Ken Leung loves that we get to go home with Eric in Industry season 2

Warning: This post contains spoilers for Industry season 2, episode 4.

Eric Tao (Ken Leung) is having trouble adapting to the changing times.

After Harper's (Myha'la Herrold) big win with Jesse Bloom (Jay Duplass) puts him in a tough spot at work, Eric takes some time away from the office in the latest episode of Industry. While at home with his wife and kids, he learns that his former mentor, Newman, recently died. He ends up reuniting with Newman's widow — who he used to have a relationship with.

The episode ends with Eric at his lowest point so far on Industry: Pierpoint's executives decide to give him a corner office, which he sees as the professional equivalent of a casket. Below, we spoke with Leung about Eric's racist mentor, developing the Eric-Harper dynamic with Herrold, and more.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Eric and Harper have a very complicated relationship. What is it like to develop that dynamic with Myha'la?

KEN LEUNG: It's been super fun. Partially because Myha'la is so easy to act with, and that was true from the instant we met. She's a very open person and she wears her heart on her sleeve. We're both very willing to go wherever the writers wanted our characters.

Sometimes it's hard to tell if Eric is actually mentoring Harper in his own way or if he's it in for himself. What's your take on his approach?

It changes, it evolves. When he first hired her it's because he sees something of himself in her. They're both Americans and from marginalized communities. Maybe the way she carried herself in the interview reminded him of himself. Eric has a mentor, Newman, who recently passed away [in this episode], and he's going through something [in terms of] his place in the company. He can no longer be his old self, he can no longer be this alpha. His scorched Earth methods aren't working anymore. All this is to say that their relationship evolves, it's not a fixed thing.

There are actually flashes in season 2 where we see incidents of it flipping. Harper calls the shots and Eric obeys here, so their relationship is constantly finding itself then it gets challenged and they have to readjust.

Eric meets with the widow of his mentor and we learn about how complicated the dynamic is between the three of them. How do you think what we learn in that conversation sheds light on what viewers know about Eric?

It shows that Eric had a very complicated relationship with [Newman], because his mentor was a racist. There's that scene when Adler is trying to recreate Newman's office for Eric out of nostalgia and there's a MAGA cap. That lead us to certain conclusions about the kind of person Newman was and called Eric all these racist things and at the same time, Eric wouldn't be who he is without Newman. Add to that, Eric was sleeping with his fellow grad who eventually became Newman's wife.

What it reveals is that he wants to keep Newman alive for him. He needs Newman in ways that may not be obvious, it keeps his engine running. Even if the person has died, Eric needs to keep certain parts of him alive. Maybe his scorched Earth, alpha personality was adopted and then honed in kind of tribute to Newman.

In a similar respect, Eric and Danny also have a complex, almost adversarial dynamic. What do you think introducing him adds to what the audience knows about Eric?

As far as the way that illuminates Eric, Danny represents a very real threat, whereas season 1 began with a theoretical threat. Sara [Priyanga Burford] being the president [of Pierpoint] and wanting to change the culture of the company could take who knows how long, and what that involves. Danny represents a real person sitting right next to [Eric], who is kind of a mole in broad daylight looking for a way to get rid of the London office. Eric doesn't know what to do with that. He knows that his old ways don't work, as evidenced by how season 1 ended and he has to find a new way with a very real threat in front of him. He's off balance for a lot of season 2.

The circumstances are far from ideal, but what was it like to see Eric's home life? Was there anything about it that surprised you?

It's so great. I love that. I long to discover different parts of him. We see him in the presence of people, his kids, wife, and ex. People that would bring out parts of him that we would not ordinarily see on the trading floor. Practically speaking, being away from the trading floor was a nice break.

His relationship with his wife remains interesting to me. There was a scene that is no longer in [the episode] where I liken them to Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. They're a weird couple in the way they talk to each other and show affection. There was a scene in the bathroom and it was informative. They're both brushing their teeth in the morning and not looking at each other, they're looking in the mirror, and they are doing self affirmations. She did one, then Eric did one. There was just something so creepy about it. I remain curious about that relationship. His wife is arguably even more high-powered than he is. She's a big deal at Google or something.

Eric ends up in a corner office, which he considers a death sentence. What can you tease about what he does next?

It changes him. He's trying to find a way to live with it and he's constantly looking for a way out. For an escape. At the same time, he's made peace with it. You will see it go back and forth.

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

Industry airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

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