Prime Video’s hit series The Boys carved its niche with a bold mix of over-the-top violence, biting satire, and darkly humorous themes. Its brilliance lies in seamlessly weaving real-world anxieties into a superhero narrative, a feat rarely achieved in the genre. Its college-set spinoff, Gen V, continues this tradition, exploring the lives of young supes at Godolkin University as they grapple with powers that both define and imperil them.
The second season confronts the aftermath of pivotal events: Homelander’s looming influence, Victoria Neuman’s downfall, and the tragic loss of Andre, portrayed by the late Chance Perdomo. Amidst this tumultuous backdrop, the cast revisits their characters, who are both remarkably powerful and deeply human.
Jaz Sinclair, who plays Marie Moreau—the orphan capable of manipulating blood—discusses her character’s unique powers. “I think it’s a reflection of her emotional state, for sure,” Sinclair explains. “In season one, Marie believed she had to harm herself to access her abilities. Now, in season two, she discovers alternative ways to tap into her power, marking a significant emotional evolution for her.”
Jaz Sinclair in a still from ‘Gen V’ | Photo Credit: Prime Video
Marie’s connection to Claudia Doumit’s now-deceased Victoria Neuman, with whom she shares similar powers, was severed before it could fully develop. Sinclair notes, “With Victoria’s death and getting thrown into Elmira and having to survive that and then breaking out of there, it just reemphasises how Marie’s perception of this world is just so f****d up and that nobody’s safe and that you can’t trust anyone. So no more head-popping. Not from her.”
London Thor and Derek Luh reprise their roles as Jordan Li, a single character manifesting in two distinct forms within the same body. As a male, Jordan is invulnerable; as a female, Jordan wields explosive energy. London recalls the initial challenge of synchronizing their performances. “We did come up with some fun quirks in season one that we kept throughout both seasons,” she shares. “The walking was definitely tricky; we did try to match our walks for a while. And eventually we tossed that away too because it felt better to just be.”
Derek Luh and London Thor in a poster for ‘Gen V’ | Photo Credit: Prime Video
Derek finds a deep resonance in Jordan’s inherent sensitivity. “I think I’m a very sensitive person,” he states. “So I think the vulnerability was, I don’t want to say easily accessible, but I think I related to it so much because I understand that idea of having to be tough and having to not cry and being conditioned to be like a man and not show my emotions. So when I got an opportunity to fall in love with this character and open up and be vulnerable, I think it was really nice and cathartic.”
The two actors playfully banter about Jordan’s musical preferences. “There’s a good mixture of classic stuff and darker stuff, some hype music, and some rap stuff that was good,” London offers. Derek grins, “Absolutely. I’m picking the 2000s. My version is like 2000s pop Jordan. Is Jordan Backstreet Boys or NSYNC? That’s like a big choice. That really defines who you are as a person.”
He then turns to London, “Let’s say it on three…” They count down together, “One, two, three…”
“Backstreet Boys,” they exclaim in unison, dissolving into laughter.
The late Chance Perdomo and Sean Patrick Thomas in a still from ‘Gen V’ | Photo Credit: Prime Video
Undeniably, a poignant shadow hangs over the season following Chance Perdomo’s sudden passing. London addresses this with simple reverence. “I think a lot of the credit goes to how the writers and the creators of the show took care of this situation and really wrote Andre and Chance’s spirit into the whole season, which was not a small task, and they did very well to honour him respectfully and beautifully. And I think, honestly, just us all being together on set made it better. We never really talked about it much, but I think just being together felt like honouring him and felt like he was there.”
Sean Patrick Thomas, who portrays Andre’s father, Polarity—a once-celebrated superhero whose magnetic powers are now eroding his mind—connects his character’s journey to his own life without hesitation. “Honestly, it’s a direct parallel to where I am right now in my real life in terms of being a father,” he shares. “I’m very knee-deep and hands-on with being a super dad as best as I know how to be. So that dovetails very well into Polarity’s storyline on the show and his parenting, how he went about it and the mistakes that he made.”
Even the physical decline of his character becomes an embodiment for Thomas. “I think my thought of it was that he’s always in some type of constant pain or discomfort. And there’s something about that, at least for most of us, that makes you a little grouchy, and so I just kind of try to stay in that kind of realm of like, never really at ease because he’s always in pain. And just take it from there.”
Hamish Linklater and Jaz Sinclair in a still from ‘Gen V’ | Photo Credit: Prime Video
Hamish Linklater joins the season as Dean Cypher, a character who can manipulate minds through speech. He approaches the role of villainy with a casual shrug, describing his character plainly. “Definitely slippery is something I strive for,” he says. “I often find that when I go to my costume fitting, I sort of figure out what the character is gonna be and sound like. Like, ‘Oh, he would never wear those pants!’ And how do you know? But then you put on a pair of pants that you would think he would never wear, and you’re like, ‘Oh, actually that’s the guy.’ So I have a very sartorial process.”
Dean Cypher champions familiar Supe eugenics rhetoric—themes of superiority, purity, and power—which Hamish delivers without pretense. “Somebody’s got to play these parts, these horrible people. And so you sell it like you mean it. And hopefully that’s gonna put across the message that this is really, really bad and very, very current.”
Sean also views the political weight of the show as a significant responsibility. “I feel like it’s a golden opportunity to speak to what’s going on in the moment. You feel powerless about what you can do, what you can say, and how you can affect the conversation. And the privilege of being on a show like this, and telling a story like this, makes you feel less powerless, if that makes any sense.”
Hamish’s metaphor for the genre is more indulgent. “Genre is like the spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down. And when it’s done well… gosh, it’s delicious and hopefully enervating for an audience.”
He is also the latest voice of Batman for Prime Video’s Caped Crusader animated series. “They’re different worlds, but they’re both such a privilege to be a part of,” he remarks. “I cannot wait for Prime to put me in a romantic comedy, maybe where I don’t wear a super suit.”
Gen V Season 2 is currently streaming on Prime Video