Krypton kicks into high gear with tonight’s new episode “Civil Wars” airing at 10PM ET/PT on Syfy. A big highlight of the next two episodes is the character of Dev-Em, as played by actor Aaron Pierre, who is facing some big decisions regarding who he stands by in Kandor.
We were able to catch up with the actor, whose other credits include Brittania and Prime Suspect, about Dev’s journey so far. Do note this interview was conducted before the big reveal at the end of Episode 5, so we were unable to ask a General Zod question! Dev-Em is a character of honor, and it is interesting to be able to learn from the portrayer of the character about what makes him tick on the world of Krypton.
KRYPTONSITE’s CRAIG BYRNE: Do you think that Lyta really does have feelings for Dev?
AARON PIERRE: It’s a very complicated relationship. When people are bound in Kandor, not every single time is it through want of being bound; it’s sometimes done for political standing. It’s sometimes done for true love, and other times it’s just for just the namesake. But I think in this situation, it’s so complicated, and there are so many different aspects to it, because if we for a second remove the fact that they’ve been bound, they are really great friends, and they have so much care and love and support for one another. Those are the fundamentals of their relationship. That’s where that stands. So when that is compounded with being bound in a relationship which may or may not have been forced upon them, or one of them, it then becomes tricky, because although there’s so much love there, it gets confused amongst feelings towards the binding.
How aware is Dev of Lyta’s relationship with Seg-El?
Without being biased, Dev is intelligent. He’s a very meticulous man, and he’s very well-trained in regards to the military. So he is able to pick up on even the slightest of cues or indications of something. So without saying too much, I feel as though Dev is definitely aware and conscious of it. To what extent? That’s yet to say. But he’s definitely aware that there is some sort of relationship, regardless of what that relationship is. He’s aware that there is something there, but at no point is he obsessive about it, but he definitely wants clarity, and I think that’s for peace of mind. He wants clarity on the people around him.
Does Dev-Em’s impression of Seg-El change as the first season goes on?
Absolutely. Initially, there is no relationship. They may have seen each other in passing, and they’ve heard things of one another, but there is no real connection to begin with. But over time, I feel Seg and Dev, although they’re in different places and in different positions, over time there’s an understanding of one another, and that’s what changes. It stops being an unknown entity, and they start to understand one another, and what each other’s journey has been.
In some of the Superman lore of the comic books, Dev-Em has been portrayed as a villain. Did that affect your approach to the character at all?
Leading up to filming, I did tons of reading. I became aware that Dev has been portrayed in quite a few different ways, actually. At one point, he was portrayed as somebody who had an allegiance with the Legion of Super-Heroes; he’s been perceived as a Daxamite. He’s been perceived as a criminal of the Phantom Zone. But actually, I think with all respect to the history of the character, I think what we’ve done here is said “hey, actually, there’s an opportunity here for us to establish our Dev-Em and what our Dev-Em represents and stands for.” And that’s where we’re going with it. We’re paying all homage, and then sort of seeing where we can take it, and how we can establish how we perceive Dev-Em.
Will we be learning more of what Black Zero did to injure Dev-Em?
Yes. I believe in subtle ways, that people will be able to put together the pieces and begin to understand how the scar on Dev’s back came about, and the impact that that incident has had on him mentally, and also the impact it had on his family and everybody involved.
Dev comes from a long line of people who have an unwavering respect for authority, and when I say “authority” I only mean people who are regarded in higher positions to them. As a part of a team, they have an unwavering respect. And Dev, although he has that, he also has an aspect to him that is not as rigid, and not as straight down the line. It takes a while for him to peel back these layers, but eventually, once he does manage to do that, you get to see the true humanity of him and where his heart really and truly lies.
Is there any particular character interaction coming up that you’re really excited for fans to see?
There are some really cool interactions that come later in the series. At this point, everyone is seen in their own respective parts of the city, but over time, the more things heat up, people are forced to interact, whether they want to or not. That’s what it gets really crazy. There’s a lot to look forward to, for sure.
What kind of a relationship does Dev have with Lyta’s mother, Jayna-Zod?
Dev’s relationship with Lyta’s mother is one of true honor. He would do categorically anything for her. She taught him all he knows, so there’s this unwavering tie he has to her. He looks up to her in every way imaginable, and everything he has become, in some ways, has been influenced by her. That’s what’s amazing about their relationship.
How has Krypton been different from any other project that you have filmed or done?
As a kid, you use your imagination consciously, and you have a great time, but I think when I began to be at the age where I could read comics, that’s the first time I consciously allowed my imagination to go wild and to really invest in these worlds and believe in these characters and their trajectories. Their powers. The places that they inhabited. So to now get the opportunity to be a part of something which is doing the same thing, it’s just a really massive honor, and I’m very excited to be a part of it, because I know what it did for me and what it meant to me.
Did you have a particular favorite set for Krypton?
I mean, dude. The first day I went onto the Fortress of Solitude was like “oh, man. This is crazy!” It just blew my mind. To see it live and in the flesh… it was just amazing, and no matter what was going on, as soon as you stepped onto that set, you were just like “oh, this is amazing. Let’s have some fun and let’s tell a cool story.” It’s just an amazing set. And as a matter of fact, all of the sets are so detailed, that you’re not really even required to remind yourself because of where you are, because it’s so evident by the detail of your surrounding. It’s really awesome.
What do you hope fans get out of watching this show?
I’m also a fan, and I hope that what fans get from watching Krypton is a satisfaction, because we haven’t explored Krypton to this extent before, and I feel like there are a lot of questions, and there are a lot of unanswered questions about Krypton, about the Kryptonian society, about where Superman began. So I really hope that our fans and viewers get a satisfaction and a really awesome journey out of coming along with us with the series, because we love it, and we hope everybody else does too.
What are you most excited for those fans to see in the coming weeks?
In the first episode for example, our introduction to Dev, and our first impression of Dev, is someone who is militant. Somebody who is straight down the line. No room for flexibility, not malleable, and very brutal in his approach to his job. What I’m excited for people to see is that when we peel back the layers, we get to see the true Dev. Because that version of Dev that we see in Episode 1 is something that has been drilled into him and beaten into him, essentially, and it’s a way of being that’s sort of unshakeable when it’s been driven so deeply into him from birth. It’s unconscious. It’s just what he does; he doesn’t even think about it. And what I’m excited for people to see is how he starts to become aware of his default, and how he breaks that mold and becomes the man he truly wants to be.
In Episodes 5 and 6, there is a situation that happens and there is no time [to be meticulous], and that’s a really exciting and fun predicament to see a character like Dev in, where he has no time to refer to his meticulous ways, and he has to just go from the heart.
Don’t miss a new episode of Krypton TONIGHT (April 25) at 10PM ET/PT on Syfy – photos from the episode can be found here! Our thanks to Aaron Pierre for taking the time for this long chat!