Exclusive: Curran Walters talks Red Hood and Scarecrow on Titans season 3

Red Hood’s arrival on Titans season 3 has turned the show on its head. Robin, once a valued member of the team, is now Red Hood. Hawk is dead as a result of Red Hood’s devious plans, and now Jonathan Crane, aka the Scarecrow (Vincent Kartheiser), is on the loose. In the second half of my interview with Red Hood actor Curran Walters, we talk about what it was like to explore Red Hood’s background in the most recent episode of the show, and about his complicated new relationship with the Scarecrow.

In “Lazarus,” fans find out how Jason became Red Hood while also learning more about Crane’s plans. The challenge that Jason Todd faces in his new life is that he is still connected emotionally to his old one. He’s also grappling with a new identity, a new purpose and a new sense of self.

Curran Walters: Jason Todd feels like becoming Red Hood is his “only option” in Titans season 3

“I think the beautiful thing about episode 5,” Curran said, is “it’s how he became Red Hood, obviously. And it goes back to having a lot to do with where we’d left off at the end of season 2 and feeling down, and feeling like this was his only option.”

In “Lazarus” Bruce Wayne benches Robin because of Jason’s nightmares stemming from the events in season 2. Bruce tells Jason to talk with Dr. Leslie Thompkins, a psychiatrist and close friend of the Wayne family. Jason can’t believe that Bruce would take Robin away from him; it’s like a betrayal.

Despite his intense feelings on the subject, when Bruce tells Jason he’s proud of him for talking with her, everything shifts for Jason and he sees that Bruce truly cares for him in a way no one else has. “[The episode] explores the beautiful chemistry between Jason and Bruce,” Walters said. “So I feel like in that specific episode we see Jason’s struggles. We see where he thinks he fits in with the Titans. And it was such an honor to be able to explore that.”

It’s Jason’s desire to please people that eventually leads to his downfall. When he has a chance to prove his worth to Bruce by taking down the Joker, he jumps on it despite Bruce’s warnings to stand down. When he turns to Crane, he’s looking for affirmation. “I think that’s the beautiful thing about Jason,” Walters said. “From the moment we see him in the first comic book, he just felt lost. In a way it’s not necessarily to try to fit in, but it’s, to me, about finding what could be a home. And now with the Scarecrow wanting to take him in and make him somebody new…in a way he’s just taking anything he can get.”

Curran Walters: The Scarecrow “makes Jason into what he wanted to be” on Titans season 3

As a talented psychiatrist and criminal mastermind, Scarecrow sees Jason’s vulnerability as soon as he approaches Crane’s cell at Arkham, and he capitalizes on it. Crane gives Jason all of the tools he needs to be an over-the-top villain, but remains in the shadows, a puppet master with his fingers constantly pulling the strings. “I think in a way [Crane] makes Jason into what he wanted to be, if that makes sense,” Walters said. “And even though we don’t explain it [in the show], I think Crane is making a version of Jason that Crane wanted to be like. He wanted to be that killer. He wanted to do that. So I think it’s a really interesting dynamic that we get to explore, and we get to see how manipulative Crane really is.”

Now that Jason has transformed from hero to villain, he finds himself on the other side of the law fighting against his friends and family. I asked what switching sides was like on set, and Walters gave an enthusiastic laugh. “Oh, I’m having such a great time,” he said. “And obviously, it’s so weird fighting against your own superhero family. But it’s part of the storyline and something that fans are going to love.”

As Jason navigates his complicated relationship with his family, he’s also navigating his relationship with his new mentor. “Vincent [Kartheiser] is an incredible actor. He had such a great dynamic on screen. He taught me a lot as an actor,” Walters said. “I think he brings such a great twist to the Scarecrow, something that’s so sinister, so simple, and so controlling, as we see with what he does to Jason.”

Now that he’s been a hero and a villain, I wanted to know if it’s more fun to play one or the other. “You can make an argument both ways,” Walters said diplomatically. “The character I related to more [because of] the energy and whatnot would obviously have to be Robin. But then you go to Red Hood and it’s such a great character to play and do something totally different than what you’re used to. So they both have their ups and downs.”

As the interview came to a close, I asked Walters how he would describe season 3 as a whole. “It’s a heart wrenching season,” Walters said after a few moments of careful consideration, ever mindful of spoilers. “I think we get to dive into each character and their individual stories a lot. Being able to have fans relate to each character that they love and feel at home with them. It’s a very unique thing to be able to do in a superhero show.”

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