The Marvel Report had the pleasure of speaking with the stars of Fox’s upcoming X-Men series, The Gifted, at this year’s Comic Con. Having learned a few fun things from Amy Acker, Stephen Moyer and Coby Bell, it’s time to share them with future fans of the show.
Amy Acker, who will be playing worried mother Kate Strucker, is well aware of the expectation her fans have that her characters be full of layers and have more secrets lying under the surface. She assures viewers that, “I do think there’s gonna be a big transformation because she’s coming into something she didn’t expect at all.” She seems fond of playing the normal person put in extraordinary circumstances, because “that brings out a power and complexity in the role as well.”
Speaking of complexity, Coby Bell (taking on the role of Agent Jace Turner) defends his character for his shades of grey. “He was a cop, his daughter was killed in a mutant-related incident… So he’s doing it from a place where he thinks he’s in the right.” Despite that, Jace will struggle at times with the need to do his job versus the knowledge that mutants deserve their humanity too.
Stephen Moyer (playing Kate’s husband Reed Strucker) actually finds it a relief not to have powers in The Gifted, even going so far as to playfully mock the expressions and stances actors with powers must take. “It was one of the reasons I was so drawn to it… Drama is about what happens when something difficult happens to ordinary people.” And Reed’s dilemma in particular is about doing the right thing versus protecting his family, which gives a lot of meat to work it.
Acker also drew an important parallel to today’s political and cultural environment, suggesting that the Struckers are in the same position as many Americans who realize: “Maybe I should have been doing more all along.” Bell added to that, saying, “The show in general [is] a great way to tackle issues that are happening in our real world without being preachy about it.”
Check out the rest of the interview in the video below, and don’t forget to watch Fox’s The Gifted when it premieres on Monday, October 2nd at 9/8c.