INTERVIEW: 'The Flash': Jesse L. Martin On Iris West's Reaction To Learning Barry's Secret

Iris West found out Barry Allen's metahuman secret in last week's "The Flash," and on Tuesday night, as the show continues, viewers will see she is not pleased she was kept in the dark.

"We will touch on that," Jesse L. Martin, who plays Det. Joe West (Iris' dad), told Access Hollywood of Iris' reaction. "Iris learns the secret, basically. She learns the secret and she didn't learn it from me or from Barry, so unfortunately, she's very angry that we did not tell her what was really going.

INTERVIEW: ‘The Flash': Jesse L. Martin Talks Facing Grodd, ‘Huge’ Season Finale

As “The Flash” speeds toward its season one finale on May 19, secrets are finally being revealed; last week’s episode ended with the Reverse Flash — aka Eobard Thawne, aka Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh) — kidnapping Eddie Thawne (Rick Cosnett), for reasons that have yet to be uncovered. Meanwhile, Eddie’s girlfriend Iris West (Candice Patton) finally figured out the secret identity of Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) as the Flash, which should lead to a painful confrontation between Barry, Iris and her father, Joe (Jesse L. Martin), once she realizes that the men in her life have been lying to her for months.

INTERVIEW: The Flash Spoilers: Jesse L. Martin Teases Season 1 Finale, Arrival of Grodd

That's basically where we are at the start of The Flash Season 1 Episode 21, as the big hairy gorilla becomes the main objective for Barry Allen and his squad.

And while the dastardly Wells (who everyone now knows is actually Eobard Thawne) may put some distance between himself and his pursuers, we still have a few episodes to go in The Flash Season 1 for Wells to make a mistake.

For now, the gang has Grodd to contend with - and Jesse L. Martin, who plays Detective Joe West, gave me a preview of what we're going to see.

INTERVIEW; "The Flash's" Det. Joe West Talks Coming Face to Face With Gorilla Grodd

Central City's Detective Joe West has encountered some pretty menacing super-powered adversaries since S.T.A.R. Labs' particle accelerator exploded. So far, they've all been human in nature, but that's a streak that's about to end because tonight, the savage primate Gorilla Grodd is unleashed.

Introduced by DC Comics' "Flash" team of John Broome and Carmine Infantino in 1959, Grodd was once an average ape until an alien crash landed on Earth and imbued him with super-intelligence and psionic abilities. The CW series reimagines Grodd as a lab experiment gone horribly wrong -- or right, depending on your point of view. Tonight, after lurking in the shadows over the last few months, Grodd finally makes his move, targeting the Flash and Joe.

Ahead of tonight's episode, Jesse L. Martin spoke with CBR News about Joe's confrontation with Grodd, the newly revealed villain's head games, how Joe will continue to protect his daughter Iris now that she has learned the truth about Barry, and what to expect from the wrath of Harrison Wells. Plus, Martin hints at Barry's potentially game-changing decision to come in "The Flash's" Season 1 finale.

INTERVIEW: The Flash: Jesse L. Martin Talks Barry's 'Huge Decision,' Teases 'the Gist of the Finale'

As The Flash gears up for a dramatic season finale, Iris (Candice Patton) has finally learned the secret identity of her best friend – and will soon learn that she was the last to know.

In a chat with PEOPLE, Jesse L. Martin, who plays Iris' father, Joe, tells PEOPLE that she'll react to that lie of omission from her loved ones about as well as you might expect.

Martin, 46, also reveals a little bit about the events surrounding the Flash finale and the "huge decision" that Barry (Grant Gustin) will need to make if he wants to save his parents from the man purporting to be Dr. Wells (Tom Cavanagh).

INTERVIEW: Guy on Girl with Aisha Tyler

A nearly two-hour long interview with Jesse L. Martin. Visit girlonguy.net.

