Jake Weary is great as Cane Buckley on the new Netflix drama series “The Waterfront.” The series explores the tangled web of loyalty and betrayal in a family contentious with success in their powerful fishing empire. This show was produced by famed horror and suspense showrunner Kevin Williamson. It follows the lives of the privileged Buckley family, residents of Havenport, North Carolina. The women grapple with keeping their day fishing business afloat all the while crossing paths with dangerous black market operations.
Cane Buckley, played by Weary, is the beating heart of this intricate family saga. He is in crisis over his future in the family construction business. The burden of having to please the hopes of all of us bears down on him terribly. Throughout the season, viewers witness Cane’s internal conflict as he confronts moments where he could take a life but ultimately decides against crossing that moral line.
Weary’s experience in The Waterfront really hits home with what he was up against as Daren Cody on Animal Kingdom. Both roles highlight his capacity to truly dwell within challenging characters. The Lethal Weapon star sees some of the comparisons, especially with the family aspect and the rural Americana setting.
“Did Kevin Williamson watch Animal Kingdom?” – Jake Weary
Williamson’s own life experiences played a huge role in shaping “The Waterfront.” Here, his early life and ongoing relationship with his late father, Wade, lays the groundwork for Cane’s character and the overall story arc. Even before filming started, Weary got into deep conversations with Williamson to understand Cane’s complexities and motivations.
Weary sees Cane as a very complex character, a person with two sides fighting to fulfill his family duty while discovering who he is. As he unpacks, Cane’s struggle is all too similar to Harlan’s current plight. Harlan—portrayed by Holt McCallany—is the perceived patriarchal linchpin of the series.
“I don’t know a whole lot. There were definitely things that he withheld from me, but I think we all have our own kind of f
