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Thrilled to be on the Blacklist

megan Boone. Picture: Supplied

With bucketfuls of intrigue, overflowing suspense and too many plot twists to count, The Blacklist has made a name for itself as one of the most nail-biting shows on TV.

When it began airing on Seven late last year, viewers were captivated by notorious criminal Raymond Reddington's decision to hand himself in to the FBI and his subsequent demand to work with rookie profiler Elizabeth Keen to catch other shady crims.

The questions that arose in those first few episodes were countless, and further into the first season many still remain. Why does Red, played by James Spader, want to help Liz? Is he really her father, as so many believe? Is Red simply a good guy or is he instead pure evil?

Viewers can rest assured they are not the only ones guessing where the season will head - just ask actress Megan Boone, who plays bright-eyed Special Agent Keen.

"I stay in the dark about (the plot twists) because I really want my character to seem honest," she explains by telephone from the US.

"I think the most honest thing for me to do is question these things and always wonder what's going on.

"I choose not to know what is coming up - the producers are very open to sharing and helping facilitate the best process for everyone involved and that's something that I know is very rare about this show."

Aside from all the Red drama, Liz had another crisis on her hands when her teacher-husband Tom was mysteriously found concealing fake passports, a gun and a stack of cash early on in the series.

While the dust has mostly settled on that debacle for now, the Keens' rocky relationship has brought their plans to adopt a baby into question. But Boone understands why Liz continues to try to see the good in her husband.

"Tom is the only familial tie she has in her life and I think she clings to that and lives in a certain level of denial about whether he is a suspicious character or not," the 30-year-old says. "That is something that makes it difficult for her to move forward with a decision like (the adoption), but she still does have a real tie to children."

Boone's close bond with her character is understandable considering The Blacklist represents the actress' first big break after playing minor roles in Sex and the City 2, Welcome to the Jungle and Law & Order: Los Angeles.

She admits the role has given her a confidence she never had before and working alongside a TV great such as Spader has been a true learning experience.

"He is a very talented, dedicated actor and that is something I have always been devoted to myself," Boone says of her co-star.

"To finally be involved in a project with someone who holds that same dedication so highly is something I have been searching for my whole life."

Another thing the Florida-raised star wasn't prepared for was just how popular the show would become.

Fast-tracked from the US, the first episode reached 1.5 million viewers when it aired in Australia in September and continued to hit the million mark for the rest of ratings season last year.

However, for Boone, the ratings are just an added bonus.

"I am not really result-oriented so I don't really think about how many people are going to watch it but I am so thrilled there are so many people out there following the show," she says.

"It's really validating in a way, it makes me trust my instincts because I knew right away this role was something worth fighting for."