INTERVIEW: Kickstarter for short film “The Letter Carrier” to go live March 4

Actors Jesse L. Martin and Rick Cosnett are moving behind the camera for their latest project, a short film titled, The Letter Carrier. The film, whose Kickstarter goes live March 4, 2015, is a fable that centers around a Black family living in the mountains during 1860. The story is based on a tale that Martin’s aunt told him when he was a child. Martin and Cosnett met on the set of the CW series, The Flash, where they play detectives Joe West and Eddie Thawne, respectively. They are new to directing and producing, and have been working on developing this story into a short film for months. Now, they are ready to move onto the next stage: getting enough funding to move this project that they are both passionate about forward into the production stages.

WEBSITE UPDATE: New Videos & Photos

New photos have been added to the Social Media and The Flash - On Set galleries.

11 new videos, including a rarely seen documentary on the making of London production of RENT, have been added to the video pages.
New Video Pages: RENT - West End | Television - Interviews | The Flash - Clips 3
Updated Video Pages: Interviews - TCA | Interviews - PaleyFest | The Flash - Clips 2

WEBSITE UPDATE: New Photos and Transcripts

Two new photos have been added to the Social Media photo gallery. Additionally, two new transcripts have been added to the website (Jesse's Law and Martin Eager to Perform at Williamstown).

INTERVIEW: Jesse L. Martin Singing Praises of Detective Work

“The Flash,” one of the big hits from the fall season, is hiding a secret. If there is ever a musical showdown with other TV programs, they have an all-star team.

The heavyweight musical member of the group is Jesse L. Martin. You might not be aware of his singing credentials since Martin has been playing TV detectives — first on Law & Order and now on The Flash. But he showed a little of that skill with his guest-starring role on SMASH.

His breakthrough came in Jonathan Larson’s Broadway musical RENT in 2005. He reprised the role in the feature film version of the musical.

As for his current cast, Martin says: “We want to star[t] a flash band. Everyone can play an instrument and sing.”

Series star Grant Gustin has an extensive musical theater background.

But so far there have been no plans announced for an all-singing episode of The Flash. That’s OK with Martin, who who wants to focus on the detective part of his current job.

He played a detective on Law & Order but the CW series is different. All he had to worry about in the NBC drama was the usual batch of murderers, rapist, thieves and thugs. The Flash deals with criminals who can clone themselves, manipulate the weather and create deadly mists.

Law & Order was so very interesting to me because what I got to do was explore New York along with getting to work with some of the best actors New York City had to offer,” Martin says. “I did that for 10 years so as far as I am concerned that’s done. Now, here I am in a whole new world and I get to do things I’ve never done before.”

One of those things is to act in front of a green screen. This is a way that special effects — such as The Flash being able to run 600 mph— can be created.

It’s a long way from the nightly shows on Broadway. Martin didn’t think of himself back then as only a stage performer. The one thing that was on his mind was just landing a job that would earn him is Actors’ Equity card.

“Once I got that, I thought I had totally made it,” Martin says. “Now, I have more than I ever imagined.”

He can imagine another return to Broadway. But that will have to be worked in with The Flash, which is off and running at top speed.

Source: FresnoBee.com

WATCH: Flash vs. Arrow Crossover Interview

WATCH: Chasing Lightning

WATCH: Interview at TCA Summer Tour

WATCH: Interview on the Set of The Flash

Watch interview at WGN-TV.

VIDEO INTERVIEW: Discussing Joe West

INTERVIEW: EURWEB

Jesse L. Martin Part of CW’s Most-Watched Telecast Ever

*Jesse L. Martin sure knows how to pick projects.

He was a part a TV’s longest-running crime drama as Det. Ed Green on “Law & Order,” and his new series, where he also plays a detective, just made ratings history at the CW with its pilot episode, alone.

INTERVIEW: ComicBook.com - Musical Episode

Jesse L. Martin On the Possibility of a Musical Episode of The Flash

While ComicBook.com is primarily focused on New York Comic Con this weekend, we took some time out to talk to New York native Jesse L. Martin, currently working on The CW's new hit series The Flash in British Columbia.

Martin, who famously appeared in Rent, is one of at least four actors currently appearing on The Flash with a strong musical background.

Series star Grant Gustin appeared on Glee and also toured with the national tour of West Side Story. Guest star Andy Mientus starred on Smash with Martin, and currently performs in Les Miserables on Broadway. Victor Garber is a Broadway legend most famous as part of the original off-Broadway cast of Assassins, the original Broadway cast of Sweeney Todd, and for playing the role of Jesus in the film version of Godspell.

