Interview: Chaske Spencer on Amazon Breakout Hit Sneaky Pete – Exclusive

Sneaky Pete, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video last Friday, is enjoying the rare distinction of a season 2 renewal less than a week after its debut. Starring Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) and Giovanni Ribisi (Ted, Avatar), the show follows the trials and tribulations of con man Marius, who assumes his prison cellmate’s identity to sidestep his past. With executive producer Cranston and showrunner Graham Yost at the helm, Sneaky Pete has already proven itself a breakout hit of 2017. In fact, according to a recent Amazon press release, the show earned the position of second most streamed original scripted series on an opening day, behind The Man in the High Castle.

During a quick chat with Chaske Spencer, who portrays “somewhat bad guy” Chayton Dockery in the series, we found out what it was like to work with Walter White and more!

The legendary Bryan Cranston co-created Sneaky Pete with House creator David Shore, and also appears onscreen as Vince. What was it like to work with him? Did he give you any acting tips or advice?

Chaske Spencer: [When Bryan was] directing me in a scene, he said the best way to play the “bad guy” is to act like whatever horrible act your character is doing is simply not a big deal. You have to jump into that mindset completely.

In that same vein, what advice would you give to other actors or aspiring actors?

Make sure you always have your lines down.

Some viewers may recognize you from your role as Sam Uley in the Twilight movies. How does working on a movie compare to working on a TV show? Do you prefer one medium over the other?

When you’re filming TV, it moves faster, [while] film takes a bit longer. I really enjoy both. It all depends on the writing, of course – it’s all about the script and goes from there.

Lastly, Sneaky Pete is available for viewing via Amazon’s streaming service, which makes it a prime (no pun intended) candidate for binge-watching! Do you have any go-to shows to binge-watch?

I’m re-watching The Wire this weekend. It’s so fantastic!

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Thanks to Chaske Spencer for taking the time to speak with us! You can keep up with this accomplished actor by following him on Twitter and Facebook, and visiting his website.

For Amazon Prime members whose familiarity with Sneaky Pete is limited to last week’s themed Snapchat filter, we have some good news! You can stream Sneaky Pete season 1 for free via the Amazon Video app for TVs, connected devices, and mobile devices, as well as online.