Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Logan’s FX produced horror The Strain has many good things going for it; however, Ben Hyland’s (Zack Goodweather) acting is not one of them. Generally, the directing, the acting, the score, the high production values and the beautiful looking cinematography have been more than enough to keep people tuned in and they far outweigh the bad points that plagued season one. Thusly, it’s refreshing to hear that executive producer/showrunner Carlton Cuse has taken affirmative action to up the ante for the hotly anticipated season two, by getting rid of the deadwood. It’s harsh, but there really isn’t any other way to put it, when the push comes to shove, Goodweather couldn’t act his way out of a paper bag.
Max Charles, whom was last seen in American Sniper with Bradley Cooper, has been cast as a regular in season two, portraying the role of Dr. Ephraim Goodweather’s (Corey Stoll) son in the upcoming second season. He is replacing Hyland who struggled throughout the first season playing the part of Zack Goodweather in the first season.
The Strain executive producer/showrunner Carlton Cuse said in a statement to Deadline:
“It is a pleasure to welcome Max Charles to the cast.”
Further elaborating, Cuse stated one of the main reasons for the recasting of the role of Zack Goodweather:
“We recast this part due to some specific story needs we have downstream. We are sad to see Ben go. He is a very talented actor and a wonderful person. We will all miss him and thank him for his great work.”
So there you have it folks. It seems the reason for the recast is due to a deeply emotional story-arc involving Zack’s character, and it looks like the producers have opted to go with a young actor who can meet the demands that this particular storyline needs.
Here is the official synopsis of The Strain released by FX for any latecomers to the show:
The Strain, created/executive produce by Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan for FX Prods., tells the story of Dr. Goodweather, the head of the Centre for Disease Control Canary Team in New York City. He and his team are called upon to investigate a mysterious viral outbreak with hallmarks of an ancient and evil strain of vampirism. As the strain spreads, Dr Goodweather, his team, and an assembly of everyday New Yorkers wage war for the fate of humanity.
Charles, who also played young Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and was a regular on the ABC comedy The Neighbours, is repped by Symington Talent Management, Cunningham Escott and Stone Meyer.
Do you think Ben Hyland did a good jog of playing Dr. Ephraim Goodweather’s (Corey Stoll) son? Or do you think Max Charles will make for a good replacement?
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