“Da Vinci’s Demons” stars Tom Riley and Gregg Chillin were 30,000 feet in the air when news that their Starz series was picked up for a third season broke earlier this week. But, the pair, who play Leonardo da Vinci and his best pal Zoroaster, didn’t learn of the news until they touched down in Los Angeles.
“We were flying here when it was announced. We literally landed and turned on our phones and went, ‘We’ve been renewed!’” Tom Riley recounted as he and Gregg spoke with AccessHollywood.com on Thursday. “I don’t know when it happened, but halfway across the Atlantic for us.”
The pickup news was a boost for the actors, who were hoping to see their journey as the Renaissance genius and his street smart pal, who lives on the left side of the law, continue.
WATCH: ‘Da Vinci’s Demons’: Tom Riley & Gregg Chillin On Season 3 Pickup
“We’re just relieved, actually, if anything. We knew there’s so much more story to tell and that we wanted to finish the story, or at least progress it and it’s just a chance to do that,” Tom continued.
Creator David S. Goyer will continue to serve as an Executive Producer on the show, but stepping in as showrunner for Season 3 is John Shiban, who has served as a producer for shows including “The X-Files,” “Supernatural” and former Starz series “Torchwood: Miracle Day.”
PHOTOS: ‘Da Vinci’s Demons’ Season 2
“He’s a good guy and him and David get on brilliantly and understand each other, understand where David was going to take it and David is obviously still working very closely with him, but John, we’ve been in with the writers the last couple of days and they’ve got some great plans for season 3,” Tom said.
“We’re all super excited about it,” Gregg added. “Seeing sort of glimpses of outlines on the board and stuff [for Season 3], it’s like, ‘Okay!’”
But first, there are three more episodes to go in Season 2, and Leonardo, Zo, Nico and Riario are currently in the middle of an Incan incident.
Although captured by Leo’s former bride, Ima, and her warriors, Leo now has a reason to work even harder to escape. Before they were caught, he heard his mother’s voice from inside the mountain.
PHOTOS: Primetime Hunks: The Hottest Guys On Television!
“He’s gotta go back,” Tom said of what will be tugging at tied up (once again) Leonardo in this Saturday’s episode. “If she’s in there, he’s gotta find her, but both him and Riario are in a slightly perilous position, and Nico and Zo have been taken, have been captured… so Episode 8 is going to be about trying to get into that vault and find his mother, if she’s in there.”
“Da Vinci’s Demons” continues Saturday at 9 PM ET/PT on Starz.
— Jolie Lash
Copyright © 2024 by NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be republished, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.