‘Mayans M.C.’ Goes Behind the Scenes to Show Difficulties Filming During Pandemic

Mayans M.C. returned on Tuesday with the first two episodes of Season 3. The new content surfaced after a long delay due to COVID-19 and kicked off a slate full of intense moments. Now a new video has shown how much effort went into keeping the cast and crew safe while filming amid a pandemic.

The behind-the-scenes clip posted on YouTube showed the different actors explaining how their processes changed with the return to set. They discussed the mask requirements and how they had to put the coverings back on every single time the director yelled “cut.” Michael Irby (Bishop) and Emilio Rivera (Marcus Alvarez) both specifically mentioned how they were unable to hug people, so they had to find new greetings. Rivera explained that one elbow bump replaced a little hug while two elbow bumps replaced a long embrace.

“I don’t want it,” Irby said about the emphasis on mask-wearing and social distancing. “I’m a hugger, I’m a lover, I want you in my house. I want to break bread, I want to open my doors.” As he spoke, the footage showed several actors putting their masks on between takes while remaining in full costume.

While the actors dealt with the strict mask requirements, the crew had issues of their own. Specifically, they had to take extra steps before meeting with the actors and providing important notes. They couldn’t simply stop the scene and walk on over.

“We have these conversations, these intimate, important conversations,” showrunner Elgin James said. “And that’s hard to do through two masks and a shield. You yell, ‘cut,’ the first thing you want to do is go talk to the actors and connect with the actors all individually. That’s already harder to do because you have all these, like, protocols that you follow.”

Despite the inherent health issues due to the coronavirus, production continued in 2020. The cast and crew remained healthy and created a new season full of intense episodes. Now the viewers will enjoy the fruits of the labor while learning more about the motorcycle club’s key members.

“I love my life, I love my career, and I love Mayans,” Richard Cabral said. “So, to be back, it was definitely a blessing.” Multiple other actors weighed in and expressed their excitement about coming back to work.

Season 3 of Mayans M.C. is currently airing on FX. New episodes debut every Tuesday and become available on Hulu the next day. The first two seasons of the Sons of Anarchy spin-off are also currently available on the streaming service.