Jared Harris recently reflected on the emotional depth and fate of his character in Kathryn Bigelow’s A House of Dynamite. He discussed his character’s final moments, the reasons behind his tragic decision, and the personal influences that shaped his performance.

A House of Dynamite’s Jared Harris explains Secretary Baker’s death

In an interview with The Wrap, Jared Harris discussed the fate of his character, Secretary Reid Baker, in Kathryn Bigelow’s A House of Dynamite. He said Baker “didn’t want to live in a world where he’d lost his wife and his daughter,” adding that the storyline explored “individual human beings who are put in the position to make choices that will affect millions of lives.” Harris explained that the loss of Baker’s daughter, following the death of his wife, led to his fatal decision on the rooftop.

The actor shared that he and Bigelow examined Baker’s strained relationship with his daughter, played by Kaitlyn Dever. “At the end of the day, I think he needs help. And his daughter is processing her own grief. She can’t help him right now,” Harris said. “But he’s hopeful she someday can, and then losing her leads him to step off that roof.” The character’s decision occurs moments after hanging up on the president, who sought his advice on a nuclear response.

Harris revealed that Baker’s death was symbolic of moral paralysis under immense pressure. “The president is asking for his advice and he hangs up the phone. Because he hears that they’ve got to the point where they’re deciding to respond to the attack, and he knows what that means,” he said. The sequence unfolds as Baker ascends to the rooftop and disappears off the ledge.

He revealed that Bruce Springsteen’s The River live album inspired his final line to Dever’s character, “That’s good.” “I took that line from Bruce Springsteen,” Harris said, recalling the singer’s story about his father’s quiet expression of care.

A House of Dynamite is now streaming on Netflix.