The new and old favorites from Heroes Reborn talked to us about their characters and the new world the heroes are living in.
The Toronto International Film Festival is well under way, and we had the opportunity to attend the red carpet for the world premiere of Heroes Reborn. We got the latest details on the new series, so check out our interviews with the cast below, and be sure to watch the cast Q&A video!
Related: Heroes Reborn review
Gatlin Green & Robbie Kay
What does Emily’s friendship mean to Tommy?
Robbie: I feel like Emily’s character is one that becomes his moral compass. It gets to a point where he faces a lot of challenges and dilemmas with his power, and she helps him come to realize the positives in that dynamic, as opposed to looking at all the negatives and how much of a burden it is on his life. And she also makes him see how valuable being a hero really is.
Gatlin: And I think she’s a source of encouragement for him, and just a friend. It helps him have a sense of normality I think, because he’s crazy– No, I’m just kidding! He’s got all these crazy things that aren’t normal going on, and she’s kind of like a home for him.
What is it about Tommy that endears Emily to him so much?
Gatlin: I think Emily is one of those people that likes to help the underdogs. And she knows that it’s super hard to be the new kid at school and kind of saw that and wanted to help him. And then got in way over her head and found a lot of crazy things about Tommy.
Does Emily wish she had powers?
Gatlin: I don’t know, I think Emily’s doing all right. I think she likes keeping up with him.
If Tommy had the opportunity to get rid of his powers, would he?
Robbie: I think at some point in the show he definitely would. It’s such a source of danger, and it really does become a huge burden in his life early in the show.
There’s nothing about his powers that he likes?
Robbie: None that I can say yet, but you’ll find out!
Danika Yarosh & Francesca Eastwood
What can you tell us about your characters?
Danika: I play Malina. Malina is a very unique teenage girl. She had a very different upbringing than most. From the beginning she was told that she was destined for greatness, so she kind of grew up separated and isolated from society and from the world, so that way she can train and use her powers and be the best she can be.
Francesca: I can’t say much! My character is somewhat of a grifter. She’s living a very dark life, she’s on a dark path, and she has some tricks up her sleeve though.
Have either of you watched the original show?
Francesca: Yes! Yes, a lot!
Danika: A lot!
How does Reborn differ from the original?
Danika: It’s a lot darker and a lot more action-packed, and it’s a lot grittier.
In what way is it darker?
Francesca: The lighting is darker- I’m just kidding!
Danika: Heroes ended with a giant cliffhanger, with Claire revealing to the world that people with powers existed. And in the original series there were flashbacks or flash forwards to the future where they saw what would happen if people knew that people with powers existed. And it’s kind of that future. It’s a version of that future. People with powers are hunted and they’re prosecuted, so people with powers are either hiding or on the run. So it’s just a lot darker.
Who from the original show do you wish had come back?
Danika: Sylar maybe?
Francesca: Yeah, oh my gosh, same here!
Why Sylar?
Francesca: I love him! I love that character.
Danika: I love Zachary Quinto, and he played Sylar brilliantly. I mean, I love villains. They’re always my favorite characters! *laughs* So I love him.
Greg Grunberg & Jimmy Jean-Louis
So Matt and the Haitian are back!
Greg: Nah, we just drove everybody here.
Jimmy: Just happy to help! *laughs*
Greg: I mean, yes, the Haitian is back in a big way, and yeah, Matt Parkman is back as well!
How have they changed from the last time we saw them?
Jimmy: Some of us have changed… (side-eyes Greg)
Greg: As he looks at me… Well, we’re all dealing in a not so nice world anymore, and a world that is just trying to figure out how to deal with these people with powers. So in a way there’s a lot of revenge, there’s a lot of greed, there’s a lot of allegiance. There’s good and bad in a big way. And which side either one of us is on, I think people are gonna be surprised.
So not necessarily the good side…?
Jimmy: Surprised!
Greg: Surprised!
Jimmy: Don’t forget that it’s full of other heroes.
Greg: Yeah, new heroes!
Jimmy: A lot of heroes are being chased, and yeah, you’ll be surprised.
Have their powers evolved since the last time we saw them?
Jimmy: My powers are pretty much the same. He was already very powerful, it would be difficult to change anything about it.
Greg: Yeah, he was shutting everybody down before.
Jimmy: Yeah!
Greg: My power has… Well they alluded to it, they showed my father in the first four years, and how bad he went, and the evil side that he took. So my character is definitely leaning that way. I’m not in the first couple episodes, but when they find me it’s badass Matt Parkman.
In this new world, do you think it’s easier for EVOs to live now, where superpowers are in the open, or before, when they had to live in secret?
Greg: That’s a good question, actually. Not knowing the plot, I would say, if you didn’t know what you’re about to see, I would say it’s easier in secret.
Jimmy: In secret, yeah.
Greg: For sure. I mean, who wants to get their head blown off by Zach Levi? I don’t!
Jimmy: He’s bad! Zach is bad.
Greg: Motherchucker.
On page 2: Ryan Guzman, Jack Coleman, and more!
Henry Zebrowski & Rya Kihlstedt
[Most of this interview is sarcastic. If it sounds like a joke, it’s probably a joke.]
Let’s get right to it! Are you a good guy or a bad guy?
Henry: What is good and what is bad?
Rya: I’m good! Always and only!
Henry: That means she’s bad.
So it’s always the reverse, is it?
Henry: Always! Because you think you’re a good person right? Yeah, but how many people shout your name in the night in fury? Right? Like, ‘How dare she!’
Rya: Look at her! Probably a lot.
Henry: Yeah yeah.
Rya: Very guilty.
I don’t know how to take that.
Rya: *laughs*
Henry: I’m just saying, you don’t know! So what do I know? It’s about perspective! Get a couple beers in me and I could talk about this for a while.
