EXCLUSIVE | 'Marvel's Helstrom' star Trevor Roberts says fans can expect 'action, dark humor' and blood from show
You can't have a story about the Son of Satan without bringing some important religious figures into things. 'Marvel's Helstrom' is a tale straight from Hell, and when dealing with the demonic, you want a priest on your side. Father Joshua Crow, however, is a Catholic Priest who is a lot more than what meets the eye. Joshua Crow is played by Trevor Roberts and MEA WorldWide (MEAWW) spoke with him about his character, what we can expect from 'Helstrom' and what working on the show has been like.
What can you tell us about your character?
Well, Father Joshua Crow is, on the surface, a Catholic Priest and a confidant of the character “Gabriella”. But, what I think fans are going to enjoy seeing, is how Father Crow turns out to be much more than what he appears. Seeing how every character reacts to the kind of action and subject matter that a show like 'Helstrom' brings to the table. I think and hope people are going to enjoy his part of the overall story.
How did you land the role?
I’d originally read for a role that was to appear in the first two episodes and as I was leaving the room, one of the producers leaned over to his assistant and said, not in a whisper, “I effing LOVED THAT guy!!” So, a month or so later, when my agent said, “They’re asking for you for another role,” I jumped on it. I read over the audition piece and immediately thought, “Okay, there’s NO WAY I’m getting this role. What are they thinking??” But, I quickly laughed that off and decided to give them MY version of what was on the page. I just had SO much fun with what they threw at me, and…it felt like mine, in a very serendipitous way. I should mention, we weren’t given scenes from the show itself, we had audition scenes that were more like. “Show us these qualities…” So, then when I booked the role, it was an immediate divulging of, “here’s who your character actually is.” I was like, “Ohhhhhhhhh……kay….”
What did you do to prepare for the role?
Well, I have a friend who’s a priest, albeit Anglican, so he was a great template for the sheer nature of the fact that people of faith are just …people. They have wants, needs, ego and in their case, a calling. In a show like this, it can be difficult to relate to what the characters are going through, until you simply look at it, in its most basic sense. “What does this person want/need RIGHT now? or where do they sit in the hierarchy of this scene, this group of people?” The more time I spent on set with the series regulars, the tone of the show and my role in it, became clearer and clearer until that priest habit just …felt like home. What I later learned was so important in booking the role, was the emotional stakes that I had brought to my auditions. With a show like this that’s so grounded and real and all the characters are going to get taken to such extreme places, the showrunners had to have faith in us, that they could throw anything our way and we’d deliver it back with that perfect Marvel badassery.
What was that experience like?
Because I joined the cast a few episodes into the season, it was a little bit like jumping off a diving board, through a hoop and onto a moving train. But, the cast, crew and the showrunners were so awesome and gracious and supportive, that I quickly felt like a part of the family and that I had room to play. Every couple weeks, I’d get the script for the next episode and my reactions usually went something like, “I get to do WHAT??” “I get SAY WHAT??” “I’m in scenes with ….WHO???” It was an incredibly fun experience and one I really grew from. And I think a lot of the fun had to do with the fact that the show is so dark/grounded…actors get silly between takes out of the simple need to decompress from how heavy the work can be. But, because there is so much secrecy around the show, the scripts, everything…very often, we weren’t getting scripts until just days before we were set to shoot the next episode. So, it really forces you to stay focused, stay on your game and show up ready.
What can you tell us about what fans can expect from 'Marvel's Helstrom'?
Action. DARK Humor. Perhaps some blood. Did I say action? It is gonna be a wild ride. While I haven’t seen any of the finished product, with the exception of the trailers that are out there, I think the fact that the show is dropping two weeks before Halloween, it’s going to be the perfect primer to get people in the mood to hunker down and get scared! But also, at the heart of the show, is a broken family, trying to heal. So, I really hope that the fans connect to that fabric of the story, in and among all the cool/Marvel comic elements brought to life on screen.
How does it feel to be joining the Marvel universe?
In a word, amazing. Even hearing, “joining the Marvel universe…” doesn’t quite feel real yet. You always hear about long days on set, in the cold, or in the rain and it’s easy to let those things distract you from the incredible opportunity you’ve been given. When I’d be on set, lying on some cold floor or getting drenched with water or something…I’d be giggling to myself. WISHING I had a time machine, to go back and visit 7 year old Trevor… “Dude…it happens!”
In the comics, Joshua Crow is a religious figure who was a bit of a patsy for demonic forces, does he go through a similar arc on the show or are fans of the comic in for a surprise twist on the tale?
Poor Father Crow, huh? And ‘patsy’ seems a bit harsh! Without giving anything away, I think fans will feel satisfied that the main thematic elements of the comics are ALL over the series, but they have to expect that there’s going to be some twists and turns along the way. It’s rare that source material makes it to the screen without a few tweaks here and there for the story or merging arcs of a few characters. Just wait and see, kids!
How does Joshua Crow see the Helstrom siblings?
I think from moment one, Father Crow knows that Ana Helstrom is a major badass. She’s jaded, sardonic and powerful. She’s been through a lot and she wears it like an armor. I don’t think he’s expecting to see her in mass on Sunday. Daimon Helstrom, I think Joshua sees him as the more silent/stoic member of the two. Less talk, more action. But the Helstrom kids are here to defeat the worst of humanity and well, that kind of aligns with Father Crow’s own calling, in a very dark, oddly parallel way.
Are there any other projects you're working on that you'd like to discuss?
The film industry is officially back up and running. I’ve been reading for a few really great projects lately, with one or two things in the works. But alas, as with all projects, these lips are sealed…for now.
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All episodes of 'Marvel's Helstrom' release on Hulu on October 16.