Fans have been following the members of SAMCRO seven seasons and now the FX drama will be coming to an end. The show told the story of the members of a southern California “biker club” who became a family of outlaws, through good times and bad. Fans have become a member of that family, along with the cast and crew of the show, who have grown closer than ever during their last season of filming.
Jacob Vargas plays Allesandro Montez, a member of SAMCRO, who arrived back in season six. Vargas opened up about his experience on the show and what it is was like on set during the final days of shooting.
Image courtesy of INFphoto.com
“It’s exciting and bittersweet,” explained Vargas. “It’s great to be a part of something that will leave such a legacy and that has such a strong fan base. Kurt Sutter can do no wrong and the fans love everything he writes. I have never been a part of something like this before and it’s truly fascinating.”
Vargas remarked that even though he came into the show late, it felt like coming into a family and that Sons was nothing like he had ever been a part of before. “There is nothing better than showing up on a set and it’s a bunch of cool people. No egos. Everyone is cool and chill. I will miss being a part of that.”
As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end and Sons is leaving at the height of its fame but Vargas was able to share how he hoped the show would conclude. “A Montez and Quinn spin off. The stuff we did in episode nine and ten, when we were alone in the cabin, we were able to really do some funny stuff. Unfortunately, it didn't end up making the cut but we love watching it.”
Vargas is now looking ahead to the future and working on new projects, including an upcoming feature film about the rescue of the 33 Chilean miners back in 2010, titled The 33, which he stars in along side Rodrigo Santoro and Antonio Banderas.
Chelsea Lewis from TheCelebrityCafe.com spoke with Vargas about his time on Sons and what is ahead once he leaves the SAMCRO table. The entire interview is below.
C: Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today, how are you feeling about the finale being on today?
J: Of course. It’s exciting and bittersweet. My wife and I really love the show and we often DVR it so we can skip the commercials but it has become our Tuesday night thing. We will have to find a new thing to do on Tuesday night.
C: How has life been since ‘Sons’ wrapped?
J: It’s been interesting, I didn’t know when I first came on the show what kind of impact it was having and has on the fans. You Know I get a lot of people recognizing me; I have hard-core biker fans coming up to me and asking me about the show. It’s all very interesting.
C: What was it like on set this season; did it feel different knowing that things were coming to an end?
J: Yeah it did, I came into the show in season six, I came in and out because I was out shooting a couple of movies at the time, I was still trying to find my stride but I think in season seven we definitely understood that the show was coming to an end. We were all wondering what would happen. Often we wouldn’t know until the scripts arrived so we would read through them to find out if our character lived on. A few people got a lot of surprises.
C: What can we look forward to during the finale?
J: It’s tough because I know what happens which takes a lot of the surprise element out of it. I can tell you that it’s going to super emotional and have a lot of surprises. It’s going to be very interesting to see the reaction because you can’t please everyone and you know that everyone has their own way that they think the show should end.
C: What is it like going out at the top of the shows fame? It seems as though it’s ending on a high note.
J: It’s great to be a part of something that will leave such a legacy and that has such a strong fan base. Kurt Sutter can do no wrong and the fans love everything he writes. I have never been a part of something like this before and it’s truly fascinating for me.
While we were shooting this last season, even after a character had been killed off, that actor would come back to the next table read and support the cast and crew. That speaks volumes about the commit that the actors have to the show and how they feel about it. It’s a family. I’m privileged to be a part of it.
C: I know that you can’t tell us what is going to happen in the finale but in your dream world, how would you like to see the show wrapped up?
J: A Montez and Quinn spin off. The stuff we did in episode nine and ten, when we were alone in the cabin, we were able to really do some funny stuff. Unfortunately, it didn't end up making the cut but we love watching it.
There is nothing better than showing up on a set and it’s a bunch of cool people. No egos. Everyone is cool and chill. I will miss being a part of that.
C: In a recent interview you mentioned your upcoming film about the Chilean miners, ‘The 33.’ What can you tell us about the project?
J: I shot this film in-between last season and this season, I have always been a character actor, so it was great to play a real miner. Turns out he was an Elvis impersonator but at the same time he was into running, he said that if he ever got out he would run the New York Marathon. He gets out and he runs the Marathon, it’s incredible.
The story of these guys and their will to survive was what was really inspiring. The miners really had to work together to make the rations last, at the same time trying to keep their mental focus and believe that they were going to be rescued. The chance of them being found was 1% and they were found. The chance of them getting out was very minimal and it was an amazing.
We actually shot in a mine, in Columbia. We shot everyday in the mine, we would go in at 6:00 AM, come out for lunch and keep filming well into the evening.
It actually wasn’t too claustrophobic, the mines are pretty big that we shot in. It’s not like you are in a coffin. They have to be able to get in some big equipment and have room to move around.
C: When is the film coming out?
J: It will be coming out sometime in 2015.
C: Any last advice for watching the finale?
J: Have a box of tissues ready.
C: Anything else you would like to add?
J: Thank you to all of the fans and for embracing me as well. It’s always tough coming in as a new guy and the fans have great.