Last week, ahead of the return of DC Studios rambunctious Peacemaker, we had the chance to sit down with some of the series cast. We talked dance routines, stunt work and even dug deeper in to some of season 2’s darker, more emotional moments. So today we’re going to be bringing you all of the highlights from each of these sessions.
First up we’re speaking with David Denman who takes on a role which, at the time we spoke, was still a top secret. If you’ve seen the episode then you’ll know that David is playing pivotal role in season 2 and we couldn’t wait to talk to him about tackling those emotional scenes as well as getting to perform some very cool stunts.
Check out the official trailer for season 2 in the player below and scroll down for our chat with David:
NB: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Neil (GYCO): After all of the emotional scenes in early episodes, Keith gets to suit up for some superhero action later in the season. What was it like getting to suit up and shoot those sequences?
David Denman (DD): It was incredible. I mean, I was 50 when they called to see if I want to do this. I thought those days where it had long passed me you know. So it was a boyhood dream to play a superhero. I’ve got two young boys, seven and four, so I [thought] that’ll be fun for them to see Dad in a superhero costume. I got there and we did stunt training. It was one of the first things we had to do. So I was thrown in a rig and pulled up 50ft in the air on wires.
It’s one thing reading it on the page. It’s another thing to actually get up and do it and come flying in and land. But we had an amazing stunt team and I ended up doing a lot of that. I think the one they actually use in the [episode] is the one I did of me flying in and landing. So yeah, it was awesome. It was a boyhood dream come true.
GYCO: Something that we’ve heard about from nearly everyone we’ve spoken to today during these roundtables is about working with James and how he can start throwing lines at you that aren’t in the script and the improvisation which happens on set. Many of your scenes were heavier, more emotional material, but was there still room for you to improvise?
DD: Absolutely. 100%. That’s one of the joys of working with James Gunn. As he says, there’s like a third step to writing the script, and that’s when we’re performing it. So he is there with the mic in a speaker for all the cast and crew to hear. He’s laughing and he’s throwing out ad libs and “try this and try that” and “do this and that”. He creates a safety net.
We’re all in this together trying to make [Peacemaker] so there’s this freedom to fail. Like you try and if it doesn’t work, he’s not going to use it. So you can do whatever you want. It’s such a joy to work with him in that process because not everybody works like that. I like working in this freedom that James allows us to play in. It’s a joy.
Peacemaker stars John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, Steve Agee, and Robert Patrick return for season two. New cast members include Frank Grillo, David Denman, Sol Rodriguez, and Tim Meadows.
James Gunn wrote all eight episodes of season two and directed three, including the first episode. Gunn, Peter Safran, and John Cena serve as executive producers. Greg Mottola, Peter Sollett, and Althea Jones also direct. Based on characters from DC, Peacemaker is produced by Gunn’s Troll Court Entertainment and The Safran Company in association with Warner Bros. Television.
