The Disney+ series National Treasure: Edge of History introduces brand new treasure under Jess Valenzuela (Lisette Olivera). In the movies, National Treasure was a Nicolas Cage franchise and the series has connections to them. Olivera said she hopes one day to team up with Benjamin Franklin Gates (Cage).
Olivera and her costars spoke with Showbiz Cheat Sheet on Dec. 1. Here’s what they said about the connections to the movies and hopes for future collaborations. National Treasure: Edge of History premieres Dec. 14 and new episodes stream Wednesdays on Disney+.
Lisette Olivera and Nicolas Cage could make the ultimate ‘National Treasure’
Gates isn’t in the TV series but his assistant, Riley Poole (Justin Bartha) is. So are some other characters, so Olivera hopes it’s possible to team up one day.
“Absolutely, I think that would be really, really fun,” Olivera told Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “Both of them are incredibly smart so I can only imagine they can potentially take over the world together.”
Other ‘National Treasure’ actors besides Nicolas Cage in ‘Edge of History’
Harvey Keitel reprises his role of Agent Sadusky. Sadusky is long retired from the FBI now, but he has one scene with Jess in which he gives her a clue to her mission.
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“When he came onto set, we shot his scenes for the pilot in one day,” Olivera said. “Or, at least my scenes with him in one day. I remember everybody, the entire crew, all the cast were calling it Harvey Keitel Day. It was actually my audition scene, the scene that I got to do with him for the pilot. It was an incredible experience to finally get to experience his talent in real life because prior to that I was reading the scene imagining how he would say it. It’s nothing compared to what he brings to the character in the flesh so it was amazing. He’s awesome.”
The FBI legacy
Sadusky is no longer running around chasing treasure hunters. There’s a new generation of FBI agents on Jess’s tail. Lyndon Smith plays Agent Ross. Though she doesn’t interact with Sadusky on the show, Smith was keen to meet Keitel.
“I did, briefly,” Smith said. “We were going to be two ships passing. There was one day where he was doing reshoots and I stood outside of my car for 20-25 minutes knowing he was going to come off the stage and I bum rushed him. He’s just a treasure and he’s such a lovely man and took the time for this crazy fan.”
Keitel’s role influences Smith, she said.
“This was a really, really fun role for me to play because I grew up watching Harvey Keitel,” Smith said. “I’m such a Harvey Keitel fan. He of course is the FBI agent in the first two movies so to get to follow in those footsteps and carry that torch in the name of Harvey Keitel was just a really, really monumental moment for me in my career.”
