The Flash's Keiynan Lonsdale on Bringing Wally West to Life

Tonight's episode of The Flash will see Keiynan Lonsdale continuing his journey as Wally West.

Most fans of the comics will know Wally as the third Flash, who took over from Barry Allen during Crisis on Infinite Earths and retained the role for more than two decades, until Final Crisis brought Barry back from the dead. Right now, though, Lonsdale is simply playing Wally West, long-lost son to Joe and brother to Iris.

Lonsdale joined ComicBook.com to discuss tonight's episode of The Flash, titled "Fast Lane," and the future of Wally West.

What's the biggest difference when you're talking to the specialty press versus talking to the wider world about this role?

When I talk to fan sites, it's like we're really diving into the show and the character and the world that we're creating and the work. At the same time, it just depends on the person that's interviewing me. A lot of other times, the interviews can be more personal -- sometimes about my personal life or other issues going on in the world.

In a recent interview, you said that you actually got this role after trying out to play Jax on Legends of Tomorrow.

Yeah, definitely. I auditioned for Legends of Tomorrow, and a couple of weeks later I got a call saying that the producers wanted to have me in to read for The Flash. So that's how it all began.

I'm of the age where I grew up, and Wally was The Flash for the whole time. Do you think having that kind of expectation and mythology helps to sell the family drama to the comic book fans who are sometimes less into the "CW stuff?"

Yeah. I think as you said, a generation grew up with Wally as The Flash. It's been really cool to have that connection with fans and to get people really excited with the fact that he's joining this world, and the fact that he's not joining for an episode or two -- he's there, and people get to join him on this journey.

I'm just lucky that I get to portray a character that means a lot to a lot of people.

With Wally, you came in during that party and shared the screen with everybody for a minute, and then since then it's been mostly one-on-one time with Candice Patton and Jesse L. Martin. Will we see you interacting with more of the cast soon?

Yeah, definitely at points in time. At the same time, he's not aware that Barry is The Flash, so he really wouldn't have much interest in what Team Flash does, and he wouldn't know that they're a part of Team Flash.

At this point, the most important thing has been for him to be able to form a strong relationship with the West family and hopefully break down some of his barriers. I think once he breaks down some of his barriers, that will give him a chance to interact with more and more characters. And for me, that'll be great because I'll be able to work with more actors.

I feel like there are two very difference challenges to playing Wally, who has to meet his family for the first time, and then in a few months or whatever, Wally who has this whole other world waiting to open up for him. Is that part of what drew you to the role?

Yeah, I think one of the things that I find amazing is his potential for change. At this point in time, he's not in the right mind frame to become Kid Flash, even, because if he got his powers now, he's not ready to be a hero and I don't think he'd be in the right place.

There's also the idea that -- how do we get form one point to the next point? How does he grow, make a better relationship for his family, make better decisions for his own life, how does he let people in, and hopefully soon, how does he gain these powers?

With Candice in particular, your dynamic on the show is really interesting. She's kind of the sister who's trying to mother you. Did you work off-camera a lot with her to see how that chemistry should gel?

You know, we didn't do too much. WE just kind of felt it out and it felt right. Maybe because we did my last audition together, we already felt connected. It's been really fun to play and work with Jesse and Candice. We're just kind of bouncing off each other and it feels very natural. I don't like to overwork anything, so the fact that it does feel natural off the bat is a bit awesome.

So I have to ask this: since you don't yet have powers, who do you think wins a street race -- your Wally West or Michael B. Jordan's Human Torch?

[Laughs] Ahh, who knows? I'm going to say Wally, because he wins all the time. So I'll go with Wally West.