“He is a star. He’s going all the way,” Phillips said about Gibson.
Clyde Phillips, the acclaimed showrunner behind Dexter Seasons 1–4, Dexter: New Blood, Dexter: Original Sin, and Dexter: Resurrection, recently spoke with Nancy Tapia of LRM Online (Latino Review Media) in a press interview ahead of the latest installment's premiere on December 13.
With nearly 18 years of experience shaping the Dexter franchise, Phillips shared insights on the casting process that led to Patrick Gibson securing the role of a 20-year-old Dexter Morgan in Original Sin. He also delved into his decision to scrap the planned Dexter: New Blood sequel starring Jack Alcott.
The Secret Behind Dexter's Success After Nearly Two Decades
“Creating a quality show, respecting the audience, having an incredible cast led by Michael C. Hall, and constantly surprising the viewers — that’s been our formula,” said Clyde Phillips. “One of our main goals is to always write up to the audience, not down. This makes our job harder because it's a very smart audience".
"With social media amplifying discussions, we have to stay ahead of the game."
On the Decision Behind Dexter: Original Sin
Phillips explained, “It’s not always my decision; I work for Paramount and Showtime. After we released Dexter: New Blood, which became the most successful show in Showtime’s history, Gary Levine, then-president of Showtime, ordered a sequel.
“I brought my writing team back, and we completed all the scripts. But then Chris McCarthy from Paramount and MTV Television joined, as Showtime is now a subsidiary of Paramount. Chris told me, ‘I’m not in the sequel business.’
“He’s the guy behind Yellowstone, 1883, and 1923. He asked if I could pitch a prequel instead. So, I did. He loved it, bought the idea, and I brought back the same writers from the sequel to work on the prequel.
“We just wrapped shooting two weeks ago, and I’m still in the editing process. It feels fantastic. We have an incredible cast and a talented team of writers and directors.”
How Patrick Gibson Landed the Role of Young Dexter
“Patrick Gibson is a star. He’s going all the way,” Phillips said. “Our casting director, John Papsidera — who also works on Yellowstone — found Patrick and put him on tape. We were blown away by his performance.
“There were other notable young actors up for the role, but Patrick stood out, even though he was relatively unknown. He had been on The OA and a few other projects. He’s Irish, and his nickname is Paddy.
“We initially thought he was in England, so we hired visa lawyers for $10,000 to bring him over quickly because we were on a tight schedule. Turns out, he was only 15 minutes away from me in Los Angeles!”
Phillips continued, “We brought him into the studio, and I spent an hour chatting with him. He’s a big fan of Dexter. I then sent him to work with our producing director, Michael Lehman, and after observing them, it was clear he was the guy.
“We hired him, and I was lucky enough to get my first choices for all the roles. Patrick even met Michael C. Hall at Comic-Con in San Diego, and they hit it off immediately.
“Michael gave Patrick a few pointers, and I noticed a change in Patrick’s posture, attitude, and overall demeanor. He really embraced the role. Patrick has been nothing short of amazing.”