Introduction
The Our Flag Means Death cast set sail for Emerald City Comic Con 2023 to bring fans the As a Crew panel!
Popverse's Ashley V. Robinson is joined by Rhys Darby, Samba Schutte, and Vico Ortiz as the pirate crew discusses their time on the show and discuss the show's exciting second season.
Full OFMD coverage here: www.thepopverse.com/our-flag-means-death-rhys-darby-samba-schutte-vico-ortiz-eccc-2023-emerald-city-comic-con
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Video
I'm, literally living the seven-year-old's dream of a bearded pirate and he's, clenching his butt cheeks so tight and I'm behind him holding this dead bird.
Just seeing these butt cheeks.
Just wait that's, a real sword.
Yeah, BTS.
Bts, hi guys, what's up.
This is amazing.
Oh, my god, dude, all right so let's, I.
Guess it all started for me back in 2001.
We haven't started with the questions yet.
Kevin.
Go on go on I mean, I have a photo of me as I think a seven or eight year old, um version of me, uh with a white beard and a black mustache and a red, uh, bandana and I completely forgot about my photo.
Obviously because I was mistaken when I was seven years old.
And for the Callback on the show I had a white beard and I had a black mustache and I put on a red bandana and then I do the thing.
And then afterwards, my dad is like, did you know that you dressed just like when you were seven and I literally was like I took a photo of me in the moment and then had it back to back and I was like I'm, literally living the seven-year-old stream of a bearded pirate.
But for us scripts are always like blueprints.
This is how it's meant to be created.
And then you can bounce off it.
You know, but not everyone can do it, but when you can do it and you can feel it and you can, you know, we know each other really well.
So over the years, I know, when he's going to say something and I know what he's going to say sometimes so I'll preempt, what I'm gonna say and it just can, you know, it's it's kind of like a fluid thing, but uh, it's it's, not it's, not easy it's for me.
My favorite days were coming to set when I was not working and taika and Reese are working and just coming to watch them work the scene because it's, never as scripted, never it's like literally like they'll.
Go up the script, and then suddenly they'll bring in all this improv.
And it just goes places.
You never thought it'd go like the episode, um, seven when they're on going on reconnaissance or whatever and uh, they go for treasure hunt.
And that whole bit about Blackbeard's, Bar and Grill in the restaurant that was totally totally improvised, totally improvised.
And they kept it in the show the foot touch was improvised, and they kept it in the show how dare you that was one of my upcoming questions.
Yeah, for someone Vico isn't, just like a master class being around recent hike all day, truly, I mean, it feels like magic.
What you guys make is truly Magic, it's so cool to watch and be witness of that.
And it really makes everyone, uh excited to jump in and also be part of it.
I mean, really it's it's.
A really fun set to be in I would also love to know how the partnership between recent taika has evolved since like Flight of the Concords, and what we do in the shadows and how you've perfected it now.
Well, you know, it's, kind of like we've always had this sort of us against the world type thing.
We come from a tiny country where we you know, we had to fight to sort of get noticed.
But then we realized that our comedy is getting us noticed because there's something about it there's, certainly a British element to it, but there's, a very New Zealand element to it, which is the rural did I say that right, rural, uh, murder, ours, please, yeah.
We have a lot of country in New Zealand and a lot of, um, I know, there's there's, not many people and I think we have to shout to to say, hello to our neighbor.
Sometimes you know and it's kind of like that's that's that kind of tough kind of, uh yelling out with confidence, knowing there's going to be no, um, no one, bringing you back and saying, hey, don't, yell like that, um, because there's, no one there, yes, except maybe your mother and I don't yell like that.
What about the Sheep do the sheep ever have anything to say about it, that's? How quick I am? So she said that and I thought she let me take it.
Okay, get this down.
Yeah.
And I knew I was going to say, no and I thought of a sheep immediately and I knew I was going to do a sheep.
Sound sound, no, no, no and just can't like bang, and then I did it.
And then you've got the full laughter masterclass with Rhys Darby.
There was a lot of birthdays this season in New Zealand when we were filming and so many Libras.
