During our interview at the 2016 WonderCon, The 100 star Bob Morley (‘Bellamy Blake’) proved that while his character polarizes fans, there are reasons behind his actions. Morley also told us not to assume we know how season three is going to end. “You can never be too sure about who the epic showdown’s between,” teased Morley without giving away any specifics. However, Morley was able to be specific about Bellamy’s character arc and the choices he’s made over The 100‘s three seasons.
What do would you say to fans holding out hope for Bellamy and Clarke?
Bob Morley: “I think that Bellamy and Clarke to a degree, but definitely Bellamy is most vulnerable and open with his feelings with Clarke. That is when he really shows her what he’s truly feeling. I think that happened first season episode eight when he was having hallucinations and so was she. They ended up having to kill someone together and they sat at the tree and he could open up to her and show her the guilt he was feeling. So, they established that relationship. In terms of that, to have a relationship with someone else it’s quite a special thing. So in terms of holding out hope for them, I mean, yeah, I have hope that they’ll still be able to rekindle and have that relationship where there’s an open and honest and trustworthy relationship because they do work well together. But in terms of anything beyond that, that’s not up to me.”
In season one he toed the line for being here now and taking things forcefully to in season two where he was more compassionate. In season three it’s a Bellamy who’s making his own decisions and thinking for himself. How do you see Bellamy’s story being developed further as we go along?
Bob Morley:“Look, I kind of see that in a different perspective. I think that Bellamy in season one is very much as you described but I felt like in season two for me especially playing it it was about him finding peace and finding redemption for what he had done season one where he threw away the radio and he’d killed all those people inadvertently, and that was a selfish act on his part to save his own skin. I felt like season two he goes on a suicide mission, he puts his life at risk because he feels he needs to make it up to these people, these kids who he has played a huge part in killing their parents. So he owes it to them to do that, he feels like he should give his life for that.
And at the end of season two I feel like he…I feel like Bellamy felt that he had done that. He had done what he needed to do, so back in season three he’s back on that same front where he’s like we need to live this way and make aggressive actions in order to establish our lifestyle. That’s why Pike’s ideology’s aligned with Bellamy. I think that it’s always a back and forth and always making mistakes, he’s making some decisions that aren’t necessarily right but as the season goes along he’ll be challenged with bigger questions than just his actions. It’ll be interesting to see how he reacts to that and going forth from there.”
When they first landed Bellamy was more of a leader. Is he going to have that moment where he comes back to being in charge?
Bob Morley:“I don’t necessarily think that…I could be wrong – I am wrong a lot of the time – but I don’t necessarily think that. Bellamy had that taste of leadership season one and then he wanted to run away episode eight, and then he was forced back into that leadership position. As someone who was older than the other delinquents there, I felt like he felt it was his responsibility to protect them. You have to keep in mind that he is the only one out of the delinquents or the younger crew that has actually raised a child and looked after her. He has a different perspective on life than any of those kids ever had.
So, he does feel that responsibility but I don’t necessarily think that he wants to be a leader. He needs that guidance like Clarke or Kane or Pike. He will do what he needs to and if that means he’s a leader then so be it. I don’t think he sees himself as a figurehead, just trying to do what’s right.”
Bellamy is a polarizing character. How do you react to that and do you pay attention to the comments online?
Bob Morley:“You know, it’s hard to ignore some fans online, I’ll be honest about that. But I mean for me when I’m working as Bellamy and we’re doing that, it’s all about how I interpret the script and how Jason [Rothenberg] interprets the script, and how I feed off of other actors. You know, the beauty of sci-fi and The 100 is we’re put in such a dramatic world but it’s all about playing the truth and the truth of the character. So it’s really just about directions and what you think is right or wrong. And whether Bellamy’s ideas on that change or blur or are grey, it’s just about being truthful to him in that moment.
So, fan reactions don’t necessarily come into play when I’m playing Bellamy though I don’t think it’s so far removed from being a human being to being able to change your mind and then want to change it back. I think we’ve all been in situations where you’ve done something you wish you wouldn’t have. I use those experiences to fuel into Bellamy, but his decisions are much bigger – like killing 300 people.”
Bob Morley:Will Bellamy and his sister get back together again?
“It’s funny. Once again it’s that they have a relationship that no one else has on the show and that’s being a sibling. I’m the youngest of four and I fight with my siblings all the time but at the end of the day you do… You were born into that family and that is your blood. I’m turning 32 and me and my brother still have fights and all that kind of stuff. I imagine we’re going to be best friends at some point, but you know there’s a falling in and out. Whether they’re trying to capture like that in 13, 16 episodes for these two, I don’t think it necessarily has to happen that way. But there is an understanding between the two of them; they are family and that’s all that’s left of the Blakes. I think in those terms, and they’re very broad, they will always have to find a way to be Blakes. They are intrinsically linked like no other characters on the show.”
Watch the full interview with Bob Morley on The 100 season 3 and advice he’d give to new college graduates:
