“FBI: Most Wanted” debuts a new episode of season four on Sept. 27 at 10 p.m. EDT on CBS titled “Taxman.” This story features rookie agent Ray Cannon, played by Edwin Hodge, who joins the Fugitive Task Force as they hunt down a mysterious person targeting IRS offices. This new season is available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
Hodge details his preparation for the role, and the raw and real experience of a Black man working in law enforcement.
How did you prepare to play your character, Ray Cannon, in the new season?
I got a chance to catch up on season three prior to me moving out here to New York to start filming for the new season. I love the storytelling. It’s very real, it’s in your face, and it’s honest when it portrays the character development, and their lives when they’re not out there trying to catch the bad guys. I thought those were the more interesting stories. You’re truly understanding these people as human beings and not just FBI agents. It is definitely a humbling experience to be here and to be able to continue to do what I love to do.
What’s your character’s backstory?
My character’s from New Orleans, so he has a different swagger than that of New Yorkers. There’s going to be a little twang in his voice and a little hot sauce here and there. He’s got to be able to move and shift and be ready for unexpected things at unexpected times. New York is a machine that just steadily runs. It never shuts down. That’s how I think of my character Ray. He is someone who is very ambitious, who is goal driven, and goal oriented. He’s following the footsteps of his father, who’s a retired agent himself. So, he has a lot to prove to himself, to his father, and also to Remy, who’s pretty much taking him under his wings. His relationships with the agents will be something that I think will be a nice adventure for the audience.
Does the show cover controversial topics?
Before we hopped on this interview I was talking to David Hudgins and a couple of the writers in the room and really trying to figure out who Ray is. What does it mean to be a Black man in law enforcement in these days? He was a police officer for 10 years of his life. What lessons did he learn? What injustices did he see? Was he a part of the problem at one point? Like I said, there are a lot of stories to be told and when you’re putting a Black man in a badge, there’s a lot of conflicting history.
