Alexander Calvert Talks 'Supernatural' Ahead of Tonight's "Unfinished Business"

It's a big night for Jack, the character played by Arrow veteran Alexander Calvert who has been shaking up the status quo on Supernatural so far this year.

In "Unfinshed Business," fans will get to see Jack's wings for the first time -- but it may not be under the best of circumstances, as the official episode description teases that his overconfidence will get him into some trouble before all is said and done.

Calvert joined ComicBook.com to discuss what it's like to no longer be the new guy on set (yes, there are still pranks), Jack's complicated morality, and more.

This is a show with years and years of history, so is your kind of groove different as an actor now that you've been around for most of the season, and you're presumably much more settled in?

Yeah, I mean the great part about this show, and I mean you could probably literally talk to everyone from the guest star to the grip, but everyone will tell you how lovely and awesome it is to be on set with these people. It's such a great place to work.

For me, I think a little more comfortable. You know, still getting pranked but I'm happy.

In your head, what is his kind of arc this season? Where is he going, character wise?

For me, it's about discovering himself and unfortunately there's going to be a lot of trials and tribulations along the way for someone as confused and sometimes volatile as Jack, to really figure out who he is.

We see him be young, and naïve, and confused, but then lash out, run away.But I think ultimately towards the end of the season Jack is really just looking to know himself, know his family, and know what he is. That's kind of the driving force behind where we're going to end up at the end of the year.

What do you make of the kind of nature versus nurture argument that's right at the core of some of what your character's undergoing this season?

It's fun for me. I'm used to playing people that are kind of right on edge, so this has been really fun 'cause Jack ... he gets to be really nice and sweet sometimes, but I think the fascinating part for me is just knowing that beneath that there's something that is explosive and unknown about him. Just kind of keeping that close to the heart.

For me it's fun. One episode, I get to eat a chocolate bar, and the next episode I get to blow a guy up. So it's like, there's lots of fun that way.

Even by Supernatural standards, this season has felt a little bit crazy. You had the apocalypse world stuff, and you had alternate reality stuff, and then go all the way back to the beginning of the season, the story you did the Old West. Is it hard to prepare for that?

For me, it's kind of exciting. You don't know where you're going to end up. What I like about the show is there's these quite grounded characters, but sometimes you'll just get thrown into a different universe. Like the "ScoobyNatural" episode this year, or if you go back.

For me I went back off of Jensen's recommendation. He's like yeah, check out "The French Mistake." So, you know I got to kind of go back and look at this, and just see that even under these kind of wild circumstances the story still works, the character's still progress. It's just fun that way, knowing that there's all these expansive possibilities right around the corner.

In your head do you have a trajectory for like oh, this is what I'd really like to see next time around?

I don't actually know yet. For me, I've just kind of been taking it like what is this season? What's Jack's arc for this season? And right from the get go, I mean from the finale of last year, and then where we picked up right in Episode 1 of this year, we don't know which way he's going to turn. We don't know which way he's going to go.

I think Jack has a lot more stability now, especially being accepted by the Winchesters. But, yeah. Just the quick turns of like, maybe you'll be animated. Maybe we'll go shoot in apocalypse world. Maybe Jim Beaver will be there. It's great that way.

You've got a character who can be very good or very evil kind of depending on how he views any give circumstance, because of his naivete. Is it kind of liberating as an actor to play a character who has that kind of broad leeway in terms of his worldview?

For me, the unknown is fun, but what I like about Jack is he does have this sweet nature, and he does have this naivete, so the idea that someone could take advantage of him or that someone could manipulate him, trick him, are definitely very useful to the story, right? Because he is such a sweet, young character.

That being said, in this upcoming episode, "Unfinished Business," we do see Jack kind of galvanized in his role as a leader and as a protector. So, he's had more of a focus that way as of late.

Do you think there's a concern that at some point he can get it in his head that the boys are taking advantage of him on some level, and that that could create kind of strife between them?

Oh, interesting. I don't know, I think Jack sees them as such protectors of him.

He definitely had the moment earlier in the season where he felt like he was being used as the -- I forget the term, but something about the universe can opener or whatever -- so he definitely had a moment of that, but as the story goes on that would be interesting.

Obviously, this unit has been the three guys. It's been the brothers and Castiel for a really long time. You still aren't quite part of that, per se, but you're getting closer and closer to being kind of a bigger part of that unit. Is it a little surreal to be absorbed into this collective that's been there for ten years?

Yeah, just as a professional, off the bat I wanted to be very respectful to the fans and to everyone on the show just because of how successful and how well they do what they do.

But all that for me has just been grounded in reality, based on the fact that Jack has been looking for a family, he's looking for a unit to belong to. Its been built into the story enough that I think it's comfortable.

The introduction of Jack's character seems to have shaken up that core dynamic in a way that makes it feel like something new. Was that kind of part of the idea do you think going in or was that just a happy accident to the storyline being this season's story?

I mean, that's not for me to say. I think what I've really enjoyed about jack being inserted into the Winchester's lives has just been what that will bring out in Sam and Dean. Because ultimately this is a story about the Winchester's, this is a story about the two brothers and I think Jack being this foil to bring out different things in the boys that we the viewer haven't seen before, I think has probably been the best part about playing him.

Just seeing what Jared and Jensen will bring to it, based off of this new variable in their lives.

In some ways do you feel like this is as close as they're ever going to get to having a kid? Considering this is not a show that really lends itself to that?

Yeah. I think you're probably right. Maybe a kid, maybe like their kid brother. From my understanding, whenever there's any kind of romance on the show, she like turns into a werewolf, or you know she tries to kill them. So, yeah from my understanding the romance angle...I think hasn't gone too far.

Although it worked out for both of their real lives! On-screen, terrible. Off-screen, lovely.

What can you tease about tonight's episode, "Unfinished Business?"

Honestly, this doesn't even have to do with me, but Richard not only directed the episode, he starred in the episode, and you're going to see a crazy fight sequence with hm. So, just for me watching him work and do that was number one very cool.

But teasing this episode, again we see Jack solidified in his role as a leader, and as someone whose taking charge and helping save these people in apocalypse world, so that's the part for me that I think has been great about it this episode, is seeing Jack have a real purpose and a real drive.

How do you like the wings?

I mean, its not exactly what you'd think. They don't exactly strap them to you, its more of like a visual effect. I'm just as excited to see as everybody else.