Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Cast Interviews #ABCTVEvent

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

We are huge Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fans. Well huge Marvel fans in general but today we’re talking about Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 😉 Being a huge fangirl, I was super excited to be invited on the #AvengersEvent press trip. As if getting to preview Avengers: Age of Ultron wasn’t enough, we also got an inside look, behind the scenes of AoS.

I know this is a rather long post but there’s so much awesome. However, I can help shorten it up a bit.. if you are all up on AoS, then skip down to the interviews. But if you’re behind on this amazing show, here’s a bit of a background:

Season 2

After helping to thwart Hydra, Agent Phil Coulson was appointed as Director and tasked with rebuilding the agency.  Agent Melinda May, expert pilot, martial artist and longtime friend, will continue to look after Coulson in the wake of the mysterious etchings he’s been carving into walls.

Grant Ward, highly trained in combat and espionage, was found to be a Hydra mole and a traitor to S.H.I.E.L.D. and locked up away from the world and his former teammates. But this isn’t the last we’ve seen of him…

After being left to die in the middle of the ocean by Ward, Agent Leo Fitz, brilliant engineer, and Agent Jemma Simmons, genius bio-chemist, found a way to escape their watery grave. But all did not go well for Fitz, who was left in a coma and may never regain his full cognitive functions; a devastating blow to Simmons.

And computer hacker Skye, now a full-fledged S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, discovered her origins as a 0-8-4 — an object of unknown origin — and that her parents were considered “monsters.” Could Skye have darkness lying dormant inside of her?

Also joining Coulson’s core team is Lance Hunter, a dashing mercenary sharp shooter with a quick wit. Since he didn’t rise up through the ranks, does he have an ulterior motive for helping out the team.

Who can Coulson trust as he rebuilds S.H.I.E.L.D? For detailed recaps please visit Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D Season 2 Episode Guide.

Episode 218 Airs Tonight on ABC 9|8c

GRANT WARD MAY BE COULSON’S LAST HOPE, ON “MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.” ON ABC

“The Frenemy of My Enemy” – A dangerous new alliance is formed as Coulson and Hunter turn to the last person anyone would expect – Grant Ward! As the war between S.H.I.E.L.D. factions continues, Skye and Lincoln will find themselves drawn into this conflict, on “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” TUESDAY, APRIL 21 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” stars Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, Brett Dalton as Grant Ward, Chloe Bennet as Skye, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz, Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons, Nick Blood as Lance Hunter, and Adrianne Palicki as Bobbi Morse.
Guest starring are Henry Simmons as Alphonso “Mack” Mackenzie, Henry Goodman as Dr. List, Kyle MacLachlan as Cal, Jamie Harris as Gordon, Maya Stojan as Kara, Dichen Lachman as Jiaying, Luke Mitchell as Lincoln Campbell, Kris Lemche as Ethan, Staci Roberts as Paula, and Trenton Rostedt as Hoodie Guy.
”The Frenemy of My Enemy” was written by Monica Owusu-Breen and directed by Karen Gaviola.

Sneak Peek of Tonight’s Episode

Caught up now? Good!

Now if touring the set wasn’t enough, we actually got to sit down with some of the cast to chat about all things AoS.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Interviews

Myself and 24 other awesome bloggers were whisked away to the top secret set. It was so amazing to walk inside and see “THE BUS!” And inside of The Bus was Lola. THE Lola! A beautiful 1962 Chevrolet Corvette, all shiny and red.  As I’m pinching myself to see if this was real, in walks Iain De Caestecker (“Leo Fitz”), Elizabeth Henstridge (“Jemma Simmons”), Brett Dalton (“Grant Ward”), Henry Simmons (“Alphonso ‘Mack’ Mackenzie”) and Adrianne Palicki (“Bobbi Morse”).

We settled in to get the inside scoop on the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. characters that these actors portray. They were such a great group to interview together because you could feel just how close their kinship was with each other. You’ll even see that Elizabeth starts in with her own question to Brett.

Brett was asked what it was like when he found out that he was Hydra, since it was hard for us (as viewers) to find out.

(this was my question 😉 )

There was a little ribbing between the cast mates with this question. We were told that the creative minds behind Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. know how to keep a secret and that the actors actually don’t find out any changes until a few days before those changes happen in the character’s life. Such as when Agent Ward’s secret was revealed.

I was very sad.  Yeah.  Pretty sad.  I didn’t know before.  They let me know the episode before, so there wasn’t a lot of a heads up on that.  I appreciate the Wikipedia entry where somebody said [that] they let me know in the beginning of the season, so I could subtly play it every scene.  I don’t know who wrote that but I was like, thank you for the credit in something I did not do. It was a big change but I think it really rounded out the character in a way, because  prior to that he had a mask that he was showing to the rest of the team.   And then after that you get all of the back story underneath it and all of the pain, danger in there.  It made him really fun to play. -Brett

We were all mortified. We were shocked. And we could only speak to each other about it…it was tricky. -Elizabeth

It’s still a pretty hard subject for me, so I don’t want to to bring back up [the] past. – Iain

You can see from the picture above that the actors were sitting, from L-R Henry Simmons (‘Mack’), Brett Dalton (‘Grant Ward’), Elizabeth Henstridge (‘Simmons’), and Iain De Caestecker (‘Fitz’). It was mentioned that they may be sitting good versus evil. The actors said that wasn’t planned, but got a laugh at the statement.

Now, here’s the question we really wanted to know.

Is it more fun playing the good guy or the bad guy?

