PAUL GIAMATTI

“I don’t understand what the hell they’re talking about half the time”

The 51-year-old actor discusses flipping the dynamic that Billions was built on.

Where do we pick up with Chuck?

Last we saw, he lost his job and his planned run for office was thwarted. He’s opened a private practice, but that’s not satisfying him, so he’s looking to build his reputation back up. He’s got this alliance with Axelrod that will prove fruitful and helpful, but they’re both pretty shifty guys, so one doesn’t know how long that will last.

What should we expect from that relationship?

I have to imagine there’s still plenty of baggage. There definitely is. There’s a certain amount of conceding that they’ve been staunch rivals and a recognition that they’re similar guys, and that’s the way in which they connect. Wherever it goes, it’s definitely been made more complicated. It’s a different sort of rivalry now, if the rivalry does in fact reassert itself.

And where do things stand at home between Chuck and Wendy (Maggie Siff)?

I play a very crazy political card during the middle of the season that’s complicated for her. There’s a lot of fallout from it. Everyone’s always doing something self-subverting on the show. They kind of step on their own d--k all the time.

The show’s worlds are split between politics and finance. Do you ever want to hang out on the money side?

No, not so much, because I don’t understand what the hell they’re talking about half the time. [ Laughs] I’d get lost in about 30 seconds. I’ve liked being in the weird political thing that I do. Although I do go over to Axe Capital at some point this season, and may be able to do more next season.

This being your first long-running TV show, how have you kept it fresh for yourself?

I’ve never done anything for this long. I don’t ever get bored because of the stuff I get to do and the language I get to utilise. And the character is very strange, so he can go to some odd places, and he does this season, which has been really fun.