Joe Keery interview: ‘Fargo’
SPOILER ALERT: This article and video contain spoilers for Season 5.
“The final scene brings the absurdity of Fargo, but at the end of the day it’s about forgiveness,” reveals Joe Keery about that “Fargo” conclusion. In our recent webchat he adds, “That’s what we kind of need right now. Reading the scene, I thought it was a crazy way to end the show. But watching, it was perfect.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.
“Fargo” is the FX anthology series created by Noah Hawley that was inspired by the 1996 Joel and Ethan Coen film. Each season takes a darkly comedic look at new characters dealing with life and crime in the Midwest. In the series’ fifth installment, Dot (Juno Temple) is on the run after her abusive ex-husband Sheriff Roy Tillman (Jon Hamm) discovers her whereabouts. Keery plays Gator Tillman, Roy’s brash son and deputy sheriff.
Throughout the season, Gator desperately tries to earn his father’s respect and approval. The actor explains, “He is so unaware of how desperate and pathetic he comes off. It is a little freeing to play somebody so unaware because you can take these big swings.”
Kerry reflects reveals working on “Fargo” he learned that “it’s important to allow yourself to swing big and fail. In those moments are where things can really start to happen. You can discover more about the character and where you and the character combine. For the scene I was on the bucket, the second time we did that, I thought, ‘let’s go crazy here.’”
In the scene on the bucket, Gator is confronted by a hitman, called Ole Munch (Sam Spruell), he has crossed. Munch gouges Gator’s eyes to pay the debt for his sins. For the final episodes, Keery has to act with a bandage covering his eyes. The actor admits, “Because you cannot see, it forces you to use other things. There’s something about it, with the facade fully down, Gator could finally see he’s just this child.”
In the season finale, Gator seeks reconciliation with Dot. Keery adds, “It’s a great ending. He did horrible things and pays the price when Munch takes his eyes. Now it’s about being blind in this world and being sent off. It’s up to him now.”
Keery is also known for playing fan favorite Steve in “Stranger Things.” The star says, “I’ve been safe and working on ‘Stranger Things.’ I’ve been so blessed with that experience. ‘Fargo’ really felt like a departure for me. To work on this established show where the tone is very clear and incorporate myself into this world.”
The actor also has a successful music career under the name Djo. He says when acting that “everybody’s after that moment of truth, those moments of enlightenment. For me it takes so long to memorize lines. Sometimes you’re like, ‘is there anything left here? Have I squeezed it all out?’ Then you will be doing a scene, and something will just click in. You realize this is not what you thought it was about. When you connect to the work that way, it gives me a real sense of purpose in my life. It’s a similar thing for music. When you feel you are able to tell the truth, it’s an amazing feeling. When you are being honest and not thinking how you look; that’s the moments you can see.”
