Word: The next story incorporates spoilers from “Job” Season 1, Episode 6.
From early on within the means of filming Brad Ingelsby’s “Job,” Tom Pelphrey understood the motivations and needs of his character, Robbie Prendergrast, a single dad and trash collector moonlighting as a thief.
“He’s so effectively outlined within the sense that his North Star is so clear: his household and caring for his kids,” Pelphrey instructed TheWrap, applauding Ingelsby’s dedication to the character research. “The rationale why a personality does something is paramount to him, and oftentimes, when you attempt to match that into a decent style, which ‘Job’ form of is, you begin sacrificing a few of these character issues. However Brad refuses … he’ll by no means sacrifice the character for the plot.”
It’s Robbie’s dedication to his household that lands him on the middle of an FBI investigation, led by Mark Ruffalo’s Tom Brandis and his ragtag process power, who work tirelessly to search out Sam, the little boy kidnapped by Robbie throughout a raid-gone-wrong. However Pelphrey doesn’t classify taking Sam as kidnapping, given his different choices, saying “as an actor … you turn out to be the deepest advocate of your character … For those who’re judging, you’re not doing all of your job proper.”
“What Brad does brilliantly on this present particularly is current a collection of not possible conditions the place there’s actually no good selection for anybody concerned, after which they’ve to choose that they consider is at the least somewhat bit higher than the opposite unhealthy selection,” Pelphrey mentioned. “There’s not loads of selections that Robbie’s making the place I’m like, ‘what would the higher selection have seemed like?’”
By way of most of “Job,” Robbie and Tom function as dueling protagonists, with Robbie simply out of attain from Tom’s FBI process power till they lastly cross paths in Episode 5, when Tom reveals up at Robbie’s entrance door. Robbie shortly realizes Tom’s motives and subsequently holds him at gunpoint as he forces him to drive him close by his rendezvous level for his drug deal, however, regardless of Tom anticipating to die there after which, Robbie lets him go close by an area seaside full of individuals.
Regardless of this shortcomings, it’s these moments the place Robbie’s unwavering values come by means of that give him redemption for Pelphrey.
“He has a really clear worth system that he’s following it doesn’t matter what he’s doing and nevertheless loopy it could be or nevertheless violent issues could be, he’s solely doing what he must do in his thoughts to offer for his kids,” Pelphrey mentioned. “He’s not involved in any pointless struggling. He doesn’t need anyone to be damage or killed … it’s admirable the self-discipline of that and and he follows that by means of to the top, as a result of that’s on the core of who he’s.”

That very same mercy and care is proven by Tom to Robbie in Episode 6, when Tom intercepts Robbie on the website of his drug deal, which is nixed when each the Darkish Hearts and the FBI present up within the woods.
“They’re constructed from related stuff — I feel they’re each good guys, and I feel they each have related values, and … it didn’t take Tom lengthy to appreciate that Robbie is simply caught in some very unhealthy circumstances,” Pelphrey mentioned, noting that Tom’s background as a priest provides him an empathy not anticipated from an FBI agent. “It’s stunning and maybe not stunning that Tom instantly sees in Robbie, ‘Oh, I don’t need to exit of my strategy to damage this particular person, he’s not a nasty man.’”
Regardless of Tom’s greatest efforts to de-escalate the state of affairs, Robbie will get away, shortly discovering his actual goal: Jayson (Sam Keeley). Robbie unleashes hell on him for killing his brother, Billy, with vindication for the loss of life taking on.
“By that time, the wheels are so in movement that that’s simply survival … I don’t understand how a lot selection is concerned anymore at that time,” Pelphrey mentioned. “All the pieces has been set in movement, and now we’re going to attempt to get out of this alive.”
Tragically, Robbie doesn’t make it out of the woods unscathed after Jayson planted a deep knife wound in his torso. Tom shortly finds Robbie and rushes him to the hospital, however Robbie dies within the automotive on the best way there, laying in Tom’s arms in a scene remembers as “difficult” but “stunning.”
“I used to be simply so in love with the position and the job … however you simply must play the bodily actuality of what’s taking place, which was difficult; I’ve by no means actually had to do this one earlier than, actually not on on digital camera,” Pelphrey mentioned. “It was simply loads of simply making an attempt to remain as relaxed as doable … Mark was pretty, and since we have been in a automotive, there wasn’t actually individuals round us.”
Pelphrey mentioned that Robbie is “as at peace as he might be” upon his loss of life, and hopes for Maeve and his youngsters that they “stay in peace and never be so consumed with the necessity to survive that it reduces their pleasure in humanity.”
“For those who make individuals battle for his or her very survival, it’s onerous to evaluate,” he mentioned. “That’s the form of dialog that one thing like this will can result in — It’s actually loads of the issues I used to be enthusiastic about once we have been doing it … [with] Robbie enthusiastic about offering for his household, it’s like, ‘I’m gonna do my greatest to ensure you’re by no means within the place that I needed to be in to make these form of selections within the first place.’”
“Job” airs Sundays at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.