What Happened To The Actor Who Played Finn From The 100
In the beginning, The 100 was essentially underdog. Sure, The CW series offers an interesting premise that takes place in post-apocalyptic Earth (the storytelling was rough at first, but the show eventually found its rhythm). However, the cast was full of relatively new actors (with the exception of Isaiah Washington who starred in the series around the time that he just exited Grey’s Anatomy).
Among the show’s regular cast members was Thomas McDonell, the man who portrayed Finn Collins across 22 episodes. And after he left the series in 2019, many wonder what he’s been up to since.
Thomas McDonell Was More Experienced Than Other Actors In The Cast
Prior to starring in The 100, McDonell had already done several roles in both television and film. He started out with roles in movies such as The Forbidden Kingdom, Twelve, Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows, and the Disney film Prom. Around the same time, McDonell also landed a guest role in Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
Soon after, McDonell also got cast in the Josh Schwartz comedy Fun Size. It was here where he would strike a friendship with actress Jane Levy. That eventually lead to a recurring role in Levy’s series Suburgatory. “I wanted to [work on Suburgatory] because I didn’t know anything about that kind of work and because Jane Levy [who plays the protagonist, Tessa] is cool,” McDonell told Interview. “We filmed a movie together over the summer [Fun Size] and we had this idea that I could work on her show. I play the guy next door; it’s no big deal.” After working together twice, McDonell and Levy also started dating (they remain a happy couple today). And as they ventured towards separate projects, McDonell found himself getting cast in an upcoming sci-fi series.
He Never Wanted To Do Another Show
When McDonell first heard about The 100, the last thing he wanted was to work on an episodic project but then, this series had a certain appeal. “I never wanted to work on TV, or anything like that,” the actor told Collider. “But then, this show was presenting something new to me, as an actor.” Details surrounding the show’s plot are usually a closely guarded secret and that essentially appealed to McDonell. He liked that “anything can happen.” That said, the actor couldn’t have imagined early on that his character would not survive past the second season.
As it turns out, McDonell only learned of Finn’s fate right before they started production on season two. Around that time, series showrunner Jason Rothenberg already knew what was about to unfold. “Thomas and I sat down and talked about it in New York before we started filming the season,” he told ET. “And I knew it was going to be Clarke (Eliza Taylor) who did it.” And while it may have been a difficult decision to kill off a main character, Rothenberg certainly knew that McDonell was going to be just fine. In fact, he even remarked, “Thomas has moved on and going to have a really great career…”
He Booked Several Series Roles
Several years after leaving the CW series, McDonell got cast in the National Geographic biographical mini-series The Long Road Home. Starring Michael Kelly, Jason Ritter, and Kate Bosworth, it tells the story of a group of American soldiers who get ambushed in a neighborhood in Baghdad. In the series, McDonell portrayed Specialist Carl Wild who can still vividly recall the real-life events that inspired the book (of the same title) that the show would be based on. “I wasn’t frozen by fear, but I was really close to it,” the veteran soldier told Breach Bang Clear.
Meanwhile, McDonell did a guest role in the short-lived series LA to Vegas. Around the same time, actor also appeared briefly in the comedy-drama Good Girls. More recently, McDonell also got to work with girlfriend Levy again after he guest-starred on Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist as Barnaby Steele. Aside from working on various television projects, McDonell has also been pursuing work behind the scenes, having directed two shorts so far (the most recent one is still pending release). At the same time, the actor is also credited as a composer for the 2018 short Good Luck in the Land of Mañana, which also stars Levy.
Since much of the world had gone into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, McDonell had understandably taken a break from work in recent months. That said, fans of the actor will be glad to learn that McDonell will return to the big screen soon enough. In fact, the actor stars in the upcoming drama comedy Simchas and Sorrows. The film has no confirmed release date at the moment but it is said to be coming out in 2022.
Meanwhile, those who miss McDonell and his performance of Finn will be happy to know that The 100 is still available for streaming. All seven seasons of the show are still available on Netflix.
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