Exclusive: Jesse Garcia Talks Season 2 of From Dusk Till Dawn; Trailer Debut!
The long-awaited return of the El Rey Network/Miramax supernatural crime saga “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series” is set for Tuesday, August 25th; and to help get you ready for it, today we have an exclusive interview with series co-star Jesse Garcia, who plays Texas Ranger Freddie Gonzalez, along with the Season 2 trailer premiere.
With 10 all-new, action-packed hour-long episodes, Season 2 of the horror/crime drama delves into a new and unexpected chapter for the characters after a night at the Titty Twister ripped apart everything they knew about themselves, each other, and their souls. Jesse shares a bit of what we can expect.
Dread Central: Season 1 of “From Dusk Till Dawn” is so layered and textured – it pays homage to the movie, but it also pleases new, younger fans who have high expectations for series TV. “FDTD” Season 1 really upped the ante… and judging from the trailer for Season 2, things are going to get even bloodier! So, how’s Freddie going to handle that, and what are some of the new challenges he will face in Season 2?
Jesse Garcia: Freddie is adjusting to his new life in a world that he didn’t know existed. He’s having to learn how to negotiate his life with his career and family and keeping them safe and away from culebras and all that other supernatural stuff. It got hella bloody last season, and now that his ancestral blood has been awakened, he’s only getting smarter and stronger and is gonna fuck up whoever he has to to keep his family safe and put the smack down on them evil-ass bisshes!
DC: I saw a list of some of the guest stars slated for Season 2 – all I can say is, “Wow!” But I’ll bet you can say more. What kinds of characters do they play, and what’s Freddie’s interaction with them?
JG: Man, we have a heavy roster for Season 2! Jake Busey is back as Sex Machine, being his creepy-ass, perverted self. As Sex Machine of course. Jake’s not nearly as creepy in real life (winky-face emoticon.) We’ve got Danny Trejo holding it down as The Regulator. His presence is real! Esai Morales, all regal and shit, as Malvado. Watch out for his pinky fingernail. Jeff Fahey brings the knowledge as Uncle Eddie. Briana Evigan, like you’ve never seen her before, as Sonja. Demi Lovato also makes a highly memorable appearance. And my dear, dear friend Emily Rios, whom I had the pleasure of working with again after our first big film, Quinceañera. She… kills it! Unfortunately, because my storyline didn’t cross into most of the guest stars, I didn’t get to share the screen with many of them. I can’t say much about the upcoming season, but I will say Freddie and Sex Machine’s feud isn’t over.
DC: Robert Rodriguez is, of course, a legend in the genre and certainly is one of the most hands-on filmmakers, showrunners. and artists out there… even after all these years, he still has obvious enthusiasm for a tale he told back in the mid-90s. Since you know him, to what do you attribute his ongoing creativity and love of this story?
JG: I wish I knew what Robert’s secret was! He just has an unlimited imagination and doesn’t put boundaries on his creativity or others’. Yeah. I wish I had a better answer. He’s a MF’n beast!
DC: Freddie is a new character – he was not in the film, right? – so, how did you and Robert work together to create him, and what is your favorite thing about playing him? And your least favorite?
JG: Because Freddie is a new character, we had a clean slate. He’s a young Texas Ranger, taken under the wing of Earl McGraw [played by Don Johnson in the series]. My life and Freddie’s kind of paralleled each other’s as I’ve never been a lead in a series before, and as I grew as an actor, Freddie grew into his role as a seasoned Texas Ranger. Freddie turns into a badass, which is awesome because I’m just a big ol softy. I don’t have a least favorite thing about playing Freddie. Are you crazy?!? I’m having a blast!
DC: In your opinion, why does the fascination in vampires persist in pop culture over so many decades? From the Bram Stoker book to “Penny Dreadful” to Twilight to “From Dusk Till Dawn”… those suckers are everywhere! (And, what kinds of mayhem can we expect from the Season 2 “FDTD” vamps?)
JG: I think the fascination of immortality, eternal youth, superhuman strength and speed is just plain ol’ sexy. Even when vampires turn into beasts, there’s a beauty about them that is intriguing. You want to be them. You want to be among them. The cullers in Season 2 of “FDTD” are no different. Sexy, powerful, fascinating… Expect more blood, vicious kills, and more “How the fuck did they do that?!?” moments! The hair and makeup teams and cast and crew of Season 2 killed it again. Their work is impeccable. Impossible without them. They raise the game. Such an honor.
Our thanks to Jesse for his time. Now check out the trailer below courtesy of IMDb, and be sure to tune in TONIGHT for “Dusk Returns” on the El Rey Network, premiering at 8PM ET.
“DUSK RETURNS” – Premiering Tuesday, July 7, at 8:00 PM ET
Season 2 of El Rey Network/Miramax’s supernatural crime saga “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series” delves into a new and unexpected chapter for the characters after a night at the Titty Twister ripped apart everything they knew about themselves, each other, and their souls. Fans will get a peek into the new season from the creative minds behind the series, including Creator and El Rey Network Founder Robert Rodriguez and his artistic collective: Showrunner/Exec Producer Carlos Coto, Writer/Exec Producer Diego Gutierrez; Costume Designer Nina Proctor, Stunt Coordinator JJ Dashnaw, SFX Supervisor Bob Trevino; and returning cast members D.J. Cotrona, Zane Holtz, Wilmer Valderrama, Eiza González, Jesse Garcia, Madison Davenport, and Brandon Soo Hoo as well as new cast members Danny Trejo, Esai Morales, Jeff Fahey, and more.
The one-hour special contains insights into the character development, storyline, and costume design as well as a sneak peek at iconic sets, some reimagined from the cult-classic movie of the same name, including the Titty Twister, and new sets and locals as the show travels between Mexico and the edgy, tricked-out Texas of Robert Rodriguez.
About “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series” Season 2:
With 10 all-new, action-packed hour-long episodes, Season 2 of the horror/crime drama delves into a new and unexpected chapter for the characters after a night at the Titty Twister ripped apart everything they knew about themselves, each other, and their souls.
Returning cast members D.J. Cotrona, Zane Holtz, Jesse Garcia, Eiza González, Wilmer Valderrama, Madison Davenport, Brandon Soo Hoo, and guest star Jake Busey are joined in the show’s sophomore season by Danny Trejo as “The Regulator,” Esai Morales as “Lord Amancio Malvado,” Jeff Fahey as “Uncle Eddie Cruickshank,” and Briana Evigan as “Sonja Lam.”
Robert Rodriguez, El Rey Network’s founder and chairman and creator of the 1995 cult-classic film of the same name, directs the season premiere and finale; additional directors include showrunner Carlos Coto, Eduardo Sanchez, Alejandro Brugués, Joe Menendez, and Dwight Little.
In Season 2 the show travels between Mexico and the edgy, tricked-out Texas of Robert Rodriguez. It also deepens and complicates the core relationships between the characters, while adding new faces and new dynamics. Our characters are all living in very separate worlds – Santánico (Gonzalez) and Richie are outside Houston, doing their best Bonnie and Clyde; Seth and Kate (Davenport) are scraping by South of the Border; and Freddie Gonzalez (Garcia) is protecting his wife and young daughter in the suburbs. Carlos Madrigal (Valderrama) and Scott Fuller (Soo Hoo) emerge from the Titty Twister, changed men. They will all come together once again – this time facing off against an even bigger threat.
“From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series” is a Miramax production in association with Rodriguez International Pictures, FactoryMade Ventures, and Sugarcane Entertainment. Executive producers are Robert Rodriguez, showrunner Carlos Coto, writer Diego Gutierrez, FactoryMade Ventures and El Rey Network co-founders John Fogelman and Cristina Patwa, and Miramax’s Zanne Devine and Daniel Pipski.
Miramax is distributing “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series” internationally in all territories.
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