William and David Broyles, the executive producers of the History miniseries “Six” discussed having to recast one of their stars, saying that they basically started from scratch.
Initially, the miniseries was set to star “True Blood” alum Joe Manganiello, but the actor had to remove himself from the series due to health issues. He was then replaced by “Justified” star Walton Goggins.
“It was a different style of acting, so we had to adjust, but we were able to take the series in a different direction,” William Broyles said at the Television Critics Association press tour on Friday.
“Walton brought an electricity to the role that was unexpected,” added David Broyles. “We had certain plans in place … but when Walton came on board, he is so different. We kind of tore everything up.”
But the cast and executive producers agreed that Manganiello is still “a member of our team.”
“We’re lucky to have had both Joe and Walton,” David said.
“Six” stars Barry Sloane, Kyle Schmid and Edwin Hodge as members of Navy SEAL Team Six, modern American warriors, whose mission to eliminate a Taliban leader in Afghanistan goes awry when they uncover a U.S. citizen working with terrorists.
In order to prepare, the three actors spent a week training with Navy SEALs, a process all three described as “hell.”
“It was so intense and so real and scary. But it was so necessary. The way we bonded as men, it was unknown to me,” Sloane said. “You can’t go through what we went through and come out unchanged.”
But in addition to the family bonds formed within the unit, the series will also explore the mens’ civilian families and how they’re changed by their jobs in the military. For her own preparation, star Brianne Davis said she spent time with real military wives learning about the unique challenges they face.
“The women in the family really give up a lot,” she said. “The families really suffer.”
“A lot of the show is the tension between those two families,” David Broyles said.