Ramos and Pope's real-life friendship influenced their characters' dynamic on screen
The season finale ended on a cliffhanger about whether the reverse drug worked on Cooper
The actors didn't know the full story until the end of filming
They discussed their characters' potential reactions to a reverse drug in a potential season two
📖 Full Retelling
Anthony Ramos and Jeremy Pope, stars and executive producers of the FX series 'The Beauty,' discussed the season one finale cliffhanger with The Hollywood Reporter after the episode aired Wednesday night, revealing they were kept in the dark about key plot twists until the very end. The actors, who have been friends for over a decade since attending the American Musical and Dramatic Academy together, explained how their real-life relationship influenced their characters' unexpected bond throughout the season. Their characters initially have an antagonistic relationship as The Assassin is ordered to kill Jeremy, but they gradually connect over shared loneliness, with The Assassin opening up about taking 'The Beauty' after a severe injury that forced him to leave his family, while Jeremy portrays a 'damaged incel desperate to feel seen and loved.' The finale ended with a major cliffhanger as Diana and Byron's sons reveal there is a reverse drug for 'The Beauty,' Cooper agrees to try it, but the episode concludes before revealing whether it worked, leaving Jeremy, The Assassin, and Jordan staring in shock at the results. The actors emphasized their collaborative approach with creator Ryan Murphy, who they described as a champion of artists who sees their potential beyond conventional casting, with Pope noting the role was 'darker than anything I've been asked to play' and expressing gratitude for Murphy's willingness to take risks on actors early in their careers.
🏷️ Themes
Actor Collaboration, Cliffhanger Endings, Character Development
Anthony Paul Ramos Martinez (born November 1, 1991) is an American actor and singer. After graduating in musical theater from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, Ramos began performing in stage musicals. In 2015, he originated the dual role of John Laurens and Philip Hamilton in Hamilton, for...
Jeremy Pope (born July 9, 1992) is an American actor and singer. Pope is the sixth person in Tony Award history to be nominated in two categories for separate performances during the same year, having received nominations for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for his role as Pharus Jonathan You...
Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment Logo text [This story contains MAJOR spoilers from The Beauty season one finale, “Beautiful Betrayal”] For Anthony Ramos and Jeremy Pope , portraying their characters’ growing bond wasn’t much of a stretch. The two have been friends in real life for years, even attending college together at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Their dynamic in the FX series, however, takes an unexpected turn. The Assassin is initially ordered by Byron — aka The Corporation (Ashton Kutcher) — to kill Jeremy . But as the season progresses, the pair begin to connect over their shared loneliness. The Assassin opens up about taking “The Beauty” after being severely injured, a decision that forced him to leave his family behind. Jeremy, meanwhile, is a “damaged incel desperate to feel seen and loved,” Pope explains below. Related Stories TV 'The Beauty' Star Evan Peters Breaks Down That Painful Twist and Finale Cliffhanger TV 'Disinherited' Drama Starring Victoria Pedretti, Kiera Allen Snags FX and Hulu Series Order “What’s wild about watching [their relationship] is that, you know how you meet those people in your life where you feel like you’ve known them your whole life — you have that instant thing, right?” Kutcher tells The Hollywood Reporter . “Them having that and the influence it had on your character decisions — the way they masked it and then unveiled it — was a really pretty thing to watch.” In the season’s later episodes, Dr. Diana (Ari Graynor) reveals her plan to stop Byron from expanding access to “The Beauty.” After realizing Byron doesn’t truly have his back, The Assassin joins her effort. Cooper (Evan Peters) then contracts the drug and transforms into a young boy. And in the finale that released Wednesday night, Diana and Byron’s sons rev...
