(L to R) Jeff Daniels and Maura Tierney Talk ‘American Rust: Broken Justice’
Premiering on Prime Video beginning March 28th is ‘American Rust: Broken Justice,’ which is the second season of the popular crime series starring Jeff Daniels (‘The Martian’) and Maura Tierney (‘Primal Fear’).
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jeff Daniels and Maura Tierney about the second season of their popular series ‘American Rust: Broken Justice,’ where it picks up, Grace and Dell’s relationship, and the themes of the series.
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Jeff Daniels (Detective Del Harris) in ‘American Rust: Broken Justice.’ Credit: Dennis Mong/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.
Moviefone: To begin with, Jeff, can you talk about where Dell is and what he is doing when the new season starts?
Jeff Daniels: Well, we’re in Buell, Pennsylvania for some of it. Dell is now in Pittsburgh working with the Pittsburgh Police Department. We’re about four months after the end of season one, four months later I think it was. Dell has moved into the police department, and he is working again as an investigator or detective and has a new partner. He has a new bunch of people in his life, including Grace, who is now, I mean we’re basically together in Dell’s cabin down in Buell. So, on weekends Dell kind of goes down to the cabin to see Grace. So that’s still there and then a whole bunch of stuff starts happening. Buckle up.
MF: Maura, can you talk about Grace’s relationship with Dell this season and her devotion to him?
Maura Tierney: I mean I think that will be born out in this season as well. I think she even steps up in her commitment to protecting him or having his back. So, she’s starting from physically a different place because she’s living with Dell, but he’s spending a lot of time in Pittsburgh. So, it’s really a brand-new start for her this season.
Maura Tierney (Grace Poe) in ‘American Rust: Broken Justice.’ Credit: Dennis Mong/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.
MF: Jeff, how would you describe the themes explored in ‘American Rust: Broken Justice’?
JD: I will say that it’s whatever your definition of the American dream is. For these people in this show, maybe it’s just like a stress-free life. Maybe it’s just peace. Maybe it’s just a peaceful relationship between Dell and Grace, which is all they really want. I keep going back to, we’re in the Midwest, you’re constantly told how simple and basic you are compared to the coasts. But underneath and inside these simple and basic people in Pittsburgh are some very complicated feelings, emotions, circumstances, and I like that. If there’s a theme in complicated behind the simple, it’s not everything’s what you think it is, just on the surface, but all that plays into what we’re trying to do with the show.
MF: Finally, Maura, what were some of the themes of the series that you were excited to explore this season?
MT: Peace is not all easy to come by if you don’t have any money or a job. It’s a luxury in a lot of ways. So, I think if you say the “American Dream,” I think that is a goal to have some sense of peace, contentment or safety, which is not achievable for everybody in the show or in our country right now.
(L to R) Maura Tierney (Grace Poe), Jon Osbeck (Billy’s Lawyer) and Mark Pellegrino (Virgil Poe) in ‘American Rust: Broken Justice.’ Credit: Dennis Mong/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.
What is the Plot of ‘American Rust: Broken Justice’?
American Rust: Broken Justice takes us back to the fictional small town of Buell, Pennsylvania. Del Harris (Jeff Daniels) and Grace Poe (Maura Tierney) try to rebuild their lives after the harrowing events of Season One. Season Two picks up with a string of seemingly unrelated murders, hinting at a much larger conspiracy that threatens everyone in this small, tight-knit town.
Who is in the Cast of ‘American Rust: Broken Justice’?
(L to R) Kyle Beltran (Detective Fisher) and Jeff Daniels (Detective Del Harris) in ‘American Rust: Broken Justice.’ Credit: Dennis Mong/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.