Marvel LIVE! at NYCC 2016 Part 3

Legion Press | New York Comic Con 2016

October 9, 2016

"Legion" stars Bill Irwin and Amber Midthunder and Executive Producer Lauren Shuler Donner reveal more about the upcoming series and when you can see it on FX!

[Archived Copy]

## Transcript

Ben Morse:  We’re here at New York Comic Con 2016.  My name is Ben Morse and I have the pleasure of being here with the cast and crew of Legion.  Lets go down the line, guys, and introduce yourselves and talk about what role you play on the show.

Amber Midthunder:  My name is Amber Midthunder.  I play a character named Kerry Loudermilk.  She’s very action-based.  Very strong.  Um, she’s not really one to dwell.  That’s all I got.

Bill Irwin:  My name is Bill Irwin.  I play a character named Cary Loudermilk.

-laughter-

Amber Midthunder:  Whaaaat?

Bill Irwin:  There’s some mystery in there.  I’m a geeky scientist, cause that’s my character actor thing.  But there is a connection between these two creatures which people will want to try to figure out over the course of a season.

Lauren Shuler Donner:  I’m Kerry Loudermilk.

-laughter-

Lauren Shuler Donner:  I’m kidding.

Ben Morse:  Will the real Cary Loudermilk please stand up?

Lauren Shuler Donner: I’m Lauren Shuler Donner.  I’m the executive producer of Legion for FX and Marvel.

Bill Irwin:  Yes!

Amber Midthunder:  Woo!

Ben Morse:  You guys this is a very different kind of show than the typical, uh, superhero genre.  Can you tell us how it’s, how it kind of is, is very different and, uh, hits some different buttons?  If anyone wants to speak to that, and what makes it stand apart?

Lauren Shuler Donner: Umm, it is less superhero and powers-based.  It is a more kind-of character based, ‘dealing with things like the devil within’, rather than ‘let’s go out and save the world’.  So in that way it’s very different.

Bill Irwin:  We are trying to save the world.

Lauren Shuler Donner: But we are.

Bill Irwin:  Yeah, yeah.

Lauren Shuler Donner: We definitely are.

Ben Morse:  Always trying to save the world.

Lauren Shuler Donner: Always.  Gotta do the good thing.

Bill Irwin:  Exactly.  One of the big questions the creator Noah Hawley has in his mind is ‘what is sanity, what constitutes sanity, and who’s in charge of defining sanity?’

Ben Morse:  Interesting

Amber Midthunder:  And I feel like another question in Noah Hawley’s brain that he’s given to us now is the difference between reality and truth, and your perception of reality.  And knowing the difference, and knowing the difference in recollection.  So if you recall something, are you really recalling it honestly, or are you recalling it in a different way?

Ben Morse:  This is pretty heavy stuff guys.  This is, uh, definitely a very psychological show.  What are the biggest challenges for you guys as actors working with this type of material?

-laughter-

Bill Irwin:  We are stumped.

Amber Midthunder:  Well, um, I just, its, the material is so rich that there’s, I mean there are challenges, but just to do it justice.

Bill Irwin:  Mmm hmm.  Yeah, yeah.

Amber Midthunder:  I think it’s just so, it’s so good you just read it and it’s all, from the first moment that I read any of it, it was just, it’s all there.  And it’s so, it’s very human and it’s very filled with heart.  And then there’s also that, the powers and the amazing aspect that it’s just, the challenge is to really do it.

Bill Irwin:  Do it justice, as Amber says.  It’s really terrific writing.  We can’t wait until the next script is handed to us.  And that’s not always the case in television.

Lauren Shuler Donner: It’s very impressionistic, also.

Bill Irwin:  Ahh.  Yeah.

Lauren Shuler Donner: So it’s umm, it’s not, it’s not your typical narrative.  And I think that is a challenge for the actors.

Bill Irwin:  Yeah.  Yeah.

Ben Morse:  Now Lauren, you’ve worked on so many big projects in the past.  What makes this one special?  What makes it stand out to you?

Lauren Shuler Donner: First of all, it’s television, which I was really, uh, I wanted to be in because I believe that some of the best content is on television.  I can’t say the best because I still make movies.

-laughter-

Lauren Shuler Donner: Uh, some of the best content is on television and uh I wanted to be on FX and I wanted to work with Noah Hawley.  And this character is a fascinating character.  And his world is, uh, is one that we are really lucky that we can explore on FX.

Bill Irwin:  Yeah.

Ben Morse:  I was talking to Amber.  You guys have not been down on the con floor yet.  Are you going to try to make your way down there?

Amber Midthunder:  Wow.  yeah.

Bill Irwin:  It’s exciting.

Ben Morse:  You guys, I know you guys have a panel later but it’s not at the con.  What do you want to see while you’re here?

Amber Midthunder:  At comic con?

Ben Morse:  Yeah.

Amber Midthunder:  I mean this is..

Bill Irwin:  People in costumes.  Yeah.

Amber Midthunder:  Yes.  I feel like this is it.  I feel like just to go on the floor and like..

Bill Irwin:  Yes.  On the floor…

Amber Midthunder:  Have it in your face…

Bill Irwin:  We are so…

Amber Midthunder:  Is the experience.

Bill Irwin:  Eager.

Lauren Shuler Donner: Yeah.  Absorb it.

Amber Midthunder:  Yeah.

Ben Morse:  Are you guys excited for when you’re really going to get the fan reaction to the show?  Because people are so passionate about this show and the characters.

Lauren Shuler Donner: Yeah.  Definitely.  Can’t wait.  We’re very excited because it’s something different.  It’s not, you know, we’ve made a lot of movies and we’ve explored a lot of stories.  And we will explore.  This is a whole new way to look at the X-men.  A very new way.

Bill Irwin.  Yeah.  Yeah.  Serial television.  Tell a story gradually. Yeah.

Lauren Shuler Donner: It’s a good idea.

Ben Morse:  Well thank you so much for coming on and joining us.  Where can people, uh, find you guys on online social media, and where can they eventually watch the show?  Obviously on FX.  Do you have a premiere date yet?

Lauren Shuler Donner: FX in January.

Bill Irwin:  Ooh, she said it.  She said it.

Amber Midthunder:  That is news to me.

Ben Morse:  Breaking news.

Bll Irwin:  Yeah.

Lauren Shuler Donner: Am I allowed to say that?  Ruh roh.

Ben Morse:  Alright well, whatever, it’s alright.  No one’s watching anyways.

-laughter-

Ben Morse:  Guys, we’re going to be coming back with Lucha Underground in just a sec.  Thank you again to the folks from Legion.  Thanks very much.

Bill Irwin:  Thanks Ben.

Amber Midthunder:  Thank you.

Bill Irwin:  Thank you.

Lauren Shuler Donner: Thank you.