Kim Coates Wasn't Necessarily On Board With Every Sons Of Anarchy Scene
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From the pilot episode of "Sons of Anarchy," one thing is instantly made clear about Tig Trager (Kim Coates) — he's a bit of a loose cannon. In this premiere episode, he casually reveals to SAMCRO president Clay Morrow (Ron Perlman) that he was intimate with the two deceased Mexican sex workers found at the club's burned down warehouse, which was filled with illegal weapons. If an autopsy/DNA test is conducted, SAMCRO will be directly linked to the facility.
This is only the beginning of Tig's questionable antics, which include doing just about anything to protect the club. A particularly dark moment is when, acting on secret orders from Clay, he attempts to kill Opie Winston (Ryan Hurst). However, Tig ends up accidentally shooting Opie's wife Donna (Sprague Grayden), who is driving her husband's truck, unbeknownst to her attacker.
Violence is a common occurrence on "Sons of Anarchy." It is, after all, a show about an outlaw motorcycle gang. For actor Coates, who has a long history of playing villains, most of Tig's brutal scenes were second nature to film. However, there was one instance when Coates tried to put his foot down against show creator Kurt Sutter. Tig could kill and sleep around all he wanted, but Coates didn't want to see his character betray a friend.
Kim Coates didn't want Tig and Gemma to get together
In an interview with Daily Actor, Kim Coates revealed that, sometimes, he felt Kurt Sutter took a Tig scene too far. This was true in "Sons of Anarchy" Season 2, when he and Gemma Teller Morrow (Katey Sagal) share a steamy moment together. After she's sexually assaulted by the League of American Nationalists, she fears that her husband Clay won't look at her the same and turns to an intoxicated Tig.
"When I banged her against the wall and she comes onto me, I said [to Sutter], 'I'm not doing it, I'm not doing it, I'm not doing that scene. Clay's my best buddy, I mean, he's the president, that would never happen,'" Coates explained. However, Sutter convinced him that it was the right move for Tig, who is able to demonstrate restraint and remorse. He breaks away from Gemma and races to clear his conscience to Opie about the true fate of his wife.
From the beginning, Sutter convinced the actor to trust him regarding Tig. In "Sons of Anarchy: The Official Collector's Edition," Coates recalled how, after being passed over for the roles of Clay and Bobby Munson (Mark Boone Junior), he was called back to discuss a newly-created character. At first, Coates didn't think it was a good fit, fearing that Tig was a one-note bad guy.
"And Kurt said – and I will never forget it – he said, 'But that's why I want you. Tig is going to be tough. Yeah, he's going to be twisted. He's going to be weird, but he's going to be loyal. He's going to laugh. He's going to cry. He's going to be funny. He's going to be all the things we want in an actor. And that's why we want you,'" Coates said.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).