The Following Interview – Shawn Ashmore
The Following is a psychological thriller from creator and executive producer Kevin Williamson. The series follows a notorious serial killer called Joe Carroll (played by James Purefoy) and a former FBI agent called Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon), who was responsible for Carroll’s capture in 2003 after the murderer claimed the lives of 14 female students on a Virginia college campus where he taught literature.
When Carroll escapes from death row and embarks on a new killing spree, it becomes clear he’s been covertly communicating with a network of killers in the outside world. However, Carroll has more planned than just a prison escape – and there’s no telling how many additional killers are out there.
As a walking textbook of all things Carroll, Hardy is called back to the FBI to work alongside a team of agents, which includes young, razor-sharp Mike Weston (Shawn Ashmore) and FBI specialist Debra Parker (Annie Parisse), who is brought in to lead the investigation of Carroll and his followers.
The intense, spellbinding drama follows Hardy and the FBI as they are challenged with the ever-growing web of murder around them, masterminded by the devious Carroll. The re-invigorated Hardy will get a second chance to capture Carroll, as he’s faced with not one, but a cult of serial killers.
We catch up with actor Shawn Ashmore to find out more…
What attracted you to this role in The Following?
First of all, I thought the script for the pilot was fascinating. I’ve always been a fan of Kevin Williamson’s work, as well as Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy. They were all attached to the show as I was coming into it, so I knew the pedigree of the project and what the potential was. That was exciting to me. What else attracted me to the show? Well, I love thrillers and I love dramatic stories. The pilot felt really cinematic and I could see where the story could go from week to week. There was a real depth of character and lots of possibilities, which really fascinated me.
How would you describe your character?
Mike Weston is very intelligent and very capable. He’s very dedicated, he’s smart and he’s incredibly focused.
How does your character fit into the show?
Mike Weston is a junior field agent for the FBI. He did a thesis at Quantico on the serial killer, Joe Carroll, and he’s brought in to assist the case when Carroll breaks out of jail. It’s a little crazy for Mike because he worships Ryan Hardy, who is the former FBI agent who was responsible for Carroll’s capture many years ago, and now he gets to work alongside him. All of a sudden he’s face-to-face with one his heroes.
How much will we see your character grow in the show?
That’s probably a better question for [creator and executive producer] Kevin Williamson. I think Mike is very capable, but he’s in over his head. He probably wouldn’t be on this case if he hadn’t done this thesis. In that sense, it’s been like winning the lottery for him – but I’m sure he’ll start to feel like more of a team member as the show progresses. Throughout the show, I think Mike will also grow quite a bit.
You mentioned that your character works alongside his hero in the show’s story… Is there also a little hero worship involved when you work alongside an accomplished actor like Kevin Bacon on a show like this?
I think there is always a sense of that when you’re working with an actor you respect; especially if it’s someone you’ve been watching for years. For the first couple of scenes, I remember thinking to myself, ‘Oh my God… I’m working with Kevin Bacon!’ But that goes away pretty quickly. Kevin is a really down-to-Earth guy. He’s very friendly and he’s very dedicated. When you step on set with someone that you’ve seen and watched for years, it always feels cool and exciting – but then it’s straight back down to work.
What research into serial killers did you undertake in order to prepare for the role?
I went to YouTube, typed in ‘serial killers’ and a lot of information came up. I watched days and days and days of trials and documentaries on the subject. It was really disturbing because it’s a really dark and really scary subject. It’s really creepy, too.
What do you think serial killers are so intriguing?
I think there is something fascinating, yet incredibly scary about serial killers. I think you want to understand them and you want to know how they can do something horrific like kill another human. Sometimes you can clearly see the loopy or crazy side to these people, but most of these guys are very intelligent, very educated and very socialised. It’s like, why? I also think people are fascinated with the subject because we want to figure out who these people are in order to protect ourselves and to protect our families.
What shocked you the most about your research into the subject?
It’s often infuriating and frustrating to watch trials and interviews with serial killers because there’s often no rhyme or reason to their killings; it’s just the way they are. As far as I’m concerned, that is pure, true evil. It’s innate in certain people and that’s what’s really scary. You want to know how to protect yourself. You want to know how to spot these people, but I don’t think you can and that’s what’s terrifying.
Did you do any other research for the role?
I went to the Federal building in Los Angeles and I met with some FBI agents for a couple of hours, which was really interesting. They were very helpful, but I really wished I had spent a week with them because I’d love to get to know them more. It’s strange when you walk into a place like that with a pad and you start to ask very personal questions like, “What was it like the first time you saw a dead body?” I’m not sure that I got the most insight into them, but they were really nice guys to be around. It was really interesting to pick their brains.
Viewers don’t uncover much about your character in the pilot episode. Did you talk to Kevin Williamson about his back-story when you started work on the show?
Prior to the pilot episode, I had a number of discussions about the role. This is the first television series I’ve done in a long time and I wanted to be certain I was thinking along the right lines for the character. Television is very different to film, where you know exactly what you need to do because you know the full arc of your character. When I shot the pilot, all I knew was that Mike was very dedicated and very busy. When it comes to his personal life and things like dating, I figured he would have too much time in his life for that. He’s too focused and too busy. I look forward to finding more out about him as the show progresses, though.
Do you know why Weston became an agent in the first place?
As far as where he came from and why he’s doing the job, I figure that he probably studied law and became interested in certain cases, like the Joe Carroll case. I imagine there is someone in law enforcement in his family background. When I spoke to some guys from the FBI, a lot of them came from law enforcement families, a lot of them studied law and became interested in the field because of that.
Did it ever cross your mind that your character might be a red herring to the show? He could actually be on Carroll’s side…
Who knows? And I think that’s what’s great about the show. I don’t think you have any idea what’s going to happen to anybody. Who’s going to die? Who’s on whose team? You’re on the edge of your seat and I certainly don’t know at this point – but that’s the excitement of the writing and I think that’s what will keep audiences tuned into the show.
Check out this new clip from The Following which sees Mike Weston (Ashmore) and Ryan Hardy (Bacon) interrogate
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The Following: Season One is out now on Blu-ray & DVD
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