Pop-Culturalist.com

Claudia Doumit is a versatile storyteller whose timeless ability to bring characters and narratives to life captivates audiences with every performance. Her remarkable talent shines across a diverse range of genres, with standout roles in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Where’d You Go, Bernadette, and Dylan & Zoey. Yet, it is her mind-blowing portrayal of Victoria Neuman in The Boys that has truly cemented her status as a powerhouse in the industry.

Pop Culturalist had the privilege of catching up with Claudia Doumit to delve into the latest season of The Boys, explore her character’s evolving journey, discuss the show’s incredible fanbase, and uncover how she brought humanity to the complex role of Victoria Neuman.

Please note: This interview contains spoilers.

PC: At the start of every season, you all sit down with Eric [Kripke] to discuss where your characters’ arcs are heading. What were you most interested in exploring with Victoria in Season 4?
Claudia: That’s a good question. Victoria Neuman is quite strategic. Eric has always said she’s a person who’s playing 3-D chess, and I’ve always loved that as a character detail. She’s always assessing the outcome.

This season, she’s thrust into a partnership with someone who is extremely volatile and impulsive. It’s quite a difficult landscape for her to navigate because she’s not used to that. The most interesting component for me to explore this season with Victoria Neuman was the fact that she doesn’t have the luxury to plan. It’s a terrifying space for her to be in.

PC: It was in those early conversations that Eric talked to you about Victoria’s fate. That must put you in an interesting place as an actor, where you want to be in the moment, but you also know what’s coming. How were you able to find that balance throughout Season 4? How helpful was it that you thought your character was going to die every season?
Claudia: [laughs] It’s actually impossible. It’s quite hard because you have to find that balance between knowing your character’s eventual fate and remaining ignorant of that in the current scene. I just came to work every day trying to be grateful for the time I had left with these wonderful people, even though that was hard. You just have to focus on what’s directly in front of you. She has no idea what’s ahead for her. She can have fears and an understanding of what’s at stake, but you can never play the end, so I just tried my absolute hardest not to play the results.

PC: There’s also such an interesting juxtaposition in Season 4 when it comes to Victoria and that pursuit of power, but with an equal desire to run from it. You brought so much depth and nuance to that. How did you create the space for yourself to explore that contrast?
Claudia: Trauma is the central theme this season, specifically the effects of unhealed trauma. It reveals itself in pretty much every character—whether it’s Hughie’s relationship with his estranged mother, Annie’s struggle with identity, or Kimiko’s mental trauma with speaking. Shame is a huge thing for Neuman. At her core, Neuman desires to be normal and human.

She’s someone who has lived in the shadows for many years, hiding in deception. We rarely get to see her be completely vulnerable. Her true self has been hidden in the shadows for so long and ultimately rejected, which has resulted in extreme self-loathing ingrained in her psyche.

She carries shame around her identity and her power, which is why she resorts to wearing so many masks. It’s almost a survival mechanism at this point. But this season, she finds herself in a position where the pursuit of power becomes so mentally taxing that she detaches emotionally. There’s a point midway through the season when she goes into autopilot because it’s too much to bear.

In doing so, she ultimately loses a part of her humanity. She only snaps out of that when Homelander threatens her daughter’s life. That brings her back to reality and restores her humanity. She has to make a choice between the pursuit of power and her daughter’s life, and she obviously chooses her daughter’s life, as any mother would.

PC: That dynamic between Victoria and Hughie is so special and bittersweet. Hughie sees the humanity in Victoria that she sometimes may not see within herself. Who have been the people in your own life who have held space for you in a similar way?
Claudia: Oh, wow. I completely agree with you, and I’m so happy that the dynamic between Victoria and Hughie resonates because he’s the only friend Neuman has ever had in her adult life. He’s the only person she allows to see behind the mask—maybe not entirely, but more than anyone else. That relationship makes her feel human. There’s such deep shame and self-hatred under her facade, but Hughie offers a light and believes she deserves it, which makes their separation so brutal.

The people in my life who probably embody that light are my family and close friends. I’ve always had a pretty good North Star when it comes to my beliefs and values, thanks to the people who raised me. I was truly raised by a village; there was always family around.

I have a really strong but vulnerable, heartfelt mother who has always been there for me, along with my father, grandmother, and brother. It’s so important to remain true to yourself, otherwise it’s easy to stray if you don’t have those pillars around you. I was really lucky to have such strong pillars.

PC: In a recent interview, you mentioned that with only eight episodes left, it made sense for Victoria to die this season to give ample room for the other characters to wrap up their stories. I feel like that’s such a beautiful sentiment for an artist—how you’re always in service of the story. Is there a particular ending you’re hoping for with regards to any of the other characters in this upcoming final season?
Claudia: First and foremost, you want the good guys to win. It’s a bit ironic to say that in a show with so many morally gray characters, but everyone wants a happy ending, especially in such a bleak world. I always want Hughie to win. He’s the heart of the show, and in a way, he’s the audience to a degree. He needs a win, and he deserves it. He’s been fighting for it for four seasons.

PC: When you look back at your tenure with this series, what will you remember the most? What was the biggest artistic takeaway that you’re going to bring to your next project?
Claudia: It’s the people. This show has immense talent across the board, no matter what department you’re looking at. Every single person on this show is a juggernaut in their field, and they’re such a pleasure to work with. It’s always creatively stimulating and encouraging when you’re surrounded by people who work as hard as this team and show up every day. It makes you want to lift your game too. That’s such an integral component of a successful project—working with people who have that endless drive and passion for the story we’re all creating. I want to carry that into everything I do.

PC: You also got to experience your first San Diego Comic-Con recently, and what a way to go out. What was it like getting to experience that fandom in person?
Claudia: I was so overwhelmed with gratitude. It’s such a different experience seeing things online versus meeting people in person. It moves through you in a way that’s far more visceral. You take it in more because you’re right there in the action. My first reaction was just overwhelming gratitude.

Speaking of being overwhelmed, we walked into Hall H, and I couldn’t see the back of it. I could see the first twenty rows, and then it was pitch black. It was wild, but in such a beautiful way because you can see the reach that the show has and how many people love it. You always want to be a part of projects like that. I always want to play a character with a great storyline that’s enjoyable for people to watch. I got to do both of those things on this project.

PC: Outside of The Boys, you have tons of projects that you’re working on. I know you can’t talk about them, but you’ve also started to direct and write. How have those experiences behind the camera influenced the way you now approach your work on screen and vice versa?
Claudia: It completely changes your perspective. I would recommend it to any actor to step behind the camera and see how many components make up the filmmaking world that you play within because there are so many. It has really given me a technical perspective of things, which I don’t think I had much of before. It gives you such a clearer picture of everything.

To keep up with Claudia, follow her on Instagram. Watch the latest season of The Boys on Prime Video today.

Photo Credit: Bing Putney