In July we lost Pee-wee actor and acting legend Paul Reubens, who shaped many a childhood, especially in the USA. In memory of the late star, The Blacklist creator Jon Bokenkamp spoke about his experiences with the actor, who played Mr. Vargas in five episodes of the series had.
How Paul Reubens changed his The Blacklist character for the better
Bokenkamp explained to People in the summer how the character was adapted after Paul Reubens was cast. The actor had concerns about the fake blood on the set of the brutal series, Bokenkamp explained:
Paul said very specifically in our first phone call: ‘I’m a bit worried about the blood. I don’t like blood. “I’m a little worried that I might get sick and pass out.” […] I thought he was joking. And so we said, ‘Okay. That’s this figure. This character hates blood.’
It didn’t stop there. Vargas walking around with a stick is also because Reubens can’t see blood. According to Bokenkamp, he brought the cane to the set so that he could use it to hold himself up if necessary if he fainted.
NBC
Paul Reubens as Vargas in The Blacklist
Vargas became a more memorable character because of Reuben’s quirks and interests, than it was planned in the script, as the series creator explained:
[Vargas] became very specific and unusual because it was so much him. It was just very organic in that respect. We had written up Mr. Vargas in a way that could not have been memorable. […]. I think he definitely helped define what was both strange and funny about The Blacklist.
The aversion to blood became part of the character, as did Reuben’s idea that Vargas had to wear a strange wig.
Season 10 of The Blacklist is streaming on Netflix and Amazon
This year The Blacklist came to an end after 10 years. The 10th and final season has been streaming on Netflix since August. The finale is also available on Amazon *, but only to rent or buy.
More about the series:
Podcast tip: Why the ending of The Blacklist could only disappoint
The Blacklist was a phenomenon. In the midst of the prestige series Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead, the crime series starts 2013 with a captivating start. That was the beginning of an impressive success story – and a quiet downfall.
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Together with my colleague Andrea Wöger, I asked myself two questions in the podcast a few months before the finale that were bothering me: Why is The Blacklist so popular? And is a satisfying ending even possible?
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