Exclusive Interview
‘Black Dagger Brotherhood’ Stars Dish on Wrath & Beth’s Romance, Sex Scenes and More
Welcome to the world of sexy vampire warriors. J.R. Ward’s incredible book universe has come to life in a new way on Passionflix. The Black Dagger Brotherhood, an adaptation of Ward’s first novel in the series Dark Lover, premiered on June 5.
Robert Maaser plays the one and only Wrath, the last purebred vampire and leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. After a sudden turn of events and a twist of fate, Beth Randall (Olivia Applegate) enters his life. Beth isn’t just anyone. She’s totally unaware of her vampire heritage. From the jump, there’s a powerful connection between Wrath and Beth, one they can’t ignore.
Ward’s novels have sold over 30 million copies worldwide, and fans have been rooting for Wrath and Beth for 20 years. Olivia Applegate opened up about why readers have continually been drawn to this relationship.
“There’s this protector/protected quality that I think can be so appealing, especially for women in a world that can feel very dangerous, feeling like there’s somebody who’s there who will keep you safe and protect you from the bad things in the world,” Applegate told Swooon. “At least for me as a woman, I’m like, that sounds nice. That sounds really appealing. I think there’s lots of layers to it, but I think that’s a big part of it.”
Wrath and Beth are complete opposites, but they discover new parts of themselves the more time they spend together. “He’s not a cold person, I’d say, but he’s never really had that kind of relationship, not even with his brothers, to be so close to someone,” Maaser explained. “With Beth, ultimately, he learns a lot about himself, I’d say, and that what makes it, I think, interesting to watch.”
Applegate noted that Beth “discovers her sexuality with Wrath, which is a fun journey to watch. I think Wrath brings out a softness in her, but also a toughness in her. I think they make each other fuller people. It’s really fun to watch.” Maaser sweetly added, “I’ll bring out the toughness in you, and you’ll bring out the softness in me, yeah?”
Speaking of spice, The Black Dagger Brotherhood doesn’t shy away from steamy moments. In the first episode alone, there’s a red-hot sex scene between Wrath and Beth.
Passionflix
Maaser admitted that he’s not a fan of filming spice. “I gotta be honest, I don’t like those scenes,” he said. “It’s great if they look romantic, but if you are on set actually watching how they are filmed, it’s not that, to be honest. But it’s just good to have someone that you’re on the same page with. You know that you are a team because that makes everything so much more easy.”
Applegate revealed that she and Maaser had a conversation early on about these sexier moments. “We were like, let’s get on the same page and make sure that we both feel really comfortable with each other, so we can really go for it and not be worried about it,” she recalled. “There was just a lot of mutual trust, respect, all of that. It felt like a team, like we were able to go there, and it felt like a safe, respectful, good environment, which is so important, and I think it reads in what we were able to capture, too.”
Ward hasn’t stopped writing since 2005, and now there are over 20 books in the main series. Applegate told Swooon that the vision for The Black Dagger Brotherhood is to be the “vampire Bridgerton.” The series will follow the books, and “each season is a book.”
The Black Dagger Brotherhood, Season 1, Thursdays, Passionflix
