Fans of the first season of Dirk Gently鈥檚 Holistic Detective Agency know that it can take a few episodes 鈥� or an entire season 鈥� to get a grasp on the oddball characters and appreciate the interconnectedness of their wacky journeys.
Judging by Reel People鈥檚 recent conversation with 麻豆传媒映画actors and , the second season of BBC America鈥檚 smash hit is poised to be just as deliciously and deliriously vexing as the first.听
鈥淣o one would ever predict what鈥檚 actually going on,鈥� quips Paunovic, who, like Majdoub, joins Dirk Gently听for a mysterious arc, the fullness of which will only be revealed as the second season unfolds.
Based on the cult favourite novel by Douglas Adams, Dirk Gently鈥檚 Holistic Detective Agency stars Samuel Barnett as the titular holistic detective who investigates cases involving the supernatural, and Elijah Wood听as Todd, Dirk鈥檚 reluctant assistant.
The locally shot series is at times zany, surreal, brilliant, and preposterous, and features a long list of 麻豆传媒映画actors in key supporting roles, including , , , Zak Santiago, and Osric Chau 鈥� and now, Paunovic and Majdoub.
The TV version of Dirk Gently听is the brainchild of acclaimed writer-director Max Landis. Paunovic describes Landis as 鈥渓ike a kid in a candy store when it comes to his work. Usually there鈥檚 a lot of heaviness to [showrunning], but he looks like he鈥檚 just having a blast.鈥�
The second season premiered earlier this month on BBC America. Majdoub and Paunovic play Silas Dengdamor and Wygar Oak respectively, two citizens of a fantasy realm called Wendimoor.
Exactly how this fantasy realm connects to Dirk and his cohorts is (in true Max Landis fashion) awash in mystery. 鈥淚t was supposed to be a Happily Ever After place, and that鈥檚 not going on,鈥� is as close to a spoiler as Majdoub gets during the interview.
Fans got their first glimpse of the royal Silas and his protector Wygar at New York Comic-Con, after which Deadline released a featuring the pair encountering Panto (Christopher Russell), a member of the Trost family with bubblegum-coloured hair. The Dengdamors and the Trosts are at war, but Silas and Panto clearly are not, because the clip ends with a .
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Like Silas and Wygar, Majdoub and Paunovic have known each other for years. They鈥檝e helped each other prepare for auditions, and solidified their friendship in 2015 when they filmed the indie horror film , carpooling together to the set each day, 1.5 hours each way.
Dirk Gently producers didn鈥檛 know that Paunovic and Majdoub were friends when they were cast to play Wygar and Silas, but their off-screen friendship affected the on-screen work regardless, according to Majdoub. 鈥淚t actually felt like Silas and Wygar had the relationship that me and Aleks have,鈥� says Majdoub. 鈥淥ne of the writers mentioned a few times, 鈥極n and off camera, we鈥檙e watching you, and you can tell that you and Aleks, and Silas and Wygar, have this thing, that you enjoy yourselves, you trust each other, and you have fun.鈥欌�� Speaking of fun, Majdoub documented their carpool sessions 鈥� including their .
As for听Dirk Gently, Majdoub notes that he and Paunovic 鈥済ot to work quite a bit with Elijah [Wood], and he was someone who made it simple to spitball stuff with鈥� 鈥� although neither could explain how it all plays out, because #spoilers.
鈥淓lijah is next level,鈥� adds Paunovic. 鈥淗e鈥檚 phenomenal. He鈥檚 one of the dudes. There鈥檚 no hierarchy with him. Both of them, Sam (Barnett) and him, they were great to work with. It was seamless.鈥�
It鈥檚 been a busy year for both actors: Paunovic shot films with Keanu Reeves (Siberia) and Liam Neeson (Hard Powder), played an evolved albino gorilla in War for the Planet of the Apes, and returned to the nuanced role of vampire Julius in Van Helsing, which kicked off its second season on October 5; Majdoub appeared in the Prison Break event series and Zoo, and picked up accolades and awards for his role in , which explores Islamaphobia and the role of art in combating prejudice and xenophobia (鈥淢ake sure you put in him being nominated for The Prince,鈥� says Paunovic).听
Majdoub and Paunovic aren鈥檛 the only 麻豆传媒映画actors joining the Dirk Gently cast for the second season. (who portrayed Maurice in the Planet of the Apes trilogy) plays Frija Dengdamor, Silas鈥� mom, and Leo Award-winning actress (Sanctuary) will appear in the role of Wakti Wapnasi, a character (like everything in the Dirk-verse) with a shadowy path.
鈥淸Dirk Gently producers] took a page out of what Battlestar Galactica did back in the day when they realized how high the quality of talent was in this city and went for it,鈥� says Paunovic. 鈥淵ou see all of these people who you know are killer actors and they鈥檙e just showing their chops on the show. That鈥檚 the really rewarding thing.鈥�
Dirk Gently鈥檚 Holistic Detective Agency airs Saturdays on BBC America.
In their words
Aleks Paunovic on his physical transformation into Wygar Oak: 鈥淚t was a long process. For my hair, I really wanted the long dreads. The length shows how long he鈥檚 been around. When the beard happened, they had to make the beard longer because of the hair, and when the buttons and everything came in, I thought it was hilarious. There was one point where I went, 鈥業s that a jack in my beard?鈥� And they went, 鈥榊eah!鈥� And I said, 鈥楥ould you put another one over here?鈥� They were great with working it out. The hair and makeup team were phenomenal. But I was there for three hours every morning.鈥�
Lee Majdoub on auditioning for Dirk Gently after watching the first season: 鈥淚 think there was this element of not knowing how to go into the audition based on the insane, crazy genius of season one. When I watched season one, the first three episodes, I had to keep the faith that it would all start to make sense, and then it all started to make sense.鈥�
Aleks Paunovic on what it means to have a successful year: 鈥淚 feel like having a successful year is treating people kindly and vice versa, and if I鈥檓 working and I鈥檓 paying my bills, regardless of what aspect, I鈥檓 successful. Success is working and being present in the moment and doing what you love with great people.鈥�
