After weeks of waiting, Jesse Custer's (Dominic Cooper) final sermon from "The Book of Genesis" has officially begun, with AMC's series adaptation of Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's Preacher – unleashed upon viewers this past Sunday. By the end of the two-hour opener, we learned that God (Mark Harelik) and Herr Starr (Pip Torrens) "master plan" involves some serious suffering for Jesse. Meanwhile, Tulip (Ruth Negga) and Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun) can't decide if they want to be inside or outside Masada – though we got a cliffhanger ending that finally put them both in the same place (…that's a good thing, right?)
But our personal highlight? Featherstone (Julie Ann Emery), who upped her "badass" level to a solid "11" with some sick fight scenes, serious "auto fu," and one of the best Rocky the Flying Squirrel imitations you'll ever see – and that's not even close to doing her justice. Which is why Bleeding Cool was honored to have Emery "hijack" our Twitter account for season premiere "Masada/Last Supper" to take questions and offer viewers some amazing behind-the-scenes perspectives on the series' production.
Here's a look at just some of the highlights (trust us: head over to @BleedingCool for a ton more great stuff) from Emery's live-tweet session – and to learn a more about the actress (in particular, the way she crushes the "Geek Guilty Pleasures" question), check out our recent interview here :
● On a personal note, having Emery post a video wgere she mentions "Bleeding Cool"? Never gets old…
1 hour till @PreacherAMC S4 AND my takeover of @bleedingcool Twitter feed!!
Head over there for the live tweet and my BTS pix and vid!
If you have ?s for me just #askjulieann and I will hang out as long as it takes to answer them! pic.twitter.com/rmdCQhLPcn— Julie Ann Emery (@julieannemery) August 5, 2019
Dominic is always running around set with his camera. And if you are lucky enough to get one of his snaps, you are lucky. They are gorgeous. #Preacher pic.twitter.com/1WgSIahpWu
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
The imagery of Cassidy on that torture wheel was so gorgeous. What an opposite to what is about to happen there. #BTS #Preacher pic.twitter.com/eGUdFFQCqH
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
● Remember how EP Seth Rogen went off "a little" on HBO's Game of Thrones? Without commentary…
Little throw back to before the first commercial break. The Grail has their own version of Starbucks. I might have made off with one of those cups before the season was over. ;)
Our Production design team and Props did some extraordinary work #Preacher @julieannemery pic.twitter.com/zwfvohFE19— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
Bossman @Sethrogen got way into Game of Thrones at our #SDCC panel…..let's just say…..coffee cups are on purpose on #Preacher https://t.co/ARHi1tQFj9
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
● We're going to limit commentary here, because the fight scenes and flight work in the first two episodes are some of the best stunt work we've seen on the show – and that's no disrespect to the past, but more praise for how the show upped its game for the final season:
We have an extraordinary fight coordinator and team. They are the most bad ass yet loveliest people on the planet. And @PreacherAMC really does owe it's ability to exist on TV to @JohnKoyama and his extraordinary team. (PS his Mom is in the pic. How cute is that?) pic.twitter.com/akbAFXES8K
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
Ruth and I worked on this fight for weeks. We wanted to do @JohnKoyama work and Tulip/Featherstone justice. Hope y'all liked it. pic.twitter.com/k1xqG6j0As
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
Featherstone's flying suit is a Squirrel Suit that costume designer @JillOhanneson cleverly worked into my Grail uniform.And IT WAS AWESOME
This is me and my AMAZING Featherstone stunt double, the talented Jayde Rutine.I did a high dead drop jump, but Jayde did the big girl drop pic.twitter.com/3MFCY2aUk3— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
One of my favorite days on set ever was doing this drop. This footage courtesy of Second Unit Director and brilliant stunt coordinator @JohnKoyama (you can hear him whispering my notes to me as the jump progresses if you turn sound on!) pic.twitter.com/KJmuCkKNAd
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
This is us after our epic fight day on the cliff with #RuthNegga and @JohnKoyama What a great pleasure. pic.twitter.com/561ZfuhjPz
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
More fun on the day! @PreacherAMC pic.twitter.com/LLf9kiBoAF
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
Spent quite a lot of time in 100 degree heat hanging upside down with giant blowers aimed at my face so we could get footage that VFX could work with while I fell down the cliff. pic.twitter.com/KR7TZ4pydF
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
And when you are wearing a harness for the wires, you can't bend at the waste. So you sit like this, with your stunt double, trying not to sweat all over your wardrobe. (oh how I love Jayde Rutine. So lucky to get to work with her this season) pic.twitter.com/TI8G2Yv55t
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
This is what it really looks like on the day (and yep that's me and my loud laugh at the end!) I could have done this all day. It was so much fun!! pic.twitter.com/PfuOBGRMIt
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
● What is it about AMC and putting heads on pikes? The Walking Dead… now Preacher… look out, Lodge 49!
Line that was repeated all season by the crew on @PreacherAMC S4:
"I want that bitches head on a pike!"
I love our crew.— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
Yep. Just like this. https://t.co/RijS3JVPuD
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
● Well, she did warn us…
Remember when I said this at #SDCC Hall H panel?
That dude annoyed me. #Preacher #AllHailTheGrail #TeamFeatherstone https://t.co/38jrGnerUh— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
● I want something in my life to make me smile the way Gilgun and Cooper smile as they fake-kill Grail soldiers:
I took this while Dominic and Joe were skulking around killing my Grail Soldiers inside Masada. Kind of love it. #BTS #RehearsalShot #Preacher pic.twitter.com/BTATOvkqeF
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
● BBQ and white suits? A fashion disaster waiting to happen…
Early on during Season 2, @malcolmbarrett and I were working the day they served BBQ for lunch. Malcolm was outside, sitting, watching the crew play basketball, and a tiny piece of BBQ flew off someone's plate, through the air, and landed on his leg. SUIT CHANGE #Preacher https://t.co/8oEQqXyeds pic.twitter.com/nM0fgIu0gZ
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
Writer for this episode Gary Tieche. "Doctor of pharmacology" pic.twitter.com/6flozHKp6W
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
● The Charlie's Angels audition that could've been…
Jayde Rutine, me, and the switch puller who was a large man that they put a Featherstone wig on. #Preacher We are #TeamFeatherstone pic.twitter.com/QEDpE37jeF
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
● The official image I'll use to cosplay Jesse Custer at NYCC 2019:
Random shot of Dominic's hair getting just right. #Preacher pic.twitter.com/rXIbiAjUAj
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
Our DP for eps 1 & 2 Cameron Duncan @camerones101 did an epic job! #Preacher pic.twitter.com/mt8ycPeyN6
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
● Yeah, that gear is pretty sweet… especially contrasted with the sand:
Fun fact. During this scene, at one point I shouldered into the front door so hard I knocked it off it's hinges and shattered the glass. I also LOVE my Grail combat gear courtesy of @JillOhanneson (this is from my costume fitting for it) pic.twitter.com/fh5HCWKnk4
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
My boys ready for the take down. (This day was so much fun. And I swallowed SO MUCH SAND) (And this is a great pic of @JohnKoyama prepping for the car chase) #Preacher #TeamFeatherstone #CarChase pic.twitter.com/MkjuWQo0lK
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
Ruth and Joe, practicing their climbs. #Preacher pic.twitter.com/ZEzZheP9NY
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
I told y'all, bad things were gonna happen in that pretty light. #Preacher pic.twitter.com/JuK40BV5rX
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
If ya wondered how those Cassidy/Angel scenes were filmed in the dungeon, half on wires high in the air. But the dialogue was filmed on blue screen. Pretty spectacular acting by all pull this off so seamlessly. #Preacher pic.twitter.com/j2XncKvI8b
— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
● Some more great behind-the-scenes looks:
Couple more of my favorite #BTS pics to end the night!
I'll stick around for a bit to answer questions. But thanks for hanging out y'all! It was twisty fun! Just like @PreacherAMC
You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram @julieannemery
I'll be posting pix there tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/CPh4pV8WUX— Bleeding Cool (@bleedingcool) August 5, 2019
● We had a blast, too!
This was fun! Head on over to @bleedingcool if ya wanna see my live tweet of the episodes and my BTS pics and vid! #Preacher @PreacherAMC @AMC_TV #AllHailTheGrail https://t.co/aGWxrJYE7N
— Julie Ann Emery (@julieannemery) August 5, 2019
Now here's a sneak preview for next week's episode "Deviant":
Preacher season 4, episode 3 "Deviant": In her attempt to rescue Cassidy, Tulip meets an unexpected obstacle; as his hopes of escape fade, Cassidy reflects on decisions he made 100 years ago; the Saint of Killers is closing in on Jesse.
As our story inches closer to the finale, God's endgame for the universe begins to click into place. Trapped between heavenly prophecies, hellish prisons, and all-out nuclear war, Jesse, Tulip, and Cassidy make their bloody way to the Most High. Whether they can reach God in time — or whether all this carnage is part of His divine plan — will soon be revealed as PREACHER barrels towards the end of the world.