Wentworth Miller and Robert Knepper on Prison Break and the Finale

Wentworth Miller - Michael Scofield

Re: the finale reunites Michael and Lincoln with some old friends
“In the finale we see a couple of very familiar faces, people we thought were gone for good but clearly were not, but we’re glad to see them. I mean as actors you miss cast members who fall by the wayside for one reason or another and I think that the people we do get to say hello to and catch up with were, were fixtures the first season and second season, people whose presence was felt and was definitely missed after they were gone.”

Re: knowing this season was going to be "Prison Break's" last
It’s very rare the show goes out on its own terms, you know, when you hear the word cancelled most of the time that means, you know, someone’s gonna pull the plug and the lights go out and everyone goes home. But we were able to finish out the season and that gave the writers time to address all the loose ends and really pull things together in a way that I hope is thrilling and satisfying for an audience that’s been paying their dues if you will for four years. I think they deserve a really good send off and that’s what we’re working hard to give ‘em.

Re: what we can expect from the series finale
When I think of the last episode I think there were definitely some surprises and some, some, some really electric unexpected moments. Again the show continues to surprise me in that we are a network show but we do things that you’d expect to see on cable, say, and not everyone gets a happy ending and I think some people might be taken aback by that but I think it’s also very true to the story that we’ve been telling all along. In a sense the story can only end one way and I’m really pleased that the writers and the cast and crew and everyone involved in the show have the cajones to really see it through.

Re: why he's loved the "Prison Break" storyline
“It’s not a procedural drama. It’s not the same beats season after season. We intentionally throw out everything that we know works and reinvent ourselves every fall and we take risks like nobody else and I think by and large they’ve all paid off and the, the important side effect is that it keeps things interesting and new and fresh for the actors involved.”


Robert Knepper - Theodore 'T-Bag' Bagwell

Re: How did it feel to film the final episodes?
“Like I’ll never forget the day, the last day I knew was going to shoot with Dom & Wentworth; I mean that was a really emotional day for the three of us. They still had another day with the two of them but that was the day that I would never work with them again, with these characters. And we hugged each other and it was very emotional, close experience as well as the words that poured back and forth between us of telling each other how much we respected each other and what an amazing ride it’s been for four years, stuff like that, it was just sweet. And then, to say goodbye to this crew, it’s been an amazing ride. You could just go through these jobs, I suppose, and say well you know here’s the end of this job and off we go to the next one, but this one you can’t really do that. You wouldn’t be somebody I’d want to work with for instance because you can’t be bitter about these things. This was four years of our lives, I mean, I looked at my kid the other day and I went, I’ve been doing this show more than half of his lifetime, four years, he’s almost seven. Every day that I went to work was a joy because you just realized I am so thankful for this great gig, this incredible character, the fact that it’s internationally so popular, it was a new adventure everyday. So, the bitter part of it, the sad part of it for me was yeah that it’s over, the sweet part about it is that we always appreciated everyday and it was a great lesson I think for all of us to just say this is a great way to live your life…never take it for granted, always appreciate it and keep giving back what’s been given to you and that’s how we lived ours lives on this show.”

Re: Reflects on his character & what he loves about T-Bag
“Even on a simpler level, he just doesn’t give up, this guy never was a quitter and that’s one of the things I loved about this character. If he hadn’t had all these other terrible things happen to him as a kid, if he hadn’t committed all these terrible crimes, he’d be a great role model, but unfortunately he’s got the baggage and you have to pay for these things in life. He never gives up; he will do and say anything to survive, up until the last moment that you see him in the story. I’m not going to give it away but he doesn’t lie down and take it, he figures out a way to survive.”

Re: The reunion of old characters in the finale
“I think it was a great homecoming and I think the audience will feel the same way. The other cool thing about it is when you have a family reunion like that you know that there’s going to be a big change involved. In this case, the change was this is the end. This is the end of this show, this is wrapping it up in that book end kind of feeling of characters that we all grew to love over the years and here we are bringing them back. It was amazing; it brought back all these memories of being together in Chicago when we all started and we, yeah again, four years…a lot’s happened to all of us, it’s made our careers, it’s made our lives totally different. None of us can walk down the streets anymore without causing a little bit of a fuss and just to see these guys again after that first year when we basically were kids, kids with our characters. And just to see, you know, Amaury I hadn’t seen for awhile and Rockmund I hadn’t seen and especially Rock, it’s like hey man how are you? And we love each other you know with our characters always hate each other and there’s all these racial things going back and forth between the two characters but he’s the salt of the earth and I love working with him and he’s funny that always passes the times really well. And Papi, Amaury, it’s like seeing your brother, it doesn’t take too long to get back on your feet with somebody like that cause he’s just always right there, it’s terrific. And I think the audience is going to love the fact that these enemies come back together. These guys who were friends and then with T-Bag with enemies so it should be a fun reunion for everybody.”

Re: What he thought of the ending, finale?
“I remember calling up Matt on the phone and saying, I’m just curious, I never call you up, I never discuss what’s the next script or anything but I’m kind of curious where you’re thinking we’re going to go with T-Bag. Is he going to be like Hannibal Lecter and just walk off into the sunset in this nice, late Panamanian suit, hat and stuff. Or, is he going to be killed, is he going to walk off a cliff, is he going to drown, is he…I mean there were so many choices, again I’m not going to give it away because it’d be like, you know, I used to say this years ago it’d be like giving a Christmas present too early. As much as people want to know, they don’t want to know they want to experience it by watching it, there’s nothing like that. I was very happy, I was very happy with how they ended it, I think it’s beautifully done all the characters are wrapped up. I was very happy how they ended it for T-Bag, it was really kind of a book end kind of feel that you, certain things in that scene that re reminiscent of when you first saw T-Bag four years ago. These sort of gestures and body language that are so much part of the character that the fans will always associate with this guy.

(source: SpoilerTV)