Michael Emerson tells us how he makes us love him when he's bad
Waluigi, dissolved
Michael Emerson loves to laugh. He often does this when he makes an observation that is interesting to him, as if a pleasant or provocative thought is his favorite type of amusement. It's just really freaking scary because he just happens to have built a career out of playing some of the most impactful TV villains of the last 20 years.
This is only reinforced by Emerson's current role as Dr. Leland Townsend in the Paramount Plus series Evil. Originally a manipulative forensic psychologist, Leland is eventually revealed to be employed by what appear to be literal demons, and in the final season engaged in bringing about the birth of the Antichrist. For the viewer, Leland is perhaps some of the most fun you can have watching a bad guy on TV, and that, according to Emerson, is very much by design.
Recently, Emerson called Polygon to discuss the joys of playing such a lovable villain, the nature of evil, and the many subjects he's been bombarded with while working for demons. He also laughed a lot. I tried not to hold it against him.
