Ahead of last night's monumental installment of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, we caught up with stars Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons and Ren Watabe to talk about the second season and what to expect in the final few episodes as we watch Cate (Anna Sawai) become more and more of a Titan X whisperer, which is going to have massive ramifications for everyone involved.
Additionally, Sawai talks to me about working with Mari Yamamoto and navigating Cate's dynamic with her suddenly resurrected grandmother this season. Meanwhile, Clemons and Watabe walk me through the complex evolution in May and Kentaro's relationship this season and what to expect as they carry on in their respective paths.
The new season features a main cast of Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett, Wyatt Russell, and Kurt Russell.
The first five episodes of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 are now available to stream on Apple TV+!
Watch our full interview below and/or keep scrolling to read the full transcription. Plus, remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more exclusive content!
ROHAN: Anna, Cate becomes a bit of a Titan whisperer this season, what would you say makes her resonate with Titan X?
ANNA: I think that with Titan X, she just kind of sees something that makes her understand that she also is trying to protect and survive, and that's something that we are all trying to do.
ROHAN: Kiersey, May was pretty guarded in season one, but I’d say she becomes somewhat more trusting, what would you say results in her taking matters into her own hands early on with Apex?
KIERSEY: The whole thing, that's the big question. I think that was what I was asking myself, as an actor, I don't always have all of the answers, because the questioning sometimes is what the performance is, I suppose.
ROHAN: Ren, having been someone left in the real world for two years, how would you say Kentaro has grown from season one which leads him to taking more independent decisions later in the season?
REN: He's carried on the family business, in a sense, working closely with his father, so he's more experienced, and he's becoming, you know, independent and, yeah, I mean, I hope that you see a growth in him, and him becoming his own.
ROHAN: Anna, Cate gets to connect with your grandmother this season, what was it like working with Mari on developing that dynamic as you work together?
ANNA: I love Mari so much, I was waiting for more scenes with her. I think the way that I view Mari is kind of similar to how Cate views Keiko, where there's a lot of respect and admiration and just wanting to be be that confident and passionate about something, and Cate is, you know, like she holds a lot of PTSD and she feels like she caused a lot of trouble for other people, and she's always hiding, and Keiko allows her to see that she doesn't have to be that way. She hasn't always made the wrong choices, and that she also finds the passion in the family legacy. So, it was amazing to play Cate in that way and also be able to finally, really, really work with Mari.
ROHAN: Kiersey and Ren, there’s some tension in your dynamic this season, what can you tease about where your relationship is at and the paths your characters are on?
KIERSEY: It’s hard to describe.
REN: It's become very complex, I can say that.
KIERSEY: I don’t know, that’s a hard question.
REN: Yeah, even, it's hard for me to explain what he's going through, or I don't even know what she's going through. It's up in the air. And which I think a lot of relationships are like, you don't really know what's going on.
KIERSEY: And I think, also, for May, he's lived two years of life that she knows nothing about. So, it's also, I guess the tease is, how does that affect their relationship and how she views him. Oh, there you go. There's the tease!
Season one of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” tracks two siblings looking to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell), taking place in the 1950s and half a century later, where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows.
Season two picks up with the fate of Monarch — and the world — hanging in the balance. The dramatic saga reveals buried secrets that reunite our heroes (and villains) on Kong’s Skull Island, and a new, mysterious village where a mythical Titan rises from the sea. The ripple effects of the past make waves in the present day, blurring the bonds between family, friend and foe — all with the threat of a titan event on the horizon.