Determinedly proving your worth in expanding the success of your employer’s objectives can be a mutually alluring and beneficial process for both sides. Not only does the organization’s leaders receive a dedicated worker who helps meet their goals, but the employee can also secure more responsibility and value in the company. That’s certainly the case with diverse and enthralling actor Daz Crawford, who’s currently portraying Hydra employee Kebo on ABC’s action sci-fi drama, ‘Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ The performer brings such diverse and alluring emotions and motivations to the formerly guest-starring role that the television network and studio decided to expand his character on the popular series.

‘Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s third season follows Director Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) and Agent Daisy Johnson (Chloe Bennet) leading the charge of the title law-enforcement agency. They’re searching the world for more powered people in the aftermath of their epic battle with Jiaying and her army of Inhumans. However, Coulson and the team soon find out that they are not the only group looking for these new Inhumans.

Many months after their war with a rogue group of Inhumans, the team is still reeling. Coulson is again trying to put the pieces of his once revered organization back together, while also dealing with the loss of his hand. His confidante and second in command, Agent Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen), has yet to return from an impromptu vacation with her ex-husband, Andrew (Blair Underwood). Deadly superspy Agent Bobbi Morse (Adrianne Palicki) is recovering from her traumatic torture at the hands of Grant Ward (Brett Dalton), who Kebo is now working for at Hydra. Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) is obsessed with discovering the truth behind the mysterious disappearance of Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge). As the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are contending with their personal and professional obstacles, they’re all on high-alert for the next move from Ward and his criminal organization.

Crawford generously took the time recently to talk about portraying Kebo in a recurring role over the second and current third seasons of ‘Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ during an exclusive phone interview. Among other things, the actor discussed how he was humbled that the writers of the sci-fi drama liked his initial performance of the Hydra employee in the Season 2 episode, ‘S.O.S. Part 2,’ which was originally meant to only be a guest-starring role, so much that they expanded it into a recurring arc; how he has developed his own ideas on why Kebo, who fought Ward during their first interactions together, then decided to work for him; and how he prefers performing his own stunts in his action-driven projects, as the process helps him better connect to his characters.

ShockYa (SY): You play Kebo in a recurring role in the action sci-fi Marvel television series, ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ What initially attracted you to the role of the HYDRA agent?

Daz Crawford (DC): Well, as an actor in L.A., I’m going after jobs and auditioning all the time. So my agent contacted me one day and said, “We have an audition for you for ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ Do you want to do it?” So of course I said yes.

But Marvel and ABC are actually quite secretive about the series; I didn’t even receive the script until I got to the audition. Plus, when you do get the script you’re auditioning for, you only get the lines for the scenes you’re going to read. They’re not even finalized; they’re just possible lines that you may say if you shoot the episode. So I didn’t know what Kebo’s ultimate goal even was when I auditioned.

I later spoke to some of the writers, and they said that Kebo was only mean to be in one episode. I asked why they brought me back, and they said they liked what I did with him in that episode.

SY: Like many big television and film productions, you didn’t receive the script until 15 minutes before you auditioned, like you just mentioned. So how did you prepare for your audition?

DC: Well, I can’t just deliver the lines; you also have to think of the person you’re talking to in each scene. So I always have a couple of questions about the scene and characters ready.

When I go into the audition, I do the first read, and the casting director may say, “No, you don’t like him,” or “You like him more than that.” They’ll give me some direction if they think I’m on the wrong page. But I didn’t receive any direction; the casting director was happy with what I did. So my audition was my interpretation of the character in the script.

I have also watched a lot of other Marvel movies. I was also in a Marvel movie before (‘Blade II’), but their projects aren’t all formatted; they’re all extremely different. You can’t compare ‘The Hulk’ to ‘Fantastic Four’ and ‘Spider-Man.’ They’re still in the same genre, but the characters are all very individual.

SY: How would you describe Kebo’s overall transformation and change in motivations from his first appearance until now?

DC: I think Kebo has changed since he started working for his new boss, Ward. Kebo is now Ward’s right-hand man. I have my own opinions and thoughts on Kebo’s direction now. Remember, Ward kicked Kebo’s ass, so how would you feel if your boss smashed glass over your face? But I haven’t told anybody about Kebo’s new driving force, and that’s what keeps me motivated.

SY: In his first appearance on ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,’ Kebo and Ward, who’s played by Brett Dalton, fought, like you just mentioned. But during this season, your character is supporting his supervisor, who’s now running HYDRA. What has your working relationship with Brett been like over the course of both seasons you have appeared on the show? Have you collaborated with Brett on how to showcase the change in your characters’ relationship?

DC: Well, as an actor, I don’t want to step on other actors’ toes. You come up with some choices about your relationship, and then I will make more choices about the character’s bond, which I won’t tell the other actor. I’ll create some history about my character, and what his ultimate goal is. I know what I want in the characters’ relationship.

