The world is a different place when we catch up with Noah Bennet in the first episode of Heroes Reborn. The number of “Evos” is growing faster than the normal human beings can comprehend, as their ignorance and fright in the wake of a bombing has tensions at an all-time high. The attack on a seemingly peaceful, promising assembly in Odessa took the life of Noah’s daughter Claire (AKA the cheerleader) and many others – or so everyone thinks – ultimately sending the evolved people with enhanced abilities into hiding, some fleeing to the borders of their countries, as if that would stop the authorities from finding and imprisoning them. Or worse.
One year after the attack, Noah becomes Ted Barnes, a man simply trying to put his past behind him with his memories mostly erased, as he eventually rediscovers, by his old friend René, or “The Haitian.” Unfortunately for these old friends, that which Noah cannot remember leads to the Haitian’s demise. After a brief and shocking struggle that begins with the Haitian trying to murder the man with the horn-rimmed glasses, Noah puts a bullet in his friend’s heart. The Haitian is dead, but we all know from the series’ original run that nothing is ever what it seems (someone also has a big mouth), and while HRG attempts to find the answers to the Haitian’s cryptic comments in his final breaths, the adventure was only beginning. The new heroes were only getting started, their powers and miracles only developing, the vigilantes only starting to get blood (and eventually fire) on their hands, and the Earth’s population only a few weeks away from complete annihilation.
With three episodes remaining in this “limited series,” perhaps the greatest miracle remains the show’s second chance. Not many shows get an opportunity to make up for past mistakes, so what is it like to come back, revive these once popular characters, and tell us a story of wonder and power one more time? We asked the Haitian himself, Jimmy Jean-Louis, what it’s like to save the world one more time, and whether this new run will be able to help erase the bad memories from Heroes’ first ending.
How was it reuniting with the other returning cast members after all these years?
That was great. It’s almost like a family reunion because it’s been 10 years now. Actually, we were out having dinner – Jack Coleman, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Greg Grunberg – all of us together just reflecting about the past 10 years. Reflecting about the first four years of Heroes and, on screen, to be able to act with some of them is almost extremely natural. It’s exactly where we left it four years ago. We know exactly what we’re doing, we understand our characters, we understand each other, even though we all have different goals now because it’s a different kind of Heroes. It’s a crazy kind of Heroes because you have heroes everywhere. The goal for each of us might have changed, slightly, but we’re playing characters that we understand very clearly, and to be able to do that together again, it’s just great.
When you heard that NBC was bringing Heroes back as Heroes Reborn, what did you make of that? And what did you think fans would make of it?
I always had hope that NBC might bring it back just because the show never really ended the way audiences would have liked it to end. By the time I heard that the show was really coming back, it wasn’t a big surprise but a happy surprise. And then I investigated to see if the Haitian would be back [laughs]. Of course, what about the Haitian? And yes, to my surprise, he was back so I was happy to be part of the second round of Heroes.
How much of your character’s fate and the world’s fate in general do you know in advance? Do they keep you and the other actors in the dark?
You never know what is going to happen in the following episode. Unfortunately it’s one of those shows where you go in completely blind. They don’t tell you in advance. Everything stays in the producer’s room or in the writer’s room unless it’s ready for you to read it for the action that you’re shooting. It might be that it’s a very demented kind of show so they’re extremely careful with the information that they’re putting out there.
And it’s the same case with the new series? Much of that still remains a mystery?
Oh yeah, completely.
Going all the way back to that first celebrated season of Heroes, how was that to film?
The first season was amazing. First of all, when we started the show we didn’t know how well the show was going to do so we all started the show casually. By the time the show started to air on NBC, which was back in 2006, after a couple of weeks it became the biggest show ever, globally. So as a cast member the level of attention just sort of changed. As an actor, I received emails from all around the world so that was pretty interesting. It’s hard enough to be part of a TV show but to be part of the number-one show, it was extremely exciting at the time.
I should say, to be part of the second round of Heroes is as exciting because at least I have an idea of what to expect. I have a feeling that this time around it’s going to be as good if not better because I’ve seen what we’ve been shooting so far. I think really we’re going to please the audience that has been waiting for so long.
Do the actors have any input on the way their characters behave or how they get out of certain situations?
