“At the time, it was a one-year deal,” actor Michael Kelly reveals in his exclusive interview with Gold Derby (watch the video above) about joining “Jack Ryan” for its second season, which Amazon Prime released last fall. Asked if his role as CIA station chief Mike November has since expanded to continue into the third season that is next to shoot, Kelly teases, “I know exactly what they’re going to do next year.” He laughs, “I can’t talk about it — I can’t tell you if I’m involved in it or not!”
The four-time Emmy nominee is however finally breaking his silence on the premise of the scrapped “House of Cards” spin-off centered on his character Doug Stamper that was in development in 2017, with Kelly attached as a producer and director. He reveals that the plan at the time was for Doug to end “House of Cards” in prison, with the spin-off opening as he meets “this charismatic, young, black man” there. Kelly continues, “Frank helps get them out of prison and it’s him taking this kid under his wing and running him in his hometown for a small office position, like a city councilman, but he’s got a shady past and Stamper of course has to take care of business the way he does best.” Kelly likens it to “Breaking Bad” spin-off “Better Call Saul” in how “it was going to be lighter in tone.”
“We want you to create your own character and have fun with it,” Kelly recalls being told when he was offered his part on “Jack Ryan.” Looking forward to a change of pace from his “tough” persona on “House of Cards,” Kelly remarks, “It just seemed like a perfect little fit.” Kelly followed up the second season of “Jack Ryan” with the adaptation of the autobiography by former FBI director James Comey, which finished filming earlier this year, with Kelly portraying deputy director Andrew McCabe. “It’s such an important project to get out to the American people, no matter what side of the aisle you’re on,” Kelly says about the miniseries, which depicts the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 United States presidential election.
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