Posted in: Showtime, TV | Tagged: dexter, dexter: resurrection

Dexter: Resurrection: Bryan Lillis on Living Fan Dream Through Series

Bryan Lillis spoke with Bleeding Cool about joining Dexter: Resurrection, being a fan of the franchise, working with Jack Alcott, and more.

Bryan Lillis has been active for nearly two decades and is still making big strides as an emerging talent in Hollywood. With memorable performances in Focus Features' Promising Young Woman (2020), CBS's NCIS: Los Angeles, Starz's Shining Vale, and Fox's 9-1-1, the actor landed one of the darkest and juiciest franchises in Showtime's Dexter: Resurrection, playing Ryan Foster, who gets into an unfortunate run-in with Dexter Morgan's (Michael C. Hall) son, Harrison Morrigan (Jack Alcott). Ellis spoke to Bleeding Cool about landing the role of Ryan, working with creator/showrunner Clyde Phillips, director Marcos Siega, and writer Scott Reynolds on the first two episodes, "A Beating Heart…" and "Camera Shy." The following contains major spoilers.

Bryan Ellis on Living a Dream in Showtime's 'Dexter: Resurrection'

As per the theme of the series, Dexter Morgan lives under a code of conduct from his adoptive father, Harry (James Remar), which allowed him to embrace the dual role of avenging angel and serial killer. As the bulk of the original  James Manos Jr. series (2006-2013) and Phillips' spinoffs, New Blood, prequel Original Sin, and Resurrection, we follow the various villains Dexter hunts, but it comes at a brutal cost to his loved ones, who die in the process. Dexter's son Harrison (Jack Alcott) is bearing that similar burden, killing Ryan, who was attempting to rape the drugged Shauna (McKaley Miller). Despite killing and disposing of Ryan's body, he still exists in Harrison's mind as part of his conscience, similar to Dexter and his victims, as we find in the follow-up episode "Camera Shy."

Bleeding Cool: How did you get involved with 'Dexter: Resurrection?'

I originally got the audition from my manager back in November of last year. I completely geeked out because I'm a huge fanboy of the show. I've probably watched it seven times through, so I was super excited. When I got the call that I was going to be joining, I did some jumping jacks and cartwheels.

How does a series and franchise like this resonate with you? Were you bummed that you were on the other side as a villain, or were you happy getting anything, playing Ryan?

Oh, gosh, it certainly resonates with me. I feel so honored and grateful to be any part of it. Like I said, being such a fan of the show, Marcos, creator/showrunner Clyde, and Scott did such a great job making this. It's fun [to see] what they did with my character as a villainous and evil as he was after that first episode. It's going to be fun to see how that transpires with Harrison. The rest, you saw that quick flash where Harrison sees me, so it starts to become a fun haunting of his subconscious as we move on through the season.

While we're talking about Clyde, Scott, and Marcos, what were they like as creatives?

Couldn't have been nicer, humble, cooler family guys. Marcos is the most welcoming director ever; super open, but also knew what he wanted. He had his vision in mind with colors, music, and everything, but such a great, nice, humble guy to work with. Clyde Phillips and Scott Reynolds were on set every day, and they were just…I couldn't have asked for a cooler, nicer team to work with.

At the series premiere, you have some intense scenes with Jack and McKaley [Miller]. What were the motions going through that? Did you guys work with an intimacy coordinator for that?

We did, yeah [for Ryan's attempted rape of Shauna]. For my fight scene with Jack, we started, we got real handsy right away back in December, so we met with a stunt coordinator. Those guys are so much fun. It was like a dream come true for me going through the whole action sequence, coordinating, and choreographing this whole fight scene. With McKaley…I have known her for years. She was at my wife and I's wedding around seven years ago, and it was so funny that we randomly ended up working together. Working with the intimacy coordinator was awesome. We never had anything where we got too handsy or anything. We were very respectful of each other's space throughout the whole process.

Did you end up lying on that metal table there, or did they already swap with the dummy by then?

I did, yeah. I was the one who was wrapped up in the bag and dragged into the kitchen, then I was pulled out, Jack picked me up, and threw me onto the table, just my limp body. I was lying there as he was doing the chopping motions and everything. I think it was 10 degrees outside, and we shot in that kitchen. That kitchen was probably in the 40s. Everybody had jackets on, and I'm lying there pretty much naked with a little modesty cover. It was freezing, so cold.

Dexter: Resurrection, which also stars Uma Thurman, David Zayas, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Kadia Saraf, Dominic Fumusa, Emilia Suárez, James Remar, and Peter Dinklage, airs Fridays on Showtime and is available to stream on Paramount+ with Showtime.

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