Interview: Evan Roe Talks Madam Secretary Season 3 – Exclusive

Madam Secretary fans, your wait is almost over! The hit show returns to CBS on Sunday, Oct. 2, and we caught up with Evan Roe (Jason McCord) to find out what to expect from Madam Secretary season 3. Read on for our full interview with Evan Roe!

Madam Secretary executive producer Barbara Hall has hinted that there’ll be family drama as well as political drama to look forward to this season. What can you tell us about that family drama and the role your character Jason plays in it?

Evan Roe: Jason is coming of age and strives to be his own person, both socially and politically. His political side causes some tension with the rest of the family.

We’ve seen Jason struggle with a lot over the past couple of seasons. Do things get any easier for him in season 3? How does he handle any obstacles that come up?

Jason is thoughtful of others, but stands his ground on his beliefs; when obstacles arise, he refuses to change to appease people. He won’t jump on a bandwagon just because everyone else will, and this season the family gets pretty fed up with that. Things aren’t going to get easier for him and quite frankly, that’s his fault.

Without giving too much away, is there a particular episode, scene, or story arc that you particularly enjoyed or were challenged by this season?

All I can really say is that Jason gets knocked around a bit in the new season. That and the complications surrounding it were fun to film because it’s a departure from Jason’s usual problems.

You’ve been playing Jason since 2014, so you’ve had a couple of years to get to know him. What are some of your favorite and least favorite of his traits? Do you think you’d be friends in real life?

Jason actually shows some serious work ethic when he’s doing what he wants to do; when he’s forced to do something or go somewhere, he becomes arrogant. Despite this, I think he’d make a good friend because he’s protective of his family and the people around him.

Jason is the youngest of Henry and Elizabeth’s kids, and we’ve definitely seen some stereotypical “youngest child” behavior from him on the show. In real life, you’re the older sibling. Do you think having a younger brother has helped you get into the role and play Jason more authentically?

Absolutely. Little brothers are argumentative and stubborn, but you can’t help loving them. That’s what I was always going for with Jason, though as he grows up in season 3 it may wear off.

Last year, you worked on your first independent film! What can you tell us about that experience? How does making an independent film differ from working on a major network TV show?

Last year I did a kids’ film called Time Toys, and although it was a great set and cast, the biggest difference between film and TV is the time to connect. With both projects, this was actually beneficial – in Time Toys, I played a really terrible person, so it was good that I could do that with people I hadn’t known for very long. In Madam Secretary, I play a kid in a loving family, and because of the two years I’ve been there, it’s more genuine. When I have to be mean to the family on Madam Secretary, it’s far more difficult.

Finally, we love that you’re an animal lover who owns three rescue pets! Are there any particular shelters you support? What prompted you to take in two rescue dogs and a cat?

All I did as a kid was beg my parents for pets, and once we finally agreed on getting them, shelter animals seemed like the obvious choice. There are some organizations I support and want to be involved with – ASPCA and The Humane Society, to name a few. I also foster cats occasionally while in NY.

---

Thanks to Evan Roe for taking the time to chat with us! Follow Evan on Twitter and Instagram, and don’t forget to catch the premiere of Madam Secretary season 3 on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 9/8c on CBS!