Megan Boone Was Cast In The Blacklist Way Before The Rest Of Her Co-Stars

Megan Boone certainly has come a long way since the Miner literally stole her heart and stuffed it in a candy box in the horror remake, "My Bloody Valentine 3D." The talented thespian's most prolific work has been her portrayal of Lizzy Keen on "The Blacklist" alongside James Spader's Raymond "Red" Reddington. While Spader does have a reputation for being awkward to work with, Boone insisted her time spent with her co-star on "The Blacklist" was a great experience right from the "Pilot" episode.

"It was the day we were diffusing the bomb, and I was having a difficult time," Boone said in an interview with the Daily Actor. She then mentioned that she was in the wrong mindset because she initially approached the dramatic work with a very serious attitude. That's when Spader came up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "He looked at me for a good minute," Boone explained. "It made me feel like he was going to say something very, very, very serious. I kind of leaned in and he goes, 'Just have fun. It's the most important part.'"

While Boone and Spader's characters were the straws stirring the drink, "The Blacklist" is loaded with acting talent. Diego Klattenhoff ("Homeland") continues to shine as the by-the-book agent, Donald Ressler, and Harry Lennix's portrayal of Assistant Director Cooper provides leadership for the characters under his command. But did you know Boone made "The Blacklist" before any of the other actors joined the series?

Even considering James Spader's award-winning talent (via Emmys), he wasn't the earliest performer the showrunners brought on board. "Megan was the first person we casted by I think a long way," John Eisendrath, a "Blacklist" producer, said in an interview with the Daily Actor. "And everybody else just took a long, long time." Boone herself wasn't keen on auditioning for any television pilots, but she did have the foresight to request TV scripts still be sent her way for consideration. "Once I got ahold of 'The Blacklist,' and I read it, I was immediately kind of drawn to the character Elizabeth Keen," Boone said in the same interview alongside Eisendrath.

Boone continued by mentioning how she gave one of the better auditions of her entire career. Eisendrath admitted that it takes a number of elements to make a successful thriller like "The Blacklist" come to life, but he knew the show had something special when both Boone and Spader were cast as the leads.

"I think in both Megan's case and Spader's, you know, there is something about each of them as individuals that molded with the character that was on the page and that is essential to having a successful show." Eisendrath then mentioned the insanity behind the casting process, and the difficulty that inevitably comes with finding the right actors. "We were incredibly lucky," he insisted.