'Legion' Cast Talk David's Upsetting Turn and Weird Days on Set

“Legion” made its presence known in a big way on the final day of San Diego Comic-Con, as cast and executive producers took part in a panel for the series, which will return next year with Season 3 on FX.  

Shortly before the “Legion” crew went onstage in SDCC’s massive Hall H, Marvel.com sat down with stars Dan Stevens (“David Haller”), Rachel Keller (“Syd Barrett”), Aubrey Plaza (“Lenny Busker”), Navid Negahban (“Amahl Farouk / Shadow King”), and Executive Producer John Cameron to discuss the huge events that ended Season 2, and how it sets the stage for Season 3. 

Just how far gone is David? And just how odd do things get on the set of “Legion”? Read on for what we learned…

Marvel.com: Going into the season, Noah [Hawley] was vocal about David maybe not being the true hero of the story. Dan, when did you find out how Season 2 would end, and what was your reaction?

Dan Stevens: I always knew there was the potential for it, because I knew the character. Looking at Legion [in the comics], even if you know the basic definition of him, there’s the potential for great world-ending evil, as well as great powers that can be used for good. The shift takes place quite regularly within his storylines, and so I knew that was in the cards at some point. It was kind of upsetting to see the turn, I suppose, and the development of Syd and David’s relationship and where that was heading. And seeing Lenny and all her heartbreak… But it is kind of fun watching that shift and it will be exciting to see through the looking glass of Season 2 into Season 3. …Do we end up in Wonderland?

Marvel.com: Noah’s also said that David and Syd’s love story is central to the show. But as you mentioned, that relationship couldn’t have been more fractured by the end of the season. Rachel, what did you think about how things played out?

Rachel Keller: It certainly follows a love story, right? Fractures exist in love stories. So yeah, going deeper into the trust between them, their boundaries, what they’re capable of… It was just great and really exciting. We needed to do that; to go there and explore those things. 

Marvel.com: Aubrey, your character had been trapped, one way or the other, for most of the show, so was it great for you to do that episode [“Chapter 17”] where we saw her out in the world? 

Aubrey Plaza: Yeah, it actually felt kind of amazing because everything I had done up until that point was really claustrophobic and kind of weird. It was a total release to jump on that motorcycle and get the hell out of there. It was great. 

Marvel.com: Obviously, Lenny doesn’t know what David has planned when he takes her out of there at the end of the season, but is she just up for whatever at this point?

Aubrey Plaza: I think she just wants to do whatever David wants to do. He’s her special friend!

Dan Stevens: They’ll cook up something special together. 

Marvel.com: At the end of the season, David was rattled to see Farouk standing there, freed from his cell. But I would think all can’t just be forgiven for Division Three and the Shadow King. Is it safe to say there will still be some problems?

Navid Negahbahn: Well… John, what do you think? [Laughs] You never know. Do we have a problem? 

Dan Stevens: There are a few, maybe! 

Navid Negahbahn:We will get there. We will solve them! 

Marvel.com: Are you excited by maybe even the potential of seeing if this guy can be a team player?

Navid Negahbahn: Yeah, I would love that! I would love to see how it’s going to turn out. It’s going to be fun. 

Marvel.com: John, going into the season, did you guys know pretty early where it was going to go at the end, as far as really fracturing David off?

John Cameron: Always. There’s always a road map. I never know exactly as the scripts come out. They of course get embroidered and deeper as the story goes. But there’s an overall arc each season, so yes. 

Marvel.com: “Legion” is of course known for some interesting and notably offbeat sequences. Is there a day on set that stands out to you as far as thinking “What is happening?”

John Cameron: Or was there a day where that wasn’t happening?

Dan Stevens: Yeah, I guess the way that we shot a lot of those multiple David scenes using motion control technology, that’s a real mind-spinner. The episode with all the prosthetics, going in and out of all these different characters [“Chapter 14”], was one kind of challenge. But then in the same physical mode, but as different characters, and playing the scene three times across the room and stuff [in “Chapter 19”] -- that was a few hoops to jump through, yeah! 

Rachel Keller: It was fascinating to be in the desert because we’re usually in studios, shooting on very intimate sets. So suddenly, we were in this vast, open space. You can’t see [electrical] cords. There’s not that many people. I loved working in the desert. 

Marvel.com: Aubrey, anything stand out for you? 

Aubrey Plaza: I don’t know…

Dan Stevens: Playing Saxophone in the desert? 

Aubrey Plaza: That never made it on to the show! I feel like every time I show up to shoot anything, I’m like, “Oh, okay!” There was a day that I was by the pool and I was randomly hung by a rope. That was interesting! I didn’t show up knowing that was going to happen. 

Navid Negahbahn: [Laughs] For me, I was completely lost. That was the first day I was shooting and I was with her in this white space. I had no idea what I’m doing. God bless her, Aubrey is saying, “This is where we are… This is what’s happening.” 

Aubrey Plaza: “We’re on the Astral Plane!” 

Navid Negahbahn: After that, I just learned to go and say, “Okay, I’m here. Let’s see what’s going to happen!”

Marvel.com: John, is great for you guys to know you have this very talented cast who can roll with the punches like that?

John Cameron: Absolutely. It’s always a thrill to throw stuff at them and see what happens. 

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