of research, Biblical research.
How much of that do you guys have to do for the show?
Mazzara:I have done a tremendous amount of Biblical research.
Its already been on and all of this.
It was basically A.D. or whatever, but I wanted to do that version.
In a way, this is my passion project.
Its the building of an evil church, okay, but those dynamics are the same.
Watch, but weve done that research.
I havent heard anybody, any backlash from religious groups about the show.
Theyre probably not watching it, but if they were, they would see were taking that stuff seriously.
Were not just doing a pastiche or throwing things together.
Scott Wilson:Its a hoot.
I love the way John Lyons was introduced, sitting there…what was the line?
Something about There comes a moment when if something doesnt fall apart, everything can fall apart.
And having worked with Glen before, it was an easy choice to work with him again.
Not a choice, but thankful that he…
Mazzara:I didnt give you a choice.
I said, You got to do this.
Anyways what was the question?
James:You essentially expanded on her question and just nailed it.
Hershey:Oh, well good!
To sort of refine that: how does one love in the agent of destruction?
Hershey:It depends.
Those words are very stacked.
The definition of the word apocalypse is revelation.
Lucifer means the bringer of light.
But the reality is something else.
It brings it all this to a different level.
[pauses] I have never explained this before.
Abtahi:I never got to read…
I just read the pilot.
Were learning as we read them.
Were done with one episode as were reading the next one, thats when we find out whats happening.
Abtahi:A lot changes though, we know that.
We knew that the original art…
Echikunwoke:Right.
Yes, a lot did change.
Abtahi:Without getting into specifics…
There was definitely, there was changes, but I think there were changes for the better, right?
Echikunwoke:Yeah, theres only so much you could do in six episodes.
Especially with a new show that has a very rich history.
Glen, how did it change by going from the six episodes into ten from your point of view?
Did you feel like you were able to open up certain stories?
Starting with episode six and particularly episode seven, all of a sudden, the world just opens up.
We have people coming at Damien, all of this, and it was a gift.
But I will say the show gets dark, okay?
Thats a really dark story.
Wait until you see what we do in episode five, or episode six is dark.
I didnt realize I was such a dark person until a couple days ago.
Are you coming to the panel to see what were doing?
Is there any room for any levity at this point now?
Mazzara:You know what?
Its funny, because theres a dark humor in it now.
So its about that.
Once Damien I think sort of embraces this darkness, theres absurdity around him.
People start realizing Okay, this world is absurd.
This makes no sense.
What is happening here?
Everythings been turned upside down.
So I wont say that theres levity, but theres little flashes of, hopefully, wit, maybe.
If you could play different characters in this series, who would you pick?
Echikunwoke:Ann Rutledge, definitely,
Abtahi:Damien, definitely.
I would pick Damien.
Is there any particular reason you would chose them or is it the dynamics of the characters?
I dont want to say evil, but good parts of us and bad parts of us.
It just happens that in this case the consequences are go beyond yourself and affect the world.
It seems like a great struggle to play as an actor.
Its always fun to be naughty.
Abtahi:Yes, very, very naughty.
Mazzara:Theres different levels of belief.
Youll see that in every episode, he starts getting more and more information.
Is this really me?
Is what theyre saying true?
Thats the dilemma, and youll see, that is the central question: what does Damien believe internally?
Mazzara:Hes always fully both.
Its kind of interesting, but it depends on, as we were saying, what suits his agenda?
He doesnt want to be just a patsy for John Lyons and Ann Rutledge.
He cant have a relationship.
If he does, the persons at risk.
If he sends that person away, they die anyway.
Look at episode one.
Theres really no way through it.
Thats the pressure hes under.
Damien season one aired on A&E in the US.
No UK broadcaster has yet been confirmed.
