Sam Keeley Breaks Down Jayson v. Robbie and the Ending

[This story contains major spoilers from Task’s series finale.]

Even Sam Keeley is shocked that his Activity character lasted so long as he did.

The Irish actor’s villainous position of Jayson Wilkes — the President of the Darkish Hearts’ Delaware County motorbike membership chapter — has felt the partitions closing in on him all season. Robbie Prendergast (Tom Pelphrey) and Cliff Broward (Raúl Castillo) have not too long ago been undermining his outfit’s fentanyl commerce at each flip. Consequently, Perry Durazo (Jamie McShane), the daddy determine who took Jayson in as a troubled teenager and championed his rise to energy, is being pressured by the Darkish Hearts’ governing physique, the Mom Membership, to eradicate Jayson. 

Perry then scrambles to guard his surrogate son, however in doing so, he discovers that Jayson killed Robbie’s brother, Billy, over his affair with Eryn (Margarita Levieva), Jayson’s romantic companion and mom of his two kids. Perry subsequently confirms that Eryn has been aiding Robbie and Cliff’s revenge plot to destabilize Jayson’s reign within the Darkish Hearts. Alongside the best way, Jayson units a lure to catch and in the end kill Cliff, including additional gasoline to Robbie’s quest for vengeance.

The concluding episodes of creator Brad Ingelsby’s follow-up to his HBO smash hit, Mare of Easttown, primarily grew to become a duel between Jayson and Robbie over the remaining stolen fentanyl and any ill-gotten features it yields. Robbie desires to promote the product to supply a greater future for his two motherless kids, whereas Jayson desires it for himself so he can purchase again good standing with the Mom Membership and hopefully keep alive to boost his personal two motherless kids.

The Salli Richardson Whitfield-directed sixth episode is when the blood feud got here to a head, and regardless of everybody that Jayson had already taken from Robbie, he nonetheless emerged victorious in a deadly showdown.

“I had no concept that was coming, and I had no concept [Jayson] could be answerable for much more ache in Robbie’s life and loss of life. So it was a shock to me as effectively,” Keeley tells The Hollywood Reporter. 

Jayson could have twisted a knife into Robbie’s intestine, however Robbie nonetheless managed to realize the higher hand by having Jayson and co. chase after a duffel bag of newspapers, not fentanyl. Previous to his loss of life, Robbie bought the Darkish Hearts’ fentanyl for a good-looking sum that his niece, Maeve (Emilia Jones), may use to boost his youngsters distant from Delaware County. Within the Jeremiah Zagar-helmed finale, Jayson nonetheless made a last-ditch effort to get better the funds at Maeve’s residence, however Grasso (Fabien Frankel), the soiled FBI process power member who’d been Jayson’s informant all alongside, lastly put him down. 

“At that time, you’re seeing a really determined man. Retrieving that cash was a approach to supply for his household and avenge his personal honor and keep good with the membership,” Keeley says. “Robbie received the warfare, and he checkmated all people.”

Earlier than his personal demise, Jayson additionally ended the lifetime of his surrogate father, Perry. He obtained a cellphone name that Eryn’s useless physique was present in Bangor Quarry with Perry’s signature chain wrapped round her hand. In episode 5, Perry confronted Eryn over the chaos she’s created for the Darkish Hearts, and when she took off working and screamed for assist, he strangled her into silence. 

So the query that is still is whether or not Jayson would’ve additionally condemned Eryn to loss of life for her second betrayal that successfully made him a marked man within the eyes of the Mom Membership. 

“To be trustworthy, I hadn’t gone there in my head, by way of what would’ve occurred if Jayson needed to cope with Eryn himself. He’d most likely do it, wouldn’t he?” Keeley asks. “[Perry] took away Jayson’s selection for both end result, however he additionally took away a vital a part of his household unit. So Perry fell into Jayson’s crosshairs in a approach that Jayson justified to himself as, ‘You reside by the sword, you die by the sword. You’ve taken this from me, and it’s a life for a life.’”

Beneath, throughout a latest spoiler dialog with THR, Keeley additionally discusses the assets he relied on to be able to create the character of Jayson.

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The belief all through the season is that Robbie Prendergast (Tom Pelphrey) would avenge his brother Billy and finally his finest pal Cliff by killing Jayson. However he, too, misplaced his life to Jayson. Earlier than you obtained the sixth script, did you additionally assume that Robbie would inevitably take Jayson’s life? 

I acquired three scripts to start with throughout the entire auditioning course of, and by the top of episode three, I used to be not sure as to what the long run held in retailer for Jayson. However by the top of episode 4, as soon as we acquired into taking pictures it, I noticed that horrific ending [with Cliff] up shut within the warehouse. That’s after I thought, “There’s no approach folks can let this man dwell. He appears to be the middle of ache for everyone, definitely for Robbie, but additionally for Maeve.” 

He’s on this actually bizarre spot. He’s a household man who loves the folks round him, however as a result of he goes to nice and really violent lengths to guard that circle, lots of people undergo consequently. When it comes to the large showdown in episode six, I had no concept that was coming, and I had no concept he could be answerable for much more ache in Robbie’s life and loss of life. So it was a shock to me as effectively.

