Sons of Anarchy - Interview with Ray McKinnon

Had you been familiar with the show before joining this season?
RAY McKINNON: I didn’t know the world of Sons of Anarchy until (show creator) Kurt [Sutter] reached out to me. I watched the second season in about two days, like people do with that show. It’s addictive. I was like, “Why haven’t I heard more about this show, in the awards area?” It’s just such a well-done, complex story, with the behavior of the family, and then the bigger family of the club. I mean this in the best way, but it’s a melodrama, in the way that The Sopranos was and the way that Mad Men is. It’s about complex people having complex relationship, or in some cases, simple people having complex relationships. But, I had to stop watching it because I was getting starstruck. I was just like a fan, watching it. I was like, “Man, they’re going to drive up on those motorcycles and I’m going to freak out.” So, I didn’t watch the third season. I just stopped watching it because I had to become a peer. I’m just really impressed with that show. And then, the writing of this season, with every episode, as it progressed, I was like, “Wow!” Over time, it’s gotten people’s attention, and I’m glad. I hope it continues on, doing that.

Do you know what Kurt Sutter’s interest was, in casting you on the show?
McKINNON: I know that I, along with others, have made movies, over the years. Because of my relationship with Walton Goggins, and Kurt’s relationship with Walton, and Walton being a part of our movie-making team, I think Walt forced him to look at all of our stuff. So, he knew my work, better than a lot of people did because of that. I was off making these independent films that very few people saw, and loving it. But, I think that was part of it. He’d seen me and he knew my work really well. I was surprised. When I read the role, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go out to L.A. I wasn’t living there, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to go out there. I didn’t really know anything about Sons of Anarchy, and there were lots of reasons that I wasn’t sure that I wanted to spend six months in L.A. But then, I read the character and I just was like, “Oh, my goodness!” I’d been looking to play a character that was really, really bright and intellectual and weird because I have some of those attributes, more so than some of the characters I play. I just wasn’t as interested in those other archetypes, as much anymore. So, it was a surprise. I was intrigued by it. I’m still not sure what he saw, in what I’d done before, that made him think about me for this role. I’m both grateful and baffled by his choosing me. I’m sure there are a lot of people who would have loved to have played this role.

Source: Full interview @ Collider