Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Siren’s Ian Verdun

Ian Verdun got his big break on Freeform’s hit mermaid drama, Siren. The series, now in its sophomore season, is an epic tale about the coastal town of Bristol Cove, which is believed to have once been the home to mermaids. Over the course of two thrilling seasons, we’ve learned the legends are in fact true, as mermaids have made their way to land.

Ian’s character, Xander, is a deep-sea fisherman and one of the few who’s come face-to-face with the mermaids, one of whom killed Xander’s father, causing him to spiral down a dark path of rage and vengeance. Pop Culturalist spoke with the ever-so-charming Ian Verdun about Xander’s arc, the spring season two finale, and his career.

Siren Questions

PC: Xander’s carrying a lot of weight with him as a result of the events in season one, from the death of his father to accidentally shooting Donna. Which of his story arcs has been your favorite to explore in season two and why?
Ian: It’s really what you just said. In season two, we see Xander processing grief; he’s going through all of those stages. It was fun for me to explore him going through those steps, then back into rage and vengeance. As an actor, I live for being able to explore all those different emotions and feelings that are so human.

I’m a huge nerd. I love all that sci-fi stuff. I love the mermaids. But, as an actor, what gets me going is being able to play all these different sides and show the full three-dimensional capacity of a character. That is so much fun for me.

PC: In season two, we see this unexpected friendship form between Xander and Ryn. They’re both learning about each other’s worlds. What is the biggest lesson Xander’s taught Ryn and vice versa?
Ian: Hmm…that’s a really great question! For Ryn, she’s getting an idea of how volatile humans can be. In her relationships with Ben and Maddie, she has a sense of stability. They’re her safe spot. They’re her rock. They’re always there for her. They’re the quintessential peak of human giving. With Xander, even though he’s a goodhearted person, he’s materialistic, he’s impulsive, and he’s emotional, especially after his father’s been murdered, but it gave Ryn a sense of how different all humans are. We’re not always tied up in surviving as the mermaids are. It’s about exploring your psyche, your spirit, exploring your place in the world. For Ryn, I think that’s what she’s learning.

As for Xander, it’s along the same lines. He’s just starting to begin to open up, but there’s still a lot of distrust in him. He’s learning about trust and seeing a gentleness in one of these characters that he associates with violence and all these horrible things, which from his perspective is totally valid. With Ryn, he’s seeing a soft side. It’s almost flip. They’re learning opposite things from each other.

PC: Xander’s struggling with a lot in his life, which he points out in the spring finale. How did you prepare to play a character with so many different layers?
Ian: For me, it all starts from the writing—it’s all there on the page. We, the actors on the show, are so incredibly lucky to have the writers, showrunners, and creators that we have. It’s so easy to play because it’s all there. It’s not like you’re wrestling with all these other things and having to inject all this other stuff to create three-dimensionality in your character. All the cues are there. We also have incredible directors, who are not afraid to get in there. I’m a theatre kid. I come from the theatre world, so I’ve been doing it a long time on the stage. For me, that’s the stuff, like I said in the first question, being able to explore all those things is what gets me going.

PC: We know that you can’t tell us whether or not Xander makes it out alive. For you as an actor, what was your initial reaction when you read that scene? How early on did the showrunners/writers clue you in on whether your character survives?
Ian: [laughs] It was an interesting experience. When I read it, I was like, “Ah!” It’s hard to answer this question without spoiling anything. I will say that it was funny to see people’s reactions. For a lot of the season, people were against Xander. Then the second that they saw that scene, they were like, “Oh no!” [laughs] Where was that the whole season? [laughs] I will say, I’m personally pretty good at calling things. When we were shooting the pilot, I called that my dad was going to die, which, low and behold, that’s what happened. Let’s just say that this time, I didn’t call it.

PC: Assuming your character survives, what impact will Nicole’s betrayal have on him moving forward?
Ian: Assuming that Xander gets off the boat, I think it’ll have a huge impact on him. For Xander, a lot of his issues with his friends, especially Ben, have to do with trust. He’s in a place in his life where he has so much grief, rage, and strife in him. Now, he’s found this relationship that’s patching him back together, helping him exercise his demons, and one that he feels safe in. Then, to find out that it’s based on nothing…it’ll have a deleterious effect on him. It’ll be like who can you trust? Then, you’re just grasping at straws to figure out who you can put faith in.

PC: If you could write a storyline for Xander, what would it be and why?
Ian: Oh, wow! That’s a big one. I would love to see Xander more action-oriented. Again, I love his emotionality. All of that has established him as a character, but now we can move forward. We know what he’s like at his worst; now I want to see him at his best. I want to see both of those sides, so that he feels more rounded, especially seeing a character build himself back up. As an audience member, I relate to that. Most people have experienced hitting rock bottom, when life hits you in the face. We have to get up, build ourselves back together, and get back to our best selves.

