Cary Elwes has long been one of Hollywood’s supreme chameleons. Since he burst onto the scene in Rob Reiner’s 1987 classic The Princess Bride, Elwes has been a fixture in the cultural zeitgeist. Effortlessly jumping back and forth between high-profile pictures like Gus Van Sant’s Dead Man’s Wire and prestige TV projects like Stranger Things, the actor has no problem inhabiting a wide array of characters. His latest project, the searing thriller M.I.A, features Elwes as Tim Kincaid, a grizzled private investigator who is hired by shady real estate mogul Caroline Carver (Marta Milans) to look into the mysterious execution of the Tiger Jonze family. As soon as Kincaid starts asking questions, he realizes the daughter, Etta Tiger Jonze (Shannon Gisela), may still be alive.

Elwes admits that it was his love for series creator Bill Dubuque’s past Netflix drama Ozark that drew him to the Peacock crime series. “I think he’s one of the great writers/creators in television today,” said Elwes. “He writes great drama. He writes great action. He writes very nuanced characters.” Elwes also appreciated how Dubuque and showrunner Karen Campbell utilize Miami as a “character in the show.” “We were there for a couple of months and shot all over town,” noted Elwes.

Elwes also spoke with Florida-based private investigators to help him craft the character of Kincaid . “They gave me a ton of research to work with,” said Elwes, adding that they even inspired his character’s beach bum aesthetic. “I noticed that the two main PIs who I met with were dressed very casually,” remembered Elwes. He consulted with Campbell and they agreed to make Kincaid “somebody who wears Hawaiian shirts and shorts and flip flops.” “That wardrobe gave him an energy that contrasted with the all the other characters in the show,” said Elwes proudly.

Elwes visited the Decider studio to discuss the series, reveal the backstory behind one of Kincaid’s notable quirks, and look back at a recent event for The Princess Bride.

DECIDER: You’ve been involved with a many prestige TV projects over the years. What drew you to M.I.A?

CARY ELWES: The creator, Bill Dubuque, is the guy behind Ozark. My wife and I binged that show when it came out. I think he’s one of the great writers/creators in television today. He understands great drama. He writes great action. He crafts very nuanced characters. When they sent me the pilot of M.I.A., I was in. I knew it was going to be a fantastic show.

You got to shoot on-location in Miami. What was that experience like?

That was great. Miami’s really a character in the show. You can’t avoid that. When you put a camera up in Miami, you’re going to catch the city’s characteristics. We took full advantage of that. We were there for a couple of months and shot all over town.

Kincaid is an investigator who had to leave the Miami PD to make his alimony payments. What can you tell me about his past?

Kincaid is an ex-police homicide detective who retired to become a private investigator. He’s hired by this woman, Caroline, to look into the murders of this young girl’s family. He starts out taking the job because he needs the money. But as the season progresses, we realize he’s a guy who’s really going to reevaluate his ethical framework.

What did you bring to the role to make it your own? Whose idea was the beach bum fashion?

I interviewed a lot of private investigators while I was in Miami, and they were really helpful. They gave me a ton of research to work with. I noticed that the two main PIs I met with were dressed very casually, and I asked them about that. Most of them are ex-police or ex-military. They said: “Cary, we’ve been wearing uniforms for so long. It’s so nice to have a job where we can show up dressed casually.”

So, the show runner, Karen Campbell, and I decided that we wanted to make Kincaid somebody with a very casual look. Somebody who wore Hawaiian shirts and shorts and flip flops. That wardrobe gave him an energy that contrasted with the all the other characters in the show.

Kincaid uses his knowledge of Miami bakeries to gain favor within the MPD. Did you sample any local delicacies to be more informed?

No, no. Them days are over [laughs]. What I discovered from the investigators that I interviewed was that you have to use the police department to get knowledge. You can’t be an investigator that works completely on your own. How you do that is by charming ex-colleagues or police officers who are on the case. Whatever you can do to follow the investigation, you got to do it. Kincaid is a guy who likes to use pastries and food to tempt people.

One of the first juicy reveals of the season was that Kincaid is Caroline Craver’s PI. Clearly, this woman is not running a clean business. How does Kincaid justify working within the gray?

That’s something you’re going to have to watch to find out. He’s a guy who starts out being a coin-operated investigator for hire. Throughout the season, he really has to rediscover his moral compass.

I spoke with your co-star Marta Milans who sang your praises. She also said you were a “prop-obsessed” actor. What did she mean by that?

Yeah, I do like props. It’s a good point. That’s part of my studying. One of the things they teach you at the Lee Strasberg Institute is to make sure that you find some kind of grounding for your character by working within the surroundings, with the props, and with the set. That’s just something I like to do.

Throughout the series, it seems like Kincaid is the only person searching for the truth about Etta. Is he moved by what happened to her family?

I think so. He’s very moved by what happened to her. He had a case in the past where he was trying to help a young woman who suffered something very similar, and she ended up getting killed. So, he’s definitely feeling like he wants to redeem himself with Etta. He wants to make sure he doesn’t make the same mistake again.

If there is a Season 2, what would you like to see for Kincaid?

I’d like to see if he finds the redemption he’s looking for after rejoining the police department and going back to his roots.

Would you like for him to team up with Etta to take down the Rojas cartel?

Well, yeah, who doesn’t want to take down a cartel?

Switching gears, you recently did a live Q&A at Netflix Is A Joke for The Princess Bride. What’s the best part about doing these events in support of a project you care so deeply about?

I’m very blessed to have been a part of that film. It’s almost 40 years since we made it, if you can believe that. That was a sold-out show I did for Netflix, and people just loved it. I really used that event—and other opportunities like it—to celebrate Rob Reiner, of course, and celebrate the gift of being a part of something that’s much bigger than me.

Robin Hood: Men In Tights is one of the greatest Mel Brooks comedies. Is it true that Kevin Costner visited the set?

No, no, he didn’t visit the set.

Have your paths ever crossed during your long careers?

Yeah, I met him after making the picture. He saw it, and we met at a party. He was very… he actually had a great sense of humor about it.

You’ve played such a wide array of memorable characters, good guys, bad guys, and everything in between. What has been your favorite role and why?

My favorite role is being a dad. Our daughter is the best production my wife and I will ever do.

All nine episodes of M.I.A. are streaming now on Peacock