Prepare for a superhero series unlike anything else on television with the arrival of Amazon Prime Video’s The Boys. Season one of the genre-skewering series premieres on July 26, 2019, pitting a ragtag group of vigilantes known as The Boys against narcissistic superheroes who abuse their powers.

The adult drama based on the comics by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson features a talented ensemble and some of the best action stunts on the small screen. Laz Alonso stars as Mother’s Milk and Karen Fukuhara is the sole female member of The Boys (and the fiercest fighter). Teaming up for interviews at the New York Comic Con, Alonso and Fukuhara discussed their roles in the much-anticipated Amazon series.

What was the appeal of The Boys? What caught your eye?

Karen Fukuhara: “I think that the best part about The Boys is that we’re not afraid to go there. I know that the comics is pretty shocking for most first-time readers, myself included. But there’s lots of things in the material that you would think, ‘Oh, that can’t be aired. That can’t be shot,’ and sure enough, a lot of it is. There’s a lot of tweaks, but I think we kept to the foundation of what was written in the original comics and then made it our own.”

Laz Alonso: “Yeah. I mean, for me it was getting back to working on stuff that I’m excited about. And that when people – the audience that watches something that I’m in – that they’ll be excited about. Last year I really made an effort to really be picky and selective over the next thing that I do. A lot of times as actors we can just, ‘All right, one job finishes…what’s the next job?’ And we forget why we got into this was to be excited and make other people excited. So, last year I really just dialed it back. I decided to work less and really just focus on doing things that I really, really feel passionate about. And when I read this script, I was like, ‘I got to do this show.’

Now, I wasn’t a fan of the comics before I auditioned for this, so my interpretation was my interpretation of the material I was given. It just so happens afterwards when I got the part and I started reading the comic, I realized (there are) so many similarities between me and this character. It was almost freaky in a way. I don’t want to tell Eric (Kripke) that he’s paying me to play myself a lot on camera, you know? But it’s rewarding as hell. I love it.”

Karen Fukuhara: “It was so funny you mentioned that because while we were filming one of the scenes…you know, Mother’s Milk is very OCD like you said…he wants his papers a certain way, stacked a certain way, the pens a certain way. And then at one point I think Connie came by and she had to brush dirt on my shoes to make it dirty.”

Laz Alonso: “Connie is the on-set wardrobe person that gets us ready.”

Karen Fukuhara: “Yeah, yeah. And so, she had to put fake dirt on my shoes for continuity. And she accidentally put a little bit on his shoes which were pristine and white and beautiful.”

Laz Alonso: “Yeah, coconut white.”

Karen Fukuhara: “He starts going, ‘Connie, no! No, you can’t do that!’ And I wasn’t sure if it was the character or yourself.”

Laz Alonso: (Laughing) “It was me, yeah. She’s on all fours and she’s got this little bag of dirt. And she’s slamming it on the ground and I’m like doing a Macarena, like, ‘Connie! No! Get off my shoes!’ She’s like, ‘Give me your f*cking shoes!’ (Laughing) She got me. She got my shoes.”

Karen Fukuhara: “I’m like, ‘Connie, it’s for me.’”

Laz Alonso: “The whole set’s like, ‘Connie, no!’”

Do you find yourself relating to this character at all?

Karen Fukuhara: “Yes and no. I think when actors play characters there’s always a part of the character that is within ourselves. And so, yeah, I connect with her in certain ways but definitely not in her violent ways.

In the comics she’s ripping people’s heads off and it’s very violent. She has this urge to kill. For our version we’ve created a reason for her to do the things that she’s doing, and it’s not really a natural instinct or a hungry feeling to murder someone.”

Is there something that you’re particularly looking forward to audiences actually seeing?

Karen Fukuhara: “I mean for me, we’ve been talking about how this show is two different shows. The Supes and The Boys, and then they’re kind of married into one entity. I haven’t personally been able to see any of the dailies for the Supes and so, you know, as a viewer, as an audience member, I’m so excited to see the Deep scenes, the Homelander scenes, what Starlight is doing.”

Laz Alonso: “I’m excited for this to get out there because it’s a real big f*ck you to superhero culture. And thematically it’s a f*ck you to anybody that’s powerful and abuses their powers, just takes their power for granted. It’s a big f*ck you to that.”

• Interview with The Boys stars Karl Urban and Jack Quaid
• Antony Starr and Chace Crawford Talk Supes and Starring in The Boys