Jack Quaid talks whale practical set in The Boys season 2: 'The stickiest I have ever been'
One shocking moment from season two's opening episodes was a challenge to film.
The Boys star Jack Quaid has discussed filming on a practical set built to resemble the insides of a whale, as the show returns for season two on Amazon Prime Video.
The series imagines what superheroes might look like in our cynical modern world, introducing viewers to The Seven, comprised of psychotic and egotistical crimefighters owned by a sinister corporation.
In the first season, a water-based hero called The Deep was fired from the team after committing sexual assault, but remains determined to work his way back to the top.
That's why he intervenes in a fast-paced boat chase in season two, as the ragtag vigilantes led by Billy Butcher desperately evade capture, plowing their boat directly into the whale that The Deep had summoned.
Traumatised by the grizzly incident, we see Jack Quaid's Hughie Campbell taking an extended break resting among the whale's internal organs, covered in blood from head to toe.
Although the scene is rather gruesome, fans can rest assured no animals were harmed in the making of it, as the convincing and intricate whale set was built by The Boys production team.
"The whale was insane," Quaid recalled. "I don’t think I’ll ever do anything like that again in my career. It was a first, for sure. Although if I know [showrunner] Eric Kripke, he’ll continue to torture me and I’ll wind up in the belly of some other animal."
Although an impressive technical feat, complete with a beating heart and pumping veins, Quaid wouldn't leap at the chance of climbing back inside the macabre structure.
He added: "I don’t know if ‘fun’ is the right word, because it was the stickiest I have ever been. But it was really impressive how they built this set that was the interior of a whale with a beating heart and blood flowing from the severed veins.
"It was just insane. I think that one has the crown for [best set] this season."
The whale sequence is just one of the jaw-dropping moments to be found in the opening three episodes of The Boys season two, which are available to stream on Amazon Prime Video today.
The Boys season 2 is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video. Check out our list of the best movies on Amazon Prime Video and best Amazon TV series, or visit our TV Guide to find something else to watch.
Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
