Agents of SHIELD gave a closer glimpse into the realm of Marvel’s cinematic universe. The series based on the organization showcased multiple agents all over the world investigating ‘strange’ occurrences. These unsung heroes worked tirelessly to safeguard the world through their unparalleled resourcefulness even though devoid of any and all superhuman abilities.
Among the many characters, there’s one character that all Marvel fans unanimously tend to hate and it is no one but Brett Dalton’s Grant Ward. Despite the hate his character has received, Dalton is unapologetic and has no regrets about playing such a character.
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Brett Dalton On His Agents Of SHIELD Character
Brett Dalton‘s portrayal of Grant Ward was initially of a very skilled and loyal SHIELD agent. However, as the series unfolded, his true allegiance was unveiled, which not only shocked his team but also the whole Marvel fandom. He soon became one of the most compelling antagonists of Agents of SHIELD.
While fans have hated him with a ferocity like no other, Dalton felt his character was just misunderstood. In an interview with CBR, the actor stated,
“I’ve always felt that Grant Ward was — at the end of the day — misunderstood. He’s somebody that has actually not a lack of feeling, but so much feeling he doesn’t know what to do about it. The way he is is for a reason. I think that it’s really difficult for him to trust people, and that’s only because he’s been burned. It’s not that there’s a lack of love or empathy; I think that there’s actually too much.”
He also mentioned how Ward became more interesting to play as the story unfolded, and became a pivotal figure in the larger narrative of the series.
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Brett Dalton On His Favorite Version Of Grant Ward
Throughout the series, Brett Dalton played many versions of his character. While his performance throughout the series was remarkable, breathing life into a character of constantly shifting loyalties, moral ambiguity, and complex internal struggles is often hard. While he loved Ward throughout his run, he was asked to name his favorite version of him. In the same interview with CBR, he stated,
“Season 3 Ward was my favorite. He was on a warpath against Coulson. He was using every resource at his disposal. He was just a man on a mission. There wasn’t a ton of conflict. It was just a bull in a China shop, and it was really fun to play. I got to act with Powers Booth and that was a lot of fun as well, and him and I were sort of able to paint the town red a little bit and he was able to show me the ways of old Hydra. It was cool! It was really, really cool. It was kind of our own version of Project Mayhem, if that makes any sense.”
The intricacies of such a character left behind a complex legacy evolving from an apparent loyal agent to a formidable foe, who ultimately in a surprising twist of events ended up with a unique redemption arc when the series ended. Despite the hate, the character would always be remembered as an integral part of the Agent of SHIELD narrative.
Agent of SHIELD can be streamed on Disney+.
Source: CBR
