A Conversation with David E. Harrison 

Q: 

I have many curiosities, and we'll have the opportunity to chat about various things during this interview, but I can't help but start with the question that all The Blacklist fans have been asking since 2020.
Was the slap Red/James Spader gave you in "Rakitin", in the scene on the private jet, real? Did it work on the first take, or did he have fun puffing you up like a balloon?

Of course, my question is playful, but now I’m genuinely curious: did you need to rehearse it as if it were a stunt, or was your acting experience enough?

A:

"Stage slap" - so there was no impact on my face - only on my ego. 🤣
We did that bit over and over again - and I think James was looking for exactly the right response - and it was like a psychic communication between the two of us. I knew he was pushing me and why - it was a silent agreement and understanding.

Q:

Believe it or not, David, this is the first interview with an actor from The Blacklist after the show's finale. Or at least, it's the first interview specifically discussing The Blacklist among other things.

The main reason is definitely the strike called by SAG-AFTRA at that time. We've seen you in photos and videos with Megan Boone and Lukas Hassel, protesting in New York.
What can you tell me about the strike and its motivations? What do you think about technology and the speed at which it's changing the rules in the workplace? Are you wary of it or fascinated by it?

A:

To answer your question backwards: I'm both fascinated and wary of the new technology. It's amazing what it can do - and what we don't know it can do. And there are people out there using it for more "nefarious" purposes. I guess we are going to have to navigate this new era...

The strike. Well - my understanding (it's not quite as fresh in my mind as it was during the time we were picketing) is better pay, better deal with residuals (royalties) - which have gone down since the arrival and greater prominence of the streaming services like Netflix. The previous agreements with SAG -AFTRA and the studios didn't include any provision for streaming services - and so all of this needed to be brought up to date, because a lot of people - who sometimes lived off residuals between jobs - were not able to make ends meet. And then there's the whole AI thing of using someone's "likeness" forever and for whatever. So the agreement reached addresses all this and our situation as actors, has greatly improved.

Q:

The motivations for the strike are very important, but returning to The Blacklist, it also served as a good excuse to avoid "facing the fans".
I don't know if you've watched the final episode, but as you can imagine, it didn't leave everyone happy. Many were expecting more direct answers about who Red really was. The only one who has been completely straightforward is producer and writer Daniel Knauf, who worked on the show from 2014 to 2017. After the series ended, he unequivocally stated that Red was Katarina Rostova, so that's not my question.

What interests me the most is what you think about the finale of the eighth season, the "real one", the one that explains everything even though it is merely allusive and, in my opinion, very poetic.
"Nachalo" and "Konets", did they give you the impression of being a finale? In terms of plot and atmosphere on set, was there a sense that the story could end at that moment, leaving producers and writers satisfied with their show?

A:

In terms of Season 8 and how the "secrets" were revealed - I personally like writing where it leaves plenty up to the viewer to read into it whatever they want to. I find it makes it far more interesting than if something is spelled-out literally.

I think after the show was over though, there were still people who had questions, and some people who really DIDN'T want to see Red and Katarina as the same person (that opens up a whole other conversation) - but I guess some people connected to the show, decided to "name" it.

I do know that I signed an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) when I first came on to the show. Aside from James and the writers, I was one of the only ones to know. So I had to keep my mouth shut.

I think (and I'm not exactly sure about this) that they weren't expecting the season to go beyond 8, and perhaps it was being written that way. And then of course it did go on for another couple of seasons.

Q:

Ivan Stepanov, despite appearing in only one season, plays a very important role in Red's story.
I don't think I'm the only fan of the show who was disappointed when, in the last two seasons, there was no more mention of Russia and important characters like Stepanov and Ilya Koslov.

I assume you would have liked to shoot more episodes because it's your job, but have you given any thought to why John Eisendrath and the other writers decided to cut that part of the storyline? Could there have been interference from the network or do you think it was just a plot choice?

A:

I'm not sure. It may have to do with different showrunner wanting to take things in a new direction. Of course I would have loved to have been on the show again - I mean, it was a LOT of fun!

Q:

Your character seems to change over the course of the season. Initially, he is generically referred to as the Eastern friend, but for a brief period, it seemed he was supposed to be Sikorsky, the one of the archive. In the end, you officially became Ivan Stepanov.

You just said that you were one of the few who knew Red's true identity, but were you told anything in advance about your character?
The big question is: knowing that Megan Boone would leave the series at the end of the eighth season, did you get the impression that the plot was changed on the fly?

A:

I didn't know that Megan would be gone at the end of the season - except "rumours" later on during shooting...

I didn't know much in advance about my character. I knew there were some different possibilities - but I think the writers developed him as we went along - as writers on these types of shows do. There were certain things known - like Red's identity - from the very beginning of the series - but all the different twists and turns each week - a lot of that is made up as the season evolves - while keeping the overall "picture" in mind.

Q:

Now that we are out of danger, it’s almost as if COVID-19 never happened. But I don’t forget that while you and the others were working on the eighth season of The Blacklist, we were in the midst of the pandemic and there was no vaccine yet. You kept working while many other productions preferred to stay on standby.
This courage was not rewarded; on the contrary, many criticized the semi-animated episode that concluded the seventh season, but few understood the risks you took and the difficulty of working during that time.

