John Lithgow reveals how he learned Dexter spoilers before he was even cast as the iconic Trinity Killer. First airing in 2006, Dexter tells the story of Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a blood-spatter analyst by day and serial killer by night. The Showtime series quickly became a big hit with audiences for its tense plotting, dark humor, and strong performances, but the series finale in 2013 was universally panned by audiences. A miniseries reboot, Dexter: New Blood, aired last year, conclusively ending Dexter's story but once more proving divisive amongst fans.

Throughout the series, Dexter faces off against a host of rival murderers, but none so iconic as Lithgow's Trinity Killer. Widely considered the best season of the show, Dexter season 4 sees Hall's titular character tracking one of America's most prolific serial killers, whom he soon comes to suspect is suburbanite and seemingly innocent family man Arthur Mitchell. While the season ends with Dexter eventually killing Lithgow's Trinity Killer, it comes at a great cost, with the reveal that Mitchell killed Dexter's wife, Rita. Lithgow's character was so popular that he even reprised his role for a flashback cameo in Dexter: New Blood.

Related: Dexter: New Blood: Why John Lithgow's Trinity Killer Was Naked

In a new career retrospective video for GQLithgow explains that he was actually able to learn the Trinity Killer's entire Dexter storyline before ever even signed on to do the show. Lithgow explains that, while creator Clyde Phillips and producer John Goldwin were pitching him the show, he asked so many questions that he eventually ended up with the Trinity Killer's entire character arc, which was more than Phillips and Goldwin had planned to share with him. Check out Lithgow's full comment below:

"I got a terrific pitch from Clyde Phillips. He and John Goldwin, the producer, sat with me at CAA and banished my agents. They said, 'No, nobody else can hear this and you can't tell anybody about this, but we are going to tell you about the Trinity Killer.' And they told me the entire, detailed, unfolding story, but I kept on saying, 'Well, wait a minute, what happened to the baby?' You know, things like that. And they would have to tell me, and I kept on saying, 'More, more, more,' to the point where they had given me way more information than they intended. But they were trying to persuade me to take the part. And having heard all of that, I said, 'No, I won't tell anybody any of this, but no, I'm not doing that.' And then my agent and my lawyer got on my case and said, 'John, you gotta do this.' So I said yes, and had a great time doing it."

Dexter Trinity Killer

For many fans, Lithgow's character remains a highlight of Dexter's entire eight-season run. From Lithgow's story, it's clear that Phillips and Goldwin were intent on getting the actor to play the Trinity Killer, even if it meant divulging story details that were still top-secret. Interestingly, Lithgow reveals that not even the whole Trinity Killer season arc was enough to convince him to take the part, still turning down the role despite all the story information he had been given. Thankfully, however, his agent and lawyer eventually convinced him to take the part, much to the delight of many Dexter fans.

Dexter may have stumbled in its later seasons, but the Trinity Killer storyline in season 4 is a testament to just how strong the show was at its peak. It's hard to imagine anyone other than Lithgow playing the role at this point, and it's entirely possible that, without him, the Trinity Killer Dexter storyline would not have been as powerful or as fondly remembered as it is now. Despite some questionable series finales in the main Dexter show and Dexter: New Blood, the ending to season 4 and the conclusion of Lithgow's character's arc remains a high point, even all these years later.

More: Dexter: A Trinity Killer Line Foreshadowed The Original Series Finale

Source: GQ/ YouTube