Home TV News Interview with Misha Collins – Supernatural on E4 (Jan 2015)

Interview with Misha Collins – Supernatural on E4 (Jan 2015)

by Dave Elliott
Misha Collins

Misha Collins

Well, seeing as you’ve all been so good, have another Supernatural interview! This time with Misha Collins / aka Castiel.  Supernatural Season 9 is due to air on E4 Tues 6th January 2015 at 9pm.

What can you tell us about the major storylines for Season 9 of Supernatural?

This season feels more character-driven than past seasons. Each character seems to have their own story arc that is very important, and they all have their own issues to deal with. I think this season is a bit more fractured than it has been in the past, too. There are a lot of different storylines and there are a lot more balls in the air. As is often the case with Supernatural, every character has to make compromises and do the best that they can – but they are not always pure at heart.

What issues will Castiel be dealing with in Season 9?

My character is going to be struggling with being human for some time. He’ll be learning what it’s like to be a human, and all of the pitfalls and the occasional joys that come along with that experience. This is something that I have wanted to do on the show for six years. I’m really happy that we’re actually getting to do it now. Castiel has sex. I can tell you that. That’s a big spoiler!

Does that answer the question about whether angels are anatomically correct?

I don’t know if it does because he’s a human now! I honestly don’t know. We haven’t actually hit that question head-on yet, so to speak. No pun intended.

So Castiel is no longer an angel; there’s no more ‘angel juice’ for the character?

That’s right. I guess it’s a bit of a bummer, but it’s also a lot of fun. I’ve been hoping for a long time to see what it would be like for Castiel to become human. We’re really diving deep into that terrain.

Does he get to wear a new set of clothes now?

At the very least, I hope that Castiel is now going to change his underwear! OK, since we’re getting into his wardrobe, here’s something I will tell you – and this is some juicy news here – there is going to be a launderette scene in episode one of Season 9. I think this very question has been at the forefront of the writers’ mind. [Laughs]. You just know he’s going to have one red sock that gets in there!

Does the fact that Castiel is human give you more opportunities to explore humorous situations in the show?

There are going to be a lot of opportunities for comedy, and I think that the comedy is better this season than it has been in the past. There were times during the last six years where I think some of the comedy of Castiel has been slightly out of character. Some of the fish-out-of-water comic relief moments haven’t been my favourite for the character. However, the comedy this season is very real. It’s totally consistent with the character and it’s grounded in the situations that someone confronting being a human for the first time would face. It’s good, true comedy and not slapstick.

How does it feel to be a cast regular in Season 9?

It feels great. I think I’m slated to appear in 13 or 14 episodes, which is a substantial jump. I think that means we’re going to be seeing a lot more of Castiel this year.

Are we going to meet some characters from Castiel’s past soon?

Yes, we will. That’s the short answer, but that’s all I can say right now.

What can you tell us about Castiel’s relationship with the fallen angels in Season 9?

The fallen angels are going to blame Castiel for having fallen. They are all angry at him and they are out for blood. They have power and they are still formidable foes. They are still ‘kind of’ angels, but they are trapped on Earth and they are not good enemies to have. So, basically, it’s a bad relationship.

Will Castiel hang out at the Men Of Letters’ bunker this season?

He certainly makes an appearance there. He has a host of his own issues to deal with in Season 9, though. Part of the problem is that a lot of angels are pursuing him, so he’s attracting a lot of bad mojo. He’s not great for the Winchester brothers to have around. It’s not like it used to be when he could solve their problems; he’s actually causing problems now.

Jenson Ackles (who plays Dean Winchester) described having your character around as similar to having a backseat driver in your car…

That’s right, but Castiel is like a backseat driver who doesn’t know how to drive! He’s not a really great thing to have around. We’ll have a lot of fun with it this season, but it will definitely change the dynamic of the relationship.

Over the years, Supernatural has played with religious imagery, particularly with presenting angels as imperfect creatures. What are your thoughts on that?

If you look closely at Biblical lore, you will discover in the Book of Revelation that angels are, in fact, highly imperfect creatures. They are creatures who are charged by God with the task of, for example, slaying half the fish in the sea and half the animals on land. I’m not quoting scripture accurately here, but angels are actually warriors, first and foremost. It is more in our modern lore that they become the cherubs that sit on your shoulders and make sure nothing bad happens.

And the devil is an angel?

That’s right. The devil is an angel. You know what? I feel like Supernatural has turned into a massive piece of fan fiction because the writers are really drawing on material that is in the Bible and extrapolating it and creating a new and twisted world from it.

Would you say that this is part of the secret to Supernatural’s success and longevity?

Probably, yes. One rule that Supernatural writers have is that every storyline has to start with something that is ‘Google-able’. They try to start with mythologies or monsters or themes that already exist in lore – and they might be biblical lore or folk tales. Whatever it is, it means that they’re actually drawing on stories that have already resonated with people. I think that’s a good start because they’ve got a load to draw from.

You’re going to direct an episode of Supernatural in Season 9. What can you tell us about it?

My episode is towards the end the season, so it’s far enough away that neither I nor anyone in the universe really knows what’s going to be going on. But they are planning it and [executive producer] Jeremy Carver is doing a great job of mapping things out in advance. We actually do know quite a bit more about this season at this point than we have done in the past at this time. It’s great.

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