Exclusive Interview: Lukas Gage Talks ‘Dead Boy Detectives,’ Finding His Character’s Motivations and Pain, His Creative Process, and More

Renowned for his commanding presence and exceptional range, Lukas Gage has established himself as one of the industry’s most coveted leading men. His impressive repertoire includes standout performances in hit series like White Lotus, You, How to Blow Up a Pipeline, Euphoria, and Down Low, showcasing his ability to immerse himself fully in diverse characters and narratives.

This April, he prowls onto the screen, embodying the regal role of the Cat King in Netflix’s Dead Boy Detectives. Based on characters created for DC by Neil Gaiman and Matt Wagner, the eight-episode supernatural series follows these two teenage sleuths as they chase down the world’s most elusive ghosts and demons. However, Lukas Gage’s Cat King doesn’t play so nicely with detectives who mess with his pussycats…

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to catch up with Lukas to talk about Dead Boy Detectives, finding his character’s motivations and pain, his creative process, and more.

PC: Your creative process is very much like that of a detective, which fits perfectly for this series. Your preparation begins from the inside out, finding where this character sits within you and the similarities and differences you share. What were some of the discoveries that you made during that process about the Cat King and how he resonated with you?
Lukas: I wanted to make him multi-dimensional and not play this mustache-twirling villain. I wanted to find his heart. Every villain doesn’t see themselves as the villain in their story; they see themselves as the hero. So it was about being clear and specific about where he got hurt. Where has he been heartbroken? Where has he experienced pain that made him the way he is? It’s a cliché thing to say, but hurt people hurt people.

PC: There’s an animalistic quality to the Cat King. Were there any new techniques that you developed in your preparation of this character, who is the human manifestation of a cat? How did that affect your physical movements and the ways in which you and your character took up space?
Lukas: I worked with a movement teacher named Julia Crockett. We didn’t get a ton of time to work together to create cat-like movement, but we focused on fluidity and how to use my body in different ways to express myself rather than relying solely on dialogue. She was incredible.

Julia helped me embody my voice and my entire body. I feel like there’s an element of the Cat King that’s very narcissistic. He loves the way he feels, the sound of his voice, and the way he looks. He has a very different way of moving through the world and interacting with others. That definitely changed my body.

PC: Costumes play such an integral role in any part, but particularly with this character who uses them to mask portions of himself that he doesn’t want others to see. What was that collaboration like with the wardrobe and costume department in finding those pieces that would help elevate your performance and show that contrast?
Lukas: To be honest with you, I don’t think I found the character until hair, makeup, and wardrobe. I was scared to play the Cat King. It was very intimidating to see on the page. You’re like, “How am I going to pull off playing an animal?” It was a little scary. But the wardrobe, the robe, the fur, using the eye of the rope as a tail, none of that was accidental. It was all really thought out in a beautiful way and it informed my performance. It made me feel empowered and comfortable in my body, not as Lukas, but as the character.

You see him in kilts, skirts, robes, and fur. He’s a cat man who does whatever feels good. For him, he doesn’t care what other people think. He cares how he feels in it and what’s going to give him the most joy and pleasure.

PC: Speaking of that contrast, you also do such a brilliant job in your portrayal of this character who lives in this morally gray area, as you said. There are scenes where he’s so outward and expressive, but in Episode 8, we see who this character is at his core, and there’s so much restraint in that moment. How different is the mindset for that scene in particular, which is about embracing subtlety versus your other scenes?
Lukas: I didn’t want to play a generic version of rage or anger. You see in the script that he has to get angry and full of rage, and that he’s a brat, but how do I find what’s beneath that? What are the layers of his anger and rage? Why does it come out in those moments? Why is he having a childlike temper tantrum? You don’t want to play your idea of anger or your idea of rage; it’s about finding the justification for that.

Then on the other end, as you said in the last episode, it’s about trusting that simplicity. It’s about trusting that connection and the humanity in him and that it will come out without having to push or indicate it. It’s about allowing him to be, and hopefully, it comes across. Hopefully, all that homework and backstory play out, and you don’t have to work for it on the day.

PC: It’s one of the best scenes in the series. Chemistry is such an interesting thing that’s asked from actors. There’s a fun courtship that happens between your character and Edwin. And it’s Edwin who sees that deep down there’s a shared level of loneliness that they both share. What was it like getting to collaborate with George [Rexstrew] to build that cat-and-mouse game? Was there a moment on set when you realized you had the bond needed to bring that dynamic to life?

Lukas: You’re right. The Cat King and Edwin share a lot in common, including feelings of nostalgia, melancholy, and loneliness. They both want something more. They’re immortal and have been around for a long time, yet they still haven’t found their person. They both share this longing, and they just deal with it in completely opposite ways, but they actually have a lot more in common than they think.

This is one of George’s first shows. Watching him embody Edwin and the growth that he had from the first episode to the end, I was blown away. I got to watch him take ownership of the character throughout the series. But also, you see Edwin grow in his confidence. It’s like art imitating life. It was a really cool thing to observe.

PC: There’s such a rhythm and technique to comedy. There was a point early on in your career where you didn’t think this genre was for you. While this series tackles a lot of tough subject matter and can get dark, your character brings a lot of levity and your comedic timing is hilarious. What led to that change of heart? How much of what we see in the final product is scripted versus improvised?
Lukas: There’s a bit of improv in every scene in the series. I like to incorporate improv if they let me. I like to find things on the day that are fresh and spontaneous and allow me to connect to the character that I’m playing and be in their world, and explore their wants and needs.

I’ve always wanted to play in comedy. I just had to convince the world and the industry that I could do it because I do think it is harder. A lot of people, if they don’t have that background, it’s hard to know if they can pull it off. Comedy has to come from a real place, especially in this show. There’s always humanity in the humor. All the humor comes from this real pain that these characters are all in. There’s something relatable in finding humility in your own ways. I had to connect to the attention-seeking aspect of my own personality and that unlikeable part of me that I’m like, “I hate that I do that. I hate that I’m desperate for attention.” It’s about finding where the line lives with Cat King.

PC: You’re also an artist who continues to grow with each part. Your 2024 is off to such a strong start with a reimagining of a cult classic and now this comic-book adaptation. Is there a project or character that’s existed in another medium or one that you’ve played in the past that you’d love to revisit or bring your own stamp to?
Lukas: This is so random, and I’m not sure why it came to mind, but I’m really obsessed with Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan. I feel like there needs to be a ballet movie told from the male perspective. Let’s call it White Swan. That’s the first thing that came to mind.

Also, it would be fun to do something that taps into the musical aspect of me. Getting to do something with a musical instrument or a biopic would be really fun to tap into that side of me that the world hasn’t seen yet.

To keep up with Lukas, follow him on X and Instagram. Watch Dead Boy Detectives on Netflix today.

Photo Credit: Netflix