Even if you don’t recognize his name, you’ve likely seen Dan Amboyer on the big screen, the small screen, or the stage. We chatted with the accomplished actor about his latest venture – playing Scottie Hargrave’s high-priced escort on NBC’s The Blacklist: Redemption. Read on for our interview with Dan Amboyer!
First, congratulations on your role as Trevor on The Blacklist: Redemption! Can you talk a bit about the character and what we can expect as the season progresses?
Dan Amboyer: Thank you! I play a paid romantic interest for Scottie, Famke Janssen‘s character. Things develop and change over the season, and with a show like The Blacklist, you can’t really say too much. It’s all about the twists and turns, but there’s some cool stuff to come.
At the end of last week’s episode, Howard shared his theory that the woman we know as Scottie may actually be a Russian sleeper agent. That’s a major twist, and it sounds like the mystery surrounding it won’t get resolved anytime soon. How does all that affect Trevor?
I only hear those story lines through [Scottie], so I’m kind of her set of ears. You’ll see on the episode tonight that I’m her confidante, in a way. My whole opinion of the rest of the characters is through the lens of Scottie’s opinions and beliefs of what’s right and wrong.
What are some of the things you like most and least about the character of Trevor?
It feels like this whole story line with me is completely separate from the rest of the show. It’s nice because you get to see a softer side to [Scottie’s] character, and some tender moments. I appreciate being that opposite spectrum of what the show has going on. It’s a chance to catch your breath and to consider what’s going on inside these people, for them to open up and for us to have a more personal connection outside of the thriller aspect of the show.
If you encountered Trevor in real life, do you think the two of you would get along?
Living in New York, I’m sure I encounter Trevors all the time and don’t know it, but I can’t really think of a time when I’ve fraternized with high-priced escorts! I like to think that maybe he’s a grad student putting himself through grad school with this secret side-profession to make some cash. He’s a pretty likable guy and he’s pretty intuitive, so I think we’d definitely get along. Why not?!
The Blacklist: Redemption is a spin-off of The Blacklist, which is now in is fourth season. Were you a fan of the show prior to your involvement in Redemption?
I’ve had lots of friends who were on The Blacklist, so I would catch various episodes. I’d really enjoy it, but there’s just so much TV out! It’s hard to stick with any show for a long period of time. I really got back into it when I got this part and started following it, and I think it’s so smartly written. I was kind of kicking myself for not paying attention to it consistently. The straight-up, regular, original, OG Blacklist is awesome!
In the past couple of years, you’ve had a recurring role on TV Land’s Younger, you were in the films Love the Coopers and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and you took to the stage in Squash at The Flea Theater in TriBeCa. How does working on a movie compare to appearing on a TV show and being in a play? Do you have a preferred medium?
There’s not always a lot of difference between TV and film. In a big-budget film like Batman, they are afforded a lot more time to work on the actual filming process, so that can be a big difference. Then again, there’s a lot more they try to accomplish within that time period. Everything is ramped up to be so much bigger than life, so they need every moment to get it done. I love TV because to me, it combines what I love about being in front of a camera with [what I love about] theater. You have a group of people that you work with over a long period of time, and the character and the story keep developing. It’s not like a play, where you’re doing the same thing every night and you know exactly what it’s going to be. A character on a TV show can grow and change and surprise you over time, so I really love TV because of that. Even with a film, you shoot it and it’s a set story. You know exactly when it’s going to end and where the character journey will go. With TV, it’s left open-ended. Anything can happen when a new script shows up in your email! But I love theater because I grew up doing it and I went to school for theater. That’s what got me into the business. I was never really out to achieve a big career in TV or film when I started. Theater is my first love, and I always want to continue doing that whenever I can.
Over the past decade, you’ve accumulated an impressive filmography and an extensive list of off-Broadway and regional theater work. What’s coming up next for you?
That’s a good question! I’m working on a little political film in a few weeks, and I also just had a supporting role in a film with Vince Vaughn. It’s a gritty prison film called Brawl in Cell Block 99, and that’ll be coming out sometime this year. I also just did a web series out in L.A. It’s me and Rex Lee from Entourage, and we become mannies to pay our bills! We’re the most unexpected guys who could be watching over your kids – it’s a little bit silly. That’ll be coming out soon!
Getting back to Redemption, Famke Janssen is a formidable actress! What has it been like to work with her? Are there any actors you’d particularly like to work with in the future?
I’ve seen a ton of Famke’s movies, and she can be intimidating on camera, so I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to get! She is a great actress and she’s so easy to be in scenes with. She’s a real artist in the sense that she comes into the scene with very strong opinions of the story line and who her character is. She always has that in the forefront of her mind, and that makes it easy for all of us to make decisions to support what’s best for the show. She’s a very smart woman and a very smart actress, so I’ve enjoyed working with her! As far as people I’d like to work with, I’ve loved Jennifer Lawrence since I saw Winter’s Bone when it first came out. I think that’s my favorite thing I’ve seen her do.
The Blacklist is available to view on Netflix, which is pretty perfect because it’s a great show to binge-watch. What are some of your favorite shows to binge-watch and why?
I can’t wait for House of Cards to come back. I just get so involved in that show. Sometimes I’ll even go back and binge the season before in preparation, just to get myself back on track so I don’t have to spend time being like “What just happened?”
That’s another show that moves really fast. If you miss an episode, you don’t understand anything that’s going on.
Yeah! But I love those actors. For a lot of shows, I can’t imagine myself wanting to watch repeats of stuff I’ve already seen, but I love Robin Wright – I think she’s so great on that show.
Would you like to work with Robin Wright?
Oh, yeah! I should add her onto that list! She would be at the top of that list for sure.
Thanks to Dan Amboyer for talking with us! Keep up with him on Twitter and Instagram, and catch him on The Blacklist: Redemption, airing Thursdays at 10/9c on NBC.
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.