It’s a kind of eventualities the place Jayson received the battle towards Robbie, however Robbie received the warfare towards Jayson. 

Completely. Robbie knew what he was doing when he went into the woods with the bag of what we thought was fentanyl. It turned out to be newspaper clippings of his dream state of affairs in Canada. I’d be curious to talk to Tom about it now, in addition to Brian Davids Brad [Ingelsby] and administrators Salli [Richardson-Whitfield] and Jeremiah [Zagar]. However I ponder if Robbie was resigned to shedding life. I don’t suppose he essentially anticipated that the FBI had been going to be there, however he definitely anticipated that the Darkish Hearts had been going to be there. And it’s fairly poetic and delightful that he would quit his life for the better good. So, in that sense, I completely agree with you. Robbie received the warfare, and he checkmated all people.

Within the finale, Jayson kills his Darkish Hearts mentor and father determine, Perry (Jamie McShane). It was in response to Perry killing his girlfriend Eryn over her newest betrayal. Does this indicate that Jayson would not have killed Eryn himself for her serving to Robbie and Cliff? Or did he kill Perry for taking both selection away from him?

That’s a extremely good query. As regards to Eryn’s destiny in Jayson’s fingers, oof. He’s a darkish character. He’s acquired this unbelievable capacity to trigger destruction by his rage. However to be trustworthy, I hadn’t gone there in my head, by way of what would’ve occurred if Jayson needed to cope with Eryn himself. He’d most likely do it, wouldn’t he?

I didn’t need him to be a cookie-cutter evil man. I wished him to have a code of honor. And when that honor is besmirched or betrayed by even the people who find themselves closest to him — like Eryn’s lover, Billy — it’s met with destruction and revenge of essentially the most brutal sort. So, yeah, it’s not past the realms of risk that she may have misplaced her life both approach. As to how that may’ve gone down, solely Brad can enlighten us there. 

However by way of killing Perry, that blade lower in a really particular approach. As you so eloquently put it, he took away Jayson’s selection for both end result, however he additionally took away a vital a part of his household unit. She’s [basically] his bride. And on this tiered code of honor that he has, that goes past every little thing for him. So Perry fell into Jayson’s crosshairs in a approach that Jayson justified to himself as, “You reside by the sword, you die by the sword. You’ve taken this from me, and it’s a life for a life.” 

And as we noticed on the finish of episode 4 with Cliff, he doesn’t at all times suppose by his actions. A number of the instances his rage can take over, and we’ve seen that occur to him time and time once more within the present.

Jayson nonetheless stayed together with her after he killed her lover, Billy. So I did marvel if he will get some type of twisted satisfaction by punishing everybody besides her. However Eryn being the mom of his two youngsters is definitely justification for why he may regularly spare her.

Yeah, completely. There’s a way of denial coming from him as effectively. He’s prepared to swallow rather a lot and let lots of issues slide to be able to hold his household unit intact and shield the issues that he loves. However to primarily maintain this girl who you declare to like hostage — in her own residence and towards her will, and kill her lover — it doesn’t get a lot darker than that.

Even up until the top when Grasso (Fabien Frankel) shoots him, Jayson was nonetheless useless set on recovering the drug cash. Did he determine it was his finest and solely likelihood to re-ingratiate himself to the Mom Membership and doubtlessly keep alive for his youngsters?

Yeah, at that time, you’re seeing a really determined man. You’re seeing him on the finish of his tether. There’s the monetary profit, however I feel you’re proper within the sense that this could be a approach for him to remain throughout the Darkish Hearts and hold his identification and to proceed on together with his imaginative and prescient and his aim. In my thoughts, his secret aim was at all times to maneuver up the ranks and be a part of the Mom Membership finally.

It’s additionally the precept. He’s a person of rules. He’s any individual who doesn’t prefer to be betrayed. And as we’ve seen and heard, when somebody makes a public present of him in a really detrimental approach, he doesn’t reply very effectively. His status and his identification are every little thing, and that’s by the membership. With out the membership, he’s only a man. He’d need to go get a daily job and partake on this planet similar to the remainder of us. And I don’t know if he matches into that mildew. 

A personality like Jayson belongs in a special time. He doesn’t actually slot in with the principles of contemporary society, and the membership permits him a strategy to act on his primary wants and instincts. So retrieving that cash was a strategy to keep in that and supply for his household and avenge his personal honor and keep good with the membership.

This trade is smaller than folks suppose, and there’s usually a perception that actors from the identical small nation all know one another. So did you and Alison Oliver ever cross paths earlier than this in Eire?

No, I met her on Activity, however we now have lots of mutual mates in widespread. As you’ve simply talked about, the industries are small, however the Irish trade is especially small. There’s not that many people, and positively, for these of us who’re doing worldwide work like most of us at the moment are, we’ve met at some stage or one other.