So Brett and I did discuss a few things, but we didn’t go into depth. If I know everything he’s thinking about me, and vice versa, it preempts things in the scene. You don’t want to look like you know everything that’s about to happen. You want to look like you’re experiencing things for the first time.

That’s the same thing in real life-you don’t always tell people all of your thoughts. You might tell a few white lies to try to get information from somebody.

SY: With the show being driven by its action and sci-fi elements, what has the process of performing your stunts for your episodes? Do you enjoy the physicality of such projects as ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’

DC: I actually used to star on the action show, ‘Gladiators;’ I was a British Gladiator in the U.K. for a couple of seasons. On that show, there was a lot of climbing, and I always had cables on. I was jumping from 20 or 30 feet up. I was also an Olympic boxer, so I’m a sportsman.

I love doing my own stunts, and I prefer doing them myself over having a stunt double. But some bigger productions aren’t too keen on having you do your own stunts, because you may get injured, and there’s only one of you. So I understand that if a stunt is really dangerous, you may need a stunt double to do it for you.

Doing your own stunts breaks up the day of only doing lines. If someone steps in and does all the action for me, I feel left out. I think, I want to do that!

SY: Besides ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,’ you have appeared in recurring roles on several other television shows, including ‘Trenches’ and ‘Gemini Division,’ as well as in films, including ‘Awaken‘ and ‘Dawn Patrol.’ How does playing a role on a TV series, where you find out more information about your character with every script you receive, compare and contrast to film roles, where you receive your character’s complete arc within the one screenplay?

DC: Well, when I worked on ‘Blade II,’ I received the script in plenty of time to work on it. I like to receive my script early, as it makes me feel more comfortable, especially for movies.

On TV, since you have such a quick turnaround, time is extremely important. You don’t have a lot of time to prepare, as there are a lot of changes. You also receive a new script every week. But as long as you have an idea of what you’re doing in the scene, that’s okay, but I feel more comfortable the longer I have the script.

But the character remains the same, and you develop the character early on in the series. But things do change each season, so you have to adapt to that.

SY: How does starring on a big production like ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ compare and contrast to independent projects like ‘Awaken?’ Do you take a different approach in your acting with both types of projects?

DC: I do star in a lot of indies, as I like them. In my experience, they allow me to have more control over my character. On some of the bigger productions, they’re stricter, and they don’t offer as much leeway in diversity. But while I do like working on the independents, you may not get as high of quality in production of the studio films.

I remember when I worked on the James Bond film (‘The World Is Not Enough’), there wasn’t any leeway at all. I just had to deliver the lines and couldn’t play.

But when I worked on ‘Blade II’ with Guillermo del Toro, who’s an amazing director, he would sit down with some of the actors at the end of the day. He would say, “I’m not too keen on the next scene. So if there’s anything you guys can come up with, let me know.”

It also depends on the director. Some directors like when the actors put their ideas in, and others don’t. So we’re not always in control of what’s delivered.

Overall, I like all types of films, as I like to work. I also like the opportunity to play different roles. If you give me a character to play, I’ll work on him.

SY: Once you sign on to star in a film or television series, what’s your collaboration process like with the rest of the cast and the director? Do you like to improv with them while you’re filming?

DC: Yes, I do. In my mind, the writer works on 50 percent of the script, and the actors work on the other 50 percent. The scripts are just words on paper.

Like with Kebo on ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,’ he was initially only written for one episode at the end of last season. But the writers liked what I brought to the table, so that’s why they keep bringing him back.

It’s great to be able to talk to the people you’re going to be working with on the movie or TV show. You’re trying to make the project more interesting for the audience.

However, I don’t like stepping on the writers’ toes, because they have written the project. But sometimes when you write something and try to bring it to life on the set, it can’t be done on the set or in the situation, for whatever reason. So we have to change what’s not working. So it’s great when I can sit down with the other actors and discuss our characters’ relationships.

SY: Besides acting, are you also interested in trying directing films and/or televisions shows?

DC: I produced a couple of indies years ago (the 2007 action thriller, ‘T.K.O.’ and the 2005 crime thriller, ‘Game Over’). It was so hard, because I acted in the movies, as well. The first film wasn’t too hard, but I found it very difficult to balance both jobs on the second movie. So there’s no way I would want to direct and act on a project at the same time.

But I really love acting, and it’s giving me the knowledge to eventually go on and direct. But I’m actually not quite ready to direct anything yet.

SY: Besides ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,’ do you have any other upcoming projects lined up that you can discuss?

DC: Yes, I shot a movie called ‘Rogue Warrior: Robot Fighter’ earlier this year. It’s a sci-fi project that’s in post-production right now. My character (who’s named Skullcrusher) is being sent to jail on another planet. My girlfriend from another planet is trying to save me. It’s a cross between ‘War of the Worlds’ and ‘Star Wars.’ It’s an independent film, but I’ve already seen some of the footage. It looks really good, and I’m excited about it. It’s set to either be released at the end of this year or early next year.

Written by: Karen Benardello