Daddy issues: 'American Gods' returns Sunday night on STARZ

Posted By: Staff
January 8, 2021 @ 3:00 pm
ABC Entertainment

STARZ

STARZ(LOS ANGELES) — What’s worse than having lived a life full of death and loneliness? How about learning that your dad could’ve helped, but didn’t? That’s where we find the main character of the STARZ series American Gods as its third season debuts Sunday night at 8 p.m.

Ricky Whittle stars as Shadow Moon, who last season discovered that Ian McShane’s Mr. Wednesday — the eccentric guy who hired him, and then revealed himself to be the Norse god Odin — is also his dad.

“It’s one of those things that’s really relatable in a world of fantasy: You’ve just found out who your father is. I mean, he could be working at a local store, but mine happens to be a god,” Whittle tells ABC Audio.

“So he’s angry. He’s had a terrible life where his mom died of cancer when he was 15. His wife died. He’s had no friends, no family, nothing,” Whittle continues. “And all this time, his father was right there as a god who could have helped him.”

So as season three opens, Shadow is “done” with Wednesday, says Whittle. Hiding under an assumed name in the seemingly idyllic town of Lakeside, he becomes entangled in a murder mystery while trying to fit in with actual humans for the first time on the show.

“I’ve only ever shared the screen with a god, or my dead wife, [or] a leprechaun,” Whittle laughs of interacting with “basically, a brand-new cast for the season.”

But, Whittle notes, “Once again, he doesn’t fit. And that’s Shadow’s problem every single time. And until he figures out who he is, he’s no help to anyone.”

Meanwhile, Wednesday is still planning a war against the New Gods. Says Whittle, Shadow’s “turned his back on destiny — but there’s only so long that you can do that.”