“I Would Completely Be Scared”

[Editor’s note: The following contains major spoilers for Talamasca: The Secret Order.]

The AMC sequence Talamasca: The Secret Order, a part of Anne Rice’s Immortal Universe, follows Man Anatole (Nicholas Denton), on the verge of a legislation profession when he’s approached by Helen (Elizabeth McGovern), an agent of the Talamasca. The deeper he sinks right into a world of secret brokers and immortal beings, the extra decided he turns into to study what they find out about his household historical past and to get solutions about his mom. As his path intertwines with the vampire Jasper (William Fichtner), Talamasca agent Raglan James (Justin Kirk), Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian), who occurs to be on a guide tour, and Doris (Celine Buckens), a mysterious girl who lives with a coven of witches, Man learns that there are extra layers to the supernatural world than he ever may have imagined and that everybody has secrets and techniques.

Throughout this one-on-one interview with Collider, Denton mentioned the occasions of the season finale, entitled “The 752,” how a lot he knew in regards to the Anne Rice universe earlier than he was forged in Talamasca: The Secret Order, what he’s most loved about exploring Man’s life and world, getting to fulfill Daniel Molloy, whether or not Raglan James might be trusted, capturing that intense episode 5 second when Fichtner bought in his face, the dialog between Man and Helen within the peep present, the season’s most shocking twists, how Man feels about Doris, what Man want to study his household, and which character in Anne Rice’s Immortal Universe he’d like to have a scene with.

Collider: We final spoke for Harmful Liaisons, and whereas that and Talamasca: The Secret Order look like very totally different TV sequence, you performed layered characters residing in a world of manipulation, attempting to attach with different folks whereas solely revealing issues about themselves after they should. Are these components that you end up drawn to?

NICHOLAS DENTON: They’re related. What Harmful Liaisons was to me and that character of Valmont, you needed to put loads onto him to set him other than all of the grandeur that surrounded him and the opulence of the 18th century, with all these bells and whistles, like his pink swimsuit. Whereas Man may be very uncovered. He’s such an uncovered character. We actually see the rawness of him as a result of he’s bought nothing to cover behind.

I get pleasure from a superb character research, irrespective of the style it’s in.

DENTON: It transcends time, style, house, and sophistication. We’ve all of that inside us as people. That’s what you search for while you’re watching one thing. You’re searching for your self in that. If it’s finished effectively sufficient and written effectively sufficient, you end up going, “Oh, I purchase this. I don’t care if it’s set in outer house, I can nonetheless connect myself to that character or that amorphous being.”

I completely love Interview with the Vampire. That sequence is perfection, so it set a fairly excessive bar for the whole lot that got here after on this universe. My grievance about Talamasca is that it’s solely six episodes and there are nonetheless so many questions.

DENTON: That’s actually good to listen to. I hadn’t been that well-versed within the Anne Rice universe till I bought this job. I had seen Interview with the Vampire, however with Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and Antonio Banderas. I’d by no means been totally immersed in it. I do want we bought an additional two episodes, I’m not going to lie. I really feel like there’s extra to be seen after these six that we’ve bought. There’s simply a lot to attract upon, particularly with Louis and Lestat. The factor I like about Anne Rice’s characters is that they’ve all bought this ethical ambiguity, and I discover that that’s most touched upon within the sequence of Interview with the Vampire. Within the movie, we all know there’s a badness that exists. Within the sequence, I actually go on the journey with Louis and Lestat. For our present, it nonetheless has that ethical ambiguity and we’re nonetheless honoring Anne Rice in that manner, however there isn’t that a lot written nor ever launched. The Queen of the Damned has just a little little bit of an introduction to the Talamasca. After all, The Mayfair Witches talks about it a bit. However I really feel like we’re in a fortunate place as a result of we’re given a chance to open up this world a bit. It has a fairly wild flip of occasions for all these characters, and we have now some crossovers.

Nicholas Denton Loved Attending to Strip Away the Layers of ‘Talamasca: The Secret Order’s Man Anatole to Discover What’s Beneath

“He’s been stripped of his self-worth, his identification, and his relationships.”

This sequence actually threw us in along with your character and the viewers has to catch up as he learns what’s happening. It’s additionally this story that has these fantastical components, however it’s a must to remind your self of them now and again as a result of it’s grounded in actuality. With these totally different layers, what did you discover most fascinating about what you might discover with this story and character? What most appealed to you about it and what did you end up connecting with?

