In the midst of a huge storyline for The 100, there’s also a notable event going on behind-the-scenes in this week’s episode, as Henry Ian Cusick makes his directorial debut on the series.
Having played Marcus Kane since the series began, Cusick directs “The Other Side,” which depicts the fallout from Clarke’s shocking decision last week, locking most of her people inside the bunker to save them, which simultaneously condemned everyone outside the bunker – Kane and Octavia included – to death.
I spoke to Cusick about how he came to direct on The 100, what the experience was like, how Kane is dealing with Clarke’s decision, and more.
IGN: How did you decide you were interested in directing an episode and how did it come to be that you ended up doing it?
Henry Ian Cusick: I directed theater and I’ve also directed a short film and it was something I was really passionate about. I approached Jason [Rothenberg] in Season 2 and he said “let me think about it” and then in Season 3 he said “you can direct in Season 4” and he let me direct in Season 4. But I’ve been pestering him about it. It’s just something where I’ve been on set since I’ve been in my 20s and even though I haven’t directed, I’ve been sitting on set watching and asking questions. I’m a certain age now and I felt like, it was something I wanted to do. I was given the opportunity and I’m very grateful to Jason and [executive producer/frequent The 100 director] Dean White and the rest of the team and the cast and crew, who are so supportive. They knew how much it meant to me and I felt so supported that they made it a really good experience.
IGN: Technically, The 100 pulls off a lot and is a very ambitious show, which you’ve seen since the beginning. Actually directing though, was it it more than you expected? Less? Or about right as far as the amount of work when it came to directing an episode of The 100, given everything you’d observed?
Cusick: The thing about TV is it’s fast and furious and the prep work was really interesting. I shadowed Dean a couple of times and seeing how an episode comes about from the initial first draft to getting the production team, all the props, all the costumes together. Seeing all that, I think it’s useful for any actor, because as actors we just turn up and everything is there. But seeing how it all comes around, what a great experience and so mind-blowing how hard our crew works. Last week’s episode was phenomenal. Probably the best episode of the season - or of the show, perhaps. And I think Jason and Dean weren’t going to give me that episode. [Laughs] So they were like “What’s Ian’s strength? He’s an actor.” So my episode is a little bit more contained, not a lot of exteriors. It’s more of an emotional journey. It’s dramatic but it’s not the high energy fighting. I don’t want to give any spoilers but mine is a lot more self-contained. It’s dealing with the aftermath of that high-energy episode and the consequences of Jaha and Clarke’s actions. That’s what my episode deals with. How it affects them and what’s happening on the other side.
IGN: While it might not be trying to match the action spectacle of last week, that’s a hell of an event to deal with the repercussions of. We know Bellamy is on the inside and is not happy about it, but how are Kane and Octavia dealing with this on the outside, as the people who were left behind in this situation?
Cusick: It’s as much of a shock to Kane as it is to Octavia. Here’s Octavia, she’s won the conclave, she’s going back home a hero and she’s been locked out of the house. She knows that they assumed that she was going to fail, which must be an awful situation for her to be in. Kane, well I’m directing the episode so I couldn’t be in it very much. I’m upstairs calming the clans down. Going, “Don’t worry, we’ll get that door open and get you out of here very soon” and Octavia is just hoping and doing what she can, which is not very much, waiting for that door to open, hoping that Bellamy -- and then on the other side you have Abby and Bellamy with Clarke, and he’s figuring out how they get that door open, if they get that door open. There are two sides to that story. There’s a lot of drama in it.
IGN: How do you think Kane is processing this? These characters have been through so much and have all had to do make hard decisions. Is there a part of him that can understand Clarke doing this and Jaha going along with it?
Cusick: Absolutely. Kane has been around in the political scene long enough that immediately when he knows that door is locked, he knows exactly what they did and why they did it. And perhaps it’s something he himself would have done, maybe not this Kane but the Kane a few months ago may have done that and he’d go, “I understand it and I’m disappointed.” At the same time, we all live in hope and Kane is a hopeful character and he knows that Bellamy is on the other side and Abby is on the other side and when they find out Octavia won, surely they’ll open the door, won’t they? So we’ll see what happens.
IGN: With Abby, even if he can distance himself to know why this is happening, is there a personal part of him a bit more desperate to get in there with her? I don’t know if he’s in love with her yet, but certainly they have a bond.
Cusick: I’m going to go out on a limb and say Kane probably is. That’s the closest thing to love he’s ever experienced, with Abby. But at the same time, he’s pragmatic and part of him I think -- because he’s loyal to Arkadia -- may say “if Abby survives, somebody has to die.” He may well be thinking, “I’d be happy to give myself up for the good of others. As long as she might survive.” But yes I think he’s still hopeful that Abby will come through and get that door open. What it does so well is that it puts you in a position where the audience can understand so many sides to one argument. And that’s when television is good, when you can understand where everyone is coming from and make a case for every scenario and argument.
IGN: Having worked with your co-stars for many years, was it interesting to be in this different dynamic with them as director on this episode?
Cusick: The first day I was a little shell shocked, I think. But I think once the machine starts going and you get swept up with it -- I will say my cast and my crew, they knew how much this meant to me and they were immensely supportive. They were so well behaved. I’ve never seen them so well behaved! [Laughs] I really felt that they were there for me. They wanted me to do well and were pulling out all the stops. Not only from the actors but my first AD, who just directed his first episode and knew what I was going through, and other crewmembers going “Congratulations, good for you.” I really felt a lot of support. I know everyone says this, but we have a really phenomenal crew and cast. They’re really supportive of each other. I felt very loved.
IGN: The 100 is often such an uncompromising show, as we’re seeing again with this storyline and the last episode. For you as actors, are you used to it or do you get some of these scripts and still go, “Wow, I can’t believe they’re going to really go there.”
Cusick: Yeah. I remember the first time it happened, when we turned the air off and killed all those people [on the Ark]. I was like “Oh my god, I can’t believe they’ve actually done it!” It was kind of brilliant. And I can’t believe they actually went there. Yeah, the show does that and we do that when we read the scripts. I remember having that conversation with Paige [Turco].
The 100: “The Other Side” airs Wednesday, May 10th at 9:00pm ET/PT on the CW.
Eric Goldman is Executive Editor of IGN TV. You can follow him on Twitter at @TheEricGoldman, IGN at ericgoldman-ign and Facebook at http://ift.tt/LQFqjj.
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