When we are first introduced toRyan Eggold’s character of Ed Ramsey in Episode 1 of thePrime VideohitCross, the first thing that sticks outis his perfectly coiffed blonde hair. It’s a stark contrast to the look he sported on the NBC medical dramaNew Amsterdam, and you’d be forgiven if you think he modeled it after rapper Eminem. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth according to the star,who says he was inspired by a horror icon when crafting the style of his serial killer character.
Speaking withThe Wrap, Eggold said he gets asked all the time about the Eminem resemblance, but denies that the megastar had any influence on how he presents himself inCross.“Lately people were like, ‘Were you doing an Eminem thing?’ I’m like, ‘What? No, he’s a killer. No,'“he told the outlet. The look certainly resembles the early days of the Missouri-born rapper (who later relocated to Detroit), but Eggold admitted that it wasn’t the musician that inspired him,but rather Patrick Bateman fromAmerican Psycho.
“There’s a part of him that wants to be this all-American, perfect Ken doll. So I thought his, in his sort of deranged mind, his attempt at that would be this blonde hair and this smile and the suit and sort of an American Psycho, you know, trying to be perfect. I thought that would be a fun dichotomy to play with.”
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When viewed in that context, it’s clear that Eggold hit a home run with his portrayal of Alex Cross’ arch nemesis in Season 1. Not only does Ramsey have that Bateman style to him, but when things don’t go his way,he similarly unravels as Christian Bale did in Mary Harron’s divisive filmthat came out in 2000.
Ryan Eggold Came Up with Ed Ramsey’s Look in ‘Cross’
Starring Aldis Hodge as the famed detective made famous in James Patterson’s novels,Crosstraces the cat and mouse game between him and Eggold, who kidnaps and kills people after carefully molding their looksto resemble those of other notorious serial killers, such as Aileen Wuornos. Dubbed “Fanboy” by the media, seeing the two stars play off of one another is a sight to behold in the gripping thriller, whichhas already been renewed for a second season.
Though he admittedly received some “pushback” for the unique look –which some folks called “weird”– Eggold said that was the whole point. He told The Wrap that Ramsey’s blonde hair was all his doing, not only because it fit the character, but because he wanted to do something different after playing Dr. Max Goodwin onNew Amsterdamfor the past five years.
“I was coming off New Amsterdam. I was playing this guy who was such a hero with so much heart and warmth and empathy for so many years, which I loved. And I was coming into a new role that, as you said, is very, very different. I was looking at it and trying to think about how to embody it.
“And I just thought, ‘Here’s a guy who is meticulously crafting other people’s looks and manicuring them, managing their eyebrows and adjusting their hair color.’ And then I thought he would apply that same sense of curation to his own look.”
Crosshas been met with mixed reviews from critics and fans thus far, with the majority of people praising Hodge’s performance, but claiming the series lacks bite thanks to its formulaic plot that’s hindered by clichés. You can make your own assessment of things by checking out all eight episodes, which are streaming now on Prime Video. Be sure to watch the video above,where MovieWeb sat down with star Isaiah Mustafa to discuss all thingsCross, and what we might have to look forward to in Season 2.
Cross follows the titular Alex Cross, a detective and forensic psychologist particularly adept at understanding and analyzing the minds of killers and their victims. Cross uses this prowess to bring murderers to justice.