I don’t see my guy as evil.  I don’t.  I think he’s doing what he thinks is best for S.H.I.E.L.D.  The real S.H.I.E.L.D.  I don’t see him as being evil.  But, I guess evil people don’t see themselves evil. -Henry

Ditto (that gets a chuckle). We’re playing these characters so we can’t say ‘this guy’s a jerk.’ I feel that he’s (Ward) also not an evil guy. He’s just made certain choices along the way. Some of those choices, some people might frown upon. This guy has had a really hard life and he’s doing the best that he can to move his life forward. He’s even taken some other people under his wing, as well. It’s not just me twirling my mustache and petting a kitten. That will happen next season (insert evil laugh here). 🙂 I’m trying to move other people’s lives forward in the way that I have. -Brett

This show is about an unconventional family, you’ve all had relationships with trust issues. As the character Fitz, which of the other three characters (Simmons, Ward, Mack) would the relationship be repaired easiest.

We get a little bit of a look at their friendship in these answers. The banter, with the back and forth teasing.

With each three of these characters? I think probably Simmons, right? -Iain

Yeah. -Elizabeth

Anything can be solved with a cup of tea, right? -Brett

There we go. -Elizabeth

He (Fitz) has the most history with Simmons. Even when they fight, and they’ve fought a lot this season. I can’t ever see them being out of each others lives, really. -Iain

We’d still like to see them come together in the episode that we’re showing on Tuesday, that they’re back to working together and you see that they still have that relationship where they get how each other is thinking. Fitz knew that Simmons wasn’t just doing what she said she was doing. She was giving him coded messages through what she was doing, and him picking up the cue. I think that you can’t just wipe out history with someone. And these two have been together for years. -Elizabeth

The relationship with Ward is irreparable. As much as Ward would like to be friends once again it’s just not gonna happen. -Ian

Brett then proceeds to feign hurt with the best line. “Oh great. In front of everybody?” Then they proceed to have an intervention for Brett because of all of the horrible things that Ward has done.

Do you think S.H.I.E.L.D. would take Grant Ward back? Would he even want to go back to S.H.I.E.L.D.?

I don’t know what their policy is.  Yeah.  It wasn’t some nondescript agents that I took out, either.  I did take out Hand.  She was up there on the list. -Brett

He seems to be on his own path this season.  We’re not sure exactly where that path is headed or why he’s doing the things that he’s doing.  He’s making some choices along the way that will lead somewhere.  And hopefully at the end of the season there’ll be a kind of clarity [regarding] why he went down to see his brother again.  That’s why he did the thing with Whitehall.  Oh, that’s why he shaved his head.  That’s why he shaved his beard. -Brett

Question to Brett from Elizabeth: Do you think he misses the team?  Think he misses us?

Yes.  I do.  Because his weakness, as Agent Garrett has always said, is that he has compassion.  It is that he is sensitive as much as he pretends that he’s not.  And does things that, his actions don’t exactly… -Brett

He always wants to belong, doesn’t he?  ‘Cause he didn’t as a child.  Right?  So you miss Mack. -Elizabeth

It’s true.  It’s true.  And I’m glad that we’re getting this out.  I think this has been really good so far. -Brett

For everyone. -Elizabeth

Really good for me.  Good. -Brett

On Fitz’s relationship with Mack:

It depends on what’s going to happen exactly with that storyline, I suppose. For example, with Ward, I think the reason that’s irreparable is because he’s done some unforgivable things and there’s no real scene to the background and what has happened to him. Some of the things he’s done. Whereas right now, Mack hasn’t done anything, but maybe he’s been misguided or misjudged. -Iain

Bobbi is a complex character, how many parts of your character parallel your real life?

Well I don’t walk around kicking people’s ass [she laughs] even though I’d like to sometimes.  The thing I love about Bobbi is she’s a real human being and she has real feelings.  She’s a soldier, she wants to do everything right.  But she does have emotion, she is a female, she’s a strong female but she’s still vulnerable.  Any of those elements I definitely understand, she’s just trying to find the right path and navigate it. So I kind of I see that in her. -Adrianne

Adrianne’s character is conflicted between the “real S.H.I.E.L.D.” and “Coulson’s S.H.I.E.L.D.”. Where do you want her to go?

I have my own views as well, but…she’s torn.  She’s been part of this other S.H.I.E.L.D. since the beginning and she’s been with Gonzales. She saved his life, you all saw that. But at the same time she cares about these people. She doesn’t think Coulson is a bad person, she is just concerned about where some of his loyalties stand and his alien blood. Some concerns that we might all have a little bit of, we don’t know where he’s going with all that, but she cares about these people. -Adrianne

So she’s definitely conflicted and she’s trying to find her path through all that but at the end of the day she’s a soldier and she’s been thinking that she’s been doing the right thing the whole time, so now she’s starting to feel like maybe these people aren’t being treated the way that they should be treated.  And, you know, she’s a little concerned.  I think you’re going to see that girl a little bit more. -Adrianne

We asked Adrianne about now that Bobbi’s with the “other S.H.I.E.L.D” where does see the relationship with Hunter going?

That’s the thing with them, they’re this on again off again entity.  She’s done a really big thing, which is, lied to him massively for a long period of time. So there’s definitely going to be a lot of mending before anything can happen.  But it’s a possibility. -Adrianne

For Adrianne: When you came on to the show, did you know you were going to be infiltrating Coulson’s S.H.I.E.L.D.?

No, no I didn’t. I had been on for quite a few episodes and we started talking about this secret.  I’m like, ‘What is this secret?’ what is this secret, they would not tell me the secret!  I was like, as an actor, I need to know, they’re like, you’re not bad, you’re not Hydra.  Well that doesn’t tell me anything.  What does that mean?  What am I?  So, yeah no I didn’t know until probably like an episode before we shot the coming out of what it was. Keeps it interesting. -Adrianne

Just as proof that I was really there. 😉 This group photo was shot right in Coulson’s office.

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