These actors bring a certain set of skills to ‘Our Flag Means Death’
The first season of the Max show “Our Flag Means Death” introduced viewers to a ship full of scurvy knaves and romantic pairings, led by the exceedingly silly “Gentleman Pirate” Capt. Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) and his apparent opposite, the fearsome Blackbeard (a.k.a. Edward Teach, played by executive producer Taika Waititi). Equal parts shaggy workplace comedy, love story and piratical mayhem, the series has captivated a large swath of viewers even as it broke hearts — including Blackbeard’s. (Warning: Spoilers ahead.)
This fall brought devoted fans a second season aboard the Revenge, and gave creator-executive producer David Jenkins and his writers the chance to plumb the depths of his characters further, and lean into each actor’s strengths. Speaking by video from his home in New York, Jenkins notes that Vico Ortiz, who plays dour, vengeful crew mate Jim in Season 1, is in reality “bubbly, and they have this wonderful, zany energy,” so their second season journey reflected that. Lucius (Nathan Foad), the cheeky cabin boy whom Blackbeard threw overboard at the end of Season 1, comes back quite differently after surviving some rat-related traumas. “I wanted to give him a bit of an angry young man, James Dean phase,” Jenkins says. Lucius’ shift also alters his relationship with Black Pete (Matthew Maher). “It was interesting to see a little friction there, because Matt is so sweet.”
Of Darby and Waititi, old friends who’ve worked together on comedic projects for years, he says, “I think they felt a lot more secure in just playing it straight and not defusing everything with a joke. They do it beautifully in the first season, but I think they saw it work, and they were emboldened” for Season 2.
Taika Waititi and showrunner David Jenkins base their pirate comedy loosely on a real story. And in it, LGBTQ viewers find a story to embrace.
Sword-crossed lovers Stede and Ed reunite this season, and even switch roles somewhat. Ed gives up piracy and becomes a simple fisherman, until he learns it’s not so simple. Meanwhile, under the tutelage of first mate Izzy Hands (Con O’Neill), Stede finds himself actually slaying as a pirate. “Sometimes comedy is about stasis and resetting, and I don’t want that; I want to see characters change,” Jenkins says. “Stede’s a buffoon, he’s a peacock, he can be selfish sometimes, and you don’t want to strip away those games. But I think one of the great things about “Breaking Bad” is to see how good that guy gets at being that guy. It’s fun to me to see it in a comedy.”
Jenkins believes Darby doesn’t get enough credit for his work, because he makes it look so effortless. “What he’s doing is very complex, because I believe him, and he’s also very funny, and he also drops in sometimes, and then he comes back and does something really stupid.”
He remembers some initial trepidation at the prospect of directing Waititi, an acclaimed director in his own right, “but he’s very much, ‘Just tell me what you want me to do,’” Jenkins says, doing an excellent impression of the New Zealander’s accent. As funny as Waititi is, “for the scenes where he’s very serious and sad, he can access that stuff surprisingly quickly. And when he’s still, he’s just magnetic; I don’t think there’s a more interesting actor onscreen.” He finds that working with Waititi and Darby “is like working with my much cooler, much older, big brothers. Much, much older. Way older.”
And then there’s Izzy Hands, Blackbeard’s first mate. A nefarious scoundrel in Season 1, his second season arc takes him from nemesis to mentor. “We’re such fans of Con’s, and to be able to use everything that he does, and go to every one of his sweet spots, was a joy and kind of the mission of the season,” says Jenkins. “Izzy’s my favorite character. I love all my children equally, but Izzy’s my guy.”
Jenkins describes his favorite kind of baddie as someone whose back is up against the wall, forced into their actions. “There’s a put-upon quality to Con, where he plays Izzy as the ultimate frustrated middle manager.” He relates on a personal level; “Izzy’s how you feel most of the time when you’re running a show.”
O’Neill even shows off his singing voice this season, with a tender rendition of “La Vie en Rose.” “He has tremendous range as an actor, and showcasing that was a big subject of conversation in the writers room.”
But then, in the season finale, Izzy’s felled by a bullet, to the sorrow of his crew and the outrage of some fans. “On one level, it’s great that people care about that character so much, because it’s a testament to what Con built, and what we built in the writers room,” Jenkins says. On another level, “They’re pirates!” And, should the show be renewed, “this season was the second act. These things happen in the middle of the story.”
And if that isn’t enough to assuage fans, Jenkins makes one thing very clear: O’Neill is not off the show. He won’t say how he’s going to manage that, “but as long as this show is on, I want Con on it.”
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