When you see Thomas Doherty on screen, it’s easy to be transfixed by his piercing blue eyes, charismatic personality and charismatic presence. He may seem like an out-of-touch person, but you might be surprised to learn that you have a lot more in common with the 31-year-old Scottish actor than you realize. He’s really just a fan at heart.
He’s been going through all the feels during his latest project, taking on the role of Link in the second season of Hulu’s post-apocalyptic political thriller. heaven. Not only was it a new challenge for him as an actor, but he also had to cross some things off his bucket list, like working with some acting greats.
Doherty says of his co-star Shailene Woodley, before going on to praise the series’ mainstay, Sterling K. Brown and Julianne Nicholson: “They always say: ‘You never meet your idols, but they are near and dear to my heart.’
But before Doherty got completely lost in all his enthusiastic greetings to his co-stars while chatting with them Hollywood Reporter Over Zoom on a Monday morning in late April, he quickly composed himself. “It’s annoying because you watch interviews and you watch people on shows and they’re like, ‘Yes, we’re like a family.’ I’m like, ‘Fucking crap.’ No way. He’s like, ‘You guys don’t like each other.’” But now he understands where these people are coming from, because he “can’t stop talking about how great these people are and how great the show is,” he adds with a wide smile.
Before Doherty scored a pinch-me moment heavenhe was already making a name for himself, first with his breakout roles in Disney films The hostel and grandchildren franchise, and later with his charming and intense film roles gossip girl Reboot and second season of Tell me lies.
But playing Link, a tough and kind member of a group of survivors known as the Cancer Cowboys, was a whole new challenge. He also underwent a physical transformation at the beginning of the season, becoming almost unrecognizable – even to himself at times.
“After 10 hours of filming, you forget you look like such a scary person and then you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror,” Doherty says with a laugh. “Just being on set, too. The Graceland set is on Melrose Avenue in the soundstage, but you walk in for a long time and you think you’re there, and then you walk out and you’re in L.A. and it’s sunny and you’re like, ‘What the hell is going on?’
Below, Doherty unloads his luggage during entry heavenWhy not ask him about quantum physics and what’s next for his character in season three. He also shares his career goals and his reaction to the success he’s experienced post-Disney.
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What was it like entering the world? heaven For the second season, especially after the show had a successful first season, and joining a distinguished cast led by Sterling K. Brown and Julian Nicholson?
It was definitely the next step in my career in terms of scale, but also, as you say, the sheer number of actors I was working with, I’d never been surrounded by that before. I’m a huge fan of Shailene [Woodley] For many years, so it was just an opportunity to work with her [something you] Jump on it. They always say, “Never meet your idols,” but they are near and dear to my heart. She’s just a lovely, beautiful human being.
We – Shailene, myself and other cancer cowboys – had this amazing opportunity to join this very well-established production. We were really the new kids on the block. The first episode really gave us a chance to acclimate to the culture and find our footing, so when things picked up again in the second episode and the All Stars came and joined us, we settled in a lot. Also Julian, what an amazing moment. I think Julianne is the most amazing person I’ve ever met. I’ve met some amazing people. I live in New York City. I’m in Hollywood and it definitely takes the biscuit. Then you have Sterling, a leader who practices what he preaches and is very inspiring for a younger actor like me.
(He laughs.) I mean, if I worked with great people like Sterling and Julian, I would also want to sit down and talk about them too.
Honestly, it’s annoying because you watch interviews and people on shows and they say, “Yes, we’re like family.” I’m like, “Fucking bullshit. No way. You guys don’t even like each other.” (He laughs.) And I can’t stop talking about how great these people are and how great the show is. With Season 3, I can’t stop telling people, “It’s going to be bigger and better,” but it is. It’s very good. I can’t believe what Dan [Fogelman, creator] And his team leaves.
I have to admit I didn’t recognize you at first in season two. What was this physical transformation like initially for you? Did that help you flesh out the connection?
All these little things that these two artists did [Zoe and Michael] You create – the beard – and then you work with Coxy, the head of the costume department, and he really collaborates with you and makes you feel like Link, like you’re in a post-apocalyptic world. I can’t take any credit for any of that, but it definitely helps. This is Dan. He leaves nothing to the imagination of the audience, but also to his actors.
I look in the mirror and I’m scared because after 10 hours of filming, you forget that you look like such a scary person, and then you catch a glimpse of yourself. And just being on the set – I mean, you’re on the set of Graceland, which is on Melrose Avenue in the soundstage, but you stay for a long time and you think you’re there. Then you go out and you’re in L.A. and it’s sunny and you’re like, “What the hell is going on?” (He laughs.) So it’s not just for the audience, it’s for me as well. I say, “Oh my God, yes, Thomas. Your name is Thomas.”
The quantum physics stuff with Alex in Season 2 was definitely going around viewers’ heads. As one of the actors who had to figure that out on the show, what were those conversations like with Dan Fogelman? Do you have a complete understanding of it now?
Don’t ask me about that. I don’t know. (He laughs.)
I swear I won’t ask you to define quantum physics or anything else.
I loved it before the finale came out because everyone was asking these questions and I was always like, “I can’t tell you.” Little did they know, I can’t tell you because I don’t know. (He laughs.) All I could do was understand the basic, rudimentary idea, not even understand it, just the idea that you could probably explain to a 10 year old. As long as I have that, you trust the writing. Because I tried to understand it and it’s really intense. You start to get in your head with him and it starts to get in the way of your actions and communication with him. It was Julianne who really helped me with this because I was feeling stressed out. I was like, “I what?” She was like, “Don’t.” We were laughing in the green room. “Better not get lost in your head,” she would say.
