Pop Culturalist Chats with The Expanse’s Nick E. Tarabay

Nick E. Tarabay is one of the most underrated actors currently working in the business. Charismatic, charming, and funny, he’s best known for his role as Ashur in Spartacus: War of the Damned. Since then, he’s been in a plethora of television shows including Person of Interest, Burn Notice, and Arrow, and blockbuster films including Star Trek: Into Darkness and Pacific Rim: Uprising. Currently, he’s starring as the spy-turned-bodyguard Cotyar in The Expanse. Pop Culturalist chatted with Nick about his career, how he dives into character, The Expanse, and an exciting project he’s been working on.

The Expanse Questions

PC: For readers who may not be familiar with the series, tell us about The Expanse.
Nick: I always say to people who don’t know the series, you should know it! [laughs] Someone once described it as Game of Thrones in space. It has politics, drama, action, good looking people, and a great ensemble. Every season and episode just keeps getting better. There’s really something for everyone. It’s not just about space. It has political agendas, human dilemmas, and explores the ups-and-downs of relationships. It’s very relevant even though it takes place two hundred years in the future.

PC: How did you prepare to play Cotyar?
Nick: Whenever I play any character, I try to focus on them and their relationships. I try to discover where their heart lies. Once I know that, I’ll understand what motivates them. The best way to find their heart is to examine their relationships. For example, in season two, my character’s main relationship was with Chrisjen Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo), and through her, I was introduced to this world.

It’s important any time you read a script or a book for the first time to remember the initial reaction you had because you’ll never get it again. Those moments are gold. After that, you’ll have to make it feel natural again, and recreate those feelings. The first time you read a script, you’ll get a lot of clues to your character.

PC: Great answer! What is it like working with Shohreh? And what can you tease about your characters’ dynamic this season?
Nick: It’s lovely working with Shohreh. She’s a wonderful human being and a supreme artist. We got along really well right from the beginning. The chemistry on and off screen is just beautiful. It actually surprised me to see how many fans love this relationship. It’s become a big thing.

In episode one of season three, we end things with a major cliffhanger; there’s this beautiful sacrifice that happens. She wants to help him, but he puts her in a ship to make sure she’s safe, and he goes into oblivion—actually they both do! We don’t know if they survive or not, so tune in! What happens afterwards is really interesting, because whatever the writers planned and implemented in the first and second season will pay off this season.

Photo Credit: Rafy/Syfy

PC: The show has a huge following, especially on social. How much do you pay attention to that?
Nick: It’s a love-hate relationship. I’ve never been a huge social media guy. I started pretty late in the game. I try to use it for the right reasons. I LOVE the fans, and we ultimately do this for them. Connecting and hearing from them is always a pleasure. It feels like a gift to me. I’m a fan of that aspect of social media, and I consider it a blessing. However, I try not to overdo it with social media because everyone has an opinion, and if you pay it too much mind, it can start impacting your performance and it can build doubt in your head.

PC: On The Expanse, we get to see you step into the “good guy” role. As an actor do you have a preference between playing the hero or the villain?
Nick: Wait! We don’t know if he’s going to be the hero yet. [laughs] Maybe he’ll turn out to be a bad guy. I’ll keep you and the fans guessing! But to answer your question, do I like playing the hero or a “bad guy,” I never quite played a hero per say. As an actor, I want to try everything. As long as I’m on the earth, I want to try it all, and even if I fail, I embrace it all. That said, there is a certain freedom to play the “villain” because they’re never bound by rules. They do what they please, whereas heroes are very strict. It’s still a challenge, but villains are delicious. I always tend to play characters that are complex or have issues. After reading the script for The Expanse, I didn’t know if Cotyar was a “good guy” or a “bad guy.” I was confused! Where does his loyalty lie? Is he going to turn on her? There were so many avenues where he could have turned. I love that feeling of not knowing.

Career Questions

PC: When did you first decide you wanted to pursue a career in acting?
Nick: When I look at it now, I think it was way back when I was a kid. My first acting lesson was lying to my dad and getting away with it. [laugh] That was my first acting lesson! When I was young, me and my siblings would watch a lot of plays. We would memorize those lines and we still remember them to this day. It feels like it was always destined to happen. It took a couple of detours, but it was always destined to happen.

PC: Do you have a dream role or someone you’d love to collaborate with in the future?
Nick: Oh, yes! I have a lot. I’m a very hungry actor. I want to try everything. I want to work with everyone. But having said that, when I was a kid, I was a big, big fan of Sylvester Stallone. He was my childhood hero. I remember while I was watching him in Rocky and Rambo, I was transported into this world of action, and he made me believe anything was possible. It was my escapism from reality. It was my escape from school, which I hated. I’ve always been a huge dreamer, and I remember my mom would pick me up from school, and the whole ride, I would dream about being in a Sylvester Stallone movie. I almost had two opportunities to work with him!

PC: Besides The Expanse, do you have any other upcoming projects that you can talk about and tease?
Nick: There’s also Taken. The episode airs in May. It’s an interesting role for me. I joined them right after The Expanse wrapped. That’s a really great ensemble too. Also, I’m working on a video game. I’ve been working on it for a couple years now. It’s going to change the video game industry as you know it. It’s almost like filming a movie. It’s like Avatar for video games. I can’t talk too much about it, but it’s beautiful. Once it’s released, it’s going to be the thing to talk about.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Nick: Baby Daddy! My niece made me watch it while she was visiting. I would put it on for her and my nephew, and before you know it, I was watching the entire series. It’s really funny.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Nick: Shrek. [laughs] I was staying with Katrina Law and her husband for a bit, and I would go work out and come home and pass out with it playing on my laptop. She will never let me live it down!

PC: Favorite book?
Nick: I have a bunch of those! I’ll give you my top three: Compassion and Self Hate, Conversations with God, and The Artist’s Way. I have so many more! Books are like therapy.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Nick: I’m not a huge fan of musicals. But, plays, I have a lot of those. My favorites are The Bear, Dylan, and Danny and the Deep Blue Sea. Plays and books I can talk to you for a while!

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Nick: This even surprises my friends! One of my all-time favorites is Julio Iglesias.

PC: Last show you binge-watched?
Nick: Did I have to enjoy it? [laughs] Let me pick one that I liked—Sherlock.

Make sure to follow Nick on Twitter and Instagram, and check out The Expanse every Wednesday at 9/8c on SYFY.

Photo Credit: Amanda Ramón // Grooming: Crystal Tran // Styling: Brandon Nicholas