Before playing Sean Sullivan on “NCIS: New York,” Devin Druid was giving one of the best performances on the edgy teen drama “13 Reasons Why.” The show, which is a Netflix adaptation of Jay Asher’s novel of the same name, follows teenager Clay Jensen (played by Dylan Minnette) as he seeks to find the reasoning behind the suicide of his crush Hannah (played by Katherine Langford). Druid plays the character of Tyler Down, a complex and traumatized teenage boy who works to heal from being sexually assaulted and channels his emotions into photography.
Druid had to handle several controversial topics while playing the character of Tyler, including both a thwarted school shooting and a graphic scene depicting sexual assault. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Druid expressed that he felt a great degree of “responsibility” in portraying these topics with care. He added that he believed it was important not to “sugarcoat it or censor it” because these things happen in real life and can be better understood by others if they are portrayed realistically.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN’s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Devin Druid is a big fan of filming in NYC for NCIS: New York
Perhaps the best part of filming a show in New York is the way the city itself can become a character. In that sense, Devin Druid hopes that viewers of “NCIS: New York” can get to know the character of NYC as it currently exists, with all of its different components. In an interview with New York City Tourism, Druid said he hopes people “recognize how cultured and unique and creative each different borough is, and how organic the city is.”
So far, “NCIS: New York” has featured both Central Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park as the backdrop for different scenes. Additionally, the official “NCIS” YouTube Channel shared a video detailing the importance of making New York City feel part of the show as much as individual characters. Druid appears in the video, as well as “NCIS: New York” cast member Shane Harper.
Based on these interviews, Druid appears to be a big fan of filming in NYC. In the same interview with New York City Tourism, he also gave advice to first-time visitors to make sure you get a slice of NYC pizza and visit the Metropolitan Museum. Druid then shouted out his girlfriend and film director Annie Marie Elliot, saying his favorite time of year in the city is around her birthday during “Pisces season.” Druid starred in her horror short film “The Agonist,” which is now streaming on YouTube.
