“It Was Challenging to Make It Sound Like You Know What You're Talking About

For those who haven't seen the first season of The Diplomat, how would you describe the show?

It's a really fun, exciting, smart and fascinating show set around the US State Department, and the life of these diplomats and ambassadors who we know so little about. It's a show about people in very powerful positions with important jobs, but they're really clumsy and doing embarrassing things.

It's got great humour, great drama and such great writing from Debora Cahn.

What is it about the character of Kate Wyler that appeals to you? I just love how human she is, despite the world she finds herself in. Kate is a problemsolver. She's ruthless at what she does, but she is also uncomfortable in her surroundings. She's a fish-out-ofwater. She makes mistakes, says or does the wrong thing, and that often causes problems for the people around her, which is part of the reason she has never been the boss. She's a fascinating character to play.

How exciting is it to be back with a second season? First of all, it means we must have been doing something right and that people want to see more. Secondly, it means we have done our job in setting up this world no one is supposed to know about. This season is six episodes whereas the last one was eight, so the pace has picked up. It's more dynamic. There is so much going on.

The troubled relationship between Kate and her husband Hal (played by Rufus Sewell) is a major part of the show. How does that develop this season?