Gen V star Hamish Linklater agrees show's writers are struggling to 'outdo real world crazy' with Trump 2.0 | Interview

Hamish Linklater plays the new Godolkin University dean in Gen V S2. The actor speaks with Hindustan Times about the show.

Updated on: Sep 16, 2025, 13:03:02 IST

By Abhimanyu Mathur

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The second season of The Boys' spinoff Gen V is all set to release on Amazon Prime Video. The irreverent and gory superhero show/campus drama sees actor Hamish Linklater take the centre stage as one of the new additions to the cast. Ahead of the show's release, the actor speaks to Hindustan Times about his role and the challenges the show is facing in Trump's America.

Hamish Linklater in a still from Gen V S2.

Hamish Linklater on playing Cipher in Gen V S2

In Gen V season 2, Hamish plays Cipher, the new dean of Godolkin University, where superheroes in the Boys universe are trained. Talking about his character's flexible moral compass, the actor says, “Since season 1, Homelander has taken over this universe. I am the kind of hire that Homelander would want to make. That should tell you what a good guy I am.”

‘Writers are finding it hard to outdo the real world crazy’

Gen V first aired in 2023. Since then, the United States has seen a regime change with Donald Trump regaining the presidency. It has often been said that political satires like The Boys and Gen V are finding it hard with real-life pacing ahead in terms of craziness. Hamish agrees, “Yes, the writers are having a hard time trying to out crazy the real world crazy. I think what's so amazing is that Eric Kripke (the show's creator) didn't know this was going to happen to America when he started on this show. But, he didn't flinch from it. He has run towards the firing squad. I am proud to be associated with a show that has that kind of courage of its bloody conviction.”

Gen V, like The Boys, has been known for its graphic violence and on-the-nose gore. What new things can we expect in season 2? Hamish promptly replies with a smile, “More butt stuff!”

Gen V season 2 stars Jaz Sinclair, Lizze Broadway, Maddie Phillips, London Thor, and Asa Germann, with cameos from a few The Boys stars as well. It releases on Amazon Prime Video on 17 September.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Abhimanyu Mathur
Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Film Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world.Read More

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