Actor Matthew Bellows Revisits Humanity’s Second Chance as ‘Extinct’ Gets Its Own

A show called Extinct getting a second life comes with an irony Matthew Bellows appreciates.

The actor plays Jax in the post-apocalyptic sci-fi series, which originally premiered on BYUtv in 2017 and has drawn renewed attention following its arrival on Prime Video. The show quickly hit the Top 10 list on the platform and has remained there for months, giving viewers a chance to discover a character whose dangerous convictions made him particularly interesting to Bellows.

Created by Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston, the 10-episode series takes place 400 years after humanity’s extinction, when an alien civilization revives a small group of humans. Their attempt to rebuild brings them into conflict with Jax, leader of the Skin Riders—humans infected by an alien parasite. Bellows stars alongside Chad Michael Collins, Victoria Atkin, Yorke Fryer, Jaclyn Hales and Jack DePew.

Bellows’ subsequent television work includes recurring roles opposite Sofia Vergara in Netflix’s Griselda and as neurosurgeon Dr. Clint Hartman on NBC’s New Amsterdam. His other credits include The Mandalorian, NCIS, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and the Netflix film The Gray Man.

Alongside his screen work, Bellows teaches acting at the university level. His perspective on the profession encompasses both sides of that classroom, from finding the humanity in a villain to staying connected to the craft through an unpredictable career.

Who is Jax on ‘Extinct’?

Matthew Bellows: Jax is the guy you love to be afraid of. He leads the Skin Riders, which are humans taken over by an alien parasite, in a world 400 years after humanity has been wiped out. He isn’t the bad guy in his mind, he believes he’s on a righteous mission, he’s a zealot with a nearly unshakable belief. He’s watched what humans do to each other, he’s lost everything and everyone he loves and he’s honestly heartbroken by it, so his big plan is to “save” everyone by, well, infecting them with this virus that essentially removes their agency. In his mind it’s an act of love. That’s what made him so much fun to play. He’s a true believer who’s still a little bit human underneath, and that friction is where all the good stuff lives.

This series has basically risen from extinction; what’s that feel like?

Matthew Bellows: Honestly? I’m laughing at the irony. We literally made a show called Extinct and then it went extinct. And now here we are, back from the dead like one of our own characters. We were disappointed that its initial release didn’t get the traction and attention we felt it deserved, so its really gratifying to see the show get its time in the limelight. For the people who put this together, the creators the cast and crew, it was a joy and a labor of love. It’s a great reminder that you make the work and let it go, but that isn’t always the end of the story.

Do you have a favorite moment from the series? And was it also your favorite during filming?

Matthew Bellows: “Favorite moments are hard to pick, but the highlight of the whole project was the rough, real locations across Utah. We went from 110-degree sand dunes to frozen mountain lakes, and we really spent time in the elements.

One of my favorite sequences was the lava caves and hot springs of central Utah. Jax dives into a crater in the frozen tundra and comes up in a hidden cave to meet the Ancestor, and we actually did all of that. The hot springs are swimmable, so I’d dive down about 15 feet to a safety diver with oxygen, hang out with him at the bottom of the cave until the bubbles settled, then swim out and do it again. I love working on projects with real physical action that rely on the practical skills of the cast and crew.

Inside another cave in that same sequence, Jax has a conversation with an uninfected version of himself. Getting to play both sides of that Jekyll and Hyde split was a cool challenge opportunity to react to my own ideas of who my other self was. And to answer the second half of your question: it was just as fun to live it as it is to watch it.

Why do you think the show is resonating with audiences so much now?

Matthew Bellows: Well, the first reason is that it’s finally available to watch on a large platform. And I think it speaks volumes about the incredibly vivid world of the show and the heart of the story that all it took was being on Prime at all for it to take off organically. It makes you wonder what might have happened if it had gotten that kind of platform and push nine years ago. Better late than never, makes ya wonder though…It’s gratifying to see its success. We knew it was special when we made it.

I also think the story is timeless. At its core, Extinct asks whether humanity would deserve a second chance, and that question feels more relevant every year. You have characters trying to rebuild, and an enemy like Jax who looks at the worst of us and decides it’s not worth saving. Audiences can feel the weight of both arguments.

And it looks like nothing else on TV. So much of it was shot on real locations across Utah, in dunes, frozen lakes, and lava caves, and I think people feel that on screen even if they can’t say why. It reads as real because it was.

Then there’s the ending. It closed on a cliffhanger, and I’ve gotten so many messages asking about a second season. People want answers!

What was it like playing the lead bad guy? And is that typical for the types of roles you usually portray?

Matthew Bellows: It’s a total blast. The best villains don’t know they’re villains, and Jax is so sure of his mission that I played him from conviction rather than cruelty. On top of that, the bad guy is always the most fun. You get to be raw and ugly and vulnerable and explore all the gritty parts of the human experience. I get cast to do it a lot… and I wouldn’t have it any other way, but I am very nice. I swear.

Any chance for a second season?

Matthew Bellows: I think a second season has gone from the endangered species list to officially extinct. But the story isn’t over. Orson Scott Card has a new Extinct novel coming out next spring, so hopefully fans can follow it in the printed word.

Since this show first premiered, you’ve gone on to work in a lot of other projects, including opposite Sofia Vergara in ‘Griselda’. What can you tell us about that?

Matthew Bellows: Griselda was a really cool project to be a part of. I played real-life DEA agent Bob Palombo, the man who finally caught Griselda Blanco. Plenty of people chased her for years, but he’s the one who finished it. Here’s a fun fact that didn’t make it into the series: when Bob finally got to her, he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek, after joking for years that he’d do exactly that if he ever caught her.

Andrés Baiz and the team from Narcos put together the most cohesive, joyful sets I’ve ever been on. The energy and positivity on that set was always palpable. One night we went into about eight hours of overtime because of some unforeseen circumstances, and everyone was still bringing nothing but collaborative, positive vibes until the sun came up.

Sofia was as lovely as you’d hope she’d be: kind, gracious, and beautiful as ever, even under all the Griselda makeup. She was also laser focused. We all know her publicly as a brilliant comedian, and that charm and warmth was always available, but she also took space to prepare and showed an Emmy-nominee level of professionalism.

You’ve had an extensive career, what’s been the biggest challenge you’ve faced and how did you overcome it?

Matthew Bellows: I think the biggest challenge for most actors is the roller-coaster nature of this business. In recent years we’ve had an unprecedented run of obstacles: a pandemic, historic union strikes, and now a new historic merger that leaves a lot of questions still unanswered.

In addition to acting professionally, I also teach acting at the university level, and putting my focus on my students and helping them excel and grow has kept me connected to the craft creatively. Taking the focus off yourself always lightens the load.

Overall, what inspires you most in your life and career?

Matthew Bellows: I’m a fan and lover of cinema and stories. If I’m not acting or teaching, you’ll likely find me at the movie theater. The work of other artists inspires me. When I see a particularly standout piece of work or performance, it drives me to keep growing and to keep chasing the opportunity to be part of this miraculous industry and art form.

Film, TV, and stories in general can show us another way of thinking, another place, another way to engage with the world. And I love to be challenged and flummoxed and asked to do exactly that

Anything else coming up that you’d like to tell us about?

Matthew Bellows: I just wrapped an intense guest spot on a very popular show, and my lips are sealed until it’s announced. Let’s just say the bad-guy résumé is not shrinking. And I’m still very nice.