“These Are the Guys Who Would Be Fired Now”: ‘THR Frontrunners’ Panel With the Cast of ‘The Agency’

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When Michael Fassbender initially received the main role in the cerebral spy thriller series The Agency, an adaptation of the critically acclaimed French show Les Bureau des Legendes on Paramount+ With Showtime, he had a few queries. Primarily, he sought guidance to understand his character Martian, a CIA agent fresh from six years undercover. “I wondered,” Fassbender shared at the recent THR Frontrunners panel, “who would desire this occupation? My concern was, is this man a sociopath or not?

The show’s CIA consultant reached out to Fassbender after he was cast, and they both recognized that the character, who is also a father of a teenager, fit many requirements. “I thought, this is who I’m working with now,” says Fassbender. “It doesn’t mean he isn’t striving for self-discovery and humanity – he’s on a quest for it, which made my decisions about the role easier.

Brandon Colby, who is known by his CIA code name in some circles, discovers what it means to be human through his connection with Samia, a Sudanese academic he encounters during a covert operation in Ethiopia. Jodie Turner-Smith, portraying Samia, was drawn to the project due to the chance to collaborate with Fassbender, yet she faced distinctive hurdles in her role – it necessitated her to speak Arabic fluently. “I’ve frequently been given the opportunity to represent various diaspora communities,” she explains, “and I take that responsibility very seriously because cultural authenticity is crucial to me. I felt comfortable taking on this challenge, but I’m also incredibly thankful for another season as it allows me to delve deeper and improve my performance even more.

The principal characters in the Agency are completed by Richard Gere and Jeffrey Wright, who portray the station chief and deputy station chief of the London bureau respectively. To prepare for his role, Gere delved into historical accounts. He expressed that as the leader, he wanted to understand what motivated these early businessmen – often Ivy League graduates with aspirations to be like Lawrence of Arabia. “I didn’t want to play a politically appointed character,” he said, “it had to be someone who had fought in the trenches.

In his perspective, Wright examined his character in light of ongoing global developments. He commented, “At times, I believe the CIA inadvertently tackles issues it has itself created.” This is a broader discussion about American foreign policy, but I wanted to honor the dedicated civil servant who maintains our government, ensuring its stability and security – aspects often overlooked that we tend to take for granted.

The “FrontRunners” discussion transpired prior to the cast resuming filming for the second series in London. Although they’re not allowed to disclose too much, they did offer tantalizing hints about what lies ahead. Fassbender chuckles as he shares his thoughts: “I believe it’s even better! What I adored about the first season was its gradual build-up, and you have to embrace that as things begin to unravel. However, season two starts off exactly where we left in episode 10, and it doesn’t let up – the pressure is mounting, and it’s full steam ahead!

Showrunner Wright admitted that he’s only gone through scripts for the initial three episodes (“I’ve been preoccupied with the world seemingly collapsing”) but expressed his appreciation for how the storyline intertwines with real-world events as they unfold in the series timeline – season two will resume in early summer 2023. “If it were set in the current time, we’d be out of work,” he states. “These are the characters who would be let go now, wouldn’t they?

This edition of THR Frontrunners is sponsored by Paramount+.

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2025-04-14 20:54