Summary

At CCXP, Collider’s Steve Weintraub talks with Patrick Dempsey and Sarah Michelle Gellar for Dexter: Original Sin.

The stars join Paramount+’s prequel series Dexter: Original Sin as Captain Aaron Spencer and Tanya Martin.

During their interview, Dempsey and Gellar discuss the conversations before joining, how the show’s set compares to previous shows, and their characters.

For the prequel series Dexter: Original Sin, Paramount+ is pulling out all the stops. Not only are we getting an origin story of sorts for the serial killer with a code, first made popular by Michael C. Hall, but two of television’s most iconic stars, Patrick Dempsey (Grey’s Anatomy) and Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), are joining this series’ franchise.
Besides Hall, who will voice Dexter Morgan’s (Patrick Gibson) inner monologue, no one from the original series is reprising their roles. However, many of the characters we came to love (or hate) are now played by new faces. In Dempsey and Gellar’s case, Captain Aaron Spencer and Tanya Martin are entirely new characters to explore, and it seems like they had a blast on set with co-stars Christian Slater, Gibson, Molly Brown, and more.
While at CCXP in Brazil for the Original Sin panel, Dempsey and Gellar sat down with Collider’s Steve Weintraub to discuss their decision to join the show. Having both been pivotal parts of long-running shows Grey’s Anatomy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, these two are no stranger to the “big commitment” and share the values they look for in a production before signing on. They also talk about the questions they had for their characters and more. Check out the full conversation in the video above or in the transcript below.
Why Sarah Michelle Gellar and Patrick Dempsey Signed on for ‘Dexter: Original Sin’

“Even with all the darkness, there’s a great sense of humor about it.”

COLLIDER: We’re at CCXP, and a lot of people here collect things. Is there anything that you collect or used to collect?
SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR: I can answer what you collect. Those. [Points to Patrick Dempsey’s watch]
PATRICK DEMPSEY: I collect watches and cars. There’s actually a really cool car collection here, definitely. Really some great cars around her. And, of course, they’re known for their racetrack — Formula 1 and then Formula E is this weekend.
GELLAR: I collect first-edition books.
DEMPSEY: She never stops reading. She’s always reading on set. Never stops.

Related

We’re Going Back to the Beginning in ‘Dexter: Original Sin’ Trailer

Patrick Gibson plays the younger version of the serial killer.

Moving into why I get to talk to you guys today. One of the things about this show is that your characters are brand new. They weren’t in the original. When you signed on, how much were you told about the ultimate arc of your characters, and how much were you like, “Dexter? Oh, I’m just signing on?”
DEMPSEY: It was both. It was like, “Oh, I’m definitely interested, but I want to have a meeting. What is the character? Where is this going?” And then I sat down, and I had a great conversation with everyone. I loved the direction. It was really open to wherever they wanted to go, so I was like, “I’m in. I’m in for the ride.”
GELLAR: I knew, as well. They definitely were very upfront and said, “This is what we’d like to do. This is the idea.” I think at this point, for me to sign on to do something, I need to know that stuff. You’re always making a big commitment.
DEMPSEY: And it’s the culture, too, Clyde [Phillips] and the team have put together. It was really lovely, well-organized, really safe, really fun. Even with all the darkness, there’s a great sense of humor about it.
Sarah Michelle Gellar Asks the Important Questions

“Am I going to get killed?”

Image via Paramount+

Did either of you ask to be a serial killer that gets figured out along the way?
GELLAR: Sure. Everybody asks that, right?
DEMPSEY: The first conversations you have, you sit down, and you’re like, “Where are we going? What kind of character is this?”
DEMPSEY: Also, you know what the difference is, too? I feel like when you’re younger in the business, you’re like, “Am I going to get killed?” Right? Then when you’re us, you’re like, “Am going to get killed?” [Laughs] That’s the difference.
One of the things about Dexter is each season is a huge villain. What was your reaction when you heard about this season because it’s both villain of the week and huge villain?
GELLAR: That was the same as the original show, because the original show had other people throughout that he became involved with. There was also sort of the bigger picture. I don’t think we differ that much. It might take a little longer to get to that point, but I honestly don’t think it differs that much.
DEMPSEY: I like how he’s learning as he goes on. It’s sort of how he’s learning how to deal with that shadow side of his nature, and then he’s getting the support from his father, which is really quite interesting.
How Does ‘Dexter’ Compare to ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ or ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’?

Image via Paramount+

You both have worked on a number of TV shows, and I’m curious, what would surprise fans to learn about the making of Dexter as compared to other things you’ve worked on?
DEMPSEY: How easy and fun it was with the cast immediately. It’s just really relaxed. We were coming out of, certainly, COVID, the strike, not a lot of shows were working. We were all very fortunate to be working and to be in a group of people, and with a culture that is being led by Clyde and the rest of the group. That was just so much fun. That was the thing all of us were very surprised by.
GELLAR: I joked with Clyde — what’s the app where people meet friends? Bumble. Clyde could run one of those because this group that he put together, from day one, there’s so much respect. But more than that, we were all so compatible. Everyone enjoyed each other’s company, which you don’t always get.
DEMPSEY: And we want to make sure that fans of the show were going to like this, as well. So, there was a lot of that responsibility and enthusiasm and commitment behind it.
The first season is 10 episodes. Which is your favorite and why?
DEMPSEY: I haven’t seen anything yet, so I don’t know. I haven’t seen it yet. We didn’t have a lot of playback either, so we didn’t see scenes, so I have no idea how it turned out. I know the days that I enjoyed working and scenes that I liked doing, but I haven’t seen it yet. I’m anxious to see it.

I don’t think you’re going to be disappointed.
DEMPSEY: I hope not! Have you seen it yet?
GELLAR: No, not everything. I’ve been traveling.
Is there one that you are excited for?
GELLAR: You know, like I always say, it’s like children. You never want to pick your favorite, and you don’t want to put that into someone’s head because you don’t want someone either waiting for that episode and then being ultimately disappointed or having expectations. So, I say you’ll be very pleased with the whole season.
DEMPSEY: I like how each episode has its own beginning, middle and an end, but it also leads you to the next episode in a fun way.
Dexter: Original Sin is now streaming on Paramount+.

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Dexter: Original Sin

Follows a young Dexter Morgan on his transition into an avenging serial killer.

Producers

Clyde Phillips
, Michael C. Hall
, Robert Lloyd Lewis
, Mary Leah Sutton
, Tony Hernandez
, Lilly Burns

Network

Paramount+ with Showtime

Watch on Paramount+