Griffin Matthews delivered a scene-stealing efficiency as Teddy Lockwood in You‘s remaining season — however his inspiration for the fan-favorite character got here from an sudden place.
“The very first thing that I did after I received the job is I made a Pinterest board and it was all ASAP Rocky. I noticed ASAP Rocky in a Gucci advert and I used to be like, ‘Here’s what’s so attention-grabbing, this man is Harlem on the highest and Gucci on the underside,’” Matthews, 42, recalled throughout an unique interview with Us Weekly. “I beloved that picture of this Black man in New York Metropolis who’s a part of this billionaire, white and half British household.”
Matthews was intrigued by the way in which Teddy supplied “a special model of actuality,” noting, “I needed to attempt to play him not as man. I talked a lot with the showrunners about how I didn’t need Teddy to only be man. I needed him to be genuine and I needed the viewers to not know if he was man.”
You, which initially debuted on Lifetime in 2018, launched Penn Badgley as a serial killer whose obsession for a woman grew to terrifying heights. Based mostly on books by Caroline Kepnes, the sequence discovered bigger success after it moved to Netflix for its sophomore season. Since then, every season launched a brand new love curiosity for Joe — and new characters — that didn’t all the time survive.
After 5 murderous seasons, Joe Goldberg’s journey lastly got here to an finish — however did Netflix’s You really kill him? The ultimate season, which premiered on Thursday, April 24, featured numerous twists and turns for Penn Badgley‘s anti-hero. Joe began the season off married to Kate (Charlotte Ritchie) and built-in into her wealthy household. He […]
“I knew the present and I didn’t know if I used to be going to reside or die after I signed on. I had no concept from episode to episode. I simply mentioned to the showrunners, ‘Please simply don’t kill me first please.’ However I needed to create a world through which there was a query round Teddy that we didn’t know what his motives had been and we didn’t know the place he would land,” Matthews advised Us. “Since we by no means knew from week to week who was going to reside and who was going to die, you’re doing all your greatest work to attempt to create a world through which not solely do you not know however the viewers doesn’t know. That’s the perfect a part of taking pictures a present like this.”
One other nice a part of becoming a member of You? The truth that Matthews was already an enormous fan of the present earlier than auditioning for the position of Joe’s (Badgley) snarky but loyal brother-in-law.
“That is the primary present I’ve ever achieved the place I used to be a large fan. I had seen each single episode of each single season earlier than I auditioned and after I did my display take a look at with Charlotte [Ritchie], who performed my sister. We had been on a Zoom and I used to be so afraid of her,” the actor quipped. “Due to who she is on the present, I didn’t know if she was going to be chilly to me. In fact, Charlotte ended up being so beautiful and we chatted and had an ideal audition.”
Matthews admitted it was “so bizarre” to be on set after watching the present. “It was a really surreal expertise to hitch,” he added. “It was perhaps one in all my best profession accomplishments for positive.”
As a viewer first, Matthews understood the significance of sure components of the present — together with Joe’s notorious cage.
“I didn’t wish to go within the cage as a result of I knew that if I went within the cage I used to be not popping out. However there was a day that we went and shot the promo and we needed to all get within the cage and it was implausible. It’s really scary to go contained in the cage,” Matthews revealed to Us. “The easiest way to — as an actor — to be scared is to really be scared. After I shot the scene the place Joe was making an attempt to kill me, I used to be really afraid I didn’t must faux like I used to be terrified. So entering into the cage and getting right into a scuffle with Joe a.okay.a Pen was thrilling. I wish to do it once more.”
Badgley’s efficiency as Joe may need been spooky, however Matthews couldn’t be extra grateful for the bond he fashioned together with his costar. “Seems Penn is totally totally different. Humorous sufficient, Penn is a dad [with wife Domino Kirke]. I’m a dad [with husband Matt Gould],” he defined. “So in our downtime, we spent numerous time speaking about our youngsters and exhibiting photos. I went to Penn’s home for lunch and met his youngsters and his household. Additionally Penn in between takes was meditating in his trailer. So I used to be like, ‘Who is that this man?’”
Matthews continued: “What’s superb about his efficiency is Penn is bringing a really explicit humanity to Joe Goldberg. That can be why that character is so profitable as a result of Penn himself is concentrated on humanity. He was in a position to actually deliver Joe to life as a result of he discovered a strategy to make us fall in love with Joe and hate Joe concurrently. That’s so laborious as an actor however he by no means judged the character. He was all the time simply looking for the reality. It was thrilling to observe on set — however much more thrilling to see it on display.”
Whereas chatting with Us, it was clear that Matthews put simply as a lot work into bringing Teddy to life.
“We had many, many calls with our showrunners. Charlotte and I spent numerous day off display collectively. The showrunners gave me numerous freedom to ensure that Teddy felt genuine. I had the house to say, ‘I believe on this explicit state of affairs, a Black individual in 2024 goes to say it like this,’” he recalled. “We needed to sort out race and tradition and privilege. I needed individuals who regarded like me to see the present and acknowledge themselves on display. So I used to be so fortunate that our showrunners had been so open to conversations.”
Matthews pointed to Teddy’s look as instance, including, “We did a whole dialog about hair. I spent extra time within the hair chair than any of the ladies on our present: 4 hours. We had been simply going hours and hours a day making an attempt to craft a glance as a result of Teddy begins with an afro after which because the season progresses, he lastly makes it to the tip. I needed him to look the way in which that he would look in Harlem — however now he’s the CEO.”
There have been additionally conversations about Teddy’s private life.
“I’ve performed many homosexual males on tv and I’ve by no means had a Black boyfriend or husband. So after I discovered that Teddy had a husband and a son, I mentioned ‘It is perhaps attention-grabbing if we solid one other Black actor and perhaps a Black baby. As a result of it’s going to say one thing about who Teddy is when he’s not within this explicit world. It should inform the viewer that Teddy is totally outdoors of this tradition, that he’s a fish out of water when he’s in that workplace,’” he defined. “I give the showrunners numerous credit score as a result of they actually heard a number of the concepts that I had and applied them in actually, actually particular and delightful methods.”
You is presently streaming on Netflix.