“Tonally, we’re very similar to the original with more humor than you might expect,” he says.
Patrick Dempsey, one of the most renowned actors to join Dexter: Original Sin, recently sat down with Haute Living magazine to discuss his life—and, naturally, he couldn’t resist sharing some insights into the highly anticipated spinoff.
Photographed for the luxury lifestyle publication, Dempsey shared fresh details about his role as Aaron Spencer, the captain of Miami Metro Homicide in this Dexter prequel. What exactly is Spencer’s role within the department? How does he connect with Harry Morgan? Keep reading to find out!
“I don’t think I’ve ever played a detective before, plus the show itself has so much more edge than what I’ve done in the past,” he admits of his portrayal of Captain Spencer.
He elaborates, “[Aaron] oversees all investigations; that’s my role. I’ve had a long-standing relationship with Dexter’s father, Harry—a homicide detective—that goes back to the very beginning of my career; we do flashbacks from the 1970s up until present day, which is 1991. I’ve known Dexter since he was a baby.”
To prepare for the role, Dempsey studied police training videos and footage from the ‘70s, along with Dexter’s first season, and feels confident that longtime fans will be thrilled with the prequel.
“Tonally, we’re very similar to the original,” he reveals. “There’s a darkness to it, but at the same time, a sort of gallows humor as well — and more humor than you might expect. Plus, all of the original characters are revisited at the very beginning, and I think the way we get into it will be very satisfying for hardcore fans.”
“This,” Dempsey explains, “is the origin story. It’s where the Dark Passenger visits for the first time; Dexter’s whole backstory — why he is and who he is.”
“I’m having a great time,” he adds. “I like my character, which is why I ended up taking [the role]. Plus, I think this is the first time I’ve worked in Los Angeles in the last 10 years — everything else has been overseas or in Canada.”
“I’ve produced a few documentaries, and I’m working on another one. Writing and directing truly aren’t focuses; I’d much rather produce at this point. [That being said], honestly, I’m really having a great time on Dexter and happy to be focusing on that. I think the entire cast is very appreciative of the opportunity that we have, as is the crew. We’re in a time right now where people are struggling to work, and we’re very fortunate in coming out of the strike to have a project this good, this fun. I’m really loving the culture that I’m in. And so, moving forward, that’s what I want to look for in all of my future projects. Who am I working with? What’s the material? Is it challenging? Where does it shoot? So, we’ll see. I feel like I’m entering into a different chapter in my career, so I can only hope that I get the opportunity do more things like Ferrari, like Thanksgiving, like Dexter, where each character is slightly different. And if there’s a good romantic comedy that could come along, that would be great, too.”
For the rest of the interview, head over to Haute Living's website.
Photo Credit: Randall Slavin