Ron Perlman Talks ‘Sons Of Anarchy’ Season Two

After turf wars with several rival gangs, an ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) investigation, betrayals and even deaths the SONS OF ANARCHY still stands strong — or do they?

New problems set the SOA against a vicious, white supremacist, gang leader (Henry Rollins). This latest enemy, coupled with internal conflicts and long held secrets could tear the club apart.

Ron Perlman plays Clay Morrow, head of the SONS OF ANARCHY. He’s a strong, self assured, sexy bastard and will do anything to keep the club, and his position of leadership, intact.

During a set visit, Perlman gives PCZ some insights into last season’s events and what’s going to happen to the SOA this time around.

PCZ: At the end of last season, Clay found himself with a club that was beginning to fracture because of problems including a big mistake that ended in Donna’s death. How does that carry through in Season Two for Clay?

RON PERLMAN: Clay’s got to make a decision… he’s tested in ways he’s never been tested before. We get to find out what he’s made of because he’s going to have to answer to what he does. Whither he answers to it or not will prove his leadership style. I think we begin to understand why he is the leader that he is whither we agree with it or not, because he is definitely controversial. But he’s going to go head to head with the only one who really, really suspects that they have an idea of what went down. That is the Vice President, Jax, so there is going to be this major collision. And that plays itself out almost through the whole season.

PCZ: How do you think Clay’s age is going to affect his character? He now has arthritis and some other problems like that.

PERLMAN: Clay has two things going for him that kind of trump all things temporal and physical that is his ego and his vanity. In addition, regardless of what is happening to his body, his mind will never let him give into those things. Therefore, he just keeps them departmentalized in a place where he is forced to manage them. He is. Just is, and that’s the fact Jack! He’s holding on to everything he’s spent his lifetime building up for himself and for this sovereign little nation that he presides over. Part of the DNA of bikers in general is their desire to remain forever young and to piss in the winds of time and reality. So that’s another one of the beautiful colors of exploring this particular brand of sub cultures is that you get to see them behaviorally and socially and what there response is to external stimuli be that’s physical or political or life threatening.

PCZ: So The Sons of Anarchy club has obviously gone in a different direction then when it was originally established and we see some of that from Jax’ father’s (John Teller) manuscript diary in the first season. Do we get more of an insight into the changes in the club and the difference between Clay and John Teller’s vision for the club in Season 2?

“Clay has two things going for him that kind of trump all things temporal and physical that is his ego and his vanity.” – Ron Perlman

PERLMAN: We’re so busy with the new antagonist that’s introduced to us in the most horrific way. We are so busy dealing with him externally and then the internal struggle… Well, Charlie (Jax) has got two struggles. He’s struggling to find out who his father’s son is supposed to be. So he’s playing that out in his own personal nightmare. But he’s also struggling to find out, if I was in control of this, what kind of leader would I be. You really don’t know until you’re there. He just comes in with his guns loaded, because of his deep profound hatred for Clay’s … in general his modality and specific where that modality leads him to at the end of last year. The manuscript thing has kind of taken a back seat to the order of the day, which is to try and stay ahead of the curve with this new group that’s trying to destroy us. And how we remain a club intact, knowing that there are all of these fissures that have been created, and we’ve just put a Band-Aid on, but we know that eventually they are going to erupt into something that will demand our attention.

PCZ: What are the main challenges in doing this role?

PERLMAN: I’ve never played anyone who didn’t have a sense of humor about himself until I played Clay. It’s not that he doesn’t have a sense of humor; it’s just that he doesn’t have one about himself. And every other character I’ve ever played has that kind of ability to see the world from the other guys point of view and even while making a decision as to what his point of view is, he factors those things in. This guy doesn’t. This guy is like it’s my way or the highway. I know what is best for this world that we live in. And if you don’t like it get the fuck out. I’ve never played anyone who was that single minded and who is as ruthless as he is to obtain his objective, what ever that objective may be.

PCZ: What about your bike riding? Have you had a chance to work on it since last season?

PERLMAN: It’s going okay. I had some time on the off-season to spend on the bike, which I didn’t have prior to the first season, which is a highly chronicled factoid. But I had some time and I got some hours logged on the bike. I had a great instructor who is an ex-motorcycle cop himself. He taught me how to ride a horse for this movie I did in hiatus called Season of the Witch with Nicolas Cage. While we were taking a break, from horseback riding, I saw all of these motorcycles and I said, ‘Can you teach me how to ride a bike as good as you can teach me to ride a horse?’ And he said, ‘Oh yeah, better.’ So when I got back from Budapest we went at it. And I’ve done all of my own riding this season. I’m not saying I loved it, but I did it.

PCZ: Did you get a special customized Harley like the others actors did?

PERLMAN: I did not get a bike. I am not a social rider. (Laughing.) Strictly professional.

PCZ: Some of the other actors mentioned that they were amazed that with all the problems Clay had that he made it through the first season.

PERLMAN: What did they hear? (Laughing) I’m surprised I made it through the second season. (Pause.) That’s one of my personal credos, no expectations, no disappointments. I take everyday as it comes and try to make the most of it especially since I’m not in control. I know Kurt (Sutter) started out with this Hamlet thing as a super structure. I’d like to sit down with him when all the dirt settles after Season 2 and find out if he’s still hell bent in keeping that super structure. If he wants to go 10 seasons instead of 5 because Hamlet was a five act play and if each season is one act of Hamlet then we‘re all doomed. Nobody made it out of that alive!

“I’m surprised [Clay] made it through the second season. (Pause.) That’s one of my personal credos, no expectations, no disappointments.” – Ron Perlman

PCZ: How soon do you think there will be consequences for Clay because of his actions?

PERLMAN: There are consequences for Clay and his actions everyday. If he survives them or not is somebody else’s decision to make.

PCZ: Ryan Hurst (Opie Winston) mentioned that before the second season began Kurt set everybody down and talked to them about their characters and what they saw for the future. So what is your relationship with Kurt when it comes to molding Clay?

PERLMAN: I think I have a real good relationship with Kurt. I wish I had more access to him. He rewrites every single episode and then he is editing all the time. But that one generous moment when he invited every cast member to come in and talk about what they saw, and what they felt, and what they aspired to see happen to their characters, he took it very, very seriously. I’m one of the very oldest members of the whole company. Bill Lucking (Piney Winston) I think has me [in years], maybe Dayton Callie (Police Chief Wayne Unser) is right up there with me, and we are the senior members. And I talked a lot about mortality issues. About a man getting to the point where he realizes his days are numbered. And every single thing that he does, and feels, and thinks, and believes is slightly altered because of coming to grips with mortality issues. We talked a lot about that. There is one episode where it’s just lifted off the conversation we had. I think it’s the third episode. Because he said, ‘What is the first thing a guy does when he realizes that he has far less days to come then he has behind him?’ I said, ‘He starts biting the head off of every body. It’s out of control anger. He’s railing against reality. And he’s taking it out on everybody near and dear to him and everybody that he loves. It’s irrational, but then again so is this thing.’ And low and behold, an episode came in and there it was. It’s a very human thing, especially for a guy who is as vital and formable as Clay Morrow, when you see him really grappling with mortality issues. What is this world going to be like with out me in it? What mark have I made? How do I make a bigger one before it’s all over? All of that stuff.

SONS OF ANARCHY — Second Season Premieres Tonight 0n FX @ 10 p.m.