Actor Jensen Ackles switched up his schedule so he could reprise his role as Soldier Boy in the “The Boys” spinoff, “Gen V,” at the request of the series’ showrunner Michele Fazekas, and its executive producer, Eric Kripke, the two told TheWrap in an interview.
“We needed a marquee character to come in to be like our heroes’ guide within [Cate’s, played by Maddie Phillips] dream,” Kripke explained.
Spoiler alert: This post contains plot details from Episode 6 of “Gen V”
In Episode 6 — titled “Jumanji” — viewers see Marie (Jaz Sinclair), Jordan (London Thor and Derek Luh) and Andre (Chance Perdomo) travel through Cate’s mind in hopes of discovering more about Godolkin University’s secret lab the Woods, as well her involvement with it. After seeing a replay of Cate’s traumatic childhood with her mother, they are pleasantly (or unpleasantly) surprised by an appearance from “The Boys” character Soldier Boy, who pops up to provide the team of young Supes with insight into the dreamy world they’re in. When the group questions why he, specifically, is there to help, Soldier Boy explains that not only is Cate’s mind comprised of her memories, it also includes her crushes. That’s where he fits in.
“Well, I’m Cate’s imaginary friend from when she was a kid…boyfriend, really,” Soldier Boy says in the episode. He later overshares how he was the center of Cate’s sexual fantasies, simultaneously grossing out Cate’s new love, Andre.
If you’re a fan of both “The Boys” and now “Gen V,” you’ll know that Soldier Boy helps bridge the storylines of prominent characters in the show’s universe including Homelander, who is currently the most powerful Supe on The Seven and Soldier Boy’s son. Soldier Boy is also the leader of the less popular superhero group, Payback.
While discussing Soldier Boy’s significance to the series, Kripke — who previously worked with Jensen on “Supernatural” — praised on how the actor embodies the character and make such a jerkish character entertaining.
“Jensen Ackles, he is just so crazy charismatic. Even though he’s on TV, he’s such a movie star,” Kripke said. “It’s a shot in the arm of any scene that he walks into. And he’s so good at walking that line between being just like insanely charming, and like, a huge f—g d—k. He manages to make being a d—k likeable somehow.”
Speaking to Jensen’s character in real-life, Fazekas said the actor was already stationed on another project but reorganized his schedules just so he could be in “Gen V.”
“He moved his schedule around. He was already working. He was so great,” Fazekas said. “He just comes in, and like, he’ll do the script. And then, he’s so good at ad-libbing. We have so much stuff of that didn’t make into the episode that was all equally as funny. It was very hard to choose what we are putting in the show.”
While no one is opposed to a visit from Soldier Boy, he wasn’t the only option writers thought of to have as Cate’s fantasy crush. Actor Taylor Lautner (“Twilight”) was also an idea.
“Hilariously though, if I remember correctly, the first draft of the script, it was Taylor Lautner,” Kripke said. “I forget whether we even asked him, but, either way…we were looking for a way to get Jensen into the spin off.”
Kripke continued: “I can call [Jensen] and be like, ‘You’re suiting up! I need you in the game’, and like, ‘You’re hopping on a plane to Toronto,’ and he won’t hang up on me.”
Fazekas broke down the initial plan for Lautner’s potential appearance.
“The scene was, the kids realize they’re in Cate’s head, and then they turn and they’re like, ‘Taylor Lautner? What are you doing here?’”
By the end of the episode, viewers also got a better understanding of how Luke “Golden Boy” Riordan has remained the top-ranked Supe at the school, and it’s all thanks to his brother Sam Riordan (Asa Germann), as it’s revealed that Sam’s powers are being transferred to Luke via blood transfusion procedures performed by Dr. Edison Cardosa (Marco Pigossi).
“They’re not Compound V-related,” Fazekas said, referring to the made-up chemical that gives normal beings in the show super powers. “Basically, Sam is so powerful, but he’s broken. It’s a doping story. They’re using Sam to dope the more ‘perfect’ brother.”
She continued: “What [ Vought is] doing is, ‘Let’s make [Luke] even stronger.’ That’s why [Godolkin University professor Richard Brinkerhoff, played by Clancy Brown] kept saying, ‘You’re going to be bigger than Homelander.’ They’re these kids are products for them.”
The full cast of “Gen V” includes Sinclair, Luh, Thor, Perdomo, Phillips, Germann, Brown, Lizze Broadway, Shelley Conn, Sean Patrick Thomas and Colby Minifie.
Fazekas and Tara Butters serve as showrunners and executive producers for the series, which was developed by Kripke, Craig Rosenberg and Evan Goldberg.
“Gen V” premiered Sept. 29 and airs new episodes on Prime Video every Friday.
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