James Remar has been working steadily for decades, but 2025 has turned into one of the busiest — and most celebrated — years of his long career. The veteran actor has been popping up across some of the year’s biggest TV and film projects, shifting seamlessly between genres and powerhouse creators.
From playing a bitter, soon-to-be ex-husband in Hulu’s All’s Fair, to stepping into the military shoes of General Francis Shaw in It: Welcome to Derry, to returning as Harry Morgan in Dexter: Resurrection, Remar’s small-screen presence has been hard to miss. And all of this arrives right after he wrapped work on Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, marking another collaboration with the filmmaker behind Oppenheimer.
At the world premiere of Ryan Murphy’s All’s Fair, Remar spoke briefly on the red carpet about the whirlwind year and the creators he’s been working with.
Reuniting With Christopher Nolan
Talking about returning to Nolan’s set, Remar said the experience was even more rewarding the second time.
He recalled first auditioning for Oppenheimer during the height of COVID, when meetings and tests happened under strict protocols. This time the process was more relaxed — though Nolan’s famously strict on-set rules remained the same.
There were still no cell phones, and the director once again worked the entire day on his feet.
“He never sits. He stands beside the camera for every single shot,” Remar said, remembering long, freezing hours filming on Icelandic beaches. “Twelve hours out there and he didn’t sit once.”
Working with Nolan is intense, but also exceptionally disciplined. Remar noted that the atmosphere is almost monk-like — no messing around, no distractions, no ego clashes.
“Everyone was focused on being the very best they could be,” he said.
“It’s a very respectful, well-assembled cast. Nobody’s drunk, nobody’s asleep, nobody’s goofing off. Every brushstroke of his vision matters.”
The project also reunited him with Matt Damon, adding a familiar comfort to the epic production.
Inside Hulu’s ‘All’s Fair’
Remar also opened up about his drama-filled role opposite Judith Light and Naomi Watts.
He plays a wealthy, heartbroken husband whose collapsing marriage spirals into legal and emotional chaos. Despite the character’s money and status, Remar said the core of the performance was heartbreak — the vulnerability beneath the public scandal.
The series also marked his first time working with Ryan Murphy.
“He knows exactly what he wants, but he’s incredibly calm,” Remar shared. “He gives direction, but he also asks, ‘What do you think?’ I love that. He’s soft-spoken but doesn’t miss a thing.”
Early Praise for ‘Welcome to Derry’
Fans have been eagerly waiting for HBO’s Welcome to Derry, and Remar didn’t hold back his admiration.
“What I’ve seen is some of the best television I’ve ever seen in my life,” he said.
“It’s phenomenal.”
