REVOLUTION: Jim Beaver on Reuniting With His Former SUPERNATURAL Boss and Which Character John Fry Has Tension With

Jim Beaver has kept busy since being killed off of SUPERNATURAL in the show’s seventh season, and his latest gig (on NBC’s REVOLUTION) reunites him with a few familiar faces: REVOLUTION/SUPERNATURAL creator Eric Kripke and former SUPERNATURAL writer/new REVOLUTION writer Ben Edlund.

I spoke with Beaver about reuniting with his former SUPERNATURAL buddies, his REVOLUTION character, John Fry, and why things are tense between Fry and Miles…

Given that you worked with REVOLUTION creator Eric Kripke on his former show SUPERNATURAL, how long has this been in the works?
Jim Beaver: [Laughs] I’ve been trying to get on it ever since I heard about it. I think when the show first got picked up, I sent Kripke a congratulatory email that included a certain amount of sucking up. So, yeah, I’ve been looking forward to it. It took a while until something came along that fit me, or that I fit the show well for, so I was just really happy when it did come along. I’d do anything for Kripke — pretty much.

Probably good to have some boundaries. Were there any particular roles on REVOLUTION before this that you came close to playing or you wish you had the chance to play?
JB: During the first season, they talked to me about a role, but ultimately, Eric decided he wanted to save me for something different. I think maybe he thought [something else would] fit me a little better. Frankly, I don’t even recall what that role was. At that time, I was disappointed I wasn’t going to immediately go and work for him, but with Eric, I trust him: if he says he has something better for me down the line, then I’m perfectly willing to wait.

So yeah, there were a couple of false hopes that looked like they might happen, but I can’t complain about the role that I eventually got, because it’s been an enormous amount of fun to play. It’s as close to a Western as I’ve been able to play in a few years. It’s been a lot of fun.

That’s great. What can you share about your new character, John Fry?
JB: Well, nobody can fill John Wayne’s boots, but I think if Wayne had still been around and in his prime, he’d probably be playing John Fry instead of me. It’s that kind of part. It’s a strong, rugged, fearless character who knows what he thinks is right and steps up to make things right. And he’s a tough guy. A lot of fun to play.

And he does have a history with Miles. What can you say about that relationship?
JB: Well, put it this way: he thinks Miles tried to kill him, so he’s none too happy to see him. He’d be very happy to see Miles with his hands behind his back and a rope around his neck, but circumstances don’t allow for him to pursue that too quickly. They’re forced to join forces against a common enemy, and get to the personal retribution later.

Given that mistrust of Miles, what does John think of Rachel and the people around Miles? Or does he not interact with them?
JB: Certainly initially — although there’s a brief interaction with the people around Miles — most of what you’ll see with Fry is purely Miles and Fry interacting. What he thinks or feels about the other people in Miles’ circle is pretty much put off until later. There’s not a lot of direct interaction with anybody but Miles. At least not until fairly late into this first episode. So it’s very much about the relationship between Miles and Fry as things begin here.

Since it seems like this is the beginning of the arc, can you share how much you’ll be around this season? Or are you under a gag order about your future with the series?
JB: I’m so gagged you wouldn’t believe it. Yeah…all I can say is not everything is as it seems to be initially and there are surprises ahead. So… [Laughs] That’s awfully generic, but anything more than that and I’ll probably end up with my hands tied behind my back and a rope around my neck.

Well, we don’t want that. On a lighter note, your first episode is written by former SUPERNATURAL writer Ben Edlund. How was that for you?
JB: The world of REVOLUTION is very different from the world of SUPERNATURAL, and it doesn’t lend itself to the kind of wackiness that I’m used to in a Ben Edlund script. It’s considerably more serious and straightforward in that regard. I am always happy to be associated with what Ben is doing, because it’s going to be full of surprises. And in that regard, this first REVOLUTION episode went in places I didn’t expect it to go, which is a hallmark of Ben’s writing. In the sense of being a wild and crazy Ben Edlund script, it’s a little tamer in that regard, but that’s not to say it’s tame. It’s just not SUPERNATURAL, [where] it was kind of, “Strap yourself in, because who knows where he’s going to take us this time.” The shows are very different in that regard, but it still has his personality stamped on it. I don’t think he’s capable of having something without his personality stamped on it. I’ve always enjoyed working with him and this is no exception.

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REVOLUTION airs Wednesdays at 8 PM on NBC.

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