DENTON: As soon as I determine what the core values of the character are, the core issues that imply essentially the most to them, then I can entry them indirectly and I can determine what considerations them and what considerations I’ve in my very own life that I can relate to the character. After which, I can hook onto it. That was related with Valmont. You’re on the planet with a slight drawback since you’ve had your life or your self-worth or your identification stripped away from you. For Man, we meet him within the first episode when he thinks he is aware of what’s happening. He thinks he’s bought a maintain on who he’s. He’s a comparatively sensible man who’s fairly lonely and on the fringes of society. He’s an outsider who’s deeply attempting to manage the whole lot. He’s additionally attempting to return to phrases with what’s happening inside his head and attempting to manage his thoughts. He’s medicating himself. He tries his finest to be a standard particular person, and he’s doing a fairly good job at it. It’s not till Helen exhibits up and goes, “You’re all unsuitable, honey. This isn’t what you assume it’s.” He has to vary the whole lot. He’s been stripped of his self-worth, his identification, and his relationships. They’ve all been a lie. He goes, “How do I’m going it alone? How do I belief something?” She says, “You’re not listening to issues which might be a incapacity or one thing that’s happening inside your head. It’s really a power and a present. Observe your intuition.” That was so cool as a result of I needed to change tacks so shortly in that first episode, from considering he was in command of the whole lot to being in command of nothing and simply happening the experience.

I like the second that you just get to share with Eric Bogosian. Do you’re feeling like Daniel and Man are on a little bit of the identical wavelength with how skeptical they’re about issues and the way they’d actually desire to have by no means gotten caught up in any of this? Do you assume they could possibly be mates?

DENTON: They’re each in related conditions. They’ve been finished a disservice by this group, they usually now have some bizarre relationship to it. It’s like a poisonous relationship. They’re like, “I don’t need to be right here. I hate these folks.” However they’re additionally part of it. The Talamasca are the shadow group of the underworld. They’re those which might be within the background watching and observing. There’s a little bit of rivalry about whether or not they’re controlling or manipulating, however they’re actually highly effective, and they’re part of this Immortals world, whether or not you prefer it or not. While you discover one thing that you just each hate, it’s a very simple solution to join. That’s a spot the place Man and Daniel Malloy discover just a little little bit of a commonality. They don’t like these folks. Their superpower is data and truth. As soon as they let you know what they know, it’s a must to be a part of him. They inform Man what they find out about his life, and he’s bought no different choice however to affix them or go it alone.

We additionally get to see you work together with Raglan James, however viewers usually are not as accustomed to who he’s, as they’re with Daniel. How does Man view him? Is he loyal to the Talamasca? Does he have Man’s finest curiosity at coronary heart? Does he care about something apart from himself?

DENTON: That’s a very good query. To me, everybody who is part of the Talamasca can’t essentially be trusted. As a skeptic, from that episode, we understand why he’s the best way he’s and why he views the world with that skeptic perspective. When he meets Raglan James, who I like, and I like Justin Kirk. He’s an incredible actor, and I like that character. You don’t know who the hell this man is. He’s the epitome of an untrustworthy human. The way in which by which he interacts with folks round him, you simply can’t get a grasp on him. He’s like that slippery fish. He’s the toughest one to tie down, in some ways. He’s such a slippery, elusive character, and he’s part of the Talamasca, which is indicative. They’re all corrupt indirectly.

Regardless of how a lot time we spend with Raglan James, I nonetheless don’t know whether or not I can belief him.

DENTON: And also you most likely received’t. You’ll be like, “I nonetheless don’t get him.” However he was enjoyable. I actually loved working with him. We had crossovers with vampires, however we didn’t have a crossover with an agent. We didn’t have Cip from Mayfair, however we did have Raglan. It was my first actual interplay with somebody from a special a part of the universe, so I’d ask Justin questions generally. I couldn’t actually get a lot out of him, so I used to be like, “Are you in character?” I wasn’t certain. That character crossovers properly. I actually loved these scenes. These scenes had been incredible.

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The forged and crew speak increasing the universe, character strengths and weaknesses, episode highlights and thriller characters.

Issues additionally preserve constructing with Jasper all through the season. It’s onerous to know what to make of him, particularly as a result of Man can’t actually learn his thoughts. What was it prefer to shoot the scene in episode 5, while you’re on the bottom and he’s over you, yelling in your face?

