The Blacklist: Who Plays Red's Pilot, Edward?

There are a lot of mysteries that emerge over the course of NBC's The Blacklist. What is Raymond "Red" Reddington's (James Spader) connection to Liz Keen (Megan Boone)? Will Red ever actually obtain amnesty? Just what exactly does his consistently off-screen pilot Edward even look like? The last season of "The Blacklist" sees varying levels of success in answering these questions, though it at least offers fans a gratifying reveal for the last one.

As the Season 10, Episode 20 of "The Blacklist" reveals with Edward's first and only on-screen appearance, the longstanding trusty pilot is actually played by none other than established actor and director Andrew McCarthy. It's a fitting choice, as McCarthy was actually a major part of the show's team throughout its run, directing as many as 26 episodes spread across its 10 seasons. Not only that, but he has a close connection with Spader himself, as the pair previously starred together in the '80s comedy classic "Pretty in Pink" among other productions.

As readers may be able to discern from Andrew McCarthy's role in "Pretty in Pink," he's one of the many major actors to have gotten their start in the industry in the '80s. McCarthy starred in several other notable productions, including 1985's "St. Elmo's Fire" and the oft-referenced 1989 flick "Weekend at Bernie's." He has consistently garnered credits since then, and has made numerous guest appearances on popular crime series like "Law & Order," "Monk," and "Good Girls." Outside of "The Blacklist," his most notable modern credits comes from his portrayal of Dr. Ian Sullivan in "The Resident."

McCarthy's directorial credits are just as impressive as his acting roles. In addition to his many episodes of "The Blacklist," the veteran creative has directed episodes of "White Collar," the original "Gossip Girl," "Grace and Frankie," "TURN: Washington's Spies," and more. He actually also directed a sizable portion of yet another mega-popular crime series from the 2010s: Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black."

While McCarthy has an extensive filmography, "The Blacklist" stands as something of a return to his roots, thanks to the series reuniting him with James Spader. "There's just no substitute for knowing somebody that well and that long — it makes working together a real pleasure, especially since James is so talented and so hard working," McCarthy told Filmmaker Magazine. "He works as hard as anybody in the business."