Are you at all similar to your characters?
Henry: (to Rya) You’re very similar!
Rya: Yeah! Yeah, I’m very similar to Erica!
Henry: Yeah, I’d say you’re a cold bitch! Yeah, absolutely!
Rya: They actually gave me my TIFF pass- Have you looked at yours yet?
Henry: No.
Rya: It’s a picture from the show. And I had a moment where I thought, ‘Well that’s not me…’ That’s not how I see myself. I mean, look, you build from you, so yes, she’s facets of me, for sure.
Henry: My character is super bumbling and awkward, and that’s not me in real life. I’m actually super suave. I’m very suave, I’m very put together.
That’s a rather high opinion of yourself!
Rya: Look at the hat!
Henry: No, I mean, I’m pretty macho, I can bench 390 pounds, I can do a bunch of laps, so yeah, I’m nothing like Quentin at all.
Do either of you have superpowers?
Henry: In real life?
Yes, of course!
*all laugh*
Henry: I can cook!
Rya: I’m a really great driver.
Henry: Everybody thinks they’re a good driver.
Rya: No I’m a good driver!
Henry: [seriously] I don’t have any superpowers, it’s very sad.
Rya: Me neither.
Does Quentin wish he did?
Henry: Every day.
Rya: Doesn’t everybody?
Do they? I don’t know, it comes with a lot of responsibility.
Rya: It is!
Henry: But in a world where other people have superpowers and you don’t have superpowers you’re screwed! You know what I’m saying? Because they’re stronger and faster than you. They can rip your arms off your body! What are you gonna do?
That’s extreme.
Henry: It is extreme. Life is extreme!
Rya: I want the flame-hands.
Henry: I want stretchy arms.
Rya: Do you remember the Hulk with the stretchy arms?
Henry: I think you’re talking about Stretch Armstrong.
Rya: I am!
Henry: She doesn’t know about comic books! She doesn’t know.
She’s trying!
Henry: Yeah, she’s trying.
Rya: I’m a little older.
Henry: The Hulk is like 75 years old!
Rya: No he’s not!
Henry: Yeah!
Rya: Really?
Henry: Yeah!
Rya: Oh.
Ryan Guzman & Kiki Sukezane
What can you guys tell us about your characters?
Ryan: Nothing!
So helpful!
Kiki: Nothing!
Ryan: End of conversation, let’s go!
*all laugh*
Kiki: I play Miko Otomo. She’s a Japanese girl who lives in Japan, so her story starts from Japan. Basically she’s trying to track down her missing father, and she meets a Japanese guy, his name is Ren Shimosawa, and the two of them fly to America to find her father.
Ryan: Mine, his name is Carlos Gutierrez. He’s a Mexican-American army veteran coming from Afghanistan to East L.A., and he’s being perceived in the public as a hero, but he doesn’t believe it himself. He is presented a huge opportunity of greatness and he’s not sure if he can actually embody this greatness.
When does he find out about EVOs? And do their abilities make him feel less like a hero?
Ryan: He knows about the EVOs prior to coming back. What I think resonates with him so much is the fact that he’ll never be what people see him as. He comes from one war into another one back home.
And for Miko, what kind of weapons will we get to see her use?
Kiki: I use a Japanese sword that has the Heroes glyph on it, and I also use a new weapon which is called a naginata. It’s like a long stick with a blade on the top.
How much training did you have to do?
Kiki: Well, I’ve been training in samurai sword fighting since six years ago, so…
So you’re a natural!
Kiki: Yeah. Pretty much, yeah.
So you could give Ryan lessons?
Kiki: *laughs* No!
Ryan: No, I suck with a sword!
Jack Coleman
Noah’s back! How has he changed since the last time we saw him?
Jack: He’s tried to stay off the grid, under the radar, trying to live a normal, civilian life.
How’s that working out for him?
Jack: It’s been working, but it’s about to stop working as we start our story.
That sounds more like it.
Jack: Yeah, it’s like Michael Corleone. Just when you think he’s out he gets pulled back in.
We do already know that Claire doesn’t make it…
Jack: But she casts a very large shadow over the show, and particularly over my character. I will always be tied to her, I will always be about making sense of her life and her death, and honoring her legacy. That’s who Noah is, that’s always who he will be.
Does losing her give him more focus, or is the grief too much and he’s lost his moral compass along with her?
Jack: I think it gives him his moral compass to a large extent. I think he’s not playing both sides of the fence, he’s very much on one side now… But he still has some bad habits from the old days. But it’s an incredible journey to go back into this, and make sense of it through the character of Claire because that’s always going to be his story.
Do you think it’s harder for EVOs to live in the world now, where they’re in the open, or before when they had to be hidden?
Jack: It’s harder now because they’re out of the woodwork. Back in the day we didn’t have a name like ‘EVO,’ and we do have that now, and that’s because they’re out and everybody knows about them. And there’s laws against them, and they have to be registered, and there’s reproductive laws. It’s a tough world for them, so it’s a lot harder now that they’re no longer undercover.
Lucias Hoyos
What can you tell us about your character?
Lucias: My character’s name is Jose. He’s a little boy, he has troubles in his family, and he only has his uncle to look up to.
And who’s his uncle?
Lucias: His uncle is Carlos. He’s played by Ryan Guzman.
What is their relationship like? Good, strained…?
Lucias: It’s good… They’re connected but sometimes they don’t… How do I say this?
Well Carlos has been away for a while, so does that impact Jose?
Lucias: It does. He’s not really with [Jose] all that much, but when he is he’s really excited to see him.
Does Jose have superpowers?
Lucias: Well I guess you’ll just have to find out!
Cast Q&A Video