DENTON: We shot that at three within the morning in a parking lot in Manchester. It was freezing chilly, and I had Invoice Fichtner spitting in my face and pulling my hair. It was fairly wonderful. That scene is phenomenal. His efficiency in that scene is admittedly intense and visceral and guttural, however you actually really feel the guts inside Jasper. You are feeling his rage. What we all know of him is as a relaxed, cool, collected, and contained cat. He can do something. However he loses it in that second. That may be a actually essential second since you simply see this sense of betrayal. That’s actually essential to point out in that episode what occurs when issues go unsuitable for Jasper.

Did you know the way that was going to play out? Had you talked about how that scene would work, or did you simply leap in and see how it might go?

DENTON: We’ve bought a tremendous stunt workforce. All of us talked about how a lot of it was going to be me and the way a lot was going to be Invoice. There have been a variety of sequences the place vampiric qualities come out and also you see these actions. For me and Invoice, we shaped a very sturdy relationship. This was the final block of capturing and we knew one another. Me and Invoice had been at all times roughhousing in a bizarre, brotherly manner. I used to be sport to simply go along with him on that journey of attacking me. At one level, I used to be like, “Please cease pulling my hair” as a result of then we needed to repair it each time. He was like, “Oh, no worries, brother.” After which, he ripped my total head of hair off. He’s my pal, so it was cool to try this with him. No less than I bought to maintain my hair.

I like tips on how to have a dialog with Man, Helen has to go sit in a peep present room and put a coin within the slot. There’s one thing so brilliantly unusual and enjoyable about that. What was it prefer to play a little bit of that position reversal between these characters, and to have Man be the one making her do what he’s telling her to do and forcing her to hearken to him?

DENTON: I used to be informed about that scene actually early on by (present creator) John Lee [Hancock]. We had been speaking about energy dynamics and energy shifting and what we have to get Man to have the higher foot towards Helen, who’s a formidable pressure. We couldn’t actually have it out on the street as a result of we would have liked to have Helen need to keep there, and we would have liked to have Helen put money into it from the highest. So, placing that coin within the slot means she’s on the experience. She doesn’t know what’s going to occur after. She doesn’t know what he’s going to ask for and what he wants from her, however I like that as a result of she’s concerned. As quickly as that coin goes in, she’s concerned and Man can begin.

When the time ends and he or she has to place in one other coin and also you each snort about it, it was enjoyable that you just acknowledge the silliness of that second.

DENTON: Wasn’t that incredible? We had a very onerous time figuring that half out. The curtains shut as a result of the time is up. I used to be working with Elizabeth [McGovern] and the director, and we had been attempting to determine it out. John Lee was there. Mark Lafferty was there. I used to be like, “I don’t get it. Why does this shut?” After which, Elizabeth turned to me and went, “It means the facade is ruined. This facade is gone now. He has to drop the act as a result of have a look at how insane that is. He’s introduced her right here. He’s made her put a coin within the slot. The truth is that they’re in a peep present sales space in a strip membership. What are we doing?” It introduced it to a really a special stage and a really emotional stage. There’s a wee little bit of levity in him attempting to get on the entrance foot. After which, he has to go to this different place the place he asks for some assist in a really critical manner and it exposes a variety of issues about Helen.

Nicholas Denton Discusses His Favourite ‘Talamasca: The Secret Order’ Twist This Season

“I nonetheless felt not sure of what to imagine.”

Picture through AMC

All the pieces simply retains spiraling. At first, we’re attempting to determine who Helen is. After which, we need to know what occurred to Keves. After which, we’re searching a guide. On the similar time, we study that Man’s handler, Olive, is as much as no good. And with all of this, Man is simply attempting to outlive. What twist most stunned you this season?

DENTON: There’s the large twist. After all, there’s the guide. There’s the 752 and that incredible sequence with Doris. However the one which I had a enjoyable time working with was when Man was not sure if he’s getting concerned with Jasper, or if he’s enjoying the cardboard of being the corrupted Talamasca double agent. I’d by no means know the way it was fluctuating. Is he on this camp with the immortals, with the vampires, or is he nonetheless over right here with the Talamasca? He’s not too dissimilar from Jasper or Daniel. There are qualities in them that he sees in himself. And so, I used to be pleasantly stunned by how they minimize that scene, particularly on the finish of episode three, with Man and Jasper. I didn’t actually know. I nonetheless felt not sure of what to imagine, which was cool.

Earlier than you even discover out the scenario with the guide, I didn’t understand that Doris was Helen’s sister. With the age distinction, it’s simply not one thing that you just think about, in order that was shocking to me.

