Exclusive Interview
‘Shadow and Bone’: Calahan Skogman Reflects on Matthias & Nina’s Love Story, Season 3 Wishes
Calahan Skogman is still just as upset as you are about Shadow and Bone‘s cancellation. The Netflix fantasy series was axed after two seasons before fans could fully explore Matthias (Skogman) and Nina’s (Danielle Galligan) relationship from Leigh Bardugo’s novels. When Skogman spoke with Swooon about his debut novel, Blue Graffiti, he also opened up about not getting to complete Matthias’ arc onscreen.
“We were just at the beginning,” Skogman said. “That’s the thing that hurts the most is that I think that Danielle and I had something incredibly special. I’m really, really proud of Season 1 and Season 2 for what Danielle and I did because the truth of the matter is we were working with very, very little, and we didn’t have much time to tell that story, to imbue it with nuance and feeling.”
Netflix / Everett Collection
So much lay ahead for Matthias and Nina if Shadow and Bone had continued, and not getting to bring that to life onscreen will never sit right with Skogman. “I think that’s what I’m so bummed out about, is that in Season 3 and moving forward, especially in the spinoff and things like that, we were going to be able to be afforded that time on screen finally,” he shared. “We would really get into the complicated scenes and just the beautiful dynamic of it all. I think the whole thing was going to be incredibly special. I really believe that.”
As a “lover of fantasy,” the actor had already read the Six of Crows spinoff series. “I know what was all going to happen and it’s so, so good. So that hurts, though I think that probably always will,” he admitted.
Skogman also touched on his close friendship with Galligan, whom he calls “one of my best friends, and one of my favorite people that I’ve ever met.”
He continued, “I think we felt very certain that we were destined to do some beautiful work together. And the fact that we haven’t been able to or haven’t brought that forth is always going to kind of sit kind of not the greatest with me, but that’s OK. It’s life. But as far as Danielle and I and Nina, Matthias, the whole thing, the love, the journey, was going to be very, very special.”
Now, those who have read Crooked Kingdom know that Matthias tragically dies of a gunshot wound in Nina’s arms. Skogman still feels cheated out of not getting to film that pivotal moment. “I’m not happy about how it went in the slightest, not even 1% as far as the totality of the thing,” he admitted.
He felt a “great honor” in getting to portray Matthias. “I wanted to do the whole thing justice, not just the beginning,” he told Swooon. “I would have wanted to play his death, the whole thing.”
Do you feel Shadow and Bone should have gotten renewed? Were you a fan of Nina and Matthias? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
