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Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jensen Ackles and Eric Dane about their work on ‘Countdown’, Ackles first reaction to the screenplay and why he was excited to be part of this series, Dane’s character and working with the cast, and Ackles experience collaborating with Derek Haas on set. You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Ackles, Dane, Jessica Camacho, Elliot Knight, Violett Beane, Uli Latukefu, and series creator Derek Haas. Mark Meachum (Jensen Ackles) in 'Countdown'. Photo: Elizabeth Morris © Amazon Content Services LLC. Moviefone: To begin with, Jensen, when you first read the screenplay, what excited you most about being part of this project?Jensen Ackles: Unlike some other shows that I'm a part of, I read ‘Countdown’ with a true eagerness to know what was happening and an excitement. A youthful zeal, as my friend Eric Dane would say. It's a thrill ride. It's a ride that I would want to be on as an audience. I got the fortunate call to be on it personally, and there's nothing in there that I was like, “I don't want to that.” There were very little discussions with Derek about like, “Hey, can we change the this?” If anything, it was on the day. There was no ick factor. There was no like, “I don't think I would do this.” Everything that he wrote was a template, and it was either done with precision or we played with it until we got what we wanted and what we needed, and it was a delight.
Eric Dane: So, everybody’s somewhat of a self-contained unit, but we've all coalesced nicely. There is no leader. There is just a group of people that have come together to endeavor to make the best show they can, and we had a great time.
Jensen Ackles: I hate to call him a boss because I view him as a friend, but he is a wonderful tone setter. He literally just gave a group of crazy actors a playground to absolutely play, and he wrote such great in-depth characters, and a twisty storyline. It lent itself to the camaraderie that we all found ourselves in, and I can't thank him enough. I can't speak highly enough of that guy. He's a wonderful person to work with. I hope I get to work with him for many years.Editorial Note: James White conducted this interview and contributed to this article.
What is the plot of ‘Countdown’?
After a Department of Homeland Security officer is killed in plain sight, LAPD detective Mark Meachum (Jensen Ackles) is brought onto a covert task force with undercover agents from various law enforcement agencies to track down the murderer. However, the search reveals a much darker conspiracy than anyone expected, sparking a frantic race to protect a city of millions.
Who is in the cast of ‘Countdown’?
- Jensen Ackles as Mark Meachum
- Jessica Camacho as Amber Oliveras
- Eric Dane as Nathan Blythe
- Violett Beane as Evan Shepherd
- Uli Latukefu as Lucas Finau
- Elliot Knight as Keyonte Bell
List of Jensen Ackles Movies and TV Shows:
- 'Dawson's Creek' (1998 - 2003)
- 'Smallville' (2001 - 2011)
- 'Supernatural' (2005 - 2020)
- 'My Bloody Valentine' (2009)
- 'The Boys' (2019 - 2024)
- 'Buddy Games' (2020)
- 'The Winchesters' (2022 - 2023)
- 'Buddy Games: Spring Awakening' (2023)
