Timothy Granaderos talks 13 Reasons Why and that scene with Monty and Tyler

13 Reasons Why is renewed for Season 3. Now Timothy Granaderos shares what he hopes to see for Monty after that horrific moment in the Season 2 finale.

13 Reasons Why Season 2 certainly stirred up some emotions from fans of the series. There’s been a mixture of complaints and gratefulness for showing that horrific scene in the finale. While some say it was unnecessary, others say it was needed to highlight that this type of thing does happen in schools across the country and even the world.

What nobody seems to have brought up is what it was like for Timothy Granaderos, who plays Montgomery de la Cruz in the series. What was it like for him to take on that scene and get into the mindset of the dangerous and awful boy?

I sat down with Timothy to chat about when he learned this scene was happening, what’s to come for Monty in 13 Reasons Why Season 3, and what it was like filming it with Devin Druid, who plays Tyler Down.

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Hidden Remote: So, what’s going on for you now?

Timothy Granaderos: I’ve actually got a bit of a break right now and getting excited for a vacation.

HR: I bet you need it with the recent filming.

TG: Yes, it’s so important for me to get out of LA and then come back. This city can be a beef, but it’s all worth it and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

HR: So, 13 Reasons Why has a third season now. When does filming pick back up?

TG: I don’t know what the extent of my role is for Season 3 yet, but I think August/September. I have no solid dates.

HR: They like to keep you on your toes, then?

TG: Oh always. It’s like ‘Am I going to be in it?’ ‘How much am I going to be in it?’ These are questions I answer myself in my own head.

HR: Surely, you must have a fairly big part coming with everything that happened at the end of the last one.

TG: Here’s the thing, you never know going into it. As an actor, I like to think I’m going to be working, but it’s all up to the stories that the writers create. Fingers crossed.

HR: Speaking of the story for last season, when did you find out the season finale had the worst scene but, in a way, one that was really needed? So many shows shy away from this.

TG: Our EP Brian Yorkey pulled me aside one day while filming with the idea he was pitching to Netflix and asked me if I was comfortable doing it. It was more of a question and less of a ‘this is what is going to happen’. I didn’t know until a few episodes from the end that this was what the big moment was going to be.

HR: There must have been a conversation with both you and Devin.

TG: Absolutely. I’m not sure when Devin found out. The really cool part about the show is that Brian only tells specific actors what they need to know at the time. We all have our own secrets. I’m not sure when Devin found out it would be happening.

HR: When did you and Devin start talking about this? What was it like?

TG: Devin and I are good buddies offset, too. We both did our own preparation as actors, but we did bring it up with each other. Nothing ever too deep until we were able to ask questions in meetings. We wanted to both do our own preparation. A lot of time, in like that scene, it’s not pre-meditated necessarily. We wanted it to be as organic and raw as possible.

HR: It did look like Monty had no idea he was going to do that until it came to it.

TG: Yeah, I think the hardest part for me to prepare was going into that scene knowing what I was going to do but try to do it impulsively. When you’re seeing red lights, that anger, you can make rash decisions. It was getting that to do something so absurd and brutal.

HR: Is there any hope for Monty moving forward? Does he see that what he did was wrong? Will he be in a constant state of denial?

TG: That’s a good question. I hope so. I hope he’ll see how wrong it was but I think often times it depends on a bunch of different factors. That’s up to the writers but hopefully, we’ll see what’s next for Monty’s story.

HR: And you have no idea?

TG: I swear to you I have no idea, which is exciting for me. It’s also better because people keep asking me and I don’t know the answer.

HR: Rather than lie.

TG: Yeah rather than lie to everyone I love.

HR: How have family reactions be? Could you tell them what was coming?

TG: I gave them a warning. My mom and dad watch the show and my brother and sister. I shot them a warning going into Season 2. I’m not sure to this day if my mom watched that scene. I know she watched the season but I’m not sure if she ever went back to watch that scene. She said she was approaching it tentatively.

HR: Fast forward through it.

TG: Yeah, finger on the button.

HR: I know there are a lot of fans who have decided to fast forward past that scene.

TG: Yeah, I don’t blame them.

HR: What’s been the fan reaction towards you? I remember there was a lot of hatred towards [Bryce] and sometimes it’s hard to separate actor from character. What’s the reaction been like towards you specifically?

TG: I think the first season was like the oldest child, where they went through all the struggles and the fan reaction was very strong. They are for Season 2, but I feel like I’m the middle child. I knew what to expect. They’re very passionate and aggressive towards Monty the character but not necessarily the actor. I’m lucky Season 1 paved the way for me.

HR: I always feel sorry for actors who are playing the most hated characters ever and trying to separate between them.

TG: Here’s the thing, though, it’s cool with social media. You can show your true personality, so people can see the actor rather than the character. So they can see that I love nature and I have a family, and I’m not this cruel, brutal jock who just hates everyone.

HR: And the world.

TG: Or do I? I’m just kidding!

HR: Since you don’t know what’s going to happen, what would you like to see for Monty in 13 Reasons Why Season 3?

TG: I would like to explore what’s going on in Monty’s head because it’s so easy to judge him by his actions but really dive into what makes him act the way he does.

HR: We’ve barely seen anything of Monty in the last two seasons. There’s so much about his home life. What could lead to him thinking that any of this was a good idea?

TG: Definitely. He’s a product of his own environment. It’s where he comes from.

HR: What’s it like on set with everyone else?

TG: It’s fun! We laugh a lot, we joke a lot, we act like teenage boys. I did a scene with Justin (Bryce Walker) and Ross (Zach Dempsey) and we had some dry cereal. And the longer you leave a table with dry cereal, we start throwing it around and goofing off. It’s fun. It’s just like hanging out with your friends. You build the bonds.

And I’m also a fan of this show. Every time I get a script, I go through it looking for everyone else’s storylines.

HR: Oh, so you get the full scripts and not just your parts?

TG: Yeah, but only a handful at a time. So then I’m waiting around for other scripts to find out the next part of the story.

HR: At least, we get to binge-watch over the whole weekend!

TG: Totally! And I binge watch too because I’m so excited to see it all as it is.

Netflix has said there is more story to tell, according to Digital Spy. That’s the reason for the third season. Will we get to see Monty (and even Bryce) ever learn that what they did was wrong?

13 Reasons Why Season 3 premieres in 2019.