TNT’s Snowpiercer brings many things to the small screen. A retelling of the Bong Joon-ho 2013 sci-fi film of the same name, Snowpiercer expanded the philosophical and revolutionary aspects of the original into an epic series. Approaching its third season, Snowpiercer fleshes out a genuinely complex cast of characters. Vying for humanity’s liberation from Mister Wilford’s (Sean Bean) system, a rebellion has finally reached a new phase in Season 3.
Grounding Snowpiercer‘s latest season — which premieres on TNT on Jan. 24 — is a strong cast, including Daveed Diggs as the group’s leader Layton and Katie McGuiness as the ever-resilient Josie. Now aboard a renegade Snowpiercer, the fantasy show never loses sight of its all-star cast. During an exclusive interview with CBR ahead of Snowpiercer’s Season 3 premiere, Diggs and McGuiness delved into what grounds their respective characters.
CBR: The previous two seasons of Snowpiercer were more of a slow burn, whereas this season, with Layton and Josie and some of the other heroes effectively on a pirate train, the table has already been flipped and set on fire. What surprised you both the most about Season 3?
Daveed Diggs: That’s a good question. We’ve known there’s some outside stuff. I was shocked by that, even though there’s still plenty of stuff on the train. It’s still a show about a train. But even getting out in the suits for things outside, that to me was very surprising.
Katie McGuiness: I think that I learned, after the journey that my character went on from season one to season two — that was so surprising and unexpected. But I was like, “Cool. Anything is going to happen on this show.” [Snowpiercer] is such a show full of surprises, isn’t it? I’m expecting anything.
Both of your characters, like every character in Snowpiercer, have been through a lot. But you two, Layton and Josie, have basically lived every sci-fi character’s adventure nine times at this point — yet they remain grounded. What is that like as performers to juggle characters’ human elements while also being like, “Okay, I guess I’m going to jump from a train today?”
McGuiness: I think it’s essential to come from that place, to the thing that [these characters] have between them. That time in the Tail was so focused on looking after each other, the collective focused on the greater good for everybody. That’s ingrained in them, in their relationship with each other, in how they approach their leadership roles in the rest of the season. I feel like they always come back to that place.
Diggs: I agree. I just ask myself, “What would Katie do?” She’s so good about always understanding what the scene is about, being grounded in it. Not being distracted by the fire and knives. So, I just watch her and copy her. That’s my strategy.
Daveed, you’ve really gotten the chance to go head-to-head with Sean Bean’s Wilford — and that conflict reaches a new level in Snowpiercer Season 3. What’s it like to have the chance to play off someone like Bean?
Diggs: Every scene with Sean Bean, Sean goes for it. Whatever it is. I think I can safely say that without getting in trouble, that no matter what you’re doing with Sean, he is all the way going for it. No scene is different than that, including the ones that seem particularly dangerous for him. That man is a whirlwind to work with and I love it because he is totally unafraid of everything.
Snowpiercer returns to TNT with its third season premiere, “The Tortoise and the Hare,” on Jan. 24
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