During a fascinating visit to the American Museum of Natural History, actor Gabriel Basso’s conversation meandered from ancient geopolymers to sonar-jamming moths, Phoenician trading ships, the origins of amethyst, fantastical architecture, and even the startling idea of dinosaurs learning to mimic human speech.
“Now that,” he mused, a hint of awe and terror in his voice, “would be genuinely terrifying.”
At 31, Basso is the leading man in Netflix’s highly successful series, ‘The Night Agent,’ which is set to launch its third season on Thursday. He embodies Peter Sutherland, a rebellious F.B.I. agent determined to expose a sprawling government conspiracy. His on-screen persona is typically intense, often seen with narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw, or appearing as if he’s just endured a surprise hit.
However, on a recent February afternoon, Basso was brimming with palpable excitement. Standing before the museum’s colossal Titanosaur model, his face lit up. “Sick!” he exclaimed, before delving into a thoughtful contemplation of its massive skeletal framework.
Both boyish and rugged, eloquent yet reserved, Basso explored the museum largely unnoticed, clearly captivated by his surroundings. Yet, when the conversation turned to his acting career, a distinct ambivalence surfaced.
“It just feels like something that shouldn’t consume your entire life,” he remarked, gazing at the intricate dioramas. “Your existence shouldn’t solely revolve around it, because, ultimately, it’s not real.”
Raised in Missouri, Basso found his solace in nature, spending his youth exploring local woods and nurturing a terrarium of snakes. When his sisters relocated to Los Angeles with their mother to chase acting dreams, Gabriel initially remained with his father. However, a fateful visit to L.A. led him to an agent, quickly launching his own career with teen roles in acclaimed shows like ‘The Big C’ and films such as ‘Super 8.’ This early success meant sacrificing typical teenage milestones like prom, homecoming, and nearly his high school graduation.
“It was definitely a challenging environment for personal growth,” he reflected, pausing on a bench amidst the prehistoric mammal exhibits.
By 2016, as his teen acting years waned, Basso returned to Missouri, seeking grounding in a punk band. The change didn’t provide the stability he hoped for. “Life wasn’t exactly great then,” he admitted.
When a friend encouraged him to meet with an agent, Basso agreed. This decision reignited his career, leading to his prominent role as JD Vance in the 2020 film ‘Hillbilly Elegy,’ based on Vance’s memoir, and subsequently to his lead part in ‘The Night Agent.’
Shawn Ryan, the mastermind behind ‘The Night Agent,’ wasn’t immediately convinced. Basso’s initial audition tape featured a full beard, a stark contrast to Ryan’s envisioned clean-cut F.B.I. rookie, Peter, who started out on reception duty. Yet, a persistent casting director persuaded Ryan to give Basso a second look, and it completely shifted his perspective.
“I was specifically searching for an actor who radiated an inherent goodness, someone who seemed a bit like an underdog,” Ryan explained. Basso, he found, perfectly fit that description.
While the thrilling action and espionage elements initially captivated Basso, it was Peter’s unwavering moral compass that truly drew him in.
“Anyone truly worth admiring, anyone who has made a historical impact, possesses that undeniable level of conviction and core values,” Basso stated. “Even if history eventually labels them a villain, they were driven by a clear purpose.”
Basso is quick to clarify that he doesn’t always agree with Peter’s decisions. “Peter isn’t me,” he asserted. “He’s not a straightforward hero; he’s constantly treading the line of a will to power.” Nevertheless, Basso relishes portraying a character so steadfast in his own conviction.
“Peter is absolutely prepared to die for his beliefs,” he revealed, adding, “It’s incredibly compelling to read those lines and realize, yes, he truly is.”
Peter’s political leanings remain undefined, and Basso himself maintains a guarded stance on his own views. “I can’t choose my audience, so the last thing I’ll do is lecture or politicize,” he explained. While he admits to a shared interest in a conspiratorial mindset, his fascinations lie more with historical intrigues, citing theories surrounding the Lusitania and Titanic. He suggests that greater accountability could lead to fewer such conspiracies.
“I’m well aware that people lie, that those in power lie, and that there’s often a system where true accountability is elusive,” he reflected. “Within that troubling dynamic, it’s inevitable that some individuals will act unscrupulously and evade consequences.”
In preparation for his role as Peter, Basso immersed himself in an FBI agent’s world, mastering evasive driving and weapons handling, and further refining his skills in mixed martial arts, including boxing, kickboxing, jujitsu, and wrestling.
“My goal is always to infuse as much of my authentic self into the character as possible, to blur the lines between acting and reality,” he shared.
For the third season, which delves into themes of dark money and campaign finance, Basso took on more of his own driving stunts. The season is packed with intense fight sequences, and Basso firmly believes in embracing the risks involved.
“You can’t expect to earn a substantial income, enjoy luxurious meals, reside in opulent settings, and be pampered, all while remaining shielded from challenges,” he contended. He holds a strong conviction that if a production demands hours of a viewer’s attention, actors have a responsibility to commit fully.
When asked about his personal safety, he dismissed the concern. “I don’t find that a legitimate worry,” he stated. In fact, Basso confessed that a significant portion of the acting profession feels inauthentic to him.
“I firmly believe that one’s life shouldn’t be governed by emotion, hysteria, or sheer subjectivity,” he declared.
So, what should a life be built upon? Basso enumerated his core principles: humility, objectivity, accountability, adherence to law, and a commitment to service. For him, narratives hold worth only when they resonate with reality and carry tangible real-world significance.
“Historically, even the greatest warriors were driven by powerful narratives, constantly asking themselves, ‘What would Achilles do?’” he noted. He views stunts and fight scenes, despite their staged nature, as a way to legitimize a profession he struggles to fully endorse, bridging the gap between fiction and physical reality. Throughout the afternoon, Basso referenced an idealized, more masculine past of the entertainment industry—remarking that “the guys who built this business had all been to the war”—a bygone era he clearly yearned for.
Shawn Ryan commented, “I don’t believe he’s simply in this to cash in. He possesses genuine values he’s committed to upholding, and he’s determined not to let Hollywood alter who he is.”
Recently, Basso ventured into writing and directing with his debut film, ‘Iconoclast,’ which tells the story of a man (played by Basso) whose fascination with an influencer spirals into a perilous obsession. While he found the experience fulfilling, he remains uncertain about his long-term future in the entertainment industry, in any capacity. He speculates that a character as unconventional as Peter from ‘The Night Agent’ would, in reality, have been eliminated by the agency or by powerful political figures long ago. If such a fate befalls Peter in the show, Basso insists he won’t be disappointed.
“I have a strong inclination that I’ll be taking a hiatus soon,” he shared.
His passions extend far beyond Hollywood, encompassing art, masonry, music, martial arts, and the natural world. He eagerly anticipates dedicating more time to these pursuits, especially now that he feels he’s shed what he terms the “corruptive forces” of his younger years. Surrounded by artifacts of prehistory on the museum’s fourth floor, he exuded a quiet confidence about both his past and what lies ahead.
“I’ve gained significant self-awareness,” he concluded. “I trust my ability to navigate life’s path without losing my way.”