Designated Survivor’s Benjamin Charles Watson energizes Netflix series

Benjamin Charles Watson joined Designated Survivor this season, and told Netflix Life how playing Dontae Evans was a great opportunity for him.

When Designated Survivor moved to Netflix, Benjamin Charles Watson was added to the cast as Dontae Evans, the White House’s new social media expert. He’s been one of the most interesting parts of the new season—building a character everyone can relate to.

Netflix Life connected with Benjamin to discuss his experience playing Dontae Evans, the value of representation on the show, and why landing this role was important to him.

Get to know Benjamin Charles Watson in our interview below, and then if you haven’t yet, be sure to stream Designated Survivor season 3 on Netflix now.

Netflix Life: Designated Survivor‘s third season is very different from its first two, so did you go back and watch the ABC seasons when you were cast?

Benjamin Charles Watson: I did, because I’d been after the show twice. This was my third time going after the show before booking this role.

So I did go back and I watched a significant amount, just so I could understand the tone of the show. Even though it is pretty different than the first two seasons, and it’s a stand-alone type of thing, the tone is still the same.

I had to go back and watch 30-something episodes, just so I could grasp the tone of the show and understand each character that is on the show—so that I knew how to place myself into that mix.

NL: Was there something about Dontae Evans that you connected with? Something that made this role the right one?

BCW: My characters make Benjamin Charles Watson a better human being, in the sense that I learned so much from these characters on how to be better in my real life.

So Dontae, yes he’s HIV-positive, but the thing I loved about him so much is that it’s not about him being gay. There are so many things he wants to do and wants to accomplish, and how many people he wants to help so badly, that takes priority.

When I was in the closet, I thought I was gay and that’s all I am. And if I came out everyone is just going to see me as a gay guy, and who am I apart from this and all that kind of stuff. I didn’t know and understand what the hell my life was. Dontae, playing him and then understanding what he’d gone through, this is just his sexuality. It’s just a part of who he is; it’s not all of who he is.

I found that so fascinating because I knew it was possible but I didn’t know how to put that possibility into my own personal life. That connected me with him so hardcore. He’s a strong, captivating person and he walks around in suits. I don’t walk around in suits and I feel weird and awkward at times but he’s made me become a stronger individual and a stronger human being, and it was incredible.

NL: Was there a specific moment or a scene where you felt you’d clicked with the character and who you wanted him to be?

BCW: 100 percent. My first scene was [in] the first episode where we’re walking from Air Force One, and I’m walking with Kiefer Sutherland and Kal Penn, and I’m like these are two really talented actors and I’m walking next to them on camera. My first day was freaking out and then I just watched Kal and Kiefer work and everything clicked. My confidence clicked in, because somewhere in there Dontae just had to come out.

NL: Which brings us to how much representation is in Designated Survivor. There are major characters of different ages, races and now sexual orientations. What’s it like to be part of this ensemble that’s so diverse?

BCW: It felt really cool. Honestly, I don’t really watch a lot of shows where I’m not represented, because I have no way of connecting to it. But with this season, where everyone was so inclusive of everyone, it was really incredible.

We walked onto that set so many times, I felt like I was actually doing things to help America. You’re connecting, and we’re talking about topics that are so imperative, and we’re slowly finally including everyone in the [discussion] of what we want to change in this country and eventually in this world. Just being a part of this season was incredible. It felt really, really great, because I actually thought we were changing America, but we’re not. It just felt like we were.

Designated Survivor season 3 is streaming on Netflix now. For more on Designated Survivor and other Netflix shows, check out the Netflix Originals category at Netflix Life.