Unfortunately no [laughs]. When you’re dealing with network television you have little say as an actor. Sometimes, even some of the directors who are coming in for one episode, they just have to be aware of what they’re told to do. But no, as an actor you don’t really have a say. If you’re really close to the creator or the key writers, you can have a conversation. But it’s not like an official conversation. You just have to respect your position as an actor.
Without giving spoilers, how was the story and what the characters had been up to between now and then revealed to you?
We did the show five years later so it was 2010 and 2015. Obviously, everybody has kept on living, so the original characters that we see in the show, you get a glimpse of what they’ve been doing and some of the new characters are directly connected with some of the original, so there is some explanation about what happened in the past five years that you don’t see on screen. We have some flashbacks as well, where we might understand better what might have happened. But we did take the show from where we left it.
It’s definitely a continuation of what’s been happening since the first run of Heroes. From Claire’s prediction. From the fact that she put the word out there and that’s really where we take it from. Now that it’s 2015, we learn in 2010 what happened in the very last episode. We’re pretty much taking it as all these characters have been living for the five years that we have not seen them on screen. Some of the new characters definitely come directly connected with the previous ones.
In terms of how people respond to the show, do you read what critics say?
[Laughs] It’s a funny game. The thing is I never get caught up too much with critics. I think it’s interesting to know a little bit with what they’re saying, but at the same time you can’t really take everything very seriously. Fortunately, the critics have been good for the show in general. Of course, they were extremely skeptical for the past couple of seasons of the previous round of Heroes that I’m particularly aware of. And I think they’re skeptical with bringing the show back.
But at the same time we are aware that there’s a huge audience that was waiting for this show. This show is there mainly for the audience more than it is for the critics. I appreciate the critics because obviously without them we wouldn’t exist fully. So we have to acknowledge them, but at the same time it’s not everything that comes out there that should be taken 100 percent. I try not to pay too much attention, but at the same time I try to understand what things are out there.
Do you ever think Heroes comes off as too over the top?
You have to put full trust in the writers and in the special effects because we don’t know the future of the show. We don’t know the following episodes, so we can’t question too much what we’re asked to do. We pretty much do what we’re told to do. And yes, of course at times you’re like, “Wait a minute, how can that work? Is that possible?” But it’s something that’s really taken to the writers or unless it’s really bothering you, but usually they’re responsible for it and they know exactly what they’re doing. It’s just a question of trust and at this point we trust them.
With your character’s power, what’s to stop him from using that to his advantage all the time?
We have a conscience. Whether it’s for the good or for the bad. It’s like, if you have a gun, what’s to stop you from using it every day? A conscience is key to knowing whether you use it or not. Essentially he’s not a bad guy. He’s more on the hero side. When he sees bad things happen he tries to stop them, he tries to make the world a better place. But it’s not every day that he sees those things happening. That’s probably why we don’t end up seeing him in all episodes, because obviously his power is pretty strong. And it’s pretty powerful. That’s why his screen time is a bit limited.
Do you have a favorite character from the series?
Gosh, it’s so fun, I like a lot of them. Obviously I have a good relationship with Jack Coleman who plays Noah Bennet, even though he didn’t have a power, but I thought his character was very interesting and that’s probably why he’s now leading the new set of heroes, because he’s really the through-line of the entire show.
If you could choose any of the heroes’ powers to have, what would you want?
I think flying is a great tool to have, if I could fly I’d be the happiest man on Earth. I think it’s quite fantastic to go wherever you want, whenever you want. Flying would be the one.
Do you have a favorite comic-book superhero overall?
I know very little about this world, the comic book world and sci-fi. I’m from Haiti, born in Haiti and I grew up in Haiti, and as a kid growing up in Haiti, I mean nothing could have lifted me up with what I’m doing now as an actor. I didn’t read any of them or was in touch with any of those things. I didn’t know that world at all. I was introduced to it by Heroes. So I don’t have any of those comic-book collections at home. Actually, I do now because I have my kids who love comic books. They have everything. But me? No. Unfortunately, I’m one from the generation who completely grew up without that.
So it became a new world for you with Heroes.
Completely. I remember the first time I went to a convention. I couldn’t understand why these people were so crazy about that world. When you see people dressing up for half a day with their favorite costumes, it baffled me. But the more I hang around those people, the more I hang around the fans, the more I understood them. It’s fascinating to actually allow yourself to go to that place. To dream and to actually allow yourself to go where you need to go with your imagination.