So many Libras, um, so I just made cupcakes, uh for everybody, I'd bring a cupcake to set when it was like Matt's birthday and Rico's birthday and Christian's birthday and, um, Leslie Jones.
Uh, also asked me to make a cupcake.
And she cussed me out.
She cussed me out because it was the most delicious thing.
She had had she said, and she doesn't want to be friends with me anymore, because she couldn't stop eating it.
So, um, I love.
Baking cupcakes and I I.
My favorite recipe right now is a chocolate tart that I promised one day I'll share the recipe with uh.
So good, yeah, for birthday, it's so delicious with like sea salt on top of them.
It's.
So good, yeah, yeah, wait that's a real sword.
Yeah, also.
How did you get that through weapons? Check that's? What I was thinking I should get through security with that.
Yeah, there's.
No security coming through the back way, it's, not sharp.
That means it's not sharp, um, oh, yes.
Wow.
That's.
The reason it could get sharpened if I wanted to that's real.
Okay, cool, yes, but it's, not sharp so just be aware.
This is real and uh, if you guys get too close we're lucky that both Jim and Vico are lovers, not Fighters I would love to know without spoiling anything if everyone could share one word or phrase about what your character gets up to in season two done this actually helps because yesterday somebody asked me if Jim was a serious Goose or a silly goose and, um, I I don't think the writers were expecting that me Vigo was like such a silly, little Goose, um and uh, I don't think they were intending for Jim to be a goose at all.
Um.
So using two words, there's a bit of more serious gooseness gave away a bit much there, everyone's going right to Twitter right now.
You're fired right? My word for season, two would it's a difficult one because I've got to say, there's, a few things going on a lot goes on I already already said, too much, uh, but I I would use a word fantastical it's, a real good.
One thought, Fantastical, it's, even better.
Yeah.
Good.
One good.
So I went with that you make the notes I spoke to our dear writer, Alex Sherman earlier.
And um, he said, season, one was uh Steed going from a puppet to a real boy and season two is steed becomes a man.
Do do.
Wow by the way, a great nugget.
If no one has seen Reese's stand up where he tells a story about auditioning for Westworld.
That is your homework.
Now, if you liked this you're gonna love that I promise, you the scene, I, remember cracking up the most that was was it was, you know, um Carl dies.
The seagull right? And what I'm sorry, spoiler, spoiler, R.I.P and uh, wait who's Kyle that scene.
Oh, the bird the birds and uh buttons.
You know, you one is carrying this dead Taxidermy bird.
And it was a real Taxidermy bird that they gave us on set.
And then he hands it off to me and then he's butt naked right? And he walks up to Calico Jack.
And he stands there and does the curse, you know, like this he's like a hexapan and he's, clenching his butt cheeks so tight and I'm behind him holding this dead bird, just seeing these butt cheeks, just and I'm just trying my best it's a sad scene.
But I'm, just there going, please, no, please God.
Please, please I loved that.
Um, gym is just Jim.
And even though there is a learning process with them they're, not an educator who sits down and explains and has a whole three episode arch of like.
This is what this means and everyone's like making notes and like it's, like, oh, okay.
Cool it's just Jim got it.
You know, oftentimes when I play, um, when I when I'm cast in non-binary roles I have to have this whole conversation about what it means to be non-binary and like are they them pronouns and it's.
A whole like in the whole Arc of my character is just explaining what it is rather than just like being and like having a regular.
Those days are gone.
Baby.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's right.
Harvest.
Episode was episode two, oh, yeah, you have to watch it for which season for season.
Two you'll.
See? Why I'm thinking season one thing? Yeah, it was tough watching.
We had to do a few research and I was stuck in there.
Really that tiny case.
Yeah, yeah, like just dripping.
Sweat.
Yeah.
I.
Hunched over.
Yeah, I actually, got yeah, season two.
And all was a lot more, uh, physical stuff, happening.
If I can if I can say that and, um, you know, I, I, really I mean, I had to had to work out a bit.
Yes.
So and I have the BTS to prove it.
Uh, did you film that? Yeah.
So everyone now has to follow you on Instagram to see it listen between somebody and I really went ham with the BTS, uh, so get ready get ready? Tick Tock is not ready for what's about to go down.
