Interview with A&E ‘BATES MOTEL’ characters Max Thieriot, Kenny Johnson and Ryan Hurst.

If you’re not watching BATES MOTEL, Monday’s at 9PM on A&E, you’re missing out on outstanding entertainment. The following are assorted excerpts from a conference interview with 3 of the fantastically fine tuned psycho cast members, Max Thieriot, Kenny Johnson, and Ryan Hurst.

Nestor Campbell. Vera Farmiga,  Freddie Highmore, Olivia Cooke and Max Thieriot
Nestor Campbell. Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, Olivia Cooke and Max Thieriot

It’s no surprise that BATES MOTEL is a stand-out presentation. Carlton Cuse is the showrunner, co-developer, writer and executive producer, along with Kerry Ehrin. Carlton is the talent behind the iconic LOST, where plot twists, surprises, subtext, colorful dialogue and rich complex characters abound.

BATES MOTEL has an imaginative and gripping core concept, Alfred Hitchcock’s PSYCHO, the psychological thriller-horror film from the 1960’s  that raised the bar for sexuality and deviant behavior.

Freddie Highmore plays the young Norman Bates, revealing more and more intensely in each episode, the how and why this fragile and disturbed psyche was created.

What makes a serial killer? A crazy incestuous family, seeking salvation while avoiding the truth, what else?

Vera Farmiga is Norma Bates, Norman’s mother. Norma provides the dramatic irony to the series. We all know who ends up in that rocking chair! Carlton Cuse is known for his multi-dimensional characters, and Vera Farmiga is a stand-out as Norman’s Mommy. She’s innocent, sweet, conniving, wounded, compassionate and explosive, and that is just how we like our psychos!

Nestor Carbonell, plays Sheriff Alex Romero, Norma’s love interest with some equally psycho sensibilities.

Now the foundation is laid to introduce a delicious tapestry of betrayal, awkwardness, madness, and chilling mind games that include: Max Thieriot (one of People magazine’s sexiest men of the year) as Norma’s first son Dylan.  Conceived from ‘oops I did a bad thing and raped my sister’ character Caleb, played by Kenny Johnson. It doesn’t take long for you to completely forget Kenny’s Detective Lemansky character from The Shield, as he reveals his dark genetic origins. New to the cast is Ryan Hurst, fan-favorite Opie Winston from FX networks ‘Sons of Anarchy’, who provides a razor’s edge performance on a see-saw of ‘is he, or isn’t he’ the scariest dude you’ve ever encountered.

Now to the conference call with Max (Dylan), Kenny (Caleb), and Ryan (Chick)

Who do you guys think is the most suspicious character? 

Max and Kenny: Chick

How do you feel about that Ryan?

I agree that right now Chick appears to be the most suspicious, but all the characters have undercurrents of danger. Chick is the new kid on the block, so we don’t know what he is capable of.

Ryan Hurst as 'Chick'
Ryan Hurst as ‘Chick’

Max, you play Norma’s oldest son. How do you feel about your character arc so far? 

Max: At first I was uncomfortable with him being such a prick. My initial thought was “Wow, everybody is going to hate this guy”. But Carlton and Kerry have a really big picture plan and they assured me he would be constantly evolving and changing. We have seen him become the leader of the drug cartel, and he is beginning to bond with Norma and Norman, as well as his dad, Caleb.

Max Thieriot as 'Dylan
Max Thieriot as ‘Dylan’

Kenny, What is it like to walk the fine line between Caleb the sympathetic character, and Caleb the man with horrible behavior hidden in his past? 

Kenny: I don’t look at Caleb as a monster the way everybody is seeing him. I look at him as a human being who has obviously made some horrific mistakes in his past, but not really having to explain the circumstances of what lead up to the incident. I don’t feel I need to defend him. He’s obviously got a conscience because he came back, found out he has a son, and he seems ready to redeem himself. I’d like to mention that Max is an unbelievable actor to play opposite of. He’s nonjudgmental and open. He allows me to have all the time I need to pull out my character.

Kenny Johnson as 'Caleb'
Kenny Johnson as ‘Caleb’

Max, do you think it’s possible for Emma and Dylan to get together? (Emma, played by Olivia Cooke, is a 17 year old girl with cystic fibrosis who has eyes for Norman). 

Max: Anything can happen, and I always thought that could be an interesting twist, if they explored that angle. They are both outsiders, both wanting a relationship with Norman. It could be fun.

Ryan, what do you like most about your character Chick?

Ryan: Well Chick is still new. He’s just moved to the opposite side of the mountain from Dylan and we know he is going to be growing marijuana which could be a threat to Dylan’s business. I’m always a fan of characters, whether they are large or small. Someone who is bringing in emotion that is a little difficult to capture. In a mystery or thriller, ambiguity is the name of the game, and Chick is definitely ambiguous. The audience isn’t sure where to stand emotionally with Chick. Can you trust him? Is he someone to be afraid of? I also like that he gets to wear cut off shorts and wool socks.

Max, how much of the information Dylan has been told about his father Caleb, does he actually believe? 

Max: It’s a difficult question. In the beginning he didn’t believe that much because he knows Norma is prone to drama and exaggeration. But Caleb and Dylan have been having some pretty straight up conversations. Caleb has been really honest, and although you can tell he has a shady and dark past, he also has a sincerity and honesty that is permeating his relationship with Dylan. Caleb knows Norma and Norman don’t want him around, and yet he keeps hoping for everything to be okay.

Ryan: I’d like to jump in here and say that what these two actors are doing is not straightforward. Their relationship is growing along with the series.

Max: How would you like to see your relationship resolve with Norman?

Max: Norman obviously ends up by himself. But how does he get there? Does he kill everyone? Does he make everyone into a stuffed taxidermy trophy? Who knows? Carlton and Kerry have been so creative up to this point it’s certainly going to be mind-blowing. 

What can the viewers look forward to for the rest of the season? 

Kenny: You can expect a good cliffhanger for a finish. It will be shocking and exciting. Plus, you’ll start to see Norman unravel.

Max: The family dynamics will be tested even more. The characters will continue to push and pull each other to the breaking point. After all, it is the BATES MOTEL!

Thanks guys!

 

 

 

 

 

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