Even in the beginning, “The Blacklist” always kept us on our toes. Indeed, it’s a show where nothing is what it seems.
On this show, criminal mastermind Raymond “Red” Reddington strikes an uneasy partnership with the FBI where he points them towards the direction of some of the menacing criminals in the country. In return, he requests working specifically with one person, a profiler named Elizabeth Keene.
James Spader plays Red while Elizabeth is portrayed by Megan Boone. They are also joined by Diego Klattenhoff, Harry Lennix, Hisham Tawfiq, and Amir Arison. So far, the show has been around for seven seasons. And even if you’ve been following it closely, we bet there are still some things you don’t know about the show. Check out what we found:
15 Megan Boone Was The First To Get Cast On The Show
During an interview, the show’s executive producer, John Eisendrath, told the Daily Actor, “Megan was the first person we casted by I think a long way and everybody else just took a long, long time.” Meanwhile, Boone remarked, “The audition process actually drew me closer and closer and closer to the piece.”
14 Initially, Ryan Eggold Wasn’t Interested In The Show Because He Didn’t Want To Do TV
Boone revealed, “Ryan wasn’t interested in doing TV and then his agents nagged him and nagged to read the script. He wouldn’t and then finally, they said they’re really looking for this character and the script is incredible.” She added, “He read it and then he shipped himself from New York to audition in LA, I think.”
13 The First-Ever Scene Megan Boone Shot With James Spader Was The One Where She Stabs Him In The Neck
Boone explained, “It was my first scene shooting with James and that was the first time I learned what an incredible co-worker and collaborator he was going to be.” She also recalled, “Oh, gosh. The scene in the pilot where I stab Red in the neck was really an incredible day.”
12 They Sometimes Shoot For 12 Hours
Boone told NewsChannel 5, “You see quick flashes. It's all edited together. It looks real slick and engaging and we're in the middle of a snow bank for 12 hours some days, so the glamour kind of wears off at times.” She added, “I think I work more now than I used to be awake during the day.”
11 Megan Boone Wears A Wig On The Show
While speaking with “TODAY’s” Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford, Boone remarked, “British actors wear wigs a lot. I find it to be a nice ritual at the end of the day, take the wig off, clean the makeup off, go home, leave work behind me.” Boone also said that the wig would give her a “more naive, young look.”
10 James Spader Decided To Go Bald For The Role
During a conference call with the media, Spader explained, “It was an idea that I instigated and I think it was the right choice. It just seemed to fit his lifestyle. He’s someone who has to travel lightly and move swiftly, and it seemed eminently practical for him.” In the past, the actor left his hair long for other projects.
9 Megan Boone Does A Ton Of Physical Training For The Show
Boone revealed, “I participate a lot physically in the show. I’ve been doing kaomagma and I’ve been doing weight training and I’m in the best physical shape of my life just to prepare to do this. It is very vestal and it is a very physical role.” However, it’s possible that Boone minimized her stunt participation when she was expecting.
8 Amir Arison Was Only Supposed To Appear In One Episode
Arison told SheKnows, “I did a little improvisation by the computer and they used it, which is pretty rare for a scripted network show. When I saw that they used it, I said, ‘Oh, they’re responding to me.’ And then sure enough after I saw that, I got called in for another episode, and then more episodes kept coming in.”
7 Megan Boone Used To Be In The Dark About Her Character’s Story Arc
Boone revealed, “For the life of the series I have been in the dark about what’s ahead. And that’s been the right thing for me because that’s sort of the case for Elizabeth Keen, my character.” However, Boone said she was “changing the strategy” as she is “going to see and plot what’s going to happen further down the road.”
6 In The Beginning, James Spader Would Only Read One Script At A Time
Spader revealed he initially “got to feel what it felt like to be a viewer.” He explained, “I was so anticipatory about the next script that was going to come in, what direction we’re going in, how the story might unfold, how the relationships might evolve, and what kind of mess we might be getting into next.”
