Blood & Treasure 's Matt Barr on Danny's trust issues and the 'true test' for his relationship with Lexi
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Warning: This story contains spoilers for Blood & Treasure season 2, episode 3.
Danny McNamara (Matt Barr) is finding it hard to trust.
A long list of betrayals continue to follow Danny in Blood & Treasure season 2, the latest being the discovery that his ex, Kate (Victoria Diamond), is working against him and Lexi Vaziri (Sofia Pernas) as part of the CIA. Combined with learning that his father figure, Jay Reece (John Larroquette), was the big bad in season 1, Danny comes into the new season much less trusting of those around him. Lexi and their friends are quick to notice — and Lexi is determined to show Danny that there are people he can indeed trust.
On this chapter of the hunt for the Spirit Banner of Genghis Khan, Danny and Lexi are reunited with Simon Hardwick (James Callis), who sends the pair to Russia. It's there they meet the reformed criminal Andre Levchenko (Zach McGowan), who becomes their unexpected travel companion when the woman he loves is killed while he's helping Danny and Lexi find a clue.
We spoke to Blood & Treasure star Matt Barr about playing Danny, his relationship with Lexi, and how Kate's secrets bring up the betrayals of last season.
Jonathan Wenk/Paramount+
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: We've seen the impact of everything that happened in season 1 in these first few episodes. How has Danny been affected by what happened while hunting for Farouk?
MATT BARR: Danny was always trying to build a family and season 1 is about him coming together with Lexi and finding each other again. In season 2, he's dealing with the PTSD from the betrayal of [Jay Reece] and believing that everyone's gonna let him down eventually. Danny and Lexi are a couple now, and they are learning to trust in that and learning to overcome the fear of making the same mistakes again because it's such a leap of faith to love someone.
Kate has her own agenda, but she's also a figure from Danny's past. Can you speak to how she impacts Danny both in terms of the mission and his relationship with Lexi?
She's [Jay's] daughter who Danny has such a deep, intimate history with and her father was such a father figure and mentor, so there's a lot of emotions coming up for him. He has a sense of guilt for walking away from her years before at a time where he's trying to build this trust with Lexi. It's making things difficult for him, but all the while knowing that Kate's skill set is extremely beneficial to their mission.
One of my favorite dynamics is Danny and Father Chuck (Mark Gagliardi). This season, we see Chuck with the team more. What's it like to bring that dynamic on the road?
What I love about season 2 is our gang goes rogue. Season 1 was about working with law enforcement inside the system, and this season, they're outside of that dealing with criminals, PIs, and informants. It makes for a much richer character palette. Even Chuck, a man of church, has even gone rogue. It's a nice dichotomy because he's still that voice of reason and his moral compass is their center. It makes for a much more dynamic season in that sense. They're tackling it from both sides, because Chuck has the inside scoop and connections with the Vatican and the protected societies there. He has access Danny doesn't, and Danny and Lexi are traveling all over Southeast Asia, Vietnam, Laos, and Mongolia.
Danny seems more relaxed this season in terms of what he's willing to do. In this episode, he pulls a sting on the CIA. Do you see this shift as Lexi rubbing off on him or something else?
What we learned in season 1 is Danny and Lexi are two ends of the spectrum and by the beginning of season 2 they've found this center. They have rubbed off on each other and she's helped Danny think outside the framework of that square box of right and wrong of the law. Danny's helping Lexi see a sense of purpose and nobility in their pursuit, so it's about them becoming a singular unit.
Paramount+
Danny gets very excited while in Stalin's bunker, which tracks with his character. For you as an actor, how much are you learning playing Danny and what is that part of the role like for you?
It's a great question. That's something we talk about everyday on this series. As Matt, I want to be Indiana Jones, so I get to live vicariously through Danny. It's funny because I often ask [our showrunners] if this is real history or revisionist history because it gets pretty complex. I'm a big history buff and that's one of my biggest attractions to this project. I get to live the experience I imagined as a kid, the life of Indiana Jones.
This episode brings Simon back into play. How is it different for you playing opposite the real version of the character? He's playing himself, but he's essentially a new character.
All façades aside, unlike in season 1, they can't bulls--- each other now. There's this kind of dynamic transparency they see each other for who they are and can be very direct. It makes them both dangerous in a way. Even though Simon's behind bars in the beginning, he still has this ability to make you feel like he's on the offensive, which is seductive. The character, and also James Callis' performance, because he's a genius in that way. It's funny to see Danny caught off guard by him at times.
This episode ends with Danny and Lexi making a dangerous ally in Simon's contact Andre Levchenko. What can you share about the next stop on the duo's quest?
They're going to the Lion's den with him. Part of this adventure is them learning how to trust each other and count on one another, so I think they're going into the fire. This is going to be a true test for them as a couple and if they're going to survive they're going to have to do it together.
Blood & Treasure does flash back in time, but on your new show Walker: Independence, you are going back in time to play a character in the past. What is it like to tell a period piece in this Western?
Part of wanting to be an actor is that pursuit of you so badly wanting to build that time machine and no one's done it yet. The closest we get is in this line of work. I'm actually in Santa Fe right now and they built this old Western town. It's like you walk right into 1871. There's a salon and bank; goats, cattle, horses. It's a trip walking back in time. You put on the boots and the hats, everyone's in their wardrobe. It's maybe the closest we get to touching that experience. We all watch movies, listen to music, and read books about these experience, but it's a different thing to actually do it. That's part of the thrill of being an actor.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
Blood & Treasure airs Sundays on Paramount+.
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