The Secret Circle’s Chris Zylka Talks Jake’s Return, Cassie’s Choice and More

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock then chances are you’ll know Jake Armstrong is back in town. Chris Zylka took some time this afternoon to talk to Chevron One about what Jake’s dramatic return to Chance Harbor will mean for the Circle, why the threat of the witch hunters is not about to fade away any time soon and which witch Cassie ought to choose.

Given the nature of Jake Armstrong’s departure in episode 9 Balcoin, and the depth of his betrayal, finding a way back to a place of trust with the Circle members is going to be no easy task.

“Has Jake ever been trusted?” questions Chris. “I think that’s always been the case in point. No one knows if they fully trust him, and now the only person who did trust him, Cassie, doesn’t know if she trusts him either. So Jake’s in quite the predicament. For those first six episodes you got to see Cassie defend him all the way, and now obviously that’s changed a bit.”

Chris Zylka as Jake Armstrong

Episode 10, Darkness, sees Jake make a stealthy return under cover of night to his hometown. However it isn’t until the closing moments of Fire/Ice that he chooses to make his (albeit dramatic and untimely) presence known. Is it guilt at work? Or fear perhaps? Or just a double dose of caution? Figuring this character out is full time preoccupation for many fans of the show.

Unsurprisingly, Jake’s murky allegiances resonate with Chris too.

“It adds an element of surprise to Jake that’s really interesting and watchable, which is always important,” he says. “Who is he? Who is he lying to? Is he actually lying or is he telling the truth? How are we going to figure him out? But I think eventually the Circle and the viewers will figure Jake out.”

But now that Jake is back and catching Cassie’s eye again (sorry Adam!) can audiences expect further acrimony from the Conants?

“I think until there’s a solid explanation for why Jake did what he did to Adam’s father (Ethan) in the Boathouse – the betrayal if you would – I don’t think Adam is ever going to one hundred percent let him in,” says Chris. “Not even ninety percent. Fifty one percent!” he adds with a laugh.

If Jake is back, does this mean his witch hunter buddies are close behind? “I don’t think the Witch Hunters will ever cease to be a threat. There are witch hunters all over the world.”

Given that episode twelve is one which will address several longstanding questions, I attempt to wrangle some spoilers from Chris on Jake’s role in events.

“All I can say is that it’s going to answer a lot of questions that I know, not only we as the cast, but everyone else too, have,” he tells me. “Everyone’s been dying to know the answers to the questions that have been looming for eleven episodes. So you’re gong to finally have some of those questions answered.

"Cassie doesn't know if she trusts him either. So Jake's in quite the predicament"

“Will Medallion see Cassie finally choose between Jake and Adam?”

“You’re going to have to watch and find out,” he answers playfully. “And tell all your friends!”

“Who do you think she should choose?” I ask.

“If I were to be an outsider giving Cassie advice – if I were just another friend instead of being madly in love with her – I think I would tell her to figure herself out. I would tell her to figure her story out first before she chooses either one of them. Of course Jake wants it to be Jake. So I suppose I would want it to be Jake too.”

But it’s not all Man Witches for Chris. This summer he takes on the role of Flash Thompson in Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man opposite Andrew Garfield (The Social Network) and Emma Stone (The Help, Crazy Stupid Love).

Flash gets on the wrong side of Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man

“It’s really exciting,” he says of the role. “But I can’t tell you much about it at all except that it’s a movie about Spiderman,” he jokes. “And I play Flash,” he adds with an evil sounding chuckle. “And everyone was wonderful. The director Marc Webb is a genius and the cast were remarkable. I learned so much from the experience.”