Editor’s note: The following interview contains major spoilers for Mayans M.C.After the intense return of the FX series Mayans M.C., tension is only building for what promises to be an insane fourth season. While Santo Padre navigates a new world order that’s teetering on the brink, brothers EZ (JD Pardo) and Angel Reyes (Clayton Cardenas) have to re-evaluate exactly what they want for themselves and what that means when it comes to the club.
During this 1-on-1 interview with Collider, Cardenas broke down the wild season opener, his reaction to first reading the script, what it was like to be in the moment on set, the challenge of pulling it all off, putting new cast member Manny Montana through his paces when he joined the show, the evolving dynamic between Angel and EZ, why it’s so important for Angel to have his own family, and what most impresses him about working with showrunner Elgin James.
Collider: I have to tell you that I don’t think I took a single breath during that whole first episode. I was so on the edge of my seat. I’ve never seen anything so intense.
CLAYTON CARDENAS: Yeah, I couldn’t take a breath when I was reading it. Just reading off the page, I was in the comfort of my own home and I couldn’t breathe. I was like, “Whoa, this is magic.” And then, on the day shooting it, I was like, “Whoa, this is magic.” And then, you see it, as the audience, with all the hootin’ and hollerin’, locked in and loaded, and you’re like, “Whoa.” The time flies by. That’s why I was happy we were leading into the second episode. It gives you a moment to breathe and to really digest what happened. Hopefully, everybody received it like we did.
I can’t imagine filming such a long battle that it’s the entire episode. What was the most challenging aspect of doing that whole episode?
CARDENAS: When you have a big shoot and there’s a lot of actors involved, it’s hard to keep everybody focused and concentrating, for a variety of reasons. That’s what I thought was going to be the problem. That wasn’t the problem. The problem, and this is another actor complaining, but it was night shoots, we were getting done at four or five or six in the morning, it was cold, and the rain was going on outside, so people were getting wet. That was probably the most challenging part. It was gruesome. It was physically exhausting, for sure. I think it was four nights in a row on that, and then because of COVID, we had to come back and do some other stuff. That was probably the most physically exhausting and exerting episode that I’ve ever experienced, and that was just episode one. There’s a lot of action on. Elgin wasn’t lying. Episode 1 is definitely the most action seen in Mayans M.C. than in the first three seasons.
Towards the end of the first episode, when you guys are all lined up next to each other, on your knees, and you’re wondering how or if you might get out of all of this, what was that like to shoot? What goes through your head, in those moments when you’re on your knees and you have a gun pointed at your head? What is that like to do?
CARDENAS: As actors, sometimes you lose a grasp on reality and it becomes really real. It’s hard to feel unreal when you see everybody around you, all feeling it’s real. It’s easy to get caught up in that energy and emotion. And it was sad. It’s scary. You try to embody these characters with sympathy and empathy. As I was watching people next to me go down, on the right and on the left, it’s hard to not have an emotional reaction. A lot of those emotions you’re seeing are real. Those aren’t fake tears. We’re literally on our death bed and wondering who is going to be next, and that’s a really frightening feeling. You do the quick internal clock check of all the things you morally did wrong and right. A lot of that runs through your head. You’re like, “Did I do enough with my life? Is this how I wanna go out?” It’s tough.
I just kept thinking that I really hoped you didn’t have to shoot that too many times.
CARDENAS: We did. We were shooting, and then COVID struck midway, so we had to come back and do it again. For me, the most challenging thing was that there was an actor who kept hitting me on the bottom of my chin with the gun. That wasn’t the most like pleasant feeling.
What’s it like for someone new to come onto this show? When someone like Manny Montana shows up, do you guys immediately embrace him and help him fit in?
CARDENAS: No, no, no, no, no.
Did you put him through his paces?
CARDENAS: No one gets to walk in and be top dog, no. Manny had to earn his stripes. We’re such a tight-knit group. This original group of Mayans has been through so much, and we’ve stuck together through it all. Anybody new doesn’t get to walk in and be family. That’s not how it works. Manny has slowly grown on people. I would say not so much my character. He’s slowly earning his stripes. He fits like a glove with us. He’s a great actor. He’s a good friend of mine. We’ve grown to really like each other. We share similar friends. He’s been a joy to have around. The cast, the crew and everybody loves him. He’s very kind and openhearted. But no, he had to take his lickings. It wasn’t just, “Welcome to the club, Manny Montana.” No, no, no. That’s not how it works. He had to eat some crow first. You saw how we treated our last prospects.
Especially after last season and what went on with Marcus Alvarez, what it was it like to have him step back in this season and to have him be a presence again?
CARDENAS: It feels just. For the fans, that’s who the original Mayan was, in their eyes. That’s the godfather, El Padrino, voice of reason. That’s what’s been wanted by the audience, so it feels just to have him back and running things. He is the ultimate voice. When he speaks, everybody turns their head and listens. To have that type of commanding presence is always needed within our club.
