Ming-Na Wen Talks Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: "It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This"

After months of anticipation, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will make its debut this Tuesday on ABC. I spoke to one of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s stars, Ming-Na Wen (ER, Stargate Universe), about playing the kickass Agent Melinda May on the series, the show’s scope and more.

IGN: You shot the pilot at the very beginning of the year and then there were several months before you began filming the second episode. Everyone assumed the show would be picked up to series, but was it great to actually finally get to jump back into it?

Ming-Na Wen: Well, it was pure torture just waiting and waiting and waiting for months on end. And now that we’re in the thick of it and all this great buzz that we’re getting, it’s just… I’m living the dream, man! This is great. It doesn’t get any better than this, Eric! It really doesn’t.

IGN: As you mentioned, the buzz is huge for this show. Is it all just exciting or does any trepidation come with that?

Ming-Na Wen: It reminds me of the moment right before I have to get onstage for a performance. Those butterflies that you get and the nervousness… It’s that anticipation. That feeling of, “Okay, how are they going to respond?” But now that we’ve been getting so much positive feedback, I just can’t wait for everybody to see it, you know? Because we have a really good show and I am so proud of it and I just want everybody to have that chance to share and be entertained by it.

IGN: When Coulson brings Melinda back, it’s clear something happened that made her stop being a field agent. Now that you’ve filmed a few episodes, have you been learning a bit more about her?

Ming-Na Wen: Oh, absolutely. I don’t think I’ve ever loved a character more, because she’s complex and she’s mysterious, but at the same time, I think she compartmentalized whatever it was that took her out of the field – and now that she’s back in the game, she’s back in the game. There’s definitely going to be opportunities when the audience get to see those small moments or that moment when you really see her become vulnerable. And that’s what’s so great about doing a television show is that we have the luxury of time to explore it. It’s a good novel, a page-turner.

IGN: Melinda and Coulson already know each other, but the rest of the team are all new to both of you. Do you get to touch upon that more?

Ming-Na Wen: Very much so. The relationship between each character, it gets intense at times, because you have to develop trust. You have to develop a sense of belonging with each other. Coulson has, what seems like, this haphazard group of people he’s brought together. It’s like, “Really? They’ve never worked together before.” There’s an age difference and there’s skill level experience differences and then he brings on this other character we don’t trust, Skye. Who is she? She’s a complete outsider! We question it, but at the same time we have to respect that these are the choices he’s made. So I think that inherently brings in a great deal of conflict as well as finding ways where we get to explore how they end up being able to work together.

Continue to Page 2 as Ming-Na Wen discusses the scope of S.H.I.E.L.D., potential Marvel crossovers and more.

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