Wilson Bethel is in the middle of making a lasagna when he joins our Zoom, but he promises to give me his undivided attention. As we’re discussing all things Daredevil: Born Again, a subject that’s near and dear to his heart, that pledge is well-kept — in fact, there are times when I worry about the lasagna cooking in his oven being neglected. Bethel is all-in on every subject that passes between us, from the dearth of pasta restaurants with generous portions in Los Angeles (“It’s why I make my own lasagna!”) to the newfound confidence of his swaggering serial murderer, Benjamin Poindexter.
It’s not hard to wonder where his passion comes from: The actor, alongside every actor from the original Daredevil, assumed that he’d never get the chance to finish Dex’s story after Netflix canceled the series. Bethel had scarcely completed Dex’s origins as Bullseye before the streamer pulled the plug. A revival seemed like a pipe dream — then, Marvel Studios made it a reality, bringing Charlie Cox’s eponymous vigilante back to life alongside his roster of colorful villains. Bullseye especially feels reborn in kind: He makes an explosive return in Season 2, luring a squad of anti-vigilante goons to a diner where he proceeds to put his perfect accuracy to fatal use. The deranged smile across his face is equal parts intimidating and, admittedly, a little infectious; per Bethel, that’s by design.
