‘Midnight, Texas’: Meet the Spooky Show’s Mysterious Men and Women
Fiji Cavanaugh (Paris Fitz-Henley) If you want your home cleansed of evil things, the owner of the local New Age/Wiccan store, the Inquiring Mind, is the one to call. “The openhearted Fiji is a witch with skills that range from manipulating objects to supplying potions,” Owusu-Breen says. “Bobo is her best friend, but she wants more.”
Lemuel Bridger (Peter Mensah) Though Lemuel drinks blood, he also feeds on the energy and emotions of his human food. “Lem leeches Olivia’s pain away, and they give each other life through the process,” Kebbel explains. “They help each other.” Lem may be a 200-year-old undead creature, but Kebbel points out some good traits: “His grace is his best feature—and maybe his blue eyes.”
Manfred Bernardo (Francois Arnaud) This psychic with poorly controlled abilities settled into Midnight and was surprised to find “characters whose powers are much stronger than his,” Arnaud says. Manfred also struggles with opiate addiction— being possessed by spirits has taken a toll. Maybe Creek will help keep him clean.
Creek Lovell (Sarah Ramos) The waitress grew up in Midnight, and though she dreams of becoming a writer and seeing the world, the smart and fearless human “stays in town to protect her little brother from their overprotective, volatile dad,” says Owusu-Breen. Now Creek has her eyes on the new guy in town. Will they bond over their dark pasts?
Olivia Charity (Arielle Kebbel) You’ll know this dangerous human diva by her razor-sharp manicures and her arsenal of weapons. “Inside Midnight, Olivia protects the town,” Kebbel says of the killer for hire. Outside? “She’s anyone she needs to be.” Her main man is vampire Lemuel. “Lem really sees her,” Kebbel says. “He sees her light.”
Joe Strong (Jason Lewis) Joe is the town’s tattoo artist, as well as a fallen angel with immense powers. “Joe arrived here 1,000 years ago, and he’s in hiding,” Owusu-Breen says. Except for his husband, Chuy (Bernardo Saracino), even the Midnighters don’t know his true identity. To Joe, Midnight “is a sanctuary where the couple can live in peace.” Not for long.
Bobo Winthrop (Dylan Bruce) The Gary Cooper of the town, Bobo owns Midnight’s pawn shop. “He’s an all-American, salt-of-the-earth good guy—until you hurt someone he loves,” Owusu-Breen explains. Bobo could be harboring some secrets, though. “He never talks about his life before Midnight. The fact that he won’t reveal his past gives the correct impression that he’s running from something.”
Rev. Emilio Sheehan (Yul Vazquez) Most of the time, the deeply devout pastor marries and counsels folks and tends to the pet cemetery. When a full moon rises, however, he changes into a weretiger and goes wild. “He does things he’s not proud of,” Owusu-Breen says. Also once a month, he and Olivia “have an unlikely appointment,” she teases.
In Midnight, Texas, you never know who—or what—your neighbor may be. The population of the small Western town in NBC’s new fantasy thriller, based on novels by Charlaine Harris (True Blood), includes a vampire, a weretiger, an ancient angel, a witch and a medium. Midnight is a safe haven for these so-called freaks who come to hang with—and protect—other misfits.
The story begins with psychic and medium Manfred Bernardo (Francois Arnaud). He really does see dead people, but he’s also scammed tons of clients—and now one is out to make him pay. Manfred decides to hide out in Midnight, but demons, newly unleashed from hell, are on their way, and it’s up to him and the other locals to save humanity. “Becoming heroes won’t be easy for our characters,” executive producer Monica Owusu-Breen says. “They come from dark paths and have their own sins and secrets.” Here’s a guide to those sinners.
Midnight, Texas, Series Premiere, Monday, July 24, 10/9c, NBC
