[Editor’s note: The following contains major spoilers for Talamasca: The Secret Order.]

The AMC series Talamasca: The Secret Order, part of Anne Rice’s Immortal Universe, follows Guy Anatole (Nicholas Denton), who is on the cusp of a law career when he’s approached by Helen (Elizabeth McGovern), an agent of the Talamasca. As he delves deeper into a world filled with secret agents and immortal beings, he becomes increasingly determined to uncover his family history and seek answers about his mother. His journey intertwines with that of the vampire Jasper (William Fichtner), Talamasca agent Raglan James (Justin Kirk), Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian), who is on a book tour, and Doris (Celine Buckens), a mysterious woman living with a coven of witches. Guy discovers that the supernatural world holds more complexities than he ever imagined, and that everyone harbors secrets.

During this one-on-one interview with Collider, Denton discussed the events of the season finale, entitled “The 752,” how much he knew about the Anne Rice universe before being cast in Talamasca: The Secret Order, what he enjoyed most about exploring Guy’s life and world, meeting Daniel Molloy, whether Raglan James can be trusted, filming the intense episode five moment when Fichtner confronted him, the conversation between Guy and Helen in the peep show, the season’s most surprising twists, Guy’s feelings towards Doris, what Guy wishes to learn about his family, and which character from Anne Rice’s Immortal Universe he would love to share a scene with.

Collider: We last spoke for Dangerous Liaisons, and while that series and Talamasca: The Secret Order seem quite different, you portrayed complex characters navigating manipulation while revealing personal truths only when necessary. Are these elements you find appealing?

NICHOLAS DENTON: They are indeed similar. What Dangerous Liaisons represented for me with Valmont required a lot of depth to distinguish him amidst the grandeur of the 18th century, complete with all its embellishments. In contrast, Guy is very exposed; we see his rawness because he has nothing to hide behind.

I appreciate a good character study across genres.

DENTON: It transcends time, genre, space, and class. We all possess those elements as humans. When watching something, you seek to find yourself within it. If executed well enough, you find yourself saying, “Oh, I relate to this character regardless of whether it’s set in outer space.”

I absolutely love Interview with the Vampire. That series is perfection and set a high standard for everything that followed in this universe. My only complaint about Talamasca is its six-episode limit and the many unanswered questions.

DENTON: That’s encouraging to hear. I wasn’t deeply familiar with the Anne Rice universe before this role. I had seen Interview with the Vampire, featuring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and Antonio Banderas, but I had never fully immersed myself in it.I do wish we had two more episodes; I feel there’s more to explore beyond these six. The potential for storytelling is vast, especially regarding Louis and Lestat. What I appreciate about Anne Rice’s characters is their moral ambiguity, which is particularly evident in Interview with the Vampire. In the film, we recognize inherent darkness. In the series, I truly engage with Louis and Lestat’s journey. Our show maintains that moral complexity while honoring Anne Rice’s legacy, though there’s limited written material on it. While The Queen of the Damned offers some insight into Talamasca and The Mayfair Witches touches on it as well, we are fortunate to have an opportunity to expand this world further.

Nicholas Denton Enjoyed Getting to Strip Away the Layers of ‘Talamasca: The Secret Order’s Guy Anatole to Find What’s Underneath

“He’s been stripped of his self-worth, his identity, and his relationships.”

This series immerses us in your character’s journey while viewers must catch up as he discovers what’s happening. It blends fantastical elements with grounded reality. What aspects intrigued you most about exploring this story and character? What drew you in?

DENTON: Once I identify the core values that matter most to my character, I can connect them to my own concerns and experiences. This connection allows me to engage deeply with them. This was similar with Valmont as well. You enter this world at a disadvantage because your life or self-worth has been stripped away. For Guy, we meet him believing he understands his situation—he thinks he knows who he is. He appears intelligent yet lonely and feels like an outsider trying to control everything around him while grappling with his internal struggles through self-medication. He strives for normalcy but does so successfully until Helen arrives and challenges everything he believes to be true.

I cherish the moment shared with Eric Bogosian. Do you think Daniel and Guy resonate on similar frequencies regarding their skepticism towards their circumstances? Could they potentially become friends?

DENTON: They share comparable situations—they’ve both been wronged by this organization and have developed a complicated relationship with it. It resembles a toxic bond where they express disdain but remain entangled within it.The Talamasca operates as an enigmatic organization within this underworld. They observe from behind the scenes—powerful yet controversial regarding their influence over events. Their shared dislike for their circumstances creates common ground for Guy and Daniel Malloy.

You also interact with Raglan James—viewers are less familiar with him than Daniel. How does Guy perceive him? Is Raglan loyal to Talamasca? Does he genuinely care about Guy?

DENTON: That’s an insightful question. To me, trust is scarce among those in Talamasca. As a skeptic shaped by experiences from earlier episodes, I understand why characters like Raglan James behave as they do. Meeting Raglan James is intriguing—he embodies untrustworthiness.You can’t quite grasp who he truly is.

No matter how much time we spend with Raglan James, I still don’t know whether I can trust him.

DENTON: And you probably won’t fully understand him either! He was enjoyable to work alongside though—I appreciated our scenes together.

The dynamic between Jasper evolves throughout the season—his unpredictability complicates matters since Guy cannot read his intentions clearly. What was it like filming episode five’s intense confrontation?

DENTON: We filmed that scene at three in the morning in a cold Manchester car park—it was surreal! Bill Fichtner was intense during that scene—his performance encapsulated raw emotion.

I love how Guy must go through unique situations—like having Helen sit in a peep show booth just to communicate! How did you approach playing that role reversal where Guy takes charge?

DENTON: John Lee (the show creator) discussed power dynamics early on regarding that scene—we needed it to reflect Guy gaining an upper hand against Helen’s formidable presence.

Nicholas Denton Discusses His Favorite ‘Talamasca: The Secret Order’ Twist This Season

“I still felt unsure of what to believe.”

The plot thickens as we unravel Helen’s identity while pursuing Keves’ fate alongside hunting for a book—all while discovering Olive’s ulterior motives regarding Guy’s survival! What twist caught you off guard this season?

DENTON: There are significant twists—the book itself holds surprises along with pivotal moments involving Doris—but one standout moment was whenGuy grappled with whether Jasper was corrupt or if he was genuinely aligned with Talamasca.

I didn’t realize Doris was Helen’s sister until later—it adds layers given their age difference! What did you think about that revelation?

DENTON: That connection between vampires retaining youth adds depth—it raises questions about Helen’s perspective on seeing Doris again after so long.

Doris faces numerous challenges throughout—she’s both sisterly figure and pivotal plot point! How did you feel about her character development?