Frankie Loyal Talks ‘Mayans’ Season 5, Hank’s Growth As A Character & The Possibility Of A Happy Ending [Templo Talk]

We are officially at the halfway point of the final season of “Mayans M.C.” And in this episode of Templo Talk: A Mayans M.C. Podcast, we discuss the most recent episode and the absolutely thrilling scene where we finally see the two sides of a massive war collide. Oh yeah, and we also learn why Michaelangelo’s David sculpture isn’t very well endowed. In addition, there’s a new interview to share with the amazing actor Frankie Loyal, where he talks about Hank and how he’s become one of the beloved characters in the series. Needless to say, there’s a lot to cover.

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“Mayans M.C.” Season 5 has featured a number of incredible scenes, but this most recent episode features perhaps two of the best so far. First, we have a scene where fine art is discussed, and we get some perspective about what the size of a sculpture’s penis has to say about a man. Then we get the first showdown between E.Z. (JD Pardo) and Isaac (JR Bourne), as we finally learn what the genesis of this war is and just the lengths both men are willing to go to win. 

After the discussion about Episode 5, we speak with Frankie Loyal about his time in the series and how Hank has grown as a character. Over the past few seasons, we’ve really dove deep into Hank and his home life with his mom. We’ve even seen the reserved Hank open up his heart and long for romantic love. And according to Loyal, this growth with Hank has really happened thanks to discussions with showrunner Elgin James about the actor’s own personal life. 

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“[Elgin] doesn’t just know his characters, but he knows [the actors] as people,” said Loyal. “And I think he tests the waters with us to go there, so to speak. He knows us. I felt like there were so many parallel storylines that were happening in my personal life that were also happening with Hank. So, it was almost like they were playing themselves out. More than I even want to admit that.”

He added, “It was a little too close to home, but it was my only way to bloodlet it. I’m glad I had the chance to do that.”

And because of these amazing emotional moments with Hank, Loyal has become a fan-favorite actor in the ‘Mayans’ cast. While the actor is excited by the fan reception to his character, he’s still coming to terms with the idea that people are going to approach him on the street because of their love of Hank.

“It catches me off guard a little bit because I always say I feel like we’re so immersed in the work and the production when we’re doing it that I forget that it goes out into the universe,” Loyal explained. “I’m so fixated with the work aspect of it that I forget we do a TV show for the rest of the world to see…I’m still trying to get used to that. I don’t know that I ever will.”

“Elgin did art to bring people together, and the fact that we get the extension of meeting people through that, I’m all about it,” he continued. “It’s changed me a little bit. I’ve had to come out of my shell a little bit.”

“Mayans M.C.” airs new episodes each Wednesday on FX, with those episodes arriving on Hulu the following day. You can hear our discussion about Episode 5, as well as an interview with Frankie Loyal, below:

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