James Spader obsessed over every small detail of his character in The Blacklist, forcing the writers to make last-minute changes.
The Blacklist ended its critically acclaimed run of ten seasons in 2023, bringing to an end James Spader’s turn as Raymond “Red” Reddington. Spader played the lead role of Red, a former fugitive turned FBI informant with a mysterious past. However, Spader was extremely stubborn when it came to one aspect of the character.
During an interview, series creator Jon Bokenkamp revealed how Spader was cast in the series and his approach to the part of the criminal mastermind. However, the showrunner admitted that Spader was extremely obsessive about completely understanding the nature of his character. Here is what Bokenkamp had to say about Spader’s performance in The Blacklist.
James Spader Obsessed Over Every Small Detail of His Character in The Blacklist
James Spader played the role of Raymond “Red” Reddington in the hit NBC thriller series The Blacklist. The series premiered in 2013 and became one of the most-watched shows on network television. It concluded in July 2023 after ten seasons.
During an interview with The Rolling Stone, creator Jon Bokenkamp admitted that Spader wasn’t the first choice for the role. After the actor came on board, Bokenkamp was convinced that no actor was more well-suited for the part.
However, Bokenkamp and the writers quickly became aware of Spader’s obsessive nature. He said:
I was out pacing on the phone for two hours. This stuff keeps him up at night. He can dig his heels in. The conversations can be frustrating.
Furthermore, Bokenkamp stated that he spent almost two hours daily, seven days a week, speaking over the phone with Spader and hashing out the details of the script.
At the same time, the creator admitted that no topic was too small for them, highlighting Spader’s obsessive nature when it came to understanding the different facets of his character. However, Bokenkamp’s words implied that Spader’s obsession became an issue for the writers.
The Blacklist Creator Revealed How James Spader Was Concerned About One Storyline
During the same interview, Bokenkamp cited the example of one particular episode’s script to explain how involved Spader was in the overall process, especially the writing. The creator explained that Spader was left baffled when the writers decided to blow up the FBI black site which served as Red’s hideout.
You understand this is a game-changer. You’re burning down this house! This means there’s a terrible security issue for Reddington.
Spader made the above statement regarding the two-part episode that saw the end of Red’s initial hideout, voicing his concerns regarding the major change to the status quo.
Furthermore, Spader explained that he was concerned about the storyline primarily because it compromised Red’s safety, resulting in the actor requesting a rewrite. As a result, the writers had to rewrite the script, affecting the show’s schedule, further proving that Spader’s obsessive nature could sometimes be an issue.
