Exclusive Interview: Dennis Lehane on Leaning Into Madness, Trusting the Cast, and Crafting ‘Smoke’

When Dennis Lehane steps into the writer’s room, you can expect things to catch fire—and his latest project is no exception. The celebrated storyteller behind Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone, and Black Bird returns as the creator and showrunner of Smoke, a scorching new limited series for Apple TV+ that explores obsession, justice, and the fine line between control and chaos. Inspired by true events and adapted from the Firebug podcast, Smoke> ignites a slow burn that erupts into a full-blown inferno as two investigators pursue a pair of serial arsonists terrorizing Los Angeles.

Starring Taron Egerton as enigmatic arson investigator Dave Gudsen and Jurnee Smollett as relentless detective Michelle Calderone, Smoke delivers high-stakes storytelling powered by gripping performances and moral complexity. As the duo untangles a web of destruction, the series pushes both its characters and audience into volatile territory—where no one escapes unscathed. The ensemble cast includes Rafe Spall, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Hannah Emily Anderson, Anna Chlumsky, Adina Porter, Greg Kinnear, and John Leguizamo, each contributing to the emotional fuel that makes Smoke so combustible.

Pop Culturalist caught up with Dennis Lehane to discuss striking the balance between grounded drama and psychological thriller, how moments of levity make the tension hit harder, and the collaborative trust he builds with actors like Taron. He also shares which line from the series remains his favorite—and why the ones he loves most often get cut.

PC: Tonally, this is such a high-stakes series with twists and turns around every corner, but I also love how you and the writers’ room were able to incorporate moments of levity between the characters. It feels so distinctly human and grounded, and it makes those emotional journeys land even more. Why was that important to you as a creative team?
Dennis: We were two months into creating the show, and I just said, “Let’s have fun.” I’d just gone down some very dark rabbit holes—I’d done three Stephen King adaptations and then Black Bird. There was a lot of time in prison. I said, “Let’s break up the seriousness with a little bit of madness. Let’s lean into the madness of this story.” And that’s what we did.
PC: Without giving anything away, Episode 8 is incredibly gripping. As a viewer, I felt like I was on the edge of my seat holding my breath—and the tension between Taron and Jurnee’s characters is so believable. I’d love to know how much the cast’s performance throughout the season influenced your writing, especially when it came to shaping that episode in particular?
Dennis: I’m going to give full credit where credit is due. That episode was written by Molly Miller, who is my chief writer—it’s me, then Molly. She crushed that episode. Almost none of this was written with our actors in mind. We had the entire show written and ready before we brought everybody in. We always knew Taron was going to play Dave—that was set from day one. But Jurnee was cast much later. That just speaks to the power of those actors—to bring that level of heat to their performances and to that incredible diner scene. I can say “incredible” because I had nothing to do with it.

PC: Great pun, by the way. I feel like there’s so much trust that’s needed in filmmaking. How different is that process when you’re building it with someone you’ve worked with before versus someone you’re working with for the first time?
Dennis: It’s really the same. The key to working with actors is making them feel safe—like they can go anywhere, and you’ll be there to pull them back if needed. You also want them to feel involved, while still making it clear that it’s your vision. All of those things matter. Taron and I work so well together because he’ll say, “What if I did this?” and I’ll be like, “Great!” Or he’ll say, “What if you did this?” and I’ll say, “No.” We go back and forth, and it works. Ultimately, I have a vision for the show, but I want everyone involved to feel completely empowered within their lane.

PC: That collaboration leads to the incredible performances we see across all nine episodes. The scripts are so beautifully written—I found myself pausing to write down lines of dialogue. Do you have a favorite sentiment or line from the series?
Dennis: Oh geez, you’re putting me on the spot. It’s been too long—I can’t remember a line I liked! You know what’s funny? If I really like a line, I usually end up cutting it in the editing room. It’s true. Every time I think, “That’s the line,” it ends up on the cutting room floor. Actually, I do know my favorite: Freddy says to Dave, “Your hate is your fuel.” That’s one of my favorite lines I’ve ever written.

Smoke premieres on June 27th on Apple TV+.