Lifestyle Asia sat down with two of the newest cast members joining Jack Ryan Season 4, which is also its final season.
Remember back in the day when John Krasinski was announced to be the new Jack Ryan and people were like “Seriously? Jim from The Office?”. The very same people probably never watched his role in 13 Hours just a few years back. But while that film proved Krasinski was as adept in action as he was in making faces directly at the camera, it was Jack Ryan that truly cemented Krasinski’s role as an action hero, and he proved himself worthy of the mantle that used to rest on the shoulders of Harrison Ford and Alec Baldwin.
Prime Video’s Jack Ryan is about to drop its fourth and final season tomorrow (June 30), and it’s a swan song that closes out a tale full of espionage and deceit. It also sees the titular Jack Ryan now serving as Deputy Director of the CIA. But just because Jack Ryan is ending doesn’t mean the “Tom Clancy-verse” is.
Joining the show’s final season are Michael Peña and Louis Ozawa, both of whom play enigmatic and shady characters whose allegiances are murky at best when the season starts off. In an interview with LSA, they talk about how the show is different from the rest of the spy thrillers out there, what it means to be joining the cast in the fourth season, and what, if anything, could be said about the possible Rainbow Six spinoff.
Jack Ryan Season 4: Michael Peña and Louis Ozawa talk about filming the show’s final season
Do you guys feel any pressure since you’re joining the show in its last season?
Michael Peña: Of course. First, it’s met with a thrill, and then all of a sudden you realize that this is a successful show and I could potentially mess it up. But [John] Krasinski (who plays Jack Ryan and serves as executive producer) is the one who’s leading the way so I think we’re in good hands. But there’s that awareness of if you don’t pull your own weight then that could be a liability.
Louis Ozawa: Absolutely. To not just be a part of this show but the whole Tom Clancy-verse is nothing small. There are a lot of fans out there, but as an actor, you just try to take it one scene at a time.
Did you read any of the books? Or maybe played any of the games since Tom Clancy is mostly known now for the games?
MP: I read The Hunt for Red October. What games?
LO: There are a ton of games. I’m not a gamer myself, but I’m familiar with the games. I’ve seen the movies and I’m a big fan of them.
There are a lot of shows about espionage and political intrigue out there. What sets Jack Ryan apart?
MP: I think it has to start with John Krasinski and the role of Jack Ryan. It’s very easy to watch. It’s very easy to get behind him in this role and actually follow along. You root for the guy. And as a producer, starting from season one, he’s surrounded himself by really good actors and storytellers so the stories are always good. That’s what you’re gonna get in Season Four as well. The stories and the scripts that he was able to push out are satisfying.
LO: We’ve got movie-level production values and a murderer’s row of actors including this gentleman sitting next to me. It’s fun as an actor. What more could you ask for? It’s really meaty scene, great dialogue, and then there are amazing action sequences.
Your characters are introduced in a really striking and enigmatic way in this season. Could you tell us a little more about your characters?
MP: I play Domingo Chavez. He was in the military, and some of his fellow partners got killed in combat and he wants to know who’s responsible for it. So he’s going after those guys.
LO: I play Chao Fah, a businessman who runs a casino as well as other parts of a larger organization. Certain aspects of the business are kind of in the grey area and maybe not so legitimate, and I’m also a family man trying to find the best life I can for my family.
Michael, what can you tell us about the upcoming Rainbow Six spinoff that you’ll be starring in?
MP: I can’t tell you anything. We’re gonna have to see how the fans like the character and how many letters they write. There’s always potential there, but who knows what the future has in store?
Why do you think Season Four is the right time for Jack Ryan to end?
LO: I don’t think you can sustain this kind of level of production value, to be honest. I think John [Krasinski] said he was in sixteen different countries over the course of these four seasons. That takes its toll on the cast and crew. That’s the cost of giving the best kind of experience we can for an audience and hours and hours of content like we’ve done this season. If you watch this, we’ve packed these six hours with so much content.
The fourth and final season of Jack Ryan drops tomorrow, June 30, on Prime Video
Eric can be found lost in his own world jamming with headphones on while writing when he's not prepping for a DnD session or researching 'Star Wars' galactic history on Wookiepedia. A proud Ravenclaw, he loves playing (and writing about) video games, humming the 'Doctor Who' theme under his breath, and rewatching 'Friends', 'New Girl', and 'The West Wing'.
