'The Code' actor Luke Mitchell teases chemistry with Anna Woods and why the show is compared to '90s hit 'JAG'
CBS's genre-defying drama 'The Code' is a mix of a lot of things and ever since its premiere on April 9, there's been a lot to look forward to from the military/legal drama, starting with the starring man, Luke Mitchell, who plays the leading role of Captain John Abraham. 'Abe', as he is nicknamed, is a driven prosecutor coming from a family of well established Marines.
In an exclusive interview with MEA WorldWide (MEAWW) the Australian actor talks about his transition from playing a villainous role in NBC’s 'Blindspot', to that of a hero in 'The Code'. The first step, of course, was shaving off his beard and suiting up. It is also the 34-year-old actor's first time donning a military uniform and taking up the role of a marine. "I was so impressed with the script and the world of military and Marines really fascinated me," said the actor who has also previously starred in superhero series like 'The Tomorrow People' and 'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'
Mitchell does not relate to the character much, as he describes Abe to be "very cocky and charming," but fun" and "challenging" to play. Growing up in a family of Marines, Captain 'Abe' always wanted to be a Marine, and he was so until he got wounded in combat in Afghanistan. "Therefore he wasn't able to keep going and he had to reset his life and find a different avenue to explore. A lot of people don't have to go through things like that. He was able to find his avenue, go to law school and become a lawyer," says Mitchell, who is proud of the character he portrays.
Preparing for the role was yet another major challenge for Mitchell, but thanks to a book, he was able to understand the life of Marines. The executive producer of the show, Craig Sweeney recommended a book called 'One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer' which blew Mitchell's mind and he found a newfound respect for the Marine Corps. "They are incredible, they are the best," he said, adding that understanding the "sacrifices the Marines make" made him understand how they are "stretching the human ability", which is "really awesome".
But the challenges don't confine to playing a heavy role as that of Captain Abe and researching on the Marines. The new CBS show also features "the most amount of dialogues" and "a lot of military jargons". Given that the show tackles one case after another in every episode, the homework of the actors will definitely be a lot. "That was really challenging," affirms Mitchell.
Ever since word on 'The Code' started, the show has been compared to the '90s hit 'JAG', a legal drama based on a Navy theme. Mitchell agrees to the comparisons and says that he understands where it's coming from. "It's very similar to 'JAG'. Even though I have never watched the show because I think I was a bit too young, but I do think it's a very similar world."
'JAG' ran on NBC for a year, between 1995 and 96, and was later picked up by CBS and ran till 2005. The series went on to bag major awards including Primetime Emmy Awards. The same formula may have been implemented by the same network CBS but there are unexpected twists coming in 'The Code', assures the 'Home and Away' actor.
One, in particular, comes from Captain Maya Dobbins, played by Anna Woods. There's a lot of chemistry between Captain Abe and Captain Dobbins and Mitchell shares that it's professional for them, first, and everything else comes later. "They see each other as equals and both are highly intelligent and very good at what they do. But they also like to push each other's buttons and test each other out, but at the end of the day, they're on the same side in terms of pursuing justice," Mitchell explained, teasing that there is so much to look forward to from the duo as the season plays out.
The aforementioned chemistry transcends the screen, as Mitchell explains that the cast and the crew get along really well and in fact, they all watched the premiere of the show together. "I hope we get to continue working together for years to come," he added.
The show has not yet been renewed for season 2 and the suave actor feels that it's a bit too early to know that, but the showmakers and actors alike are looking forward to the next season as much as the fans.