By the end of this season, how different will the dynamic be between Angel and EZ?
CARDENAS: I don’t know if it’s different. Their past actions have opened doors between the two, weirdly. They’re going through these extreme circumstances that only them two would understand, so it leaves room to open these doors that have never been talked about before. I think we get to see more of the brotherly shoulder to cry on. Angel and EZ definitely open up more to each other, specifically about their current relationships. That’s their dynamic outside of the club. Their dynamic inside of the club has become an interesting one because Angel sees EZ as basically his equal now. There’s no more prospect moments. There’s no more having to teach him anything. Angel definitely views easy as an asset to the club now. If anything, I think he’s surprised with how easily he’s acclimating to the club, with such pride and determination. It’s really interesting for him to watch. It’s almost frightening.
It really becomes obvious in the first episode, when EZ is really the only one making any actual decisions. They all keep asking Bishop for answers and he’s not saying anything, while EZ is the only one who steps up.
CARDENAS: And I think Angel is in awe of that. EZ has ascended so quickly and has this ease in taking over the club. It’s something that was unexpected.
Do you think Angel ever saw himself as possibly leading the club, at any point? Is that a position he ever pictured himself in, or is that something he never really wanted? Is he seeing EZ in that position?
CARDENAS: I don’t believe Angel was ever in the club for power. I think it was more family that he sought out. It was more of a brotherhood that he was yearning for. It was more about having father figures because he never had a father figure. I don’t think power and ranking really meant anything, has ever meant anything, or is going to mean anything to Angel. His brother never spoke about wanting to take over Santo Padre and wanting to be King or President, but I think Angel is seeing it now. He’s watching it actually happen. He’s afraid of that because, deep down, he knows that there is a determined, hungry side to EZ. He’s seeing it being portrayed now as possibly the president or lead of a club, and he’s very afraid of that.
What was it like for you to get to have this contrast from the first episode to the second episode, where Angel is trying to help out Nails while she’s expecting their child?
CARDENAS: You’re talking about that juxtaposition, which is very cool and very real. You can’t just paint these club members or gang members into this one stereotypical machismo-esque role. There are light moments and family sides to people who are involved with these types of things. As for Angel, the audience is finally realizing that he might be thinking of leaving this club. He might be searching for a life outside of this. He might be searching for the life that he never had. I believe that he wants to have the wife and the children and the picket fence, and just the good old boy life. We’ll see if that’s gonna happen.
Elgin James wrote and directed the first episode back, and he directed the second episode. What has it been like to work with him, as a director? What was it like to shoot all of that with him?
CARDENAS: Elgin James is, by far, my favorite director that I’ve ever worked with. That’s not to say that I’ve worked with this huge list of directors. I don’t wanna make myself sound like that. But as far as an artist, he’s the most understanding, empathic artist that I’ve ever worked with. The way he commands a set is unseen and unheard of, in my opinion. The way he’s able to articulate his point of view to each in every individual is amazing. He takes the time and the effort to speak to everyone, as if they’re number one on the call sheet. That takes a lot of time and energy to do, and we’re talking from the top of the call sheet to the bottom of the call sheet. Him and our DP, Vanessa Joy Smith, have become a dynamic duo. His ability to explain his point of view to her has been unheard of.
This season, I feel like it’s finally his full creation, all around. We’re finally able to see the Elgin James canvas. There are no more voices over here and over there, telling him what to do. It’s just Elgin James now. With that, we’re seeing poetry in motion, with the dialogue he uses and the type of shots he uses. Every frame is like a painting. Every frame means something. Every word means something. This season has been, in my opinion, the most layered and poetic season of Mayans M.C. I could go on and on about Elgin and what he’s done for me personally, outside of Mayans, and what he’s done for my career, and what he’s done as one of my best friends that I’m able to speak to about everything in life, besides art, which we love to talk about, by the way. That man, to me, is the most understanding, loving, caring individual that I’ve encountered, so far.
How is he, as a director? Does he get very specific with you guys, as actors, or does he step back unless he needs to step in and make his point known?
CARDENAS: Early on, he was feeling out the whole cast. He didn’t wanna step on anybody’s shoes. He wanted to see who had what ability to do what, and that took a couple of seasons. Now, he’s able to be very specific with the actors. Now, he’s able to know to give one actor a very specific note, or to give another actor no note at all. It’s not his way or the highway. He’ll listen to you. As an actor, if I have a different opinion about how we should be doing something, he’ll listen to it. But specifically, if I do that, nine times out of 10, he’s always right. I’ll be like, “Maybe we should do it like this.” And he’ll be like, “No, you shouldn’t, because of this.” And I’ll be like, “Oh, okay, yeah.” As the creator, he’s looking at it from such a grand point of view. Me, as Clayton and Angel, I’m so focused on a specific moment. His ability to look at such a grander point of view is definitely an asset. He is open to conversation about things, but nine times out of 10, he’s correct.
Mayans M.C. airs on Tuesday nights on FX.