ComingSoon Editor-in-Chief Tyler Treese spoke to The Night Agent stars Gabriel Basso and Luciane Buchanan about Netflix’s political thriller series, which is now streaming.
“The series is a sophisticated, character-based, action-thriller centering on a low-level FBI Agent who works in the basement of the White House, manning a phone that never rings — until the night that it does, propelling him into a fast-moving and dangerous conspiracy that ultimately leads all the way to the Oval Office,” reads the synopsis.
Tyler Treese: Gabriel, what I thought was so interesting about your character is that he becomes a hero after stopping a subway bombing, but he’s harassed and treated like a criminal by these conspiracy theorists, and we’ve seen that happen in real life more and more often. So what about that element really stood out for you as an interesting wrinkle for Peter?
Gabriel Basso: I think in today’s day and age with social media and speculation and all this stuff, you’ll never actually have the truth unless you were there. So I think it’s having the confidence, like if Peter, instead of looking outward for the approbation and the validation, that little girl knows that he saved her life. So knowing that, knowing that he did the right thing and not feeling obligated to defend yourself in the court of the public. I think it’s important if that’s ever happened to someone or if they feel sort of targeted, it’s getting away from the speculation and into what you know is objective truth and then it’ll reinforce your soul.
Luciane, your character Rose is really thrown into this wild world after her aunt and uncle are killed. What did you like most about playing this outsider? Because she really has to rise to the occasion.
Luciane Buchanan: Yeah. She does not care about anyone that he works for, and she’s just got a one-track mind for justice for her family members and she’s actually got nothing to lose. So yeah, that was really cool to have that perspective and I didn’t have to have any White House scenes, which is great because they looked very long.
Gabriel, you’re kicking some serious in this show. I love the fight scenes, but what impressed me the most was the confidence you’re always conveying in this show. You always look like you’re entering the room with a plan and are a step ahead. Can you just speak to that aspect of Peter and having his expertise just shine through in your performance?
Basso: I think it was sort of a situation of art imitating life because I’m the kind of like how I was raised and the kind of person I am. When I walk into a room or a restaurant, I’m not sitting with my back to the front door, the entrance, like that kind of stuff is always sort of in my worldview. But then also just talking to the FBI consultant talk [about] being comfortable fighting I think is important. All the stuff sort of came together and obviously, I’m written that way where I know it’s written in this scene direction what I’m supposed to be looking for, but I think the intangibles that the audience like you might be picking up on are that I know how to do the things in real life. So there is a confidence there I think that is conveyed.
Luciane, I love the chemistry in this show because we see it build, you don’t really trust anybody at first, and it’s this slow ramp between the emotion and trust between your two characters. What did you like most about going on that journey with the two characters?
Buchanan: I just love how every episode we are kind of testing that. One of my favorite sequences was episode three when with the hard drive, because I wasn’t there when you guys, you and Diane. I really liked seeing the other side and you not having any idea how to work computers, but you’re like, “Yep, sweet. Done.” The way that you hide her card, like that was so thrilling to watch. But yeah, we just wanted to make it as natural and organic as possible and not make it cheesy.