PC: This has been your breakout television role. What’s been the biggest takeaway? Has anything about the experience surprised you?
Ian: Yeah, it’s my first big television role. I came into this a bit older—I’m 33. I graduated from school in 2007. I’m one of the older cast members. So, for me, coming into it at this age, I feel a little bit more humbled to everything. Even though everything is incredibly exciting, when you’ve struggled for so long, when you’ve tried to do it for so long, you feel grateful to have the opportunity to do something you’ve wanted to do for so long.

As far as a surprise, social media engagement was the biggest surprise. In my arrogance, I thought I’d be really savvy with all of it. [laughs] That’s not the case at all. I’m very wordy, reactionary, and I’m always up for debate, but when you do that stuff on Twitter, it’s just toxic. [laughs] I discovered that and realized this is a thing that I can’t do, which is why I deleted Twitter. I wasn’t a fan of the platform. That was a big surprise: learning about myself and what my boundaries are. I also didn’t know how close I would feel to Xander. When I hear people rag on him, I’m like, “Ow. But no, he’s a good dude.” I didn’t expect to feel so connected to him, even though we’re very different.

Career Questions

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting, writing, and producing?
Ian: I’ve always been an incredibly creative kid. My mom was an artist and I used to dive into her art books, learn proportions, and draw. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been the artsy one. [laughs] I really got the acting bug when I was thirteen. I did a really crappy play, which was the stage version of Mulan. I hated my role. I utterly despised the role. It wasn’t the role that I wanted, but I really thoroughly enjoyed the stage and the process of rehearsing. I loved it! I found a way to get myself into every play up until I graduated high school. Then, I went to college for it. I went to England to study it. I absorbed as much as possible. I’ve had some truly amazing teachers and influences.

It’s always been a lifelong ambition and a lifelong passion of mine. I knew it was something that I had to work for. I come from poverty. My family was very poor. We didn’t have any money, connections, or anything that helps people get into this industry. It was one huge obstacle after another. Anyone who has comes from a struggling background and welfare, you really know how difficult it is to get such a high privilege job. There are so many barriers in front of you, mainly tied up to the fact that you’re poor and unconnected. Nobody listens to you. Nobody believes you. Nobody gives a crap. What I did was I went out and created something myself. After that, people were, “Ah!” For me, it’s been an interesting process, and as time has gone on, I’ve wanted to share what my experiences have been. I feel like a lot of people have been through the same rodeo.

PC: What’s been the biggest lesson you’ve learned being a part of this industry?
Ian: There have been so many lessons. The biggest one is probably not to wait for people to recognize that you’re worth it. Artists want that validation and that feedback, but I think it’s important to have a strong sense of self, know what you bring to the table, and work for it. That was the lesson I took away from all the struggle and time. It’s up to you to pay respect to your own self.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Ian: I have one guilty pleasure, Botched on E! I sit there and watch terrible plastic surgery for hours. [laughs]

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Ian: I’m super discerning on movies. A lot of my movies are highbrow, except I like the big ones like Marvel movies, Harry Potter, but I don’t feel guilty about them. I always find the concept of guilty pleasure weird. If you like something, you like it! [laughs]

PC: Favorite book?
Ian: I have so many! I’m an avid reader, but one that’s at the top of my list is The Black Count by Tom Reiss. It’s the true story about the guy who inspired the stories for the Real Count of Monte Cristo and Three Musketeers. He’s a mixed-race slave, French aristocrat, and the father of Alex Dumas, who wrote all of those things. The book is a true story, but it reads like a tale. It’s actual history. Those are things I really love as a person of color. I love being included in the context of history. A lot of times, you’re kind of deleted, and it’s assumed that your ancestry comes from a tribe somewhere in a cave while the rest of Western society was developing. It’s like no, we were there! We were a part of what was happening.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Ian: Oh, wow! I did a lot of musicals in high school. I have a few! We were just in New York and we saw a lot of theatre. Wicked is one of my favorites. It’s the first musical I saw. As far as plays, we saw Network with Bryan Cranston, and it was spectacular. He’s a master. I love watching masterful performances. It’s such a good play and so timely.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Ian: I listen to pretty much everything. I don’t know what would surprise most people. I’ll listen to Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, and then listen to Fall Out Boy. I love everything.

PC: Last show you binge-watched?
Ian: Killing Eve

PC: Hidden talent?
Ian: That’s another thing like guilty pleasures! I never hide talent.

To keep up with Ian, follow him on Instagram, and binge-watch Siren on Freeform!

Photo Credit: Ryan West