At this year’s Rose City Comic Con, Brett Dalton (Grant Ward) and Elizabeth Henstridge (Jemma Simmons) took the stage to a packed room to talk about the upcoming season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, premiering September 29 on ABC.
Any time a fan took the mic to ask the charming pair about the show, Henstridge would smile like she was waiting for the inevitable question: “What happened to Simmons?” With her fate up in the air after last season’s cliffhanger finale, someone had to ask.
When the question came, of course the actors couldn’t answer it, but Henstridge assured the audience, “You won’t have to wait too long to find out.” She continued that the mysteries and tight-lipped cast holding their secrets close to the chest are what makes watching Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and other stories in the Marvel cinematic universe so much fun. “We want to keep it secret… It’s nice to watch it for the twists and turns. You won’t be disappointed.”
About that scene in the finale (slight spoilers!) that resulted in Simmons’ disappearing into the unknown, Henstridge revealed that Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) leaving the door of the Kree stone containment crate open by accident wasn’t in the script. Whether truly by accident or purposely done by De Caestecker while filming the scene, the director left it in the finished episode.
Henstridge is also ready for Simmons and Fitz to get their relationship to the next level. “I want Simmons to kiss Fitz so badly,” she said to loud cheers from the audience. As part of a cast that likes to pull pranks on each other, the day they do film a kiss, she said mischievously, she might have something planned for De Caestecker.
Dalton, a charismatic, easygoing, self-professed “action figure aficionado,” teamed up with De Caestecker to pull a prank on Henstridge in the first season. Henstridge had to hit De Caestecker with a prop foam fire extinguisher while filming a scene, and apologized profusely each time thinking that she had hurt him. The next day, De Caestecker talked the makeup crew into painting a large bruise under his shirt, and Dalton would loudly ask him if he was okay until Henstridge finally came to check on him. “He went for the long play,” Dalton said with admiration.
The cast and crew love to prank each other because they are such a tight knit group. Echoing Clark Gregg and Chloe Bennet at Emerald City Comicon, Dalton and Henstridge talked about being part of such a close team.
“Somehow they’ve gotten the most talented and nicest people on one show,” said Dalton. “It’s incredible to be a part of this.”
