Elgin James helped give FX’s Sons of Anarchy a second life when he co-created the spin-off Mayans M.C. Now in its fifth and final season, the core cast reunited at the ATX TV Fest, where diehard fans went wild for the stars as they shared their love for the show and answered questions. I had the opportunity to speak with the cast while they were still reeling from the energy and love they experienced on stage. With five episodes left to air, we talked about the next time they will get together and if they would return for more in the future.
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Alex: Congratulations on the fifth and final season. I couldn't be at the panel, but I understand you had a really warm reception. I’ve heard that fans brought their custom-made vests and were very boisterous with their love of the show. What are you all feeling coming away from that stage? And does this feel like a final victory lap?
Emilio Rivera: Bitter-sweet.
JD Pardo: Sarah mentioned that. She was like, "Guys, this is the last time we're on stage together."
Sarah Bolger: Mm-hmm. I feel really nostalgic over it already, and it happened 20 minutes ago. But that is literally, I think for Mayans, as far as we're aware, the last time we will ever be on stage talking about Mayans as this group. I don't know about you guys, but that just feels incredibly sad, especially because there are still episodes to come. So I feel like it hasn't ended. I know our bit has ended, but that's always been the way it is, and then there's a new season that we film. It's coming to the realization that there's no new season to film.
Emilio Rivera: The thing is, brother, is that you'll say, and I've said it many times over the years, "I'll see you in the next one." But it can take sometimes 20, 25 years before there is a next one. Not just in the same show or movie, but what it is just like with Sons, those guys are still my brothers, and we still get together as this is my family, and we'll always get together. You get what I'm saying? And then you are my family. I mean, we're Mayans forever, not in the show no more, but the bond we have it'll never be broken, brother. You know?
Alex: Yeah, absolutely. You’ve had five seasons on this, plus some of you had experience with Sons of Anarchy. Can you talk about the level of growth that you feel like you've had with the show? JD, for example, you got to direct this season, so I'm assuming this show helped you get to that place?
JD Pardo: Yeah, it did. It felt like I knew going into this that I was just ready to take on the position and the responsibility that go along with not only acting, but just with being the lead of a show, and what it did for me was reaffirm that, and also it enabled me to direct an episode, and I got to go through a mini film school in order to prep for that. And now there's this fire inside that's like, "Wow, how far can I take that?" They always say that you're not a real director until you've written something, directed it yourself with a budget that you put together. Right? 'Cause then you're really responsible for all that stuff. So I'm just excited. I think that it's, when I look back, it's opened a massive door for me, and I'm just excited to see what that looks like. Hopefully, it's not 25 years. I was like, "Oh man, really? Woo, guys, we better start drinking now. Nothing is guaranteed. I think that what I love, even in directing someone like Sarah, I always say it's like driving a Ferrari. Because she is so fine-tuned and everything. She could go anywhere at any point, any time. But we got together as a group, and there was really no ego. It was an atmosphere where everybody, I felt, was able to bring their best because they were comfortable, they felt accepted, they felt like they had a voice, they were contributing, and we really set that atmosphere up from the beginning that this is a place where you tell the story, you tell the character. A lot of people would come up to me and just say, "Thank you, thank you, thank you" for having the show and guest stars or whatever, and I would just say, "Thank you, but when you're on set, you're the lead." You have to have that mentality. When you're on camera, you're the star. And just take it from there. I feel really good that everybody just really embraced that.
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Emilio Rivera: When people would come to just do a guest spot for a day or for a week, they were like, "Bro, I don't want to leave. I've never been on the set like this." And for me, we've all been doing this a long time, Mayans helped me grow as an actor. You know what I'm saying? 'Cause like you said, it was a free space to run amuck in a certain amount of way. You know what I'm saying? But they bring it back in. But it just made it easier. It's just the tone, bro. who was in front of the camera, who was behind the camera, it was a big family. It was so beautiful, bro.
Sarah Bolger: Yeah, I mean this season in particular, it was like JD was Danny Pino, it was Elgin. We had these directors. And, what was the lovely episode?
Emilio Rivera: Alison Anders.
JD Pardo: Alison, yeah, that's right.
Sarah Bolger: Alison. I mean, God, she's wonderful. And I just feel like… And Brett [Dos Santos]. And I felt like we could get on set and mess up, try things that maybe you wouldn't risk on any other set for fear of disappointment, for fear of people being like, "Wait, do you not understand your character?" No, I understand her so well that I want to try things and be bold. The support system in place was so supreme, and the guidance from all of our directors was so immense, that I don't know how that would be replicated again. And I know I'm not saying it took five years. I'm saying that happened after well into 22 episodes of us. That it was just a support system like no other. And I will genuinely miss that.
Alex: That makes sense. The fifth season is still airing, there are new episodes coming out for fans. Are you planning to get together again to celebrate the ending of the show going out into the world?
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Emilio Rivera: I can't say much on this thing, but there's a special episode that's coming up pretty soon, in episode eight actually, where I'm going to have a viewing party at my house, and I'm going to invite my Mayan brothers and my Sons of Anarchy brothers, because they're all so proud for that episode. So we're going to all be together, the enemies and our club, so there's going to be people, a nice party.
Alex: Obviously, the future could hold anything. If Elgin James called and said he’s doing another show in this universe and wants you back, are you all willing to come back?
Emilio Rivera: I'm in.
JR Bourne: If there's anything Elgin is doing, I'm in.
Sarah Bolger: We have to see if we live.
Emilio Rivera: Yeah, that's true. You worded that question real well. That's a good one, bro. You know what? I don't know, bro.
Alex: I promise I wasn’t trying to get any spoilers. Hypothetically, as actors, would you go back?
Sarah Bolger: Yes, I would.
JR Bourne: I think that's massive unanimous for all of us.
JD Pardo: Yeah. Of course.
Sarah Bolger: It'll be gold.
Emilio Rivera: It was a lot of fun, brother. It's just too much fun. As you know, bro, it's a place like, I've never been to college, I never even finished high school. But when I've seen movies about frat houses, that's what it seemed like. You know, it was really cool, 'cause you see these guys, headlocks, beating up each other, riding each other's backs.
And then they say, "You've got a five-minute warning," everybody just [freaking] says "Let's go to the corner and get in mode." And then they did the thing. But in between takes, they were just having fun. It was so beautiful, bro. I've never been on a set like that in my life. Maybe there was there, but I was too focused like, "I gotta do this." It just made it be you, and then be that guy when they said action, you know? It was really cool, man.
Alex: Awesome. Well, thank you all so much for your time. I hope you enjoy reuniting for the eighth-episode party.
New episodes of Mayans M.C. air Wednesdays at 10/9c on FX and stream Thursdays on Hulu.