When did you and the cast establish the family dynamic at the core of the show? When did it all click?
Oh my god, we really clicked right away. Shout out to our casting directors, Jessica Daniels and Cassandra Kulukundis, because I truly think they have the intuition of gods. We had never met each other and the first day we met we were just like family. They feel like my family.
Part of it is that the writing is so good. We have a common love language that starts with work, and we all really love what we do and are really ready for each other. We don’t always get that with actors. Sometimes people are a little more protective and everyone was very open and we got along as a family. Everyone was very open and we got along as a family. You can’t fake this chemistry.
Do Taylor Bloom and Tommy O’Brien sound like little brothers to you?
They do. Yes like that. I was wondering if they both seemed like older brothers to me. Sometimes Tommy gives me the big brother vibe, but that’s because I’m projecting my real brother onto him. I’m not the oldest sibling, so I feel like the middle child who’s really special. But I love them both, and especially Taylor, who plays Russ, is totally into his character. He is such a serious and open-hearted person, and so is Tommy. We really all clicked.
Clare is the eldest daughter in the family, although she is not the oldest sibling. How did this affect his life choices?
I’m learning it as I go, aren’t I? And I include myself in that. I think it would make sense for him to use his ability and desire to be super responsible, solve the case, and take things on independently. This is probably some kind of big sibling trait of saying, “I’ve got this. No one else can help me.” And he is often surprised at how much he needs help.
We saw Clare and her mother Jane clash on the job. How did Clare get into the FBI? Did she choose not to follow in her mother’s footsteps?
I definitely think he deliberately wanted to do something different. Both of his parents are incredible superheroes to him. However, when I read this character’s logline, it said Clare was the smartest person in the family and no one knew where she came from. I think FBI agents, in particular, are a little more rock’n’roll and a little more creative than other law enforcement officers.
I also feel like that alien in my family where I just came out of the womb knowing what I wanted to do and what I wanted to be, and thankfully they all supported me in doing that.
I think he likes to go toe to toe with his mother. I think he respects her but is also determined to show that he has his own vision and talent.
Clare and her father don’t have many scenes yet. What characteristics does he inherit from his father?
Ooh, well, you’ll see things. Spoiler alert. But I think, even though he’s a little headstrong and fiery, he also has the ability to be charming, and with Peter Krause playing my father, from what I’ve seen and started working with him, one of his magic tricks is that he has a twinkle in his eye that will make anyone pass. This is a good trait as a profiler or FBI agent. So while he may have to tame his abilities a bit, I think he’s got some of his mastery.
What can you say about Clare’s relationship with Jack before he “died”/went undercover? Specifically, how close were they?
This is a really great, completely spoilery question.
As Kat Cunning, I mirror my relationship with my stepbrother into my relationship with Jack, so I can say that I respect him. I think he was probably someone who showed me – just like, in real life, my brother showed me Eminem – I think he showed me cool cultural things that came from being older, and I think I took those things really seriously and wanted to be like him.
Now we’ll have to find out how I feel about it.