(Mientus will play the Pied Piper, while Garber will play Dr. Martin Stein, one half of the Firestorm matrix.)

We asked whether the prospect of a musical episode of The Flash is one that would make him excited.

"You know what, yeah? Why wouldn't I?" Martin said. "Of course, I'd have a blast with it. We joked about it for a long time. We'd make up jokes on set about what it could possibly be if The Flash did a musical episode and we all just thought it was funny and a lark. But the more it gets talked about, I think the more seriously Greg [Berlanti] and Andrew [Kreisberg] take it. And they've been prodded in many ways by many different people: Why don't you guys do something? You've got all these actors who can do it so you guys should probably think about doing it. So -- you never know, it might happen."

INTERVIEW: 5Qs on Friday: Jesse L. Martin

Accomplished Stage and Screen Actor Jesse L. Martin Co-Stars in the Fall TV Season's Best New Show

It's early into the fall TV season, but on a number of measures The CW's superhero drama The Flash (Tuesday, 8pm) is already the standout show of the season.

First, The Flash is a breakout hit. Nearly 4.8 million people watched its premiere earlier this week, making it The CW's most-watched series premiere in five years, since The Vampire Diaries in 2009. The Flash is also the best rookie show of the fall TV season. (Read TVFirstLook's review.)

But The Flash also stands out for bringing back to television actor Jesse L. Martin. He's most recognizable for portraying Det. Ed Green on NBC's Law & Order for nine seasons.

The Tony Award* winner has starred on Broadway in productions such as Rent and Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice. On TV, he has had roles on NBC's short-lived but much-loved Smash and, back in the 1990s, Fox's Ally McBeal. And he's set to star in Julien Temple's long-talked-about Marvin Gaye biopic Sexual Healing.

Jesse spoke with TVFirstLook about The Flash and his role on the show as Det. Joe West -- the Flash's mentor who takes in the young superhero when the Flash's dad is wrongly convicted of murder.

TVFirstLook: OK, let's get this out of the way. In her review, our critic Shari Anne Brill gave The Flash five stars and called it the best new show of the season. She's not the only one. That must feel good.

Jesse L. Martin: Obviously, it feels incredible. It's what you work for. You hope that what you put out there is good and people like it. But you don't know until it actually happens. When it did happen, we were psyched. We are elated.

And I don't normally look at [Nielsen] ratings, but it's kind of everywhere. If you search for The Flash, you can't get around those numbers

INTERVIEW: Den of Geek

The Flash’s Jesse L Martin discusses future of the show

It’s a tough time for The Flash’s Detective Joe West and his daughter, according to Jesse L. Martin…

The Flash premiered in the US last week to much adoration from comic book fans. Although changes to the source material offended some, the vast majority seem to have love the fun superpowered entertainment on display.

Jesse L. Martin, who plays Detective Joe West, has been discussing where the show is headed with The Hollywood Reporter.

“Joe’s having a hard time with [Barry's new abilities], to be honest,” said Martin of his character’s relationship with his surrogate son. “He doesn’t know how to deal with it. It seems crazy to him what’s going on, and he’s really worried for Barry.”

INTERVIEW: ComicBook.com

Jesse L. Martin Talks The Flash: "Wow, This is a Cool Show

Stage and screen veteran Jesse L. Martin, best known for his turns in Rent and Law & Order, told us in a recent interview that he doesn't read The Flash comics.

Often, that doesn't come off well with the fans, but in the case of the man who plays Detective Joe West, he's got a pretty good reason: he wants to be as surprised and awestruck by the amazing things happening around him as his character is.

Martin took a break from shooting on the midseason finale over the weekend and spoke to us via phone. What's next for the Fastest Man Alive's father figure? Well, every week is Joe's week...

It looks like once the Live +7 ratings are in, the premiere is going to be one of the biggest shows ever on The CW. How does that impact you guys on set?
It feels awesome. How else could it feel? Maybe a little intimidating, like now we have to be amazing all the time? But we're working on being amazing all the time. So just really good, man. The morale around set these days is through the roof.