James Marsden on Turning into the Good Man in Lifeless to Me Season 2

The Season 1 finale of Dead to Me may have simply been the top of James Marsden‘s involvement with the Netflix dramedy. His manipulative and malicious character Steve Wooden was undeniably lifeless after he confronted Jen (Christina Applegate), who knew he was accountable for her husband’s demise, and aggressively demanded entry to his ex-fiancée Judy (Linda Cardellini), who’d been dwelling with Jen. Other than flashbacks which may clarify precisely how Steve wound up face down in Jen’s pool, it was arduous to examine a future for the character on the collection. 

Creator Liz Feldman had an concept for how you can deliver Marsden again for Season 2, although. He’d return as Ben, Steve’s “semi-identical” twin who seemed precisely like him however was his polar reverse when it comes to persona. And sure, the present leaned proper into the soapiness of that growth, beginning with an absurdly comedic introductory scene, which finds Jen opening her entrance door to seek out the person whose physique she stuffed in a deep freezer out of the blue standing proper in entrance of her with a tacky grin. 

Ben’s arrival on the present is simply as gorgeous for audiences as it’s for Jen, however it’s just about inconceivable to not be received over by the man because the season progresses. As an alternative of oozing conceitedness and cruelty like Steve, Ben is totally disarming and leads with self-deprecating humor. His shock arrival does extra than simply hold Marsden within the image for Season 2. As Ben, Marsden turns into an integral part of the present’s motion, coronary heart, and humor and stays an absolute scene-stealer — fairly a feat contemplating each Applegate and Cardellini are nonetheless firing on all cylinders this season.

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TV Information spoke to Marsden about how he and Feldman crafted his affable new position, what could be subsequent for Ben if Netflix renews the collection for Season 3, and the way pleased he’s to hitch a journey on so many female-driven automobiles on TV lately. 

Are you able to speak about whenever you first came upon that you’d return for Season 2? Have been you stunned whenever you came upon the way you’d come again?
James Marsden: I [originally] signed on for one season … I used to be excited to work with Liz and Christina and Linda. We might labored with one another earlier than — each Linda and Christina and I — however to not this capability, and the expertise was nice. I liked working with all of them. When the present got here out, it was an enormous hit, and I received grasping… I used to be excited concerning the concept of staying within the household, to the purpose the place I used to be able to grovel and get on my knees and beg. I despatched an e-mail to Liz Feldman congratulating her on the brand new season, and I requested her, very bluntly, “What are the percentages of this cat surviving a traumatic head damage compounded by drowning? Is there any method — may I come again in a cloud? Or all flashbacks?

She referred to as me again a few weeks later. She stated, “I do know you had been kidding about all of that, however I’ve some concepts, and we might like to have you ever again. What do you concentrate on twins?” And my eyes form of popped as a result of at first I assumed, “Will I be capable to pull that off? Is that gonna appear like a gag to the viewers — a traditional cleaning soap opera trope?” And she or he stated, “Sure. By design. I wish to lean into that.” So my factor was, she instructed me concerning the character, [and] she instructed me how completely different he was from Steve, and to me, it is about working with good [creatives]… the folks you’re feeling protected taking an opportunity with. This may very well be a large failure. I may actually simply blow this factor. However within the palms of these writers, I felt snug sufficient to take that leap… I assumed, “Effectively, if I will take this opportunity, I will take this opportunity with Liz.” She was very gracious to permit me to return again and make a idiot of myself. 

I simply jumped on the likelihood, and I knew that she was going to information me. Very early on, it was about making the specifics. It was about dialing in variations and the contrasts between Ben and Steve. I did not need it to really feel like an inexpensive return… She had a plan for the entire thing. And she or he would dial me in on set, like, “Let’s lean into your clumsiness a little bit extra. Let’s lean into his discomfort, his awkward social makes an attempt at self-deprecation that fall flat. That is the place we will actually create a divide between who Steve was and who Ben is.” I actually need to credit score Liz with a lot of it. A variety of it was within the writing, and he is received a physiologically unhealthy coronary heart, however he is received a a lot kinder coronary heart than Steve ever did. [There were] simply actually huge variations there for me to carry on to and an ideal area to create. After about Episode 1 or 2, it simply felt like I forgot about Steve. And I hoped the audiences would, too.

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In sure scenes with Ben, he was virtually too candy, and also you drew it again simply sufficient that, as a viewer, you are considering, “Is he duplicitous? Does he know one thing that he is not betraying?” So is he really naive or an optimist, or is he hiding one thing?
Marsden: This query speaks to the truth that individuals who know the tone of the present know that it is about what’s across the subsequent nook. What rug goes to get ripped out? Such as you stated, whenever you see him at first, you are like, “Erm, it is a little too good to be true, this man.” Everybody’s making an attempt to anticipate the place it is going and the way it will finish. My perception was at all times, let the tales come to me — that means, I did not learn Episodes 1 by 10 at first of the season. It unfolded as we went alongside. Liz gave me a basic concept of the place it was going, however not with too many specifics. 

However I do not assume Ben is making any aware determination to do the issues that Steve did, which is take info, work out how you can manipulate a scenario. I believe he is real. That is to not say he would not have his darkish sides — I believe they’re there, however I do not assume he hides these. He’s OK with admitting them. Now, you’ll be able to watch the final scene of the season and assume in any other case. There is a stage of ambiguity that was vital once we shot [the finale]: We do not need each query answered. We wish to depart it as much as the interpretation of the viewers so we will have a Season 3. [As to the] query of, “Is he actually that pure? When’s the genetic factor that he shared together with his brother going to floor? When’s that manipulation and that selfish darkish facet going to return out?” The sincere reply is I do not know. 

