EXCLUSIVE: Wedding bells will be ringing in the Season 5 finale of CBS‘ FBI: Most Wanted and everyone is invited. Deadline has your first-look at the festivities airing on May 21 and teasers from series star Edwin Hodge and showrunner David Hudgins below.
In the episode titled “Powderfinger,” written by Hudgins and Wendy West, The Fugitive Task Force races to catch the culprit threatening Manhattan with a dirty bomb. Meanwhile, Ray (Hodge) prepares to celebrate a major life milestone as his wedding to Cora (Caroline Harris) approaches.
This season, the show expanded on who Ray is and where he comes from with the addition of his father Ray Cannon Sr, played by the legendary Steven Williams, who will return for the nuptials. Furthermore, we hear, Cannon Sr. will have a very special surprise for the newlyweds with ties to their roots.
“We love doing Remy [Dylan McDermott] stories and Dylan always knocks them out of the park, but yes, we did make a conscious effort to have meatier stories for other characters this season,” shared Hudgins via email. “The wedding is fun because everyone except Barnes [Roxy Sternberg] has a plus one and it’s great to see the team together outside of work. Cannon’s surprise for Ray at the end is one of my favorite moments in the show so far.”
Hudgins also shared a very important detail about Cannon Sr’s future, “Steve Williams is so good and absolutely yes – we want him back next season,” and about who could possibly be on their way down the aisle next, “My money is on Hana [Keisha Castle-Hughes] but don’t count Nina [Shantel VanSanten] out.”
Let’s toast to that!
Hodge spoke to Deadline on Wednesday about discovering new things about Ray this season, what celebrating the milestone was like with his co-stars and how planning for his real-life upcoming wedding to Matlock star Skye P. Marshall helped him prepare for his on-screen “I dos.”
DEADLINE: We learned so much more about Ray this season. What was it like getting to know him better?
EDWIN HODGE: Regarding Ray’s overall arc, I was very, very happy with the writers and the direction they took him. We dive into his family life a little bit more, we get a little bit more of his father this season, and his relationship with Cora and Caleb, her son. With these types of shows, it’s very important to stick to showing the cases, the crimes, and so forth. But it is really, really nice when we can kind of dive into the life stories of these characters.
We’ve had Barnes [Roxy Sternberg] shot and on route to divorce. Remy dealing with his nephew and then also maybe finding love himself. We got Hana who now maybe has a new love interest, and Nina who’s dealing with Scola [John Boyd] and their child. It’s nice to be able to get into the meat and bones of who these people are when they’re not holding a gun.
And as far as Ray is concerned, we stayed true to the trajectory which is to establish him as a family man as well as someone who is a protector of law enforcement. It was a great season and we had some amazing episodes. The build-up to the finale was just right; it’s gonna lead us into the next season.
DEADLINE: You have your wedding coming up so did getting married on the show serve as a type of rehearsal?
EH: I wouldn’t call this practice. [Laughs] My real life and who I play on-screen is very different. What we do on stage is dictated and curated, we have to follow some guidelines and rules. You’re playing the emotions, whereas everything that’s been leading up to my actual wedding has been truly, truly emotional. We got everything done together from the venue and the food, to the tuxedos and the wedding dress. If anything, I think my real life was practice for this moment and then, preparation for the even bigger moment later.
DEADLINE: What has portraying a character that’s on a similar path meant to you?
EH: The similarities definitely make the job easier. The cool thing about my gig on FBI is that I do get to learn a lot about the world of federal agents which is a plus for real-life experiences. Ray is a man who wants to do right. He’s a man who is a perfectionist. When it comes to his family, especially his father, he wants to make sure that they are proud of the work that he’s doing. And I’m like that with my real family. Every day when I wake up, I try to walk in the footsteps of someone who is going to be a hard worker and a family man. This marriage and this new life chapter of mine will provide that for me.
DEADLINE: What has working with Steven meant to you?
EH: Steven is a wildcard in the best way possible. If you see him on set, he’s always joking and laughing. He’s always diligent about the work, the words and the performance value that he’s helping to bring to the scene and the show. I love his overall personality, Steven as a human being. I’ve looked at his work in the past, especially as one of the top African American actors of his time. So, it would be hard not to relate or identify with who he is as an artist. Who he is has brought a lot to the character of Ray which is one of the benefits that I personally and professionally gained from working with Steven.
That’s a sweet story we rarely get as far as the African American image of a father. It’s something that I was steadfast with the creators of the show about; wanting to portray something more positive and it’s been that through the entire season. I’m personally tired of seeing my people in despair on TV. Mind you, there are some great roles for African American actors including leads, so I’m not saying there is a disparity of opportunities. But at the same time, stereotypes are stereotypes. We know what we’ve seen in the industry and what we’ve experienced and I wanted to avoid all of that. And, yes, we are flawed, but within those flaws, there’s still a lot of love and compassion and respect and admiration for each other.
DEADLINE: What can you share about what went on behind the scenes of such a fun and festive episode?
EH: The behind-the-scenes was a lot of fun. As much as it was a very long day of shooting different setups and whatnot, the energy and vibes were there. Everybody was looking fantabulous! We get to see Hana in color, you know? We don’t see her in color a lot. I love Hana’s arc this season, it’s one of my favorites, to be honest with you. Dylan was a nut, he was great. [Laughs]
But yeah, the episode was a lot of fun to make, and in a sense, is a visualization of what my wedding may be or could be as far as the vibes and the feels.
DEADLINE: Was Otis there?
EH: Sadly, no. I would’ve loved having Otis as my ringbearer but unfortunately, we couldn’t make that happen. Nevertheless, I think the audience is gonna enjoy the ride and they’re gonna fall in love with the wedding as well.
This interview was edited and condensed for length and clarity.
More first-look photos from the episode can be found below.