At the end of the season (Spoiler alert!), Link learns a lot in such a short time, including Sinatra’s belief that he is her dead son, Dylan; that Annie died and discovered that he had a child; All while trying to get out of hiding. Have you ever been nervous about being able to authentically process all those different emotions on screen?
No, not really because when he finds out all of these things, he finds out in 10 seconds in a high-pressure life-or-death situation. In fact it may be his mother. He had just lost his best friend, Jaeger. He’s got a baby and Annie’s dead. You can’t handle that. So it’s like this level of confusion and that’s kind of it.
Then in season three, that’s when we start to see the processing happen. So we never see Link handle it properly. I mean, we’ve all received bad news at some point in our lives, and you feel this kind of numbness, this kind of wondering, “What?” After that, he is beaten four times and is on the verge of death. So it wasn’t actually very intense. It’s very easy to customize that information.
When you think about season two and the heavy themes woven into the story, it’s A.I From humanity to global devastation and government corruption, what have you learned from it?
The idea that no matter how terrible the world, and the forces in it, how terrible they are, we always have a choice. They can take away things, they can manipulate certain ideas and all the rest of it, but they can’t take away your choice. And it’s scary that the world we live in now with all this stuff about artificial intelligence and some leaders and wars, but they can’t separate you from your heart, where your true humanity is, not in your brain; Your true morals and humanity are in your heart. That’s what I really love about this season. I love the character of Xavier (Brown) for that.
As you look forward to Season 3, what can you share about Link’s future? Do you have personal hopes for your character?
I know everything. I won’t tell you any. (He laughs.) I can’t tell you anything. Are you kidding? You know, I can’t tell you. (He laughs.)
It’s going to be bigger. I don’t know how they did it. I was kind of apprehensive going in [season] Three because I didn’t know… I don’t have a writer’s mind like them. I don’t have that level of talent that these writers have that Dan has, and he did it. It will be bigger and better.
It’s been several years since your breakout roles at Disney. Having subsequently had a lot of success in other shows, outside of Disney, do you find yourself reflecting on the early days of your career?
I’m proud of myself, but that’s a lot of luck. Lots of wealth. It’s so much work behind the scenes that I’m not necessarily privy to it. I can stop and do what I love to do, but it’s all made easier by this amazing team I have. My mother and father have made life easier for me and opportunities that they never had before. They grew up in poverty and working class Scotland. So takeaway is not necessarily pride. It’s definitely gratitude. Who knows? I may never work again or I may continue to work. I’m 31 and my ego is starting to calm down a bit, which is a really beautiful experience to give to God or the universe or whatever your belief is.
Do you have a dream genre or a role you would like to play in the future?
I love playing characters. I want to be the villain. I want to be a James Bond villain. I really, really want to do a rom-com. I did Girls5eva. That was my first experience in comedy and I had the best time. But I’m also helping my friend Eli Brown. He wrote this amazing script that we want to do together. I’m excited to do this. I love musicals as well. I would love to do that La la land– Kind of [film]. I already have tattoos of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone on my arm. Honestly, I’m very open. I’m very open as long as the writing is good and the people involved are good people. Sign me up.
I’ve also worked with Eric Dane on Family secretswhich will be one of his last on-screen roles once it is released. What was it like working with him before his death?
I was in a bit of a weird place in my life, and it was a very difficult time for me. And Eric, who didn’t really know me, saw that. I went to dinner with him several times and he played a huge role in taking me from a certain place in my life to where I am now. I’m not going to pretend that we were the best guys or anything, but we were in Serbia shooting this movie and he would take me out to dinner and talk to me and stuff like that, and that had an incredible influence on who I am now. He was kind of the first person to start me on this journey to get me to a happier and more fulfilled place in my life. I will be forever grateful for that. And he’s really funny too. It’s a real heartbreak.
When you’re not filming or working, what does your ideal day off look like?
No alarm. I’ll wake up around eight, nine. I drink water, drink my coffee, play with my dog, and try to rest properly. I don’t mean sitting on the couch scrolling on my phone and watching TV. Just really resting and trying to calm down. I have some amazing friends, amazing people that I am so lucky to have in my life. Connect with them, connect with family back home, check in. Because when you’re working and pretending to be the end of the world and someone holds a gun to your head, it’s too much. So it’s a good idea to just check in and talk to these great people. I’m honestly kind of boring. I love grocery shopping. (He laughs.) I love Home Depot!
I’m in Los Angeles now, so I go to the beach, I go for walks, I’m outside. As you were saying earlier about AI and the state of the world, I’m like, “Oh my God, did you see this picture of this person? I can’t believe they did that.” And everyone says, “Thomas, this is artificial intelligence.” So I can’t trust myself with this, so I try to stay away from social media. I love reconnecting with myself and nature.
If you had to describe what makes Thomas Doherty, Thomas Doherty, what would you say?
I don’t think I can answer that. I consider myself a person who is loyal to the people I love: my friends and family. I love this part about myself. I am in this beautiful learning time in my life where I want to be an honorable person. So maybe that doesn’t make me who I am, but it’s definitely what I strive to be. To have honor and adhere to certain standards and not be defined by external things.
