Last week while in Los Angeles for the Ant-Man and the Wasp event, we sat down with some of the talent for Marvel’s “Cloak and Dagger” to get all of the behind-the-scenes information on their new show airing on Freeform.
We screened the tonight’s episode and chat with Executive Producer Joe Pokaski, Tom Lieber Vice President of Original Programming at Marvel Television, Miles Mussenden who plays “Otis Johnson,” and Andrea Roth who plays “Melissa Bowen.”
Marvel’s “Cloak and Dagger” Fun Facts
MARVEL’S CLOAK & DAGGER – Freeform’s “Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger” stars Aubrey Joseph as Tyrone Johnson/Cloak and Olivia Holt as Tandy Bowen/Dagger. (Freeform/Alfonso Bresciani)
The New Orleans Location
Executive Producer Joe Pokaski felt New Orleans had a very “Cloak and Dagger” feel to it. And let’s face it, NYC is pretty well protected with superheroes. Pokaski says they brought on some writers who are very familiar with New Orleans, so they were able to dig into things like Vodun and really understand the religion, the connection between West Indies and African religions, with Christianity and the Mardi Gras Indians. “The more we learned about New Orleans, the more we were surprised Cloak and Dagger weren’t there the whole time.”
MARVEL’S CLOAK & DAGGER – “Funhouse Mirrors” – Tyrone heads down a dangerous path to get closer to Det. Connors, as Tandy pretends to be a Roxxon intern in an attempt to get answers. Her “internship” hits a little too close to home for Tandy when she gets a glimpse at what her life could have been like. Meanwhile, Det. O’Reilly gets closer to Det. Connors and Evita’s Aunt Clarisse worries about Tyrone’s future. This episode of “MarvelÕs Cloak & Dagger” airs Thursday, July 5 (8:00 – 9:00 p.m. EDT) on Freeform. (Freeform/Skip Bolen)
OLIVIA HOLT
The Music of Cloak and Dagger
Joe Pokaski said he’s always been into music. They brought a lot of that team over from “Underground.” Jonathan Christiansen is the music supervisor, and he is amazing. Pokaski will say, “We want something like this Rihanna song, which we can never afford.” And he’ll think outside the box.
Pokaksi said he probably listens to 100 songs for every spot. “It’s amazing how the music lifts up the footage and vice versa.”
MARVEL’S CLOAK & DAGGER – Freeform’s “Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger” stars Andrea Roth as Melissa. (Freeform/Frank Ockenfels)
Finding lightheartedness in the dark subject matter of the show
Andrea Roth shared how she and others on set have some truly emotional moments and are connected, despite the dark and serious subject matter of the show. After particularly emotional scenes Andrea she and Olivia give each other hugs. “I couldn’t adore a child who isn’t mine more…I’m having a fabulous time with Olivia [Holt]. It’s actually really easy for me.”
Speaking of that dark subject matter, Episode 8 will contain lots of origin stories for several characters, as sort of a part 2 of the pilot, and promises to be an emotional episode.
MARVEL’S CLOAK & DAGGER – Freeform’s “Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger” stars Miles Mussenden as Mr. Johnson. (Freeform/Frank Ockenfels)
Casting for “Cloak and Dagger”
Joe Pokaski said they probably had a thousand or so people read for each role, and they didn’t cast until the weekend they were supposed to leave to film. “It is very hard to find people that age who have raw talent.”
Easter Eggs in the show
As a lover of Easter Eggs, this was one of my favorite moments of the interview. Joe Pokaskai said that adding Easter Eggs into the show is part of the fun. As a viewer and comic book nerd, I couldn’t agree more!
“That’s the fun of Marvel,” Pokaski said. Pokaski shared with us an Easter Egg in Episode 5 on how it starts and ends as an example; it is something that is mentioned in Episode 3. “The beauty of doing 10 episodes is you get to lay in a lot of that nonsense, that really smart people like yourselves will figure out. I think that is part of the fun, laying in things that make it rewarding to the viewer.”
MARVEL’S CLOAK & DAGGER – Freeform’s “Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger” stars Aubrey Joseph as Tyrone. (Freeform/Frank Ockenfels)
On how the show came to be
Joe Pokaski wrote the script as one of his first original pilots over 5 years ago. “FreeForm and Marvel were happy with us breaking the mold a little bit,” Pokaski said. “Cloak and Dagger” has tried to have a very different look and feel with their shooting style.
MARVEL’S CLOAK & DAGGER – Freeform’s “Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger” stars Olivia Holt as Tandy. (Freeform/Frank Ockenfels)
About “Cloak and Dagger”
“Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger” is the story of Tandy Bowen (Olivia Holt) and Tyrone Johnson (Aubrey Joseph) – two teenagers from very different backgrounds, who find themselves burdened and awakened to newly acquired superpowers which are mysteriously linked to one another. The only constant in their lives is danger and each other. Tandy can emit light daggers and Tyrone has the ability to control the power of darkness. They quickly learn they are better together than apart.
Cloak and Dagger airs Thursdays at 8 PM on Freeform.
Thanks to Walt Disney Studios for bringing me to Los Angeles on an all-expense paid trip. As always, all opinions are my own.
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