Legion actor Jean Smart open to Martha Logan return in 24: Legacy

The actor played First Lady Martha Logan in the series' standout season five

Jean Smart, who currently stars as Melanie Bird in X-Men spinoff series Legion, would reprise one of her most memorable roles if she was asked.

The actor won an Emmy for playing First Lady Martha Logan in season five of 24, and with the character still alive in the TV show's universe, we asked her whether she'd be up for bringing her to screen once more in spinoff series 24: Legacy.

Smart told us: “Oh absolutely. I mean, if nothing else we have to see her in a straitjacket mumbling in Russian or something.

Reflecting upon her time in the series' standout run, she said: “That season was a very special experience as well, that was very fun. I have such admiration for Gregory Itzin who played President Logan. He and I had done theatre together 20 years before that so it was really fun to get back together with him again.”

Three-time Emmy award-winning actor Smart was nominated last year for her role as the fearsome Floyd Gerhardt in Fargo season two which marked the first time she had worked with Legion showrunner Noah Hawley - a man she brands a “genius.”

“To me, he is the quintessential renaissance man. [Working with him again was] absolutely a no-brainer. I had no idea what [Legion] was about. I hadn’t seen any script and I thought, 'If Noah wants me and he’s writing it, it’s a done deal.' I'd never done that before.”

24 ran for eight seasons, the last one airing in 2010. Kiefer Sutherland returned as Jack Bauer in FOX's event series 24: Live Another Day in 2014. The spinoff, which is currently airing, stars Corey Hawkins in the lead role.

Smart made a surprise return as Logan in 24's sixth season.

You can read our full interview with Smart here.

Legion airs Thursdays on FOX