‘Legion’: Rachel Keller on How Syd Has Changed in David’s Absence

“Legion” returned this past week for Season 2, and things are as wild as ever. It’s a year later for the characters on the show – well, most of them at least, since David Haller (Dan Stevens) feels like virtually no time has passed since he was abducted at the end of Season 1 in front of Syd (Rachel Keller).

On a visit to the set of “Legion,” Marvel.com sat down with Rachel Keller to find out how Syd is processing everything that’s happening around her, from her new location at Division Three, to David’s return, to the benefits of sometimes using her mutant power to change places with a cat…

Marvel.com: David’s back but a lot is different for Syd. What can you say about where her head’s at?

Rachel Keller: For her it’s been a year, but for David it’s been like twenty minutes. So for her, there’s been some deep exploration and maturation that’s happened in her abilities. She’s been practicing and honing who she is and what she can do. I think she’s sunk deeper into who she is. It’s like anything… When we learn something about ourselves it can be new and confusing, but the deeper you get into it you can start to accept and acknowledge and maybe even thrive in that thing that is you. She’s in that place. I’ve been really enjoying exploring the relationship between the two of us where I’m in one place and you’re in the other place and I still really love you, but where are you? Because here I am a year later and you haven’t grown. How’s that going to work with me with where I am right now?

Rachel Keller as Syd Barrett in “Legion”

Marvel.com: Everyone is now working with Division Three. Do you think she’s found a new niche while he’s been gone?

Rachel Keller: I think you could say that. She tends to be the sponge that listens and sucks things in. Her ability is to swap places with someone, so she has her pet cat this year and she spends a lot of time walking the corridors as the cat and soaking up all the juicy secrets and details and is very aware of everything going on. And I find her to be kind of resilient and consistently searching for what she can do to help. I think she really wants to be of service to getting David better and deepening the exploration of all these people with all these different abilities.

Marvel.com: I imagine Syd swapping with that cat is giving you some interesting things to play?

Rachel Keller: Oh, yeah! It’s like an animal project. It’s been fascinating.

Rachel Keller as Syd Barrett in “Legion”

Marvel.com: What is her relationship dynamic like with Melanie at this point?

Rachel Keller: Well, Melanie is in a really new place too, in a more reserved way – less of the leader. So I think that as the kind of female energy that’s present for her… Melanie last year took on a lot of those masculine traits of pragmatic, logical, rational leadership skills and behaviors. And because that’s dwindled this year, because of what she’s been going through, I think Syd, in a way, is trying to keep the group together. But ultimately she’s kind of an anarchist, cares not about the system, cares only about the people that mean the most to her.

Marvel.com: This show is known for including some outrageous sequences. Is this season still keeping you on your toes when you get a script?

Rachel Keller: Yes, I would say it always keeps us on our toes. The other thing is, last year we really didn’t know what to expect at all. This year we fold those bizarre, uncanny scenarios and situations in a little bit more smoothly. It’s less jarring to see a certain situation happen. It’s more like “Oh, yeah. Sure, we can do that!”

Legion airs Tuesday nights at 10:00pm ET/PT on FX.