After two years of waiting, Marvel comics fans were reunited on Friday with their superhero lawyer as the third season of Daredevil kicked off. Netflix’s production sees the light in the third season bringing new characters, and adventures of the gifted blind lawyer, Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) who fights the crime in the night as a masked vigilante.
The show airs in the third season bringing the journey of the highly skilled, but deeply troubled and unpredictable Agent Benjamin “Dex” Poindexter (played by Wilson Bethel) as he descends into villainy.
As Dex becomes the main source of destruction and the devil of Hell’s Kitchen, the plot goes as the superhero Matt Murdock fights to save the city from drowning into darkness.
In an exclusive interview, Daily News Egypt spoke with the show’s superstar Charlie Cox and the third season’s show-runner and executive producer Erik Oleson. Both talents spoke about their experience in taking part in the show’s third season. The transcript for which is below, lightly edited for clarity:
How do you find participating in one of the most followed TV show in the whole world?
Oleson: this is my first experience with Marvel, so I am teaching myself to get into this world.
It is such an honour to be a part of this team especially for a show that has been featured by different writers and interpretations, and of course different actors and artists of all types, so to be able to put my stamp on the series is such a huge achievement for me.
Cox: As a British actor when I was in my 20s, I had a lot of British actors friends who were playing superheroes. So when I reached thirty, I thought that this ship has sailed and I do not have a place in it despite my severe desires. Now that I’m 35 playing the role of a superhero on a show running by Netflix and playing such an iconic character I can say it is more of a dream that has come true and, three seasons later, I still cannot believe it.
What are the differences you wanted to as at the character of Matt Murdock to feature it differently?
Cox: I did not actually want Murdock to be different from the character featured in the comic books. When people read Marvels books, they can clearly see that the character of Murdock severely changes based on the writer. So, what I wanted to do is to decide which writer best presented that Matt Murdock that I wanted to play.
However, Humanising Murdock is what I really wanted to add to the character of the superhero in order to make him interesting throughout many seasons.
That is through highlighting not only his tributes but also his flaws. I want him to be very relate-able in a way that people would watch him and feel connected to him in many aspects.
Usually, the roles of superheroes feature them so well, in a way that we do not identify ourselves in them. So, I make sure we include things like his bad temper, his stubbornness and his closed mindset in times, as well as his lack of faith and fear.
What I aim to do all the time is to present him as a normal human being, and the superhero is a talent only on top.
You have been playing the role of Matt Murdock for three seasons, as you read the script of each season, do you feel you are getting more connected and aware to the characteristics of Matt’s personality?
Cox: Defiantly yes! I have been playing this character for the past five years. As time passes and we shoot more seasons, I feel that I get to know Matt as a person better and better, especially as each season I get to explore a different aspect of his personality which make me feel I am wrapping the personality and get deeply involved in it.
How do you feel connected to the character of Matt Murdock?
Cox: I relate to the idea of wanting to do the right thing, and to be a good member of society, community and friends, and girlfriends.
I also feel connected to not being the best shape of me when it comes to acting in publicans stubbornness
From your point of view, Don’t you think it is tricky for an actor to be presented to the audience as the same character for several continuous years?
Cox: Honestly, for me, I see it is more of a first world problem!
It is something I always think about. But I have been an actor, like many others, who have been unemployed for months and months. I know what is it like to wait for a source of income. Hopefully in an ideal world, after I finish playing Daredevil, producers can see me in other characters. But so far, I feel so lucky to be playing in it.
How does it feel to be a showrunner for the first time at one of Marvel’s production?
Oleson: I’m over the moon. It’s incredibly exciting for me to be a part of this show. Being a part of a Marvel-based show changes everything about your life and career. Being a part of the giant Marvel family, means I get to work with most talented people in the world; and by talent, I do not only mean artists but every single person of the crew.
I have done around 16 TV series, and so far this is my most favourite one in my career.
As the showrunner, was there any character that you saw more intimidating or tiring in portraying more than the others?
Oleson: I did not personally write the details of any character in the show, so I have no favourite character. For me, they are all a part of the family.
Yet, what I focused on this season is to repeat every character the hero of their own story. From my point of view, an essential element of a successful show is to treat every character of it as the star of it, even when the truth that the show’s main star is Matt Murdock.
