Monty Green is about to go to some dark and twisted places in season 3 of The 100. It seems like it’s about damn time for this loveable lad to get some much deserved character development and man, I’m so ready for this. Monty, known from season 1 as the faithful sidekick (or rather best bud) to the eccentric and often quirky Jasper Jordan is part of the core group, led by Clarke Griffin, who have been navigating a potentially toxic planet 97 years after a nuclear war wipes out almost all of humanity. Now that the people of a space station called the Ark have joined the remaining teens on the ground, it’s basically turned into a free for all. Murder, mayhem and feuds with other people not too keen on sharing this new world with the Sky People. Three months after the incident at Mount Weather, Clarke is taking a break from leading her people, Bellamy is desperate to find Clarke and bring her home, Jasper is about two seconds away from snapping and murdering a village, and there’s a whole lot of new blood on Earth that we’re coming in contact with. Whether it’s in Arkadia or driving around in the Rover listening to tunes, Monty seems to be in the center of the action after we returned from this excruciatingly long hiatus.
But rest easy fellow cinnamon rolls, Christopher Larkin, who plays Monty, digs deep this season facing his spiraling best friend and perhaps taking some of the blame off of Eliza Taylor’s character Clarke for the bloodbath at Mount Weather in the season 2 finale. Real talk, could Clarke really have killed all of those people without the help of Monty’s programming skills? We love our Wanheda… but, the truth is it’s unlikely.
Larkin chatted with me about the ramifications after Mount Weather, what we can expect from his character this season and the epic reunion between him and his mother, and how his father’s death will weigh heavily (but positively) on him in his quest to keep his mom safe. We also got to talk about growing up in Connecticut (HOORAH), snack foods and his music.
Now onto basic physics! Or ya know, something close to that…
MCKENZIE MORRELL: To start off, tell us about Monty Green, what can we expect from him in season 3 as opposed to the last two seasons?
CHRISTOPHER LARKIN: Let’s be honest: Monty didn’t have all that much to do in the first two seasons. He’s got a lot more on his plate this time around. There are some incredible challenges on the road ahead, and Monty is fully in the driver’s seat. He’s the one who is forced to pull the trigger, both literally and metaphorically.
MM: Do you get to do any stunt work this season… the fans want to see Monty in some fight scenes. Which, from the trailer we do see him shooting a gun– which is out of the ordinary for the Monty we’ve seen so far.
CL: Again, Monty will never be the most stunt-heavy character on the show. But yes, he’s gotten quite good with a gun since we’ve last seen him. He uses it more often than he’d like to this season.
MM: We finally meet Monty’s mom and find out the fate of Monty’s dad. Will that weigh heavily on him throughout the season? He kind of just pushed the fact that his father died at the hands of the Ice Nation to the side for now.
CL: Monty actively chooses to focus on life over death. While his father’s murder will always weigh heavily on him, his mother’s well-being remains his number one concern. They’re both alive for the moment, so his main priority is to foster that relationship as much as humanly possible.
MM: Monty and Jasper are without a doubt going through some growing pains. Do you ever find it odd that no one (except Jasper) blames your character for the massacre at Mount Weather?
CL: I’m fairly certain this is the first time I’ve ever been asked this question, and I’m glad that you brought it up. Clarke is the lead of our show, so she naturally assumes most of the blame for the Mount Weather massacre. But what people often tend to forget is that she never could’ve pulled that lever if it weren’t for Monty. If anything, he’s chiefly responsible for the bloodbath at the end of Season Two. This will definitely haunt the Monty / Jasper relationship from here on out.
MM: Favorite relationship between Monty and another character on the show?
CL: Prior to this season, the only person I really shared scenes with was Jasper. I was lucky enough to work with some incredible guests over the past 6 months. Pike (Michael Beach) and Indra (Adina Porter) will always be standouts, but first prize goes to the actress who played my mother, Donna Yamamoto. We formed that mother-son bond from day one. I’m very grateful to have her by my side.
MM: If you could swap places for a day with one of the other characters, who would it be and why?
CL: I’d like to swap places with Raven. Lindsey Morgan handles the physical / emotional challenges of that role with absolute grace and conviction. She goes to some extremely dark places this season, and there were many moments when I was envious of her storyline. This problem would be temporarily solved if I got to portray Raven for a day.
MM: I hear you were raised in Connecticut, I was born and raised here, so it’s fun to meet someone in the industry who knows where the heck it is. haha. Do you ever come back to visit?
CL: My parents still live in Connecticut, so I try to get back there as often as I can. Of course, this is easier said than done. I’ve been fortunate enough to make it home at least twice a year since The 100 started. Side note: the best theatre that I’ve ever seen has been at Hartford Stage. And this is coming from someone who lived in NYC for seven years.
MM: What’s the biggest difference you saw when reading The 100 novels by Kass Morgan compared to the TV series?
CL: I read the first novel back in 2013, so I’m a little rusty on the details. This is a lame response, but the biggest thing I noticed was that Monty isn’t even a character in the book. In fact, most of the characters that viewers have come to know and love were created out of thin air. That’s a pretty major difference between the novels and the series.
MM: When you’re not acting what can we find you doing? I hear you’ve been in a few bands and now you’re going solo in your music career?
CL: Apologies in advance to your readers, but you can usually find me lounging on the couch in my underwear. Reading a book. Playing guitar. I’m not good for much else. I released my first solo album last September. All that info can be found at the end of the interview.
MM: What are some of your favorite Broadway shows? Are you more of a musicals or plays kind of guy?
CL: I haven’t seen too many Broadway shows. They were always out of my price range when I lived in New York. I’ll always choose straight plays over musicals, but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate a good musical every now and then. I’m a big fan of new work, developing a production from the ground up through readings / workshops. There’s nothing more exciting to me than bringing a character to life for the very first time.
MM: What’s the last show you binge-watched? Or are you more of a weekly watcher?
CL: I haven’t owned a television in five years, so it’s hard for me to be a weekly watcher of anything. The last show that I binge-watched was the Amazon series Transparent. As far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t get any better than that.
MM: If you had to pick a snack food to describe your personality, what would it be?
CL: Kettle chips. Not sure if this matches my personality, but I ate horribly throughout high school. I basically subsisted off a potato-based diet (chips and French fries). I’ve toned things down considerably since then, but I’m somewhat amazed that I haven’t had a heart attack yet.
MM: What would you say to potential new viewers to get them to start watching The 100?
CL: Try to make it through the first 4 episodes. If the show still isn’t for you by that point, then let it go. There’s too much incredible material out there for you to stick with something that you don’t enjoy. But don’t judge us (or any series) entirely off the pilot. It takes most shows a handful of episodes to find their footing. The same is true for The 100.
MM: Any new projects coming up? Where can the fans find you on social media and where can they listen to/download your music?
CL: I have no idea what I’m going to do over the hiatus. I’ve got absolutely nothing lined up, which honestly sounds pretty good at this point. My album can be streamed for free at: www.carryhatchet.bandcamp.com. It can then be purchased at said site if you like what you hear.
I’m still rocking a flip phone, so I don’t have Instagram. Don’t trust those fake accounts. My Twitter handle: @clarkinlarkin.
The 100 airs Thursdays at 9|8c on The CW