However myself and Alison had by no means really crossed paths till we each acquired to Philadelphia, which was beautiful. I used to be delighted after I noticed her forged as a result of she’s so unbelievably gifted, and he or she’s so nice within the present. So it was simply good having one other Irish individual round to vibe off of and benefit from the second of being on this unbelievable job collectively.

Did you vent to one another in regards to the transition from Irish to the Delco accent?

She beloved it! She was superb at it as effectively. She took to it like a duck to water. However I discovered it tough; I’m not going to lie. It was a tough accent for me to nail, as a result of I didn’t have any context for the accent. I had been engaged on it for 3 months prior with Susanne Sulby, our dialect coach, and he or she had helped Kate Winslet out on Mare of Easttown, Brad’s earlier present. So I knew I used to be in good fingers, and people three months had been nice. I additionally had unbelievable references and recordings of individuals from Philly.

But it surely didn’t absolutely click on for me till I acquired my boots on the bottom. I went out and talked to folks. I frolicked in bars and eating places, and I’d chat to folks to get the cadence of the motion and the rhythm of town. In order that’s when it lastly made sense for me, and it labored out nice. However main as much as that, I used to be like, “I don’t know if I’ll have the ability to do that.” (Laughs.)

Jayson is answerable for Lizzie’s (Oliver) loss of life as effectively, however even when he slammed the brakes or swerved, there wasn’t sufficient response time to alter her destiny, was there?

No, completely not, particularly in a automobile of that dimension and at that pace. The timing of that’s so brutal and so terrible to observe. It’s simply as she steps out, and he or she is in a complete blind spot [on top of being temporarily deafened]. So even when Jayson had the very best intentions on this planet to not add extra our bodies to his depend, I don’t suppose there was an entire lot he may have carried out in that scenario.

I learn a bit about director Jeremiah Zagar’s childhood pal, Carim Mow, who frolicked in a biker gang and consulted on the present. Did you lean on that man fairly a bit?

Completely. Within the buildup earlier than we acquired to Philly, I had a number of conversations with Carim in regards to the life. It was a mix of Carim and several other books that I ended up studying. I learn two books by Sonny Barger, who was a infamous president of The Hell’s Angels. I additionally learn two books by Junior Ereckson, who was a infamous president of the Mongols. I then learn Hunter S. Thompson’s ebook, Hell’s Angels. Then I learn a ebook by George Christie as effectively, who was one other infamous president of The Hell’s Angels. 

So having the ability to have that context by literature and likewise corroborate with Carim was simply unbelievably useful. He was capable of zero in on what was actual and likewise what was present, as a result of lots of these books I learn had been from a bygone period of this tradition. So Carim was capable of assist me shut the space and nil in on one thing that felt genuine and real to the time. So he was invaluable, and he’s a fantastic man.

A number of the Sons of Anarchy actors caught the motorbike bug from being in a fictional membership. Did it seize you as effectively? Or does the truth that you’re doing this interview from inside a automotive recommend in any other case? [Note: Keeley made time for this interview while on the set of another production overseas.]

(Laughs.) I’ve definitely been bitten by the bug. You sit on a kind of Harleys, and there’s no feeling fairly prefer it. So I’ve restrained myself over the previous 12 months by not shopping for a motorbike, and I feel my companion and all people else in my life might be very grateful for that. (Laughs.) However I don’t suppose that bug goes to go away in my future. I really like bikes, and I can trip. So it’s one thing that I positively see in my future as a leisurely sort of factor to do, and this present has positively nudged me in that route.

A long time from now, once you’re reminiscing in regards to the making of Activity, what day will you seemingly recall first?

There are too many to depend as a result of that is the one biggest skilled expertise I’ve had. Everyone from the bottom up who labored on this job strived to make the very best present potential. And I feel you’ll be able to see that on the display screen.

My very first day with Jamie McShane definitely stands proud. We shot a really small scene from episode 5 the place Jayson picks Perry up outdoors Donna’s home after he’s simply killed Eryn. He will get within the automotive, and Jayson is like, “The fuck occurred to you?” And he tries to cover his wounds and all that. So I bear in mind being like, “Okay, right here we go. We’re motoring. That is actual.” And it simply clicked the second they known as to motion. All of us knew who we had been. [Writer’s Note: Keeley’s pleasant demeanor is polar opposite of his character, and it was honestly a bit chilling to see him slip into Jayson for a moment during this answer.]

However one other day that basically jumps out at me is definitely an evening at Lefty’s Bar, which is the place the Darkish Hearts hang around. Everyone was enjoying pool, and it felt fairly jovial and enjoyable. The set ornament was unbelievable, and we had been all smoking pretend cigarettes and ingesting pretend beer whereas music was enjoying. And after they known as motion on that, I felt like I used to be one of many characters within the books that I had learn to check for the position. It felt actual, and I bear in mind getting goosebumps on each a part of my physique, considering, “Oh my God, that is my job. I’m getting paid to be right here.” I believed it, and I purchased every little thing about it. So Activity was simply full of jaw-dropping moments like that day after day.

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Activity is now streaming in its entirety on HBO Max.