Ian Bohen plays Lieutenant General Mitch Anderson in Season 2 of Superman & Lois, and longtime fans of his might recall a time when he was tormenting Tyler Hoechlin’s other famous character, Derek Hale, on Teen Wolf, where he played Peter Hale. Now, the characters have changed but Bohen is still playing a thorn in his side, as Anderson has been a consistent problem for Superman ever since he took over at the DOD. Oh yeah, and he’s put Superman in prison!
We were able to speak with Mr. Bohen earlier this week about getting the role of Anderson, and of course, what it was like to reunite with Tyler on a new show. A new episode of Superman & Lois called “Anti-Hero” airs TONIGHT (March 8) at 8PM ET/PT on The CW!
KRYPTONSITE’S CRAIG BYRNE: How did it come about for you to join the cast of Superman & Lois?
IAN BOHEN: Tyler [Hoechlin] and I had been talking since we left Teen Wolf. He was doing this, and I was doing something else, but we just love working together and collaborating. I was saying, “I’d love to be on Superman! That’s something so different than anything I’ve ever been on. If something comes up, keep me in mind!”
This went on for a full year, and a part came up and he said, “I think you’re this guy! But you’ve got to make a tape.” I was overseas, and this material came in, and I learned it, and then I asked Tyler to read with me. I had him on Zoom, and I set up my camera, and then recording myself looking at him. The scenes are with Anderson and Superman. I’m like, “it’s got to be a plus, if they hear Superman reading with me, they can sort of put the pieces [together].” So we make a tape and we send it in, and lo and behold, they say “we think this is going to work. Fly home immediately, because we’ve got to go!” So that’s how it happened.
What is it like to again be tormenting Tyler Hoechlin on a television show?
It fills my soul with joy and happiness, because he’s playing this iconic, really perfect, honorable vision of American iconic culture, from when I was a kid up until… it will be forever. I’ll just tug on his cape all day long, if I can, just to keep him humble. Of course, it’s all in good fun, and, and it just makes it more enjoyable to start the day on set when we’re ribbing each other.
So it’s definitely helpful to join a show where you’ve already worked with one of the principal actors for a few years?
Yeah. Everything that we do is about relationships, and the way you feel as you’re playing characters… they’re doing dramatic and dangerous and frightening things. So, any rapport that you have makes it more comfortable to reveal yourself and to put yourself in a position of uncertainty so that all the good stuff can come out.
I’ve known Emmanuelle Chriqui for just about as long, maybe a decade. I feel like I know a lot of the other cast, just because of how highly Tyler speaks of everybody, and the anecdotes of whatever happened with this and this. So after a year, you’re like, “I kind of know you!” And if there were so many tasks that came up and said “You’re Ian!” and literally, we hugged and said “we can’t wait to know you” I immediately felt like I was part of this new team, and then subsequently, really, a new family. That’s the dream. Most sets don’t have this feel. This is very, very infrequent. This crew is a home run. Todd [Helbing] has cast marvelously, and it shows in the work.
Getting along so well with this cast, is it hard to pretend to be mean to them?
Here’s a thing about what I do. I don’t feel like I’m being mean to them, I feel that it’s tough love and that truly, it has to be this way for the greater good. So my take on it is almost like “why are they not listening to me?” It’s almost parental, like “you’re doing it wrong, don’t eat with your hands, clean up your room, or you’re gonna get in trouble.” You have to come at it from a righteous point of view, because no one thinks they’re a bad guy… even the worst bad guys.
Might we ever see Anderson’s family or some more of his backstory?
That is something that I’ve been pushing for. I am unclear on that. I don’t think it’s germane to the theme and the tone of of this season. It just doesn’t really add anything. We might hear kind of a throwaway line to define him, but it’s not really going to be featured. I don’t think it’s relevant.
With a Teen Wolf movie on the way, do you think you’ll ever play Peter Hale again?
I would be shocked if I didn’t play Peter Hale at least one more time. Having said that, I do get shocked. It’s not up to me, but in the world that I live in, it kind of seems like it should happen. I hope I didn’t jinx myself!
What’s your favorite part of the Superman & Lois experience?
The faces that you see every day when you go to work, from the cast and the crew… everybody’s energy, and what they bring, and their attitude, and their work ethic. Obviously I love playing, and the acting, and the stunts, and the drama, and I love watching the show, but I just want to see these quirky, funny, smiling, bizarre and wonderful people every day at work, and just be part of their their world. The work is a bonus, but the people you get to be with, that’s really the gold.
Can you talk about what it was like to work with Elizabeth Henstridge as the director?
She is fantastic. She’s so patient and open to communicating. She’ll listen to what ideas you have, and will compromise, and is a wonderful collaborator. She’s got such a great energy. Some directors feel like you’re stepping on their toes if it doesn’t go exactly a certain way. She is just part of the flow. She was so well liked, and I would absolutely dive into anything that she was directing in a heartbeat.
Did you get tired of filming in red light for “Anti-Hero?”
No. It was surprisingly soothing to me. I, I really enjoyed it. I will say it’s hard to hit your marks, so you almost have to count steps in some shots. They’d light what they need to see on you, but they don’t light what you need to see on the ground, so it’s interesting.
What does Anderson think you will gain by putting Superman in his cell with Tal-Rho?
In his mind, he’s leveraging him to get the information about Bizarro, who for Anderson is the most existential threat to the people of America, and he will do whatever it takes to counter that threat.
What do you have to say to the fans who will be reading this?
Thank you for watching, and being so supportive, and being a part of it interactively on social media, and spreading the word and just being loyal fans to what is one of the greatest stories in pop culture that we’ve ever seen. We appreciate you.
Superman & Lois “Anti Hero” airs at 8PM ET/PT March 8 on The CW. Take a look at some photos from the episode here!