Talking of the finale, one of the vital harrowing moments of your efficiency was when Ben acquired the decision about Steve. Rewatching it, you’ll be able to see him experiencing rapid grief, but additionally possibly form of anticipating it, after which making an attempt to guard his mom. So which of these, or what different ideas knowledgeable your efficiency there?

Marsden: I believe you hit the nail on the pinnacle. I believe it was all of these. It was the complexity of this maelstrom of emotion occurring inside him. I believe that he in all probability — there was part of him that anticipated this, that was fearing all of it alongside, so he is not utterly blindsided. But, I do not care how a lot you put together for one thing like that, whenever you get that cellphone name, it guts you. 

I bear in mind capturing it with Liz. It was by no means written within the script what I am listening to on the cellphone. And I requested Liz, “What do you assume precisely what I am listening to?” And she or he was like, “Effectively, you recognize, it isn’t excellent news.” [Laughs.] So even she was taking part in coy on the day [of the shoot]. So I stated, “I do know you want to be on the monitor on the day of the shot, however would you thoughts standing simply off digicam with me and having a dialog with me because the police officer or [coroner or] whoever’s calling?” 

I do not actually wish to spoil what we talked about as a result of it was virtually improvised. She was nice. She threw issues at me that made me react in conflicting methods, compounded by understanding his mom is sitting within the different room. I at all times discover it way more fascinating to play — and hopefully way more fascinating to the viewers — to go away a little bit seed of doubt [and] ambiguity of, what did he hear? What is he feeling? Is there one other facet of Ben that we’ve not seen but? [It] leaves much more open for the following season… If it will get picked up, we will definitely discover all of that. From a storytelling perspective, I believe it is extra fascinating to really feel ambiguous about it and never reply each query that method … What’s good about Liz is she acknowledges the significance of injecting nuance into each second and injecting a little bit little bit of, hey, let’s not coloration this utterly. Let’s let the viewers coloration this in a little bit bit.

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The primary season was loads about Jen’s expertise of grief, and within the second season, we see extra of that from Judy. So if we’re going with the pure development of issues, I’d suspect that Season Three can be Ben’s flip to course of his ache. And he is received a double-whammy coming, with not solely the information of Steve’s demise, but additionally Jen’s relationship to the tragedy. What’s your prediction for what Ben will undergo subsequent?

Marsden: Full disclosure, I truly have no idea something about Season 3. So I am in the identical place, simply speculating about the place that will all go. However what you simply described was, I’d say, a good wager {that a} share of that’s what would get explored. And I am going to add to it that not solely is he possibly going to seek out out that Jen was accountable for his brother’s demise, he is additionally responsible of a hit-and-run. They usually had been the victims of the hit-and-run. And his brother was responsible of a hit-and-run within the first season, so the perversity is — it is wonderful that Liz can even have comedy spring from that. It is a testomony to her genius.

The present is [centered on] how we grieve, it is how we get by life, and the alternatives you make and the form of life you wish to reside even when the world comes crashing down round you… It is a sophisticated one for Ben as a result of you will have all these exterior parts compounding the scenario: One, he is on the run; two, his brother’s gone — or lifeless. [And] does he know that he hit Jen and Judy? Is he going to recollect it? What’s his life gonna be like when he finds out Jen’s accountable for his brother’s demise? It should actually check the structure of soul. That is one thing I actually stay up for as a performer as a result of then you definately’re not doing simply decorative work in scenes. You are not coming in and doing traces, being simply the fumbling dope. … This man I consider does make a aware effort to take a look at himself within the mirror when nobody else is wanting and do the precise factor. Do the precise factor when nobody else is wanting, that is character. I believe he tries to do this. However typically the forces can overwhelm. And I believe these are beginning to compound and pile up for him, and I believe that’ll be an fascinating exploration in Season 3, if we go there.

This present is the most recent instance of a number of your TV work recently being in female-driven exhibits, together with Westworldand Mrs. America. Is that simply one thing that is occurring naturally, or is that one thing that you simply’re actively working towards? 

Marsden: I believe it is each, as a result of it is the evolution of what is occurring inside the trade, and I believe it is a long-overdue and simply shifting of alternatives — not solely alternatives, however what folks wish to see, and the tales we wish to hear, and we’ve an urge for food for them. And it so occurs that proper now a number of that’s feminine pushed. 

If I had been to think about a trademark of what kind of initiatives I hunt down by design, it is at all times about compelling narratives, and typically these narratives are what is going on on on the planet. I like it if I am seen not directly, by Westworld and Lifeless to Me and Mrs. America, as somebody who helps ladies in that method and [helps turn things] upside-down like we do in Westworld, taking these previous traditional tropes and reversing them. That occurred in Westworld, which was form of, “Oh I am the previous Wild West hero, and the little woman’ll be OK, you simply keep by my facet.” Seems, it is utterly the alternative. I simply love the exploration of that. 

I’ve no ego about [being the lead]. It is, “What story are we telling?” I wish to work out how I can contribute to telling that story, and these have been tales which can be actually fascinating to me. So sure, it is a pure motion towards extra female-driven initiatives, which I like to see, and for me to have the ability to go in and contribute creatively to that, it feels good. I’ve by no means felt like I should be the one who’s the main target of consideration — in truth, fairly the alternative, I do higher in supporting roles. [Laughs.] I really feel like I am extra snug being a personality actor.

Lifeless to Me Seasons 1 and a couple of can be found to stream on Netflix.