Edward James Olmos On His 'Dexter' Role: 'I'm A Very Good Guy Doing Very Bad Things'

Edward James Olmos On His 'Dexter' Role: “I’m A Very Good Guy Doing Very Bad Things.”

This Sunday, Oscar-nominated Mexican actor Edward James Olmos joins the hit Showtime drama Dexter in the role of James Gellar, a professor of religion and a killer motivated by Scripture. We called up the veteran character actor yesterday to get all of the juicy details on his highly anticipated new role on the show, and we must admit: he scared the crap out of us!

Everything we've read about your character James Gellar on Dexter makes us think you're playing a very bad guy. Is that the case?

No. I think I'm a very, very good guy. I'm a very, very good guy doing very, very bad things {Laughs}. I'm the nicest guy you’ll ever want to meet and you have to watch the show to understand what I'm talking about.

Was this a tough role for you to play?

I don't want to give you any of the story. Just know that I'm a professor of theology—so you can imagine how dark it's going to get knowing that God is brought into the picture with Dexter. The only thing Dexter hasn't been up against is God...

Religion is such a big part of Latino culture. In light of that, were you reluctant at all to take on a role like this, which might be seen as controversial?

I've always chosen my roles like I choose the wine that I drink and the food that I eat—It's very much a part of who I am. We are what we think, we are what we eat and we are what we do. Get ready—because the environment that I've been working in is very dark. If you've never watched Dexter...oh boy.

We watch it every week.

You’re very strange. {Laughs}.

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