Eric Kripke Discusses the Actors’ Impact on Characters in ‘The Boys,’ Highlighting One Notable Duo

It’s no surprise that The Boys is one of the most beloved superhero shows worldwide. With each new season, Eric Kripke’s vision has elevated Garth Ennis’ dark and twisted take on the superhero genre, making it one of the most-watched series ever.

The fourth season was a tremendous success, and we now know that the team is hard at work on the show’s fifth and final season.

While we wait, it’s the perfect opportunity to revisit the fourth season and share some intriguing behind-the-scenes insights, which is the focus of this article.

In a previous interview, Eric Kripke discussed the significant influence the actors have had on the writing and development of their characters—a fascinating topic worth exploring! That’s why we’re excited to share it with you.

In a conversation with Variety, Kripke shared how the development of specific characters was shaped by the actors themselves, their on-screen chemistry, and their acting skills. Here’s what he had to say:

Are there any instances where you have changed the characters as you’ve seen what the actors can do?

The short answer is all of them. I mean, one of the things I love most about television is your ability to evolve and adjust as dailies come in, and you can tailor the role. Once you see what the actor is comfortable with and what they excel at and where some of their blind spots are, you can really start playing to their strengths.

In Homelander’s example, Ant’s ability to give 16 facial expressions when another person gives one is just so astounding. Give that guy an Emmy already. I don’t understand why it hasn’t happened yet.

What’s an example of something that you saw and you were like, “This is really working. Let’s write more toward that”?

Well, I’ll tell you one: Frenchie and Kimiko. That was one where they have this very sweet relationship in the comics, and so we knew we wanted to do that, but the chemistry between those two is so off the charts that we just kept writing it and writing it. And all credit to Karen Fukuhara, who is delivering a great performance without having said a single line of dialogue.

Unbelievable.

What a high-wire act of a performance. And you always understand where she is and where she’s coming from, and she brings you into her experience. And so I would say, yeah, Frenchie and Kimiko is probably the best answer to that.

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