During an Instagram Q&A live stream in 2022 (via Express), Amir Arison, who plays FBI agent Aram Mojtabai on “The Blacklist,” discussed James Spader’s intrinsic role in the production as an executive producer:
“The director runs the episodes while the writers work in L. A. but James is our executive producer on set. He knows the scripts and he knows the seasons that we don’t, we’re getting them episode to episode. So he can sort of give an adjustment or an idea about why this might be this and he can know if a character says could or would in their speech. He’d be like ‘I think that’s would and not could and this is why,’ it’s a remarkable level of detail and not unlike Reddington.“
Spader is not that different from his on-screen counterpart after all — minus the international crimes, of course. Even though he was a late addition to the cast of “The Blacklist,” the actor-producer has undoubtedly proved his invaluable worth to the long-standing production. And for a show that has lasted this long, it seems inevitable Spader would become a vital part behind the scenes. Longevity requires commitment and compromise, attributes Spader brings to the table wherever he goes (even during his brief stint on “The Office”).
His role in “The Blacklist” is, like anything else, a job. However, I highly doubt someone forced him to be an executive producer on the series. Bringing his level of commitment to several aspects of the show for more than a decade is no coincidence, and we’re personally glad it shows on-screen every season.