In the latest episode of HBO's "War," titled "The Simple Act of Paying Attention," the carefully constructed deception of Johnny Warren, played by Archie Renaux, begins to unravel. Johnny has been operating as a mole for the law firm Cathcart & Sons, feeding information to handler David Schill while appearing to be a dedicated associate at Taylor & Byrne, representing actress Carla Duval in her divorce.
While Johnny initially deflects suspicion from himself and casts it onto fellow associate Saeed Masood, the episode concludes with Serena Byrne, portrayed by Phoebe Fox, realizing the truth. Her realization stems from Johnny's use of a specific quote, "You don’t think the whole series is gonna spin on that Keanu Reeves line." When Serena questions him about the source of the quote, Johnny reveals it was David Schill. This moment confirms to Serena that Johnny is the mole.
Fox described the reveal as a "devastