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SDCC Interview: Hale Appleman from THE MAGICIANS

Hale Appleman gets a chance to be evilicious in season four of THE MAGICIANS when Eliot gets possessed by the monster.

 

At the end of season three of The Magicians, we find that most of the group has forgotten their originals selves and are now taking on different personas. However, one of them doesn’t have it so easy as he’s not just himself; Hale Appleman, who plays Eliot Waugh on the show, reveals what it’s like to play the monster that has taken over, but the monster has taken over his body, and the original person is no longer there. When asked what it feels like to play the monster, he admitted to enjoying the change in character.

“It’s fun for me, because I’ve been playing the same character for three years, and I get an opportunity to shake up expectations of what people might think I’m going to deliver,” said Appleman. “I think people will be surprised, hopefully in a good way. I hope you love this monster just as much as I do. I am sort of starting to forget about Eliot completely.” 

We don’t know much about the monster as he only appeared in front of Quentin (Jason Ralph), who thinks himself to be a guy named Brian, at the end of last season’s finale episode. And it’s not something that was established in the books, either, so Hale is making the character so-to-speak. Some basic things they’re currently establishing for the monster are things like “how he can turn on a dime. And how you might not ever know where he’s going to go next. What he’s going to want, or how is relationship with certain characters are going to self-destruct or be…constructed.” 

Despite being evil, it seems the monster in Eliot has some pretty awesome taste, especially in regards to movies as he loves Audrey Hepburn movies, Psycho, and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, which happened to be similar to Eliot’s tastes.

Going back to season three, someone asked about Eliot’s jealousy of Margo (Summer Bishil) after she was named High King of Filory over Eliot, to which Hale denied him having.

And as far as his favorite episode this past season, he wasn’t hesitant to mention working with Ralph for the episode “A Life in the Day,” which was easily our favorite episode as well. “That episode I got to do with Jason to establish Quentin and Eliot’s true, deep, profound love for each other, which I think is an essential aspect of the books, and something that the show really skirted for a really long time,” said Appleman. “So I was so excited that we got a chance to start to explore that and hopefully, if we ever see Eliot again, there will be more of that.”

We may fear that Eliot’s sense of humor is gone forever, but it’s exciting to note that the monster also has a sense of humor, according to Hale. “The monster’s funny in its own way, which is very different than Eliot. He’s not popping a zinger and sticking a landing of a one-liner. He’s inadvertently funny.”

But be wary, because even Hale doesn’t sound too confident in the monster. “I don’t know. I’m making some weird choices, you guys. I don’t know if it’s gonna work,” admits Appleman as he chuckles.

If it does or doesn’t, we can’t wait to find out, Hale.

The Magicians will return for its fourth season on Syfy in 2019.

By Nat, the Geek Girl

Southern California native who likes movies, books (Shadowhunter Chronicles, NA, YA fantasy, Red Rising series), TV shows (The Sandman), and San Diego Comic-Con. I also like to write, but don't get to do much of that aside from on here. I fell into the BTS rabbit hole, and I refuse to leave.