Warning: Spoilers for The Boys season 4.
Claudia Doumit typically appears like she’s in a really unique guide membership. When the forged of Prime Video’s hit collection The Boys receives the following spherical of scripts from showrunner Eric Kripke, the group chat goes nuts. You see, they’re solely given their character’s fundamental arc originally of the season, and extra info is drip-fed as filming commences.
“It’s so humorous as a result of not everybody has learn the script on the similar time,” she tells StyleCaster. “They’ll say, ‘You gained’t consider the way it ends for you,’ so it’s actually thrilling … Each forged member is so enthralled with what’s basically the following installment in our guide membership.”
As Congresswoman Victoria Neuman, Doumit joined the forged as considerably of a secret antagonist. She’s initially portrayed as an Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez-like determine—one hell-bent on dismantling Vought, regulating Supes, and reclaiming America for us common people. Within the season 2 finale, although, there’s an enormous twist: She’s a supe! Not solely that however the head-popper from the congressional listening to.
The next season, Vicky’s powers stay secret from the general public—they must be as a result of she groups up with Hughie (Jack Quaid) on the Federal Bureau of Superhuman Affairs to manage supe exercise. We study that Stan Edgar (Giancarlo Esposito), the previous CEO of Vought Worldwide, is Vicky’s adoptive father and he injected her with Compound V as a baby. He’s finally arrested for holding labeled paperwork from Vought and it’s Vicky who places him behind bars.
Going into season 4, Doumit is a full-blown menace, although actually not with out her weaknesses. “She’s extremely manipulative,” says Doumit. “She operates within the shadows. And he or she is a personality that wears many masks. So to have the ability to see the cracks begin to come by way of—these masks are such a present as an actor and it’s simply great to discover.” Is she a villain? It’s simply not that easy.
This interview has been edited and condensed for readability.
Your character’s relationship shifts slightly bit on this season as a result of Stan Edgar didn’t know Vicky shot up her daughter, Zoey, with Compound V. Are you able to converse to that?
I believe it’s actually fascinating as a result of the place we left it off in season three, there was such an amazing loss in that relationship and heartbreak on either side.
But in addition, Victoria Neuman has all the time had the protection internet of Stan Edgar, and this season, she very a lot doesn’t have that security internet, so she’s discovering out what it’s prefer to exit into the world on her personal. It’s one thing that she wished, it’s one thing that she thought she’d be higher at, however she’s in a short time realizing that that’s not the case. She’s walked right into a shitstorm. So it’s fairly exhausting for her to navigate by way of that with out Stan. And it solely will get worse and worse.
Vicky and Stan have a reunion in episode 5. After studying she dosed her daughter with V, Stan strikes a cope with The Boys to take down Vicky in return for his freedom. It’s one other betrayal.
She’s nonetheless fairly harm. She nonetheless doesn’t belief him, and rightfully so, as a result of he’s taken the very individuals who need to kill her to a top-secret facility the place she’s engaged on a virus to kill supes. It’s it’s fairly a chaotic reunion.
I believe Neuman seeks out management and positions of energy to really feel secure and safe, which is a very fascinating factor in terms of somebody who has the flexibility to pop somebody’s head.
Claudia Doumit
And we knew your character was coming as a result of everybody bought nosebleeds.
It’s all the time a enjoyable little precursor to each time I get to make an entrance [laughs]. Within the arc of this episode, she comes again to Stan Edgar. And I believe that has to do with the truth that she’s misplaced Sameer, the daddy of her baby and the one man she’s ever liked. I believe she feels very misplaced on the finish of that episode after which indifferent, like she has nowhere else to show. And I believe that’s when a number of youngsters go residence.
It’s fascinating you phrase it that manner as a result of Homelander (performed by Antony Starr) went residence within the earlier episode, butchering all however one scientist accountable for his creation. There are a number of parallels to attract between Vicky and Homelander.
I believe that too! I’ve mentioned that many instances. There’s a far deeper understanding between Neuman and Homelander and the way their psyches function. They’re the one two supes who’ve grown up as check topics, the distinction is that Neuman bought to go to boarding college, however Edgar nonetheless used her like a lab rat.
It’s a distinct setting, certain, however the identical check. Neuman has simply had this false backdrop of normalcy. However between the 2 of them, that’s how they ended up. She’s had a father determine, and he or she’s had some sense of human expertise, whereas Homelander has been locked on this underground house for years and years.
On this episode, we meet Vicky’s husband and suped-up cattle. Are you able to discuss me by way of the mechanics of the rooster battle?
It’s actually humorous as a result of a number of that’s simply us a spot. Generally it’s a tennis ball, however largely the primary assistant director will stroll us by way of the areas that we’re supposed to take a look at—”That is one, that over there’s two, there’s a spot by the door, that’s three.” Then after they name “motion,” they’ll name out the numbers so you realize the place to look, which is hilarious. So after we’re speculated to search for on the sky, you’re clocking everybody else’s eye line.
The ultimate scene on this sequence is Stan Edgar being pushed again to jail. Then his driver’s head explodes, so we all know Vicky’s caught as much as him. You two change a glance, and I’d like to know what the route was.
Shana Stein was the director and it’s a conflicting second. They’ve been by way of a lot they usually each betrayed one another to an intensive diploma. So, in that second, for me as Neuman, there’s a sea of feelings that I’m experiencing. And it’s actually supposed to depart you in a spot of questioning which emotion is coming by way of the strongest.
I keep in mind Shana saying, ‘We don’t need to know precisely what’s happening, we need to really feel like, ‘Is she going to pop his head? Is she going to embrace him? Is she gonna slam the door and depart?’ It’s all of these ideas and feelings suddenly. What Neuman lands on is that she’s scared and he or she wants a guardian.
I learn someplace that Vicky was extra harmful than Homelander, do you agree?
I don’t suppose so. Primarily based on the emotional state of those characters alone, Neuman is kind of strategic and he or she retains her feelings at bay. She’s very logical. Homelander is a fairly risky and erratic character. You don’t know if he’s going to kill you primarily based on what sort of a day he’s having, and that isn’t actually the case for Neuman.
What are Vicky’s motivations, do you suppose?
For a big portion of her life, she has been working in a fashion that fits Stan Egdar’s wants. Primarily, what she is for him is a weapon. That’s fairly exhausting for her as a result of all she ever desires from Stan is to be liked as a daughter, however she solely ever will get reward from him when she’s a weapon.
So I believe that’s been the purpose for a lot of, a few years. I believe she’s been Stan Edgar’s weapon and on this monitor for thus lengthy that on this season, she realizes the price of it. It, maybe for the primary time, begins to stir one thing inside her, and since she’s been alone for a lot of this season and since she finds herself in so many compromising positions, it really forces her to essentially have a look at herself within the mirror and assess what she really desires and what she’s doing all of this all.
I believe Neuman as a personality, typically, seeks out management and positions of energy to really feel secure and safe, which is a very fascinating factor in terms of somebody who has the flexibility to pop somebody’s head.
I don’t suppose that she ever pursued politics within the first place as a method to do higher or to assist the world in any manner. I believe it’s all the time been one thing that has been in service of her personal security and safety, or one thing to make Stan Edgar approve of and love her. It’s very human. I believe a number of us do issues with out really realizing why.
The Boys is out there to stream on Prime Video, with new episodes dropping every Thursday.