INTERVIEW: Christian Camargo as Tamacti Jun on ‘See’

Christian Camargo plays Tamacti Jun, the blind Witchfinder General to Queen Kane, in the sightless world 400 years into the future, known as SEE the series, now streaming on AppleTV+. 

SEE returned for Season 2 and is currently Apple TV+’s most-watched returning drama series with Camargo starring opposite Jason Momoa (Baba Voss), Alfre Woodard (Paris), Hera Hilmar (Maghra), Sylvia Hoeks (Queen Kane), Nesta Cooper (Haniwa), and Archie Madekwe (Kofun). 

Queen Kane, the ruler of Kanzua, injured Tamacti with his own assistance at the end of Season 1, leaving him to die for his 20-years of searching and inability to capture the sighted twins of Jerlamarel. To our surprise, Tamacti surfaced in Season 2 in a jail cell of the Trevantians, where he confronts Baba Voss. Jun wants to now pivot from his past life of relentless loyalty to the Queen, torturing and killing others, and now work together with Voss to bring Kane down. 

Camargo wasn’t expected to return for a Season 2, but we are definitely not complaining with such an intriguing role, as we see his character grapple with his newfound loyalty to Queen Maghra and his terrifying brush with death, only to survive and now be haunted by the souls of the lives he has taken. The missing souls in his nightmares were the faces of his wife and children, who were drowned in their sleep when Queen Kane flooded her own people and destroyed Kanzua. 

Read on to learn more about Camargo’s portrayal of the fascinating Tamacti Jun from Season 1 to 2, what the journey has been like for him portraying a blind character amongst a majority blind cast of characters, and where Jun is going next as we get closer to the finale. 

NIKKI: Thanks for taking time out to chat with us on Season 2 of SEE. I just want to say Season 1, E4, “The River,” was one of my favorite episodes with you; It was just chilling. Has your portrayal of Tamacti Jun changed or adapted in any way as we move into Season 2 with this rebirth and his return?

CHRISTIAN:  Oh yeah, my character has taken on a total sort of flip flop, but also maintained a lot from Season 1. I think what it is, is that he had a sort of commitment of faith, a moral code that in Season 1 where he really believed Queen Kane and her mission and went full boar towards it, and that that was his moral code. In this new season, he’s got the same moral code, but to correct that path.

I think what’s so great about this character in this season is that he gets to prove that, that you can admit that you have a mistake, and you can do things to correct that. You don’t have to just crumble and go away. You can actually get up and brush yourself off and make it right. That’s something that I think we, at least where I come from in America, need more of that. We need more people to stand up and go, “You know what? I messed up; my belief system was corrupt. I listened to that false news, or I did whatever, and now I’m going to do something to make it right.” That’s what I’m hoping people take away from this Tamacti character because, you know, he’s he was this lethal warrior who was on the road for 20 years, and there’s every reason in the book for him to just go away or die. You know, the easiest thing for him is to kill himself or let himself be killed. But no, he’s going to stick with it and try to right the wrong and try to back the queen he should have backed from the beginning. 

NIKKI: This series is so unique. I know you’ve spoken before about some of the challenges of playing a blind character in this unseeing world. How has that changed in Season 2 as the world is building? Has it gotten any more challenging?  

CHRISTIAN: Yes and no, because, you know, in Season 1 before we started shooting, we had this sort of school, you know, sort of get into our characters, the physicality, what it might be like, you know, none of us are ever thinking that we know what it’s like to be blind but to sort of create our own way to work through and really had the whole first season to sort of do that and have it seep into our bodies.

So this season actually was a little bit more fun to sort of not think about it so much, you know, and to really play with the other senses, you know, as opposed to trying to not play with vision, which is basically with every actor that comes in to play a blind person where that’s on the front of our mind, of our thought. But then to come in, and actually after you’ve done it for a while, to play with other things, the hearing, play with the sound, the smell, the taste, and really to play with those senses as your guiding principles as opposed to sight, then also to enjoy learning from the others who are low vision or blind that are a part of the show, it’s extremely beautiful and helpful to see.  

NIKKI: I feel like we’re headed towards something really epic as we go into the finale for Season 2. You know, we’re rooting for Tamacti Jun, well, I am anyway. (laughing). Is there anything that you can tease about his journey or the series in general without giving too much away?  

CHRISTIAN: What’s so great about Queen Kane is that everybody is itching to have that moment with her. And I think we can safely assume that there will be a nice little moment for Tamacti Jun to have his say with Queen Kane, and that will be something fun for people and also sort of like a full circle for Tamacti in a bit.

So there’s that, and I also think it’s been really fun to work with Jason. I joke, it’s like Tango & Cash, sort of like a sidekick kind of thing, you know? But actually, Tamacti and Baba have to work together, and that’s been sort of like the last thing you would imagine if you watched Season 1, you know? And so I love that part about, you know, Jonathan Tropper and Apple and everyone’s approach to the story is, “Let’s twist everything on its head and not be afraid.” And not be afraid of doing something completely outrageous and unthinkable. You know, so it’s been fun. 

NIKKI: Thanks so much for taking time out. I really appreciate it. 

CHRISTIAN: I appreciate it too. Thank you so much Nikki.