Sons of Anarchy actors Theo Rossi (Juice) and Tommy Flanagan (Chibs) made their first appearance at the Chicagoland Motorcycle Show on January 19 at the Pheasant Run Resort and Convention Center. YourEntertainmentCorner.com had the opportunity to attend the show’s events and was granted exclusive access to the Super VIP private breakfast session with the actors.
After a late night arrival to Chicago, Rossi and Flanagan started their day early and ready to mingle with the fans. The cozy breakfast setup was conducive to a group discussion; the actors and fans soon engaged in a conversation that quickly revolved around season five and its finale. For those who may have not seen it, please be warned the main storyline’s events will be discussed moving forward.
Kurt Sutter and his staff are typically guarded about revealing where the Son’s storylines are heading so I didn’t expect any major reveals particularly when the group started speculating who may be behind Dr. Tara Knowles’ (Maggie Siff) arrest. It was fun, however, to see Rossi’s curiosity about the fans’ reactions to Opie’s (Ryan Hurst) demise. After hearing their responses, Rossi and Flanagan shared their own perspectives.
“It was heartbreaking,” Flanagan stated.
“It didn’t even hit us until two episodes later until the funeral,” Rossi said.
Rossi then explained Hurst had texted him early in the day when Opie’s murder was going to be filmed because Hurst wanted all of his fellow actors to be present during the murder scene. (Based on the season’s storylines, Rossi had been primarily filming with Ron Perlman.) In the scene right before Opie was to be killed, Hurst took a moment to look into the eyes of his three incarcerated MC brothers but Rossi said that, instead, “He was looking at us.”
Flanagan and Rossi also revealed they filmed additional scenes for the finale that didn’t air. Based on the descriptions provided by the actors, I’m hoping they will be included in the Season 5 DVD as extras (one more incentive for fans to eagerly wait for the DVD release later this summer?). As a teaser, I will share one of the scenes involved Juice getting beaten up. According to Rossi, the actor providing Juice the beat down “made it as real as possible” and the director wanted the scene to be shot again. Rossi explained he reacted with a “Really?” which made everyone erupt into boisterous laughter.
The conversation then shifted to discussing the closeness among the SOA cast. “I think that is one of the reasons people like the show,” Rossi said. Both Rossi and Flanagan proudly discussed how much the cast spends time together not only while working but also during the off-season.
“We work six months a year, 16 hours a day,” Flanagan said, referring to the Sons’ filming schedule to which Rossi jokingly added, “We probably see each other too much!”
It didn’t take long for fans to start asking about what to expect for the upcoming season 6. Rossi explained the actors used to get the scripts prior to the season filming but that is no longer the case, while Flanagan pointed out all the potential enemies SAMCRO may be facing next. “We might as well be pissing off all the criminal organizations,” he said. “Good job, Sons!”
To everyone’s delight, Rossi confirmed there will definitely be a seventh season. The breakfast event was about to wrap when Rossi and Flanagan gushed about the dedication of the show’s fans.
“What we love most is our fans [they] are unbelievable,” Rossi said.
Then Flanagan and Rossi spent the next eight hours mingling with fans throughout three individual events which included a VIP Lunch and an end of day “Meet and Greet” session for which organizers estimated 700 fans had lined up to see the actors. In spite of the long day, they remained enthusiastic and welcoming with fans until they had to leave for the airport at 6pm.
Initially, Charlie Hunnam had been slated to headline the motorcycle show but a movie deal conflicted with his schedule so Hunnam selected Rossi and Flanagan to represent Sons of Anarchy on his behalf. Rossi delighted fans with his outgoing personality while Flanagan showcased his wonderful sense of humor.
[nggallery id=491]
Season six of Sons of Anarchy is expected to return September 2013 on FX.
For more on the show, visit http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/soa/
To keep up with the show latest news during the off-season, follow @FXNetworks, @sutterink and @sonsofanarchy
For more information regarding upcoming Paragons Promotions events, go to http://paragonspromotion.com.
All photos © 2013 Yourentertainmentcorner.com and Elle Lutz. All Rights Reserved.
elleL
Latest posts by elleL (Posts)
- Vampire Diaries: Fall Season Preview by the Cast - July 23, 2015
- Vampire Diaries: A new realm? Don’t expect a happy Mystic Falls. - July 23, 2015
- Season 4 Highlights from Vikings – San Diego Comic Con - July 22, 2015
- San Diego Comic-Con 2015 CBS Press Room: Scorpion – Fall Preview (Season 2) - July 21, 2015
Follow Us!