Ray Santiago Hints At Possible Death for Pablo in ‘Ash vs Evil Dead’ Season 2
- Details
- Category: Interviews
- Created: Saturday, 01 October 2016 15:11
- Published: Saturday, 01 October 2016 17:03
- Written by Lupe R Haas
Bruce Campbell, Lucy Lawless, Ray Santiago and the evil dead return for “‘Ash vs Evil Dead” Season 2 on Starz Sunday, October 2. Who will make it out alive from the demon apocalypse? Actor Ray Santiago teases his character Pablo may not be so lucky. The “Ash vs Evil Dead” star is also talking to CineMovie about what’s coming up in Season 2 and working with new cast member Lee Majors.
In “Ash vs Evil Dead” Season 2, Ash and his demon fighting crew return to the scene of the original evil dead sighting at his home town of Elk Grove, Michigan. Lee Major joins the new season as Ash’s father Brock, a racist grouch of a man.
Ray Santiago speaks highly of Lee Majors, best known as the Bionic Man from the 70s hit show “The Six Million Dollar Man.” Santiago watched and learned from the actor whom he calls old school, humble and “cool” to be around.
“Not only does he memorize his lines, he memorizes everybody else’s lines,” says Santiago. “He does not go back to his trailer between takes. He just sits and waits for them to be ready. He’s kind of that old school actor that you want to be like. None of this bullsh** that people don’t show up for your coverage. He is there the whole time.”
Having Majors on set was “hilarious” for Santiago and the crew. Bruce Campbell being the funny man in real-life that he is, used the “The Six Million Dollar Man’s” tag line, “Bigger. Faster. Stronger” in one of the episodes featuring Lee Majors.
Major’s character now completes Pablo’s faux family. The 32-year-old jokingly refers to Ash’s father as the “racist grandfather” he never had while Ash is his “white drunk father, Kelly is like the hot sister. Lucy is like the step-mom who beats you.”
That’s what Santiago enjoys most from Starz’s horror comedy. Together his on-screen motley crew forms an “Addams-like” family of monster fighters. Pablo, however, dreams of the day when one of his crew members will be more than just a killing partner. Pablo wants three things in life, says the Bronx native.
“He wants to survive the evil dead force, save the world from evil, and get the girl. I can tell you at least one of those things happen. This season Pablo may or may not become a hero that he never thought he could be. You’ll just have to watch and see if he makes it.”
We can rule out saving the world since that would mean an end to the “Ash vs Evil Dead” series. So that leaves two other possible outcomes. He could finally get Kelly played by Dana DeLorenzo, his love interest in Season 1 or he will make it to Season 3, but he brought up some doubts about that last option.
Santiago is constantly worried about the uncertainty of Pablo’s mortality in “Ash vs Evil Dead.” “You just never know,” quips Santiago. No one is safe on television shows when even the beloved characters can be killed off anytime especially “the ethnics” in the horror genre. When CineMovie asked him when he plans to fly back to New Zealand to shoot Season 3, the answer was not one most fans would like to hear.
“I don’t know if I’m going back. You never know. Pablo may not survive this season,” teases the actor.
That uncertainty makes him manic about his future in the “Ash vs Evil Dead” show. The cast receives scripts a few days before the table read, but in between that, he’s constantly searching for pages in the stunt room, wardrobe and make-up trailer for clues to Pablo’s future.
“Listen. I’m from the South Bronx. Everyday I’m hustling. I gotta figure this out. Where can I find a copy of what’s coming next. A mother fu****’s gotta know. They like to get rid of the ethnics on these shows.”
However, Santiago says fan input means a lot to the show executives. “They have the power to keep people alive,” and keep the show going. He encourages those who don’t have Starz to binge-watch Season 1 on the Starz app for $8.99 a month, and tweet directly to him at @RealRaySantiago with what you liked and disliked.
As for the new season, expect lots more blood, viscera and other gross things being hurled at the actors the second time around. On the premiere episode for Season 2, Pablo literally rips his face off. For the scene, they made his face look like a pepperoni pizza. Just when he thought things couldn’t get any “weirder” after last season’s birthing scene out of his mouth, this topped it as the most disgusting thing he’s had to do for “Ash vs Evil Dead.”
There’s an even more disgusting scene for Bruce Campbell’s Ash on the second episode of the new season, he warns.
“There’s a disgusting site that Ash goes through… probably the most disgusting thing I’ve ever seen on television. It’s really gross actually.”
He tells us a Starz executive was worried that day about the scene. She said the scene could be considered the coolest thing ever on television or the “most disgusting piece of television in world history.” Fans will be the judge of that, but Santiago adds that’s what makes the Evil Dead franchise special and why they push the envelope. Fans want to be scared but have fun with it as well with the brand of comedy that started with the movies.
Santiago says the show also ups the ante with villains and danger level.
“This season evil has a new baby daddy. Ash will face one of the biggest villains he’s ever faced.”
Let’s hope the main characters make it out alive from “Ash vs Evil Dead” season 2. Even if they don’t, Santiago claims no one is really dead on “Ash vs Evil Dead.” You can always come back as a Deadite. He teases that somebody from the movies may be one of those "people." That makes sense given that Ash returns to his hometown where all this began in the woods nearby.
Personally, he sees his career and life in the same way. “I live in the moment,” according to Santiago who says he can’t set up a permanent life while traveling back and forth to shoot the Starz show. He uses that nomadic existence as a basis for his character.
Catch him on "Ash vs Evil Dead" starting October 2 at 8pm on Starz.