Can you tell us what a typical day on set was like, dealing with the COVID restrictions?

A:

I arrived something like 5:30AM to the general waiting area. Everyone wearing masks. And when my name was called, I'd go up to the testing room and get a nasal COVID test. At the beginning of a shoot week, I'd go in and get a more extensive COVID test. They were VERY strict - and had a special person on set to make sure everyone was adhering to the guidelines. There were different "zones" too. Production ran a very "tight ship" as they say. A very high level of professionalism from the top down - in every department I encountered to make this show happen. And I met such lovely people - from the production assistants, to crew members, hair and makeup - and the other actors.

Q:

You worked on 8 episodes of The Blacklist, and one of the things I envy the most is having had the opportunity to work with the variety of directors and writers who brought those 8 episodes to life. Somewhere at home, you have scripts written by both the showrunners and young writers. On set, you worked with very different directors, from Andrew McCarthy to Kurt Kuenne.

I know that you loved working with Andrew McCarthy, but it's time to tell everyone what it’s like to work with him.

A:

The thing about Andrew is that he really knows how to work with actors - or certainly this actor. He coaxes it out of you, and "invites" you to go a little further, and maybe try "this" or "that" - and as an actor you WANT to go with him. Some of the other directors come more from the technical end - and don't give you any direction - or very little. I like getting direction - to nudge me further - which is why I particularly liked Andrew as a director. Mahesh Pailoor who directed the "Rakitin" episode, was also wonderful to work with.

Q:

The last question about The Blacklist has to be about James Spader, otherwise the followers of the Italian Spader Web would never forgive us!
Besides, not all recurring characters had the opportunity to be on screen with him almost all the time, so your testimony is particularly reliable.

There are many urban legends about him, such as having an eidetic memory and knowing all the scripts by heart.
What was it like working with him? Was he really that intimidating, or is it more his reputation as an eccentric person that precedes him?

Of course, if you want, also tell us what it was like working with the other actors.

A:

I love James. I think one has to see beyond the public persona - and realize that he's a human being like the rest of us - with his own quirks and challenges - and he happens to be very good at what he does and is in the spotlight and so he's "under a microscope".
Different people have different experiences with him, but for me, it was a very good one. I knew to take his lead, and "follow" - and learn as much as I could from him. At the same time he was very respectful and polite and I felt appreciated. And... he knows when something is out of place - like if a prop has been moved a fraction of an inch. 🤣
He has the ability to learn a lot of text fast and will do it over and over again until he feels it's "right". I think attention to detail is important - and I've found that people working at "higher levels" in whatever field they're in - what they all have in common is a "ruthless" attention to detail.

I loved the other actors I worked with - some of whom I've become good friends with. Shout out to Lukas Hassel! Our friendship started while he (or should I say Elias VanDyke) was setting up me (Ivan Stepanov) for torture!

Q:

You are a versatile artist and aim to do different things, but in recent months you have been working a lot on the Reggie Wingnutz project. Explain to those who don't know him who he is, where he comes from, and what he is working on.

A:

Reggie Wingnutz is a "cosmically groovy" psychedelic electric-ukulele playing, time-space travelling rock star from the 60's - who happens to be my alter-ego...
Reggie Wingnutz and the Screws is his band - and we've started recording an album - which is an accompaniment to a 220 episode online serialized comic! The episodes have been written, they just need to be drawn. And the album comes first - so that's what we're working on right now!
If you want the updates on all that, come follow me on IG!

To support David with his project, you can make a donation on his GoFundMe page:
https://gofund.me/bcd3f73f

Q:

You have worked in film, television, and theater. As Reggie, you have also created a web series. But if you could choose, which is your favorite medium?

A:

I particularly love being in front of a camera... the intimacy... that the lens picks up everything so I have to be ultra focused, shed all masks and be authentic. I love stage too - there's nothing like being in front of a live audience. As long as I'm getting to act - it's ALL good! 🤣

Q:

You are a very spiritual person with many life and work experiences. You know that I would love for you to write an autobiography, and I’ll be relentless about it!

The classic question artists get asked is what advice they would give to someone entering the world of entertainment.
I would also like to know what advice you would give, in general, to someone like me who doesn't see a bright future for this planet. Because I know you find the strength to always be a positive person, what’s the secret?

A:

In terms of advice to someone entering the world of entertainment? It depends on what you want to do. I have always created my own work. I never fit in - and I have things I want to say in my own voice through characters I've written - but that's me. Someone who is into Musical Theatre would take a whole different route. There are many paths one can take. Figure out what you love to do, and learn how to do it well. I do believe in getting good training - but that can happen different ways. And it's all about the work. Just keep at it. Find a way to do what you love to do - even if people think you're out of your mind. At the end of the day, none of us know how long we're going to be here on the planet - so ask yourself, what is going to be the most fulfilling thing for you?

Ultimately - I am optimistic that people will eventually wake up and recognize that all this division is "by design". It keeps people "at each other" as a distraction to not notice what/who the real problem is. Even though on the surface we might seem different from each other, we have more in common than our differences - an as soon as we start living that way, there will be a shift. The way we start that shift is in our daily lives - in how we treat each other. It starts with each one of us.

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