Photo Credit: Kevin Parry for Paley Center for Media
Every year, the PaleyFest brings in a new crop of freshmen TV shows that already have a following. On Sunday, the spotlight fell on Marvel’s “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.;” as the cast and the executive producers came out to the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
On the red carpet, we got a chance to speak with every major cast member from the series, as well as executive producer Jeffrey Bell and Marvel’s President of Television, Jeph Loeb.
Clark Gregg
Photo Credit: Michael Bulbenko for Paley Center for Media
Clark Gregg made his debut as Agent Phil Coulson in the first Iron Man film and he lasted all the way until The Avengers when he caught the wrong end of a spear from Loki.
Now Gregg is headlining his own Marvel series in ABC’s “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” and one of the lingering mysteries is how Coulson was brought back from the dead. We know some of the answers, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions. And according to Gregg, even he didn’t know how it was going to be pulled off!
CraveOnline: When you signed on for “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” were you told how Coulson survived his death in The Avengers?
Clark Gregg: No. I was told that the setup for the pilot by Joss [Whedon]; which was “[Coulson] believes that he had a close call and recuperated in Tahiti with a massage therapist. And as soon as he walks away, they say ‘he can never know the truth.’”
From Joss Whedon, that was enough for me. I was like “that’s fantastic.” I love the fact that he’s got this kind of existential crisis mystery to figure out as he starts to realize that what he’s been told isn’t right. And that his body and everything else isn’t reacting in the way that one would to the story he was told. So to pursue that and have it lead to this tremendous blue figure in this tube and the fact that he ends up having to go save Agent Skye using the same stuff… The ground is kind of crumbling beneath him.
When people see Captain America: The Winter Soldier, they’ll see this is happening throughout the Marvel universe. And “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” is not a different universe than that. Everything [Coulson] believes in is up for grabs.
Do you appear in Captain America: The Winter Soldier?
Clark Gregg: I do not.
What can you tell us about the remaining episodes of “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” Season 1?
Clark Gregg: What I can tell you is… very little without getting murdered again by Marvel. I would say that anyone who has seen a trailer for Captain America: The Winter Soldier knows that there’s problems within S.H.I.E.L.D.; and it’s the same S.H.I.E.L.D. in our show. There will be events that happen in our show that also raise questions about S.H.I.E.L.D.; and it’s been going on for several episodes. You know, Coulson can’t get Nick Fury on the line and he doesn’t know why he’s not getting the truth.
We’ve just revealed that Agent May is reporting to somebody and Coulson doesn’t know about it. There is betrayal afoot and that’s going to be something that I think you have to explore when you’re doing a show about a super secret organization like this. The ramifications of it, I think are bigger than anyone can possibly imagine.
Ming-Na Wen
Photo Credit: Michael Bulbenko for Paley Center for Media
Ming-Na Wen plays Melinda May, Coulson’s pilot and his chief asskicker. Sorry Ward, it’s true. May can beat nearly anyone that stands between her and achieving her mission.
The question is, what is May’s real mission? The most recent episode of “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” hinted that May is reporting to someone else about Coulson’s activities. And that betrayal is bound to come out before the end of the season.
CraveOnline: What are your favorite Melinda May moments this season?
Ming-Na Wen: I think in the episode “T.R.A.C.K.S.” when for the first time you see May being disabled. You see her being captured and yet she was able to get herself out of it. That was really fun. And the (seduction) scene with Ward was a big surprise and I love all of my scenes with Coulson. I think that relationship is very special.
The most recent episode cast May in a more sinister light when it showed her reporting back to someone about Coulson’s movements. What’s your opinion of that direction in the story?
Ming-Na Wen: I love it. I love anything that the writers throw at us because it’s always such a huge surprise. So, when we get the scripts… literally, we respond the way we think that the audience is gonna respond. When we get excited about it or when we’re shocked, we know that’s going to be the response of the audience because it’s that real and we’re all geeks at heart. I think there is going to be a lot of surprises coming up for the audience.
What direction would you like to see May go in?
Ming-Na Wen: I would love her to warm up a little bit more. To find that part of her that she had lost over the years. And I think being with this family is going to help her to kind of return to that. And just have a lot more fun and still be able to kick ass. To just find that balance.
Are we going to see the return of Melinda May: Prankster?
Ming-Na Wen: I would love to. Yeah, that kind of stuff. That would be great.
Chloe Bennet
Photo Credit: Michael Bulbenko for Paley Center for Media
Chloe Bennet plays Skye, the newest member of Coulson’s team. Skye isn’t officially a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, but she is an 084; which means… we don’t know what that means.
Skye recently took a few bullets to the stomach, but she’s back in action now, thanks to the same alien wonder drug that saved Coulson. As her character gets back in the game, Bennet shared a few thoughts with us on the first season and which Marvel character she really wants to see on the show.
CraveOnline: What’s your favorite moment this season?
Chloe Bennet: I’ve had quite a few. The train episode [“T.R.A.C.K.S.”] was my favorite episode. That was so Ocean’s 11 and really exciting and you see everyone outside of their elements. But really, I love scenes with Clark [Gregg] and I love the relationship with Skye and Coulson. Any scenes with him, when he was being tortured and Skye runs up to save him… that was a really sweet moment to me. Anything between Skye and Coulson is really nice. And a lot of other stuff that I can’t tell you.
It’s been implied that Skye might eventually be more physically formidable on the show. Are you looking forward to that?
Chloe Bennet: I am! I really am. It’s fun. I have six brothers, so I grew up kind of wrestling my brothers and being physical. So it’ll be really exciting to incorporate that in work and go more towards that. Any evolution of a character that you’ve been playing is fun, so I’m really excited.
Which Marvel character do you want to see on “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.?”
Chloe Bennet: You know what? I’m gonna mix it up. I’d kind of like to see someone from X-Men; which are my favorite Marvel thing… which I don’t think would happen. But my favorite character is Jean Grey. How cool would it be if Phoenix/Jean Grey came in and just F-ed s*** up in the show. Don’t you think that would be fun?
It would.
