Servant star Toby Kebbell opens up about butt splinter scene
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Servant spoilers follow.
Servant cast members Toby Kebbell and Lauren Ambrose are reflecting on how they filmed some of the most brutal moments from the Apple TV+ series.
The second season premieres today (January 15), following on from the aftermath of a season-long arc of bereaved mum Dorothy (Ambrose) realising that reborn doll Jericho is not actually the child she lost.
Dorothy and her husband Sean (Kebbell) suffered a series of bizarre events since bringing creepy nanny Leanne (Game of Thrones' Nell Tiger Free) into their home – including Sean breaking out in splinters all over his body. And we mean all over.
Asked if they were ever perplexed by the show's often-disorienting body horror, Ambrose told Digital Spy: "I think that goes for anyone ever on a TV series, because you just relinquish your control, and you're like, 'Well, I hope they're going to take care of us.' You just grow with the characters and with the mania. Ultimately, I feel protected. M Night Shyamalan is very good at what he does, and is good at making a thriller.
"For me, with the stuff, when it was so bananas – it's scary, too. That part of it is fun and great and different. It's something I've always wanted to try and do – make something legitimately scary. And I think the show, this season, is that."
Kebbell concurred: "It's beautifully done. It's exactly that. You always get things where you're like, 'Does he really...? OK. Alright. I'll do that.
"One that stuck out for me in season one was the splinters in my everything, to the point where it got to my butt cheeks, and I was like, 'I'm lost.' But again, we're totally protected and looked after, and ultimately you're like, 'Eh, it is what it is. If it works, it works.' Sometimes we're all testing out whether things work and they're going to go any further."
The pair also spoke candidly about how they are able to decompress from the intense grief in Dorothy and Sean's lives when away from set.
"I think the nice thing about getting on with your cast, and the crew being so close now, is between takes, even, we chit-chat and we're joking," Kebbell said. "We're not carrying it constantly as a burden on our back. I think that's the nature of acting, anyway.
"But look, I shave all my hair and beard off once I'm finished, because I'm tired of looking at Sean in the mirror. So, yeah."
Ambrose said of her mindset: "I feel it's a really lovely set. So many of our crew, especially, have worked together, and have worked with Night for many years. We were all quarantining together for half of the season, living and working in a bubble, and getting tested constantly to be able to finish this season.
"The show can be so intense, but really we keep it light. It's nice. You get into this shorthand with your fellow actors where you keep it light. And sometimes, we really need each other to be there for each other."
Servant is now available to stream on Apple TV+.
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