Robert Knepper talks ‘Prison Break’ return: ‘Things have changed’

Robert Knepper is back as T-Bag in FOX’s new edition of Prison Break but he wants fans to know that this isn’t just a revival of the series.

It wouldn’t be a revival of FOX‘s Prison Break without Robert Knepper. The actor reprises his role as the memorable Theodore ‘T-Bag’ Bagwell in the new event series, which begins on Tuesday. But before the nine episodes get underway Robert spoke to FanSided about revisiting his best-known character and his thoughts on coming back for more.

Did he ever think that Prison Break was going to be revived?

“No,” he told us. “I have to say I’m a little weary of these reboots. I’m not even calling it a reboot, I’m calling it a rebirth.

“I’m sure I’m not the only one, but [series creator Paul Scheuring] and I had a good talk about it, and I was like don’t start it up where it left off. Things have changed in six years. I’ve changed. My character’s gone through some epiphanies in jail so I’m sure the other guys and women have had the same thing happen to them.

“This rebirth of nine episodes, it’s like the first season. It’s a surprise and then another surprise and another surprise as each episode ends. You’re going to be sitting there like the first season, going no, come on, tell me. Tell me what happens. And I’m like nope, wait ’til next week.”

Robert Knepper at The Paley Center

Prison Break: Premiere Screening & Conversation Wednesday, March 29, 2017 - Los Angeles

COMPLETE ALBUM HERE: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1292172420849951.1073741869.610983558968844&type=1&l=6fc8e67b42

From Maumee to Camelot - Robert Knepper Interview (2001)

In the research actor Robert Knepper did for his role as Robert F. Kennedy in the NBC miniseries Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot, he read again and again that “Kennedys don't cry.”

Then came the scene where grief-stricken Robert, staying in the Lincoln bedroom on the night of JFK's assassination, closes the door and turns to embrace his wife, Ethel.

On the set in Toronto last year, Knepper, who was born in Fremont and grew up in Maumee, hit his marks, said his lines, and reached out to put his arms around actress Lauren Holly, who portrays Ethel.

“As soon as she hugged me, I just lost it, I lost it,” said Knepper during an interview in Los Angeles recently. “I sobbed and sobbed. I could hear the director yelling `Cut.' As soon as he did, I let go of Lauren and I bent over as if someone had hit me in the stomach. The weight of this part and remembering people I loved that I lost, the memory of my mother and sitting at her feet watching John Kennedy's funeral ... I couldn't stop crying and I had to take a walk.

“The next morning, I went up to the director and said, `Thank you for letting me vomit out all this emotion, but you're not gonna use that, are you?' He said, `What are you, nuts? Of course I'm going to use it. That's gold!'”

Robert Knepper Interview on "Dish Nation"

Chuey Martinez sits down with our favorite prisoner, Robert Knepper from Prison Break!

Robert Knepper Interview (Audio Only) - Resume

Actor Robert Knepper (Prison Break, Twin Peaks, Heroes) talks about the differences between portraying good and evil. He also recalls a great story about one of his previous employers requiring him to take a lie detector test.

Carnivàle - Robert Knepper Interview (2005)

Beth Blighton: So, ambition has finally caught up with Tommy Dolan.  Do you think we’ll be seeing him again, maybe in the death chamber?

Rob Knepper: Well, if you wanna hear my fantasy about what happens to Tommy Dolan in jail…  In my fantasy -- and this is not anything the writers have written or anything – Tommy is in jail and I have an epiphany.  And Tommy is finally… Finally everything that comes out of his mouth is the truth.  And the truth is that he’s been framed, he’s been double-crossed, and he’s angry as hell.  And he becomes a very vengeful person.  All he wants to do, his whole reason is living… which I think is going to be pretty hard to do, since there’s going to be a whole lot of people in that prison who want him dead because they think he killed those kids.

Beth: Right, he’s a child murderer, as far as they’re concerned.

Rob: And the only thing he wants to do is destroy Brother Justin, and if there’s any way he can figure out to get out of there, he will.  And he’s going to go kill Brother Justin.

Beth: Well, I think he’d be joining a long line of people that Justin is cultivating who would want to do the very same thing.

Rob: But I’ve got the goods, cuz I know where he is.  I know what he thinks like, at least I think I do.  Now the actor here is talking… The actor’s thinking that Tommy Dolan doesn’t know shit!