Preacher Cast Talks Faith And Religion In Season 2

06/26/2017 12:00 pm EDT

As one may glean from the title, Preacher is a show with questions about faith and religion baked right into the core concept. It isn't alone int hat though as shows like The Leftover, The Americans, and American Gods have made faith a trending theme in American television in recent years.

Speaking on the set of Preacher, star Dominic Cooper explains how he believes the trend is a product of the times we live in.

"Everyone is so exposed to the horrors of the world at the moment and we're living through extraordinarily troubled times," Cooper says. "I suppose they've always existed, to some extent, but I suppose the access and the immediacy with which we get information about conflict and various other horrifying things from around the world. We are questioning our own faith and what it means, and what our beliefs really are and what is good and bad. And we need something to cling onto again because we feel we're losing our way a bit or cannot believe what we are capable of, as a race of people. I think, perhaps, that maybe more people are again turning to it as a support. And it will never not be interesting. It's an amazing observation of what we need, as humans, to survive. We need something. We need, in whatever form that is, a leader and to be looked after and cared for in some way or another and direction in how to care for others."

"All those things are things that Jesse has grown up with and, as many people do, it's entrenched in his psyche and soul and way of thinking," Cooper continues. "And that won't ever change. And I think that that's a really good dynamic between Jesse and Cassidy and Tulip and their different ideas of faith."

According to Ruth Negga, Tulip doesn't really think much of faith at all.

"I think that in terms of religion for her, it's never been necessarily kind to her. I don't think she's ever been on the receiving end of the kindness and the unconditional love of God, so it doesn't make sense for her. I mean that's ultimately what it is. Religion doesn't make sense to her, and of course, it doesn't, because if you look at her history and her world, like a lot of people, why would you believe in God if you've just been s**t on your whole life and abandoned and forsaken. Because that's her history."

Cassidy was born Catholic, but that was over a century ago in Ireland. Since then, his perspective on religion has changed.

"I think he thinks it's nonsense still, to some degree," Joseph Gilgun says. "And I think he feels f***ing outdone, too. He's been abandoned to this world. everybody bloody leaves him constantly. Eventually, everyone dies and leaves him. He just outlives people. He feels abandoned by God if anything."

Of course, getting into brawls with angels may change even Cassidy's perspective.

"I think once he could see that actually, they're angels, they're not clones at all, these are f***ing angels, archangels...I think at that state I think Cassidy was starting to get to a stage where he was like, 'Hang on a minute. This is kind of real. This lunatic that I've been watching, this Jesse guy, he's not completely insane, actually. This is happening.'"

The quest for God begins when Preacher Season 2 premiere at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.

MORE PREACHER NEWS: Season 2 Sneak Peeks Released / Preacher Season 2 Trailer / Exclusive: Preacher Season 2 Cassidy Key Art / Preacher Season 2 Teaser Trailer

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