EJ Moreno interviews Joivan Wade, one of the stars of DC’s Doom Patrol…
EJ Moreno: Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today. I am personally a big fan of the show, and with season two, I am an even bigger fan.
Joivan Wade: Thank you, thank you so much. Glad you are enjoying the show. [Doom Patrol] is wild. It’s wild, it’s wacky, it’s wonderful. And it’s exceeding expectations, and it’s exceeded mine from the very start. From getting into season two, I was blown away at how we can be wackier and wilder than season one. I just learned from the process never to doubt the Room Patrol, these showrunners and writers are wonderful and always continuously pushing and breaking the barriers as they’ve done with season two. So glad you’ve enjoyed it so far.
EJ: This new season is off to a crazy start. From being mini to sex parties, it seems like Doom Patrol Season 2 is holding nothing back. Was there a moment filming one of these scenes that you just had to break character and laugh?
JW: [laughs] They are many moments where we can’t hold it in, and we just laugh. I think the Sex Patrol episode is a prime example of that. You know, when we come into the scene, naturally the CGI and anything that take place with the computer effect and the sex clones aren’t really there. So, we are being shouted at [by the directors] to “look at the top left; there’s a couple over there doing missionary. Now to bottom right, there’s a couple there doing doggy-style.” And that, you can not hold down the laughs. You know what I mean? When we look at each other and just connect, all thinking, “is this a show we are really on?” We are so blessed.
EJ: I can only imagine how fun it is on set. But also, the show has so many layers because it can be very serious. Especially with your character, diving into his PTSD and the love angle. Where did you pull that from? Because you add such nuance to something that is so ridiculous in some ways and then so real and honest in others.
JW: I appreciate that. I think, yeah, that is the key to the show. The fact we can swim from one world to another world in such a short space of time, and you never feel like your taken out of it. So now, you are in a seat where you expect the unexpected, but you don’t know what the unexpected, because you don’t expect it.
With Vic, I think I find those nuances by really trying to strip back. My main focus with this season was to put Vic Stone at the forefront. Coming in and being Cyborg originally, he comes into this new team, this new world, where he’s not familiar. One of the biggest things with season one was allowing Vic to keep up his facade if you will; he’s keeping up the Cyborg persona that makes him feel comfortable and makes him feel like himself. So with season two, I wanted really to strip back Cyborg and allow Vic Stone to come to the forefront. I wanted that human side to feel more prominent.
EJ: So, we know you aren’t the only Cyborg in the universe. There’s also this big-screen version with Ray Fisher. Have you guys spoken about being Cyborg? Was there a conversation before you started the show or even now with the Justice League Snyder Cut happening?
JW: I haven’t actually had the fortune of meeting Ray yet in person. But we have spoken online some, even recently. On Twitter, just the other day, there was a whole thing about the Justice League, and I tweeted a picture of “Booyah,” in light of everything that’s happened with the Snyder Cut and with Ray at the moment.
That had blew up a lot of fans and a lot of conversations, where Ray had to come out and say he was there for his fellow Cyborg. So yeah, we’ve had conversations online and shown support for another. It’s a privilege that there is two of us; he’s doing great work in the DCEU, while I’m here with Doom Patrol. So yeah, it’s an honor to be able to have two actors at the same time playing this character. And we’ve both been so accepted by the fans and given love.
It’s also testament to how different those interpretations of the characters are, and there’s room for both. People are enjoying both, and they’re seeing elements in Doom Patrol that they didn’t get to see in Justice League. Yeah, it’s great. Ray is great; he’s a great guy and nothing but love for him. He paved the way for the live-action Vic Stone.
EJ: Bringing it back around to Doom Patrol as we close out, the first few episodes are extremely crazier. Do things get crazier from here? From working on it to reading the scripts, are we ready for the rest of Doom Patrol Season Two?
JW: [laughs] I don’t think you are ever ready for what we have to bring you, but I can say is you are going to love it.
That’s what makes you sit down each week because you don’t know what to expect. I think the moment you know what to expect in a Doom Patrol series, I think we’re missing that mark. I feel like we’ve set up a series nicely across the first few episodes that the rest of the series plays out just as wacky and wild. We have new characters, villains, and things introduced in which you don’t expect. And also, a real tie into season one that will bring in the whole thing together.
It’s something that you guys are never going to expect what it is. ALWAYS expect the unexpected. Always expect the wacky and wild; it gets wackier and wilder. You will be taken on a journey you guys know and love. Or maybe you don’t know, but you will love. Season two is phenomenal, and it only gets better and better.
Many thanks to Joivan Wade for taking the time for this interview.
The second season of Doom Patrol premieres on Starzplay in the UK on July 16th. You can also find it on HBO Max where available.
EJ Moreno
