Michael Emerson is the kind of actor who leaves an indelible mark on every role he touches. From the chilling Benjamin Linus in Lost to the mysterious Harold Finch in Person of Interest, Emerson has always managed to captivate audiences with his unique blend of subtlety and intensity.
But in Evil, the Paramount+ psychological mystery, he brings something even more sinister to the table as Leland Townsend, a man who is as enigmatic as he is terrifying — and oddly hilarious.
In what is likely his final outing as Leland, Emerson opens up about the bizarre, often gruesome world of Evil Season 4, the joy of working with a top-tier cast, and why green pea soup might never be on his menu again.
(Elizabeth Fisher/Paramount+)
The Bizarre, Gruesome World of Leland Townsend
If there’s one thing Evil is known for, it’s not shying away from the grotesque. Season 4 ramps up the horror, and Leland Townsend is at the center of much of it.
From battling demonic forces to literally eating hearts, Leland’s journey this season has been nothing short of nightmarish — albeit with a darkly comedic twist.
“It’s a lot. It was a lot,” Emerson admits with a chuckle when asked about the more stomach-churning aspects of his role. “I wasn’t sure it was going to be quite so much of that when I signed on, but it’s good fun.
“You end up having absurd conversations on set like, ‘Tell me again, what’s in the still-beating heart of the Demon Lord? What is it I’m actually eating?’ Or the props guy coming and saying, ‘You have your choice of three kinds of demon baby vomit. Which would you prefer?’”
And what did Emerson prefer? “Green pea soup was what it actually was,” he says, although he’s quick to add, “But after you spend an afternoon with pea soup, you lose your taste for it. I don’t know when I’ll be eating it again.”
(Elizabeth Fisher/Paramount+)
Practical Magic and Comedy in Horror
Evil manages to maintain a careful balance between horror and humor, and a big part of that comes from the practical effects that make the show’s more grotesque moments so visceral. For Emerson, having something tangible to interact with on set only enhances the performance.
“It’s a very clever merger of those two fields, but you’re seeing a lot of practical magic on our show,” he explains.
“Things coming out of people’s mouths — or at least on my end of the show, things are less miraculous and a little more bodily oriented. I see a lot of concoctions, many varieties of blood, and the insides of the human body.”
These practical effects also contribute to the show’s dark humor. “It cracks me up and puts me in a mood to appreciate the humor of these things,” Emerson says, describing the bizarre on-set preparations.
“The conversations are, of course, serious and technical, but they’re also insane. It’s a silly kind of thing to do for a living.”
(Elizabeth Fisher/Paramount+)
Elevating the Game with Stellar Co-Stars
According to Emerson, one of the highlights of the season was sharing the screen with guest stars John Carroll Lynch and Richard Kind in the courtroom scenes.
“It made it high-style comic playing. These are some of the top guys. I don’t remember laughing so much off-camera as I did in those episodes with those guys,” Emerson shares, clearly delighted by the experience.
But it wasn’t all fun and games.
“They’re dead serious professionals, too, and they can turn it off and on like nobody’s business. So it was educational also, but it lightened our days. It took some of the sting out of it being the end and everything.”
(Elizabeth Fisher/Paramount+)
The Demon World and the Corporate Boys Club
Leland Townsend is nothing if not well-connected in the demon world, and his ability to climb the infernal corporate ladder has been a focal point of his character arc.
“Well, it’s his mission in life, rather, isn’t it? The accumulation of power and influence seems to be his thing — that and mischief,” Emerson muses.
Reflecting on the season’s depiction of the demonic hierarchy as a corporate boys club, Emerson praises the metaphor.
“It was a good tone to strike because it really motivated Sheryl. The whole glass ceiling thing — what a great concept. It was such a great metaphor and so well utilized in our narrative.”
(Elizabeth Fisher/Paramount+)
A Farewell to Evil — Or Is It?
As Evil draws to a close, Emerson is introspective about what he’ll miss most.
“I have had such fine writing and so many one-on-one scenes that were of a very high order of playing. Scenes with Katja, scenes with Mike, Christine, Andrea — oh my God. We have had some scenes,” he recalls fondly.
“I will miss the on-set easiness that we’ve had, even though our show is hard to make and it’s long days, but it’s high-spirited.”
And as for Leland’s future? “Oh gosh. I don’t know. We’ve explored him and his psychology pretty thoroughly in the course of our work so far,” Emerson says, unsure of where the character could go from here. “I don’t know what… I’ll have to think about that.”
With the series seemingly at its end, fans of Evil and Emerson alike can take solace in the fact that they’ve witnessed one of TV’s most unique and unsettling characters brought to life by one of the industry’s most talented actors.
Whether it’s through the dark corridors of a demon’s lair or the eerie calm of a courtroom, Michael Emerson’s Leland Townsend has made an unforgettable impact — and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Evil finishes out its run this month on Paramount+.
