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Animal Kingdom is a drama series based on David Michôd’s 2010 Australian film of the same name. After Joshua “J” Cody’s (Finn Cole) mom passed away he needed to move in with his rather unstable family members in Southern California. The drama unfolds quickly. J is dropped in the middle of an explosive family ruled by his grandma; Janine “Smurf” Cody (Ellen Barkin) who was only involved in the first four seasons of Animal Kingdom.
The Cody’s make their living through carefully planned armed robberies and other random criminal activities. Aside from Smurf, the family consists of Baz (Scott Speedman), Pope (Shawn Hatosy), Craig (Ben Robson) and Deran (Jake Weary). The twist and turns this show took through its 6 seasons were incredible.
The actors embraced their roles so well, it was hard not to like them, even though they were considered bad guys. It makes you wonder if they enjoyed playing the character as much as we enjoyed watching them.
What Did Animal Kingdom’s Scott Speedman Think Of His Role As Baz Blackwell?
Baz, see’s himself as the head of the Cody family. He and Pope have a very troubled history together that is played out through a few seasons and dates back to their teenage years.
Prior to being cast as Merdith’s love interest in Grey’s Anatomy, Scott Speedman portrayed Baz. He isn’t a brother, but he might as well be. Scott knew right away he wanted this role. He was looking for something edgier and a way to put himself back out on the networks.
None of the characters in Animal Kingdom are who you think they are, that excited Speedman. He knew it was going to be a hit, and he was right. It helped that they got along and had great chemistry together right from the get-go. That was obvious to viewers as well.
The scenes become so gripping and there isn’t one second you don’t wholeheartedly believe in them on screen. That is not always the case when five dominant male actors come together.
What Did Animal Kingdoms Jake Weary Think Of His Role As Deran Cody?
Deran Cody is an ex-competitive surfer and the youngest of Smurf’s children. He has such a good heart and is fully devoted to his family, but doesn’t really want to be involved in the crime game anymore. He would like to do more with his life and not always be looking over his shoulder. It doesn’t seem that’s possible though.
In an interview with Out, Jake Weary said it was the richness of Deran’s personality that drew him to him so much. He was so excited when he was chosen for the role. Deran isn’t a simple character, he is a highly emotional person. You really see that when all the boys are attempting to establish their place in the family hierarchy.
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Weary had also commented that he thinks the show and his fellow cast members are amazing. Animal Kingdom has something for everyone. Both the performances and the entertainment value are superb. The interplay between Ellen Barkin, Scott Speedman, and Shawn Hatosy is really incredible. There is really a lot of underrated talent shown through all six seasons.
What Did Animal Kingdoms Finn Cole Think Of His Role As Joshua “J” Cody?
After working alongside the likes of Margot Robbie, Finn Cole was cast as quite possibly the baddest of the boys in Animal Kingdom.
In an interview with Variety, Cole said he is attracted to sociopathic characters, “I’m fascinated by personalities that succeed in that way of life and those that fail in that way of life. I’m really intrigued about why and what makes someone be able to make these decisions and not feel remorse or guilt. I like to look into what makes a human being take that path. Maybe that makes me slightly sociopathic, I don’t know. You don’t hear many stories about people who grow up, have normal lives, pay taxes and pay bills, have mortgages and have kids. You hear stories about Billy the Kid for a reason.”
Being the youngest of the Cody boys, J seemed to follow along with what his uncles said like a good little soldier. He was on Smurf’s good side too during her four seasons on the show. Something far more twisted was going on, though. Sociopathic is putting it mildly.
What Did Animal Kingdoms Ben Robson Think Of His Role As Craig Cody?
Craig Cody is the middle son of the Cody family. He is also the least trustworthy and most unpredictable. He is fully on board in the crime family, as it allows him to continue living a reckless lifestyle.
Ben spoke to Harper’s Bazaar about taking on the role of Craig Cody stating, “I read the material and I was super drawn to my character. I actually rang up [the producers] and was like, ‘Look, I really like Craig.’ And they were like, ‘Good, that’s the only one available.’ I think when everyone looks at this sort of show, they think of the stunts and the wildness, but it’s actually a family drama. It’s a very dysfunctional family and I think that’s the draw.”
What Did Animal Kingdom’s Shawn Hatosy Think Of His Role As Andrew “Pope” Cody?
Pope is the oldest of the Cody sons. His character is so troubled, he has battled mental illness and OCD his whole life.
At the time we meet Pope, he has just served three years in Folsom State Prison for a bank heist gone bad and has now rejoined the family. Pope gained popularity among viewers after six seasons, largely due to Hatosy’s outstanding portrayal as the unstable character.
Playing Pope required Hatosy to walk a narrow line between being a man who has been wronged by his family and a man who is devoted to his family, no matter the cost.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Shawn said, “I figured if I was going to succeed for a season or multiple seasons, I wanted him to be a little bit more ambiguous. I know that he’s creepy and dark and disturbing, but I also feel like you have to trust him, at least within the family. The one thing about Pope is he is the emotional center of the family. He is also the most fiercely loyal.”