DENTON: I adore it as a result of there may be this connection between vampires and staying at a sure age. You surprise what Helen thinks about seeing Doris, and Doris Helen. That’s a very wonderful sequence, particularly within the scene with Ridge and Man and Doris within the police station when all of it involves fruition. I do see a similarity between Elizabeth and Celine [Buckens]. I purchase it. I like that sequence. I like the dramatic qualities in that sequence. It’s a fantastic twist.

Doris is the sister, after which she’s a vampire, after which she’s additionally the guide. She actually can’t catch a break.

DENTON: You grow to be actually all for Doris. You grow to be very fascinated by this character and the troubles that she’s gone by means of due to these final two episodes. You actually get hooked in by the thriller of it. Celine Buckens is simply wonderful in that position. That’s why I need these two extra episodes. I need to see the place this goes.

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It is fairly the scrumptious trace for what Season 3 has in retailer.

Man has stated that he desires to half methods with Doris, however after the whole lot he learns, do you assume that’s modified? What do you need to occur with these two characters?

DENTON: I simply assume he desires his household. We did discuss the place their relationship would go. Is it a platonic factor? Is it a enterprise transaction? Is it a love connection? And it’s sort of the whole lot. His actual mission is to search out his household. Man has bought no different factor. He’s drifting. He wants a solution, and he’s solely going to get that from his personal flesh and blood.

It looks like we’re barely scratching the floor of the Talamasca. It looks like there are nonetheless so many layers of issues that Man doesn’t know and that he’s inquisitive about. Apart from wanting to search out his household, what do you assume he desires to study them?

DENTON: He’s bought no alternative however to contain himself with them. He has to determine who they’re as a result of they’ve a lot info on who his household is. They’re his entry level. Doris is simply too, to an extent. Since we came upon what occurred with the guide, we now know that she has intel. The Talamasca has bought the data, and Man desires to determine how they’ve bought it, the place they bought it from, and the way they’re utilizing it. That’s crucial. Information is energy, and he must get deep inside their mainframe to determine the place the whole lot is in his life.

Since you’ve bought to take action many wild issues this season, simply with the characters that you just had been interacting with, what’s the most enjoyable factor you bought to do that season that you just doubtless couldn’t have finished on another present, telling another story?

DENTON: There are just a few. We had been capturing in Manchester, beneath a bridge, at 3 or 4 within the morning, and we’d by some means managed to have an evening the place we had each revenant in the whole sequence in a single scene. It was a very epic sequence. It was wonderful with a lot of stunts. Somebody had spoken to all of them and requested in the event that they had been keen to do an impersonation of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” dance. We had an ambulance on set to have a paramedic there readily available to look out for us, they usually determined to change on their purple and blue lights. For some purpose, everybody crowded round and I witnessed 15 totally grown revenants doing an entire choreographed dance to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” with an ambulance gentle on. I’ve by no means seen that earlier than and I’ll by no means see that once more. That was so epic. I ought to ship you the video. It was so wonderful. The opposite actually essential one was the tip of episode 4. The vicious, violent nature of that, with Howard Berger and his workforce creating this monster mass mayhem was so enjoyable. We shot that sequence for every week and three days. It was 132 photographs. It was so epic and a lot enjoyable, however we had been fully delusional by the tip. It’s such a tremendous sequence. I adore it. The imagery and the whole lot was so cool. There’s levity that must be had with the absurdity of Man going, “What’s going on?” There are various humorous moments all through it, which is so essential.

Nicholas Denton Is Open to Showing Anyplace Inside the Anne Rice Immortal Universe

“If somebody calls me, I will go do it.”

Picture through AMC

Are you hoping that one thing will come up, so that you just’ll have to look on Interview with the Vampire or The Mayfair Witches? Who would you prefer to see Man work together with from the opposite exhibits?

DENTON: I don’t know. I’d like to work with all these actors. I feel they’re wonderful actors. Our sequence is coinciding on a timeline with Interview as a result of we’ve bought Daniel Molloy’s guide in ours. I’d prefer to have a little bit of an Australian-off with Sam Reid. Lestat and Man would have a really fascinating dynamic. God is aware of how that may work, however it might be fascinating. I feel I’d be completely scared shitless, however it might be enjoyable. However I like the Talamasca crew. I like this world and I’m so eager to get this formed and on its ft earlier than we begin blowing the whole lot open. That being stated, if somebody calls me, I’ll go do it.

Launch Date

October 19, 2025

Community

AMC

Administrators

Eva Sørhaug

Writers

Donald Joh

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  Nicholas Denton

  Man Anatole

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Talamasca: The Secret Order airs on AMC and is offered to stream on AMC+. Try the trailer: