Matthew Lillard’s New Prime Video Crime Collection Function & Variations From Previous Characters Teased By Cross Creator

Cross creator Ben Watkins is teasing Matthew Lillard’s new position on the Prime Video crime sequence and the way it differs from the characters he is performed earlier than.

Cross, which has been tailored from James Patterson’s bestselling Alex Cross novels, debuted in 2024, with Aldis Hodge taking on the titular position from Morgan Freeman and Tyler Perry, who performed the character within the movies. Lillard is a brand new forged member in Cross season 2, with the premiere now obtainable to stream on Prime Video.

In an interview with ScreenRant‘s Ash Crossan for Cross season 2, Watkins, who additionally executive-produces the sequence, gave numerous perception into Lillard’s new position, during which he performs a billionaire businessman named Lance Durand who begins being despatched loss of life threats. Alex and Kayla Craig are tasked with defending him as they start a homicide investigation.

Watkins admitted he was “instantly intrigued” when Lillard’s title was first talked about as a potential new addition to the sequence. The producer has adopted the actor’s profession his complete life. “He is a kind of those who has turn into a cult of persona,” Watkins stated. “He is an icon just a little bit.”

When Watkins thinks of Lillard, he thinks of the actor first earlier than the character. Because of this, it was vital for Lillard to undergo a chemistry learn with Hodge to make sure he really was the precise match to play Durand.

The chemistry learn turned out to be a robust second in the course of the casting course of as a result of Lillard simply melted into the position, with Watkins now not seeing the film and TV star.

“When Matthew Lillard’s title got here up as a potential actor for this position, I used to be instantly intrigued, but additionally just a little bit like, ‘How can he try this?’ And it was as a result of I’ve been following Matthew actually my entire life. He’s a kind of those who has turn into a cult of persona. He’s an icon just a little bit. And so for lots of us, and I guess you possibly can relate, you suppose Matthew Lillard first after which the character, proper? And so for me, it was like, ‘He’s going to need to learn after which we’ll see.”

“And so he got here in and did a chemistry learn with Aldis. Even within the chemistry learn, he made me overlook it was Matthew Lillard. I’m type of geeking out. I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, Matthew Lillard.’ I really like all these things he’s been in. My children love him. It’s loopy how all these generations love him.”

The producers on Cross purposefully gave Lillard a personality that required “numerous nuance and numerous grounding, and actually portraying one thing that individuals have not actually seen from him so much.” Reduce to the filming course of, and the actor “nailed” the efficiency, which followers can now watch on Prime Video.

Lillard is an actor with a protracted profession that has spanned many years. With roles in Scream, Scooby-Doo, The Descendants, 5 Nights at Freddy’s, The Lifetime of Chuck, Bosch and Good Ladies, he is “linked with all these generations in a means that only a few artists have.” That vary and generational enchantment additionally helped him land the position of Durand.

“So then he’s midway by a chemistry learn, and I’m not considering Matthew Lillard anymore. I’m considering Lance Durand. He nailed that character. After which to look at him work, and then you definately perceive because of this he has a profession that has handed by all these generations, and he’s linked with all these generations in a means that only a few artists have. He has one thing very true, and he’s very dedicated to the sport. So we gave him a personality that was going to require numerous nuance and numerous grounding, and actually portraying one thing that individuals haven’t actually seen from him so much. He ran headlong into that and actually nailed it. It was so enjoyable to see, and in addition simply to have him on set every single day. Such an incredible presence to have on set when you might have somebody who’s been within the enterprise so lengthy they usually nonetheless present up every single day prefer it’s their first day. It’s Christmas Day. It’s actually refreshing.”

Coming into Cross season 2, Watkins was excited to unravel the season-long thriller and to see the brand new forged members shine of their roles, together with Jeanine Mason as Rebecca Luz, Rene Moran as Lincoln Esteban and Lillard as Durand.

“We’re going to place this in two classes. You’ve acquired the thriller, and there’s an incredible thriller, and the individuals in that storyline are superb, and all of these dynamics work for me in an incredible means, beginning with the vigilante character, Luz, and he or she has individuals working along with her. She has W. Earl Brown, who’s an unlikely ally, and there’s an incredible wildcard character. Rene Moran performs Lincoln on this season, after which you might have the Lance Durand element performed by Matthew Lillard. That entire dynamic is superb to me. Now, that’s a season two–particular dynamic.”

Except for these new forged members, Cross season 2 may also showcase the returning characters’ evolving dynamics, like John Sampson (Isaiah Mustafa), who needed to assist Alex within the first season, however now the roles are reversed.

And for Cross and Kayla, who used to share a “pleasant” competitors, they are going to now be butting heads in an unhealthy means this season. Happily, “there’s additionally a chemistry with them that, after they work, is simply simple,” Watkins stated.

“Now on the sequence factor, the continuation of the character dynamics. I really like how Sampson’s the one with the emotional burden in season two, and a dynamic the place he needed to actually assist Cross in season 1 kind of will get flipped just a little bit, and now Cross needs to be there for him in season 2. I really like that. And I additionally love how we unfold just a little bit extra of the dynamic between Cross and Kayla. These are two coworkers who’ve a historical past coming into the present, and now season two provides a layer to this that has some actual wrinkles to it as a result of there’s a contest that’s usually pleasant with them and it feels prefer it’s getting unfriendly, however there’s additionally a chemistry with them that, after they work, is simply simple.”

Cross season 2 will see Alex again on the scene because the expert detective. This time round, he is attempting to guard billionaire Durand after a number of of his friends are killed. Based mostly on Watkins’ feedback to ScreenRant, followers ought to anticipate a charming efficiency from Lillard as he steps into the sneakers of a billionaire.

New episodes of Cross season 2 are launched each Wednesday on Prime Video.