With six episodes of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters now streaming on Apple TV+, and the plot thickening by the minute, we were able to catch up with stars Joe Tippett ("Tim") and Elisa Lasowski ("Duvall") to learn a little bit more about their roles and where their character's allegiances may lie as get into the second half of the season.
While they were cautious of sharing any spolier-y details, both Tippett and Lasowski explained their respective character mindsets and what their unlikely partnership could mean for the future of Monarch and the Randas. Plus, they also touch on what it was like shooting that monstrous desert sequence and getting a chance to film in Tokyo.
In our review of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, we said the series "is wildly entertaining with a compelling human core that keeps you coming back for more. Godzilla and the Titans remain the stars of the MonsterVerse, but, thanks to the outstanding father-son duo of Kurt and Wyatt Russell as well as a star-making turn from Anna Sawai, the universe is finally able to expand in a satisfying way that will hopefully set the stage for a variety of new adventures, including the sure-to-be epic Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire in March."
Watch and/or read on for our full interview with actors Joe Tippett & Elisa Lasowski below, and please remember to SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel for more exclusive content!
ROHAN: Joe, your character Tim really seems committed to Monarch cause and seemingly has something to prove this season, with possibly shifting allegiances. What do you think it is that is driving him all season?
JOE: Yeah, I don't know. I think he's just out to prove that Monarch’s initial mission statement is true and good. and that they shouldn't be hiding. They have the resources and the people to study and protect, and I think what's happened is that the organization has sort of lost its way, and he's down there sequestered in the basement, and, kind of, is the one of the only voices thinking like we're losing our way here. So, I think, ultimately, everything that he's trying to do is just bring Monarch back to where the sort of 1950s story with Keiko and young Bill and Lee started.
ROHAN: Elisa, your character sort of finds herself a bit saddled with Tim throughout the season, where would you say her allegiances lie? And what do you think she she thinks of her newfound dynamic with Tim?
ELISA: I mean, she's a skilled operative, who probably has a background in maybe intelligence for the French government or something like that. So, I think Monarch is another type of institution for her, essentially, and she's brought to the cause, because she has her own reasons for caring about the survival. She's kind of like her own agent in some ways. So, she's in it for the greater good. Could it be Monarch? Could it be something else? Like, who knows? I don't want to spoil it, but I think, unlike Tim, who like Joe just said, has this sort of thing about the history of Monarch and is passionate about it and all of that. I don't think that necessarily matters to her all that much, but she operates in it as a means to an end.
JOE: Yeah, I think Tim's reasons are institutional where Duvall’s are a bit more personal.
ROHAN: Everyone is put through the wringer this season - was there any particular sequence or location that you found extra challenging to shoot at?
ELISA: I would say like, for me, one of the challenging locations we had was being out in this sort of desert, purely and simply because the elements were, kind of, in some ways against us, you know, it's like super hot and like a lot of sound everywhere, and we had cactuses, just sort of getting into our skin, but yeah, in a purely sort of physical kind of point of view, that was kind of a challenge.
JOE: I remember one day the craft services wasn't that great...
ELISA: *laughs* They didn’t have that butter thing you wanted?
JOE: Yeah, that I demanded, and they just didn't have them. *laughs* No, I think filming in Tokyo was actually my favorite place to be, but also, it was quite difficult because of the humidity. We were there in August, and so it was incredibly hot and crowded and stuff like that. There was something that was very challenging about that, but also like a ton of fun at the same time, like, I think, Elisa alluded to it, even the things that were hard were fun to participate in.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is now streaming on Apple TV+!