Alan Tudyk On Devil May Care, Resident Alien, And Rogue One - Exclusive Interview
Alan Tudyk is one of those actors who shows up seemingly everywhere. Many of us first took notice of him when he appeared opposite Heath Ledger in the adorable and historically apocryphal film A Knight's Tale, but of course, most science fiction fans became obsessed when Tudyk took on the role of Hoban 'Wash' Washburne on the classic series Firefly. In one season, the cast of that show became so beloved that people still clamor for a Firefly reunion to this day. And thankfully, former castmates like Nathan Fillion, Morena Baccarin, Gina Torres, Summer Glau, and the rest of the Firefly crew still turn up in each other's work from time to time.
Since Firefly, Alan Tudyk has become prolific as an actor. As of this writing, you can find him playing the Joker on Harley Quinn, playing the Devil on Devil May Care, playing the titular character on Resident Alien, and as if all that wasn't enough, he's set to reprise his robotic role of K-2SO from Star Wars: Rogue One in the upcoming Disney Plus series Andor.
We sat down with Tudyk to talk about his current projects — and about what the future might hold for potential Firefly crossovers.
What belongs in Devil May Care's version of hell?
You're playing the Devil in Devil May Care. We wanted to ask some serious questions about that version of hell and what it's like so people understand what they're in for with the show. What real life app belongs in hell?
Twitter. It brings hell to us. So it makes sense. It puts us in hell, that it belongs... It's drawing its source from hell.
Are there any real life apps that don't belong in hell?
Plants vs. Zombies.
Which historical figure would be a really good social influencer?
In hell?
In general.
Historical... I guess I'll have to go with Hamilton because he's got a whole musical element, you can just bring Hamilton in and he'd just be right there. Everybody wants more Hamilton.
The counterpoint is, which one would be a great social influencer, but it would be terrible for the world?
I think he was just banned. I think that guy exists and he was just recently banned. And now lives in Florida.
The devil created dinosaur bones, periods and Australia. What else on earth do you think the devil is responsible for?
Wow. Oh my God. I think about this stuff... I need to keep a list of the things in life that bother me because I don't hold on to them, luckily. I try to move on. What did he create on Earth? Allergies. That's good. Allergies. I mean we can all identify with plagues. That seems to be very... COVID. My God. COVID. Lyme disease. That one sucks. Yeah. Most vegan mayonnaise.
I think that's right.
Let's just go with vegan mayonnaise.
It's the consistency.
Vegenaise is really good. But for the article I'm going to say vegan mayonnaise.
On the worst kinds of aliens and a Firefly reunion
You're doing multiple shows on the Syfy channel right now. You're playing an alien on Resident Alien that is going to possibly bring about an extinction level event. He really doesn't have a lot of work to do, it turns out. But if your alien could fight any other fictional alien — or a real alien, if you know any — which alien would you have him fight and why?
I don't know the hierarchy of the Grey Alien, but whichever... Like the King of the Grays, the head Gray. Somehow... to take out the Greys because those are the ones with the probes.
Oh that's true.
Those are the ones abducting people. Yeah, cut it out with the probes. Come on, please.
All right. So we're going to say the Fire in the Sky aliens that are real big on the probes. Those guys. Gross.
Yeah.
You've got Devil May Care, you've got Resident Alien. You're the Joker on Harley Quinn. You're working a lot, you're doing a lot of shows that have a lot of people come and go. I cannot help but wonder, if, with all of these things you're doing, we can expect any more team ups from the old Firefly gang, is there anybody that's going to be popping up anywhere?
Yes. Yes. I can't disclose, but yes.
That's exciting!
Not Ron. He is not going to be in it. He would appreciate that joke. I think it's hard to translate his humor.
On the return of K-2SO in Andor
I hear there's a war in the stars. That's the word on the street. A star war of some kind.
Oh, yes.
How's that going?
Oh, I'm not in it.
Nothing to do with it? No K-2SO in Andor? Nothing?
At some point there will be, but that's not what the show's about.
But coming back, what is the thing you want to do with that character again?
I think work with Diego Luna. I had a lot of fun with him. He's a really funny guy and just the relationship between those two characters. They always felt like K-2 wasn't as good of a character, like he was made better by Cassian and Cassian was made better by K-2. They're just like a funny pair. So just any scenes with him, just the back and forth with Diego is what I look forward to. And then since it's a prequel, you'll get the, if K-2 arrives, you're going to get his origin story with Cassian and how have the two of them, like... because they start off as enemies, how does he reprogram K-2? What is that like? I'm sure K-2 doesn't go quietly, so that'll be fun to play.