Chris Reed Reveals His Favorite Filthy Phil Scene On Sons Of Anarchy
Live fast and die young is essentially every member's motto on "Sons of Anarchy." Like the Redshirts in Star Trek canon, being part of the motorcycle club is not exactly a recipe for longevity. But while members of the Sons, such as Jax (Charlie Hunnam) and Chibs (Tommy Flanagan), endear themselves to audiences weekly, some characters must be expendable. Unfortunately, this honor usually falls to prospects or members who have not been patched in for very long. Unlike the tragic Half-Sack (Johnny Lewis) before him, Filthy Phil (Chris Reed) earns his full patch.
But like the deaths of "Sons of Anarchy" members before him, he doesn't get much time to enjoy it and dies bloody in service for the club. During the power struggle between Jax and Clay (Ron Perlman) in Season 6, Phil ends up on the wrong side of Galen O'Shay's (Timothy V. Murphy) gun and goes the way of many club members. We all enjoyed Phil's gentle disposition and loyalty to Jax's cause, but he is not forgotten even though he is gone. Reed took to the internet and reminisced about his favorite moment featuring his "Sons of Anarchy" character.
Filthy Phil has to prove his love for the club
Unlike members Tig (Kim Coates) and Clay, Phil is a tender-hearted biker. With so much of his backstory left up to the imaginations of its viewers, many may wonder what drove Phil to prospect in the first place. Not a legacy or having much stomach for violence, Phil seems more at home caring for Jax's children. But prospect he does and becomes a valued member of the table. Getting there, however, took all of his mettle and required he prove himself to the club.
Following Phil's sudden death in Season 6, Chris Reed took to Reddit to answer fan questions in an AMA. Redditor u/bigpancakeguy asked what scene the actor enjoyed the most, suggesting one of Reed's standout nauseating endeavors on the show. During Juice's (Theo Rossi) fall from grace in the latter half of the series, he steals a brick of cocaine from the club. While the Sons try to find the culprit, they deem the prospects the weakest links and find a way for them to prove their worth. Jax forces them to play a gun of Russian Roulette to coax the actual thief into confessing. Though there is no real bullet in the gun, the pressure is too much, and Phil vomits after seeing Ratboy (Niko Nicotera) pull the trigger on himself. Reed agreed, saying: "That would be the one. By far my most demanding work on that show."
Chris Reed also connected with Opie's death
If there is one episode that everyone remembers, it is the death of Opie Winston (Ryan Hurst). Jax's best friend has been a staple since the first episode and has endured more trials than anyone. After going to Chino for five years for the club, Opie's post-prison life is rocky at best. Unsure if he should continue with the club when he has a family to support, he takes some convincing to return. He loses his wife, Donna (Sprague Grayden), and his father, Piney (William Lucking). But the most heartbreaking of all is when he loses his life. Never standing a chance, Opie represents how the club destroys everything good. After five seasons, Opie says goodbye and sacrifices himself as a moving experience for everyone on set, including Chris Reed.
"I'll never forget Opie's death," Reed mentioned on a separate Reddit thread. "Even though the character wasn't in the scene, we were all on hand to send him off." Hurst was also heartbroken to leave the show. Charlie Hunnam mentioned to Vanity Fair that it was difficult for Hurst to let go of Opie. Many cast members joined the actor in a ceremonial ritual where Hurst cut off his beard to officially lay Opie to rest (via Entertainment Weekly). For a gritty show about California bikers, "Sons of Anarchy" never fails to stab you in the heart.