Yeah, toughest scene to film, uh, there's, still buttons naked and uh, 100 guy in front of me as I've never had to act my heart out more than I did with that scene.
Yeah.
FAQs
How much of our flag means death is improvised? ›
While Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi stuck to the script during dramatic moments, there are still some improv moments in the series. Waititi confirmed that the restaurant scene, as well as the foot touch, were both improvised.
What are the themes of our flag means death? ›The need for escape, rebellion against a stifling society, fluidity of gender, and the desire for meaningful intimacy are enduring themes. At the same time, Our Flag Means Death makes these themes feel entirely fresh by giving them a new spin.
What is the synopsis of our flag means death? ›Set in the early 18th century during the Golden Age of Piracy, the series follows the misadventures of gentleman-turned-pirate Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) and his crew aboard the Revenge as they try to make a name for themselves as pirates and cross paths with famed pirate captain Blackbeard (Taika Waititi).
How long is our flag means death in total? ›30 min.
Will Our Flag Means Death be canceled? ›There will! It was announced in June 2022 that the series would return for a second season, with creator David Jenkins saying: "We felt the show was special while we were making it, but fans' open-armed embrace of the inhabitants of the Revenge makes heading into a second season all the more sweet.
Is Our Flag Means Death inappropriate? ›Though there's a lot of comedy, there is also a lot of violence and cursing, making it best suited for older teens and adults.
What does a black flag mean death? ›Black flags are often associated with funerals in the West, particularly state funerals and public mourning. In the former Yugoslavia, a plain black flag is the flag of mourning. It is displayed for 40 days after death on the deceased person's house.
Were Stede and Blackbeard actually in love? ›During one of the last moments between Stede and Blackbeard, he shares his feelings telling the Gentleman Pirate he is the one who makes him happy and wants to run away with. Stede in return tells him, “you make Stede happy.” Both men finally confess their true feelings and share a kiss.
Is Lucius dead our flag? ›Several outlets are reporting that Nathan Foad – whose character Lucius was apparently killed off after being thrown overboard by Blackbeard in the Series 1 finale – is on the Series 2 cast list. ScreenRant even gives an interesting theory on how Foad could become the Series 2 villain.
What happened to Jim at the end of Our Flag Means Death? ›In the season finale, Blackbeard asks Jim if he and Frenchie want to be part of the new crew he's putting together, to which Jim replies that they thought they were already part of Blackbeard's crew. After that, Jim gets knocked down and ends up in a locked room in the lower decks of the ship.
Did Stede and Blackbeard kiss? ›
While Our Flag Means Death explores love, gender, and sexuality in multiple ways, the romance between Blackbeard and Stede took center stage, leading fans to celebrate the first kiss the characters traded in Episode 9, "Act of Grace." When asked about that first kiss, Waititi replied that, while proud, he would prefer ...
How old was Izzy hands? ›Historically speaking, Izzy's birth date is 1701 meaning he should be sixteen; clearly this is not true of the character as Con O'Neill was born in 1966 and fifty-five during season one.
How many episodes of Our Flag Means Death are there? ›There will be 10 episodes in Our Flag Means Death Season 1.
Is Our Flag Means Death a mockumentary? ›A mockumentary-style comedy that centers on Stede Bonnet's adjustment to pirate life and his efforts to keep a tight and happy crew, Our Flag Means Death presents a unique lens to pirating that received nearly instantaneous approval from Waititi.
Who is the seagull in Our Flag Means Death? ›Karl was a seagull on Stede Bonnet's crew. He was best friends with Nathaniel Buttons and was often seen sitting on his head.
What does a black Puerto Rican flag mean? ›Since at least 2016 an all-black rendition of the flag of Puerto Rico has been a symbol of Puerto Rican independence, resistance, and civil disobedience.
What does black flagged mean? ›ˈblak-ˈflag. black-flagged; black-flagging; black-flags. transitive verb. : to signal (a race-car driver) to go immediately to the pits.
What does black army flag mean? ›“The black flag came to mean: 'Give No Quarter. '” “No quarter,” our experts explained, means, "you won't be taking prisoners." In a time of war or in a battle, you plan to kill the enemy on the spot.
Do Edward and Stede kiss? ›Stede says he wants Ed to do what makes him happy, to which Ed replies, "I reckon what makes Ed happy is... you." They share a kiss, after which Stede claims that Ed makes him happy as well.
Who is Blackbeard's boyfriend? ›The period comedy television series Our Flag Means Death, created by David Jenkins, stars Rhys Darby as Stede Bonnet and Taika Waititi as Blackbeard. Jenkins depicts a romantic relationship between the two.
Who was Blackbeard girlfriend? ›
Mary Ormond or Ormand (born c. 1702, died c. 1759) was the wife of the notorious English pirate Blackbeard. She was notable for her marriage to Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard.
Will Lucius be in Our Flag Means Death season 2? ›Despite being callously tossed overboard by the dread Captain Blackbeard at the end of season 1, Nathan Foad's Lucius Spriggs is expected to return for season 2 (remember the golden rule: unless you see someone die on screen, they probably didn't die).
Is there a season 2 of Our Flag Means Death? ›Get ready to set sail once again when Our Flag Means Death (2022-) returns for its second season. The HBO Max comedy series created by David Jenkins (People of Earth) first premiered in March 2022 and garnered huge numbers in viewership and fans over the course of its episodic release.
Is Our Flag Means Death Blackbeard? ›Captain Edward Teach, (better known as Blackbeard) is the deuteragonist in Our Flag Means Death. He is the most notorious and feared pirate of the Caribbean seas, but has gotten bored of his power and infamy.
Who ends up together in Our Flag Means Death? ›Eventually, in episode 9, the two pirates confess their romantic feelings for each other, sharing a tender, beachside kiss. Blackbeard (Taika Waititi) and Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) share a moment in 'Our Flag Means Death.
Why does Stede go back to his wife? ›Sadly, bad timing prevented the two from running off together and a panicked Stede returned to his wife as Blackbeard fell into a deep depression and ultimately resolved to return to his old life as the most fearsome pirate captain ever.
Is episode 10 the last episode of Our Flag Means Death? ›Our Flag Means Death Episodes 9 And 10 Review
After compromising the fate of its two protagonists, Our Flag Means Death comes to a close by completely flipping the history books and delivering a finale that is very much on-brand with the style that's made the show's writers, especially Taika Waititi so famous.
Even without any proof that he's wrong about Stede's feelings about him, Ed returns to The Revenge and sacrifices himself rather than let Stede die because of Calico Jack's betrayal. Because even if Stede doesn't have the same calibre of feelings for him, Ed absolutely loves Stede with all that he has.
Does Stede betray Blackbeard? ›Ed feels that Stede betrayed him by going back to his family, and all of Ed's character growth through season one seemed to be undone as he adopted his Blackbeard persona again. Stede broke Ed's trust, and it won't be easy to get it back.
Did Blackbeard keep slaves? ›Blackbeard freed a lot of slaves during his piracy career but he was no abolitionist. A number of ships he captured were slave ships, which tended to be larger to account for maximum 'cargo'. Upon capture, a large proportion of slaves joined the pirates – clearly the better choice rather than life on a plantation.
What race is Blackbeard? ›
Edward Teach (alternatively spelled Edward Thatch, c. 1680 – 22 November 1718), better known as Blackbeard, was an English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of Britain's North American colonies.
Was Izzy hands a real pirate? ›Israel Hands – also known as Basilica Hands – was a real-life pirate; he acted as second-in-command to Blackbeard (Edward Teach) himself. He was made captain of one of the ships in Blackbeard's fleet. He was actually shot in the knee by Blackbeard himself.
What did Blackbeard's flag look like? ›Blackbeard's flag is typically described as having a horned skeleton, holding an hourglass in one hand and a spear piercing a heart with three drops of blood, in the other. This imagery, however, has no contemporary links to any accounts of Blackbeard in the historical record. Historian E.T.
What episode does Blackbeard appear Our Flag Means Death? ›5 Blackbeard Tells the Story of the Kraken
In episode 6 of Our Flag Means Death season 1, Blackbeard (Waititi) tells the crew the story of how his father died at the hands of the Kraken, filling them with fear.
A mockumentary (a portmanteau of mock and documentary) is one type of film or television show depicting fictional events, but presented as a documentary which in itself is a subset of a faux-documentary style of film-making.
What is mockumentary horror? ›Recently in the horror genre of films, mockumentary staging techniques have often been utilized. A mockumentary is a staging technique by which the audience is led to believe that a created work of fiction is actually a documentary.
Is mockumentary a parody? ›Mockumentary or mock documentary is a genre of film and television, a parody presented as a documentary recording real life.
What does a bird mean in a flag? ›Our nation's founders signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, using quill pens made from the flight feathers of geese and swans. The use of feathers to sign a proclamation for a new nation seems appropriate because birds — with their freedom of flight — have always symbolized the spirit of independence.
How did the little seagull dare to fly? ›He saw his mother with a piece of fish in her beak, reaching to him at a little distance. The sight of the fish maddened him, so he dived at the fish without thinking about the result. He fell downwards, and at the next moment, he suddenly felt his wings spread outward and he started flying.
What flag has a flying bird? ›The flag of Papua New Guinea (Tok Pisin: plak bilong Papua Niugini) was adopted on 1 July 1971. In the hoist, it depicts the Southern Cross; in the fly, a Raggiana bird-of-paradise is silhouetted. The design was chosen through a nationwide design competition in early 1971.
Is Our Flag Means Death like what we do in the shadows? ›
Aiming to do for swashbucklers what What We Do in the Shadows did for bloodsuckers, the 10-episode Our Flag Means Death is the tale of Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby), an 18th century aristocrat who decided in a fit of extreme mid-life crisis insanity to abandon the lap of luxury—and his wife and two children along with it— ...
Which pirates in Our Flag Means Death are real? ›In addition to Stede Bonnet, Edward Teach, and Izzy Hands, several other characters that the crew encounters on Our Flag Means Death are based on real people (or supposed real people). One of these “supposed” real people is pirate captain Spanish Jackie (Leslie Jones).
Who is Jim based on Our Flag Means Death? ›Our Flag Means Death (TV Series 2022– ) - Vico Ortiz as Jim - IMDb.
Did Lucius survive in Our Flag Means Death? ›We never get a visual confirmation that Lucius is indeed dead. Instead, we only see Blackbeard pushing him from the ship and hearing Lucius' screams as he supposedly drowns. However, this is television, and until we see a body, we cannot believe that the scribe is truly dead.
What happens to Lucius in Our Flag Means Death? ›Several outlets are reporting that Nathan Foad – whose character Lucius was apparently killed off after being thrown overboard by Blackbeard in the Series 1 finale – is on the Series 2 cast list.
Is Lucius dead in Our Flag Means Death? ›Is Lucius actually dead? Everyone knows that unless you see the body, no one's really dead. However, getting pushed off a ship in the middle of the night isn't easy to survive. That's exactly what happened to the unfortunate Lucius (Nathan Foad) when Blackbeard (Taika Waititi) turned on him.
Why is pirate flag black? ›Q: What did the black pirate flag and the red pirate flag mean? The black flag of the pirates meant that if the enemies surrendered, their lives would be spared. On the other hand, the red flag of the pirates was much more dangerous, conveying the message that lives would not be spared.
What did a real pirate flag look like? ›The flag is red with a yellow skull and crossbones. In 1783, William Falconer reported that the "[t]he colours usually displayed by pirates are laid to be a black field, with a death's head, a battle-axe and hour-glass," but does not state which pirate or pirates allegedly showed this device.
What is the black pirate flag called? ›The Jolly Roger, or Skull-and-Crossbones, was first used by a French pirate, Emmanuel Wynne, about 1700.
Was Jim Jimenez a real person? ›Although Jim Jimenez was not a historical figure, their character was loosely based on Mary Read. Mary Read, also known as Mark, conspired with their mother dressed as their dead brother in order to receive an inheritance from a wealthy family member.
Was Our Flag Means Death filmed on a ship? ›
The new HBO Max show Our Flag Means Death required a number of scenes to be set on a pirate ship on the ocean. Ultimately, the sequences were realized with actors on a partial ship build on a soundstage against a 30 foot by 160 foot LED wall.