Tom Hopper on ‘The Umbrella Academy’ Cast Member He Is Closest To
The Umbrella Academy cast benefits from strong chemistry among its lead characters. Each struggling Hargreeves sibling must interact individually and in a group with their fellow superhuman adoptees; thus, the show relies on dysfunctional, yet loving familial interactions to keep audiences coming back for more. Without strong chemistry, Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy would be an odd take on the superhero genre lacking in its fundamental asset. Yet, of the cast members, some are closer to one another than others.
During an interview, The Catcher notes, Tom Hopper (the actor behind Luther ) was asked which of the cast members he felt the “strongest bond to.” And, it should come as no surprise that he’s closest to the one who plays the character he adores.
Tom Hopper talks Emmy Raver-Lampman and ‘The Umbrella Academy’
Allison (Emmy Raver-Lampman) and Luther have a very complex relationship in The Umbrella Academy. Despite the fact that they grew up in the same household, they are not biologically related. And, their feelings for one another have always leaned in the romantic direction (especially from Luther toward Allison). Thus, casting Allison required plenty of chemistry reads. Hopper explained:
A lot of the casting process is about who we are as people, our personalities. I did a lot of chemistry reads with some early Allison choices and potential hires.
The Catcher
While casting Allison was no easy process, sparks basically flew as soon as Emmy Raver-Lampman entered the picture. During an interview, Tom Hopper said “this one” and pointed to Emmy Raver-Lampan when asked who he has the strongest bond with. In short, Hopper and Lampman have grown quite close on the set of The umbrella Academy, and their characters continue to boast a whirlwind storyline in the most recent season currently on Netflix.
Tom Hopper was one of the first to join ‘The Umbrella Academy’ cast, leading to the multiple chemistry reads
As The Catcher notes, Tom Hopper was the first major cast member to join The Umbrella Academy. Following roles in Game of Thrones, Black Sails, and Barbarians Rising, the actor was a perfect fit — with a resume that spoke to his competence in playing the action hero type.
The actor reportedly had a skype talk and got the role. While a bit more was in play, his past projects made him a shoo-in. with Luther cast in the show, finding the right Allison became one of the next bog jobs.
Meaning, if Hopper was not cast so quickly, and he did not boast such strong chemistry with Lampman, it’s possible that neither actor would be in the show today. Since multiple actors tried out for Allison, the choice virtually came down to chemistry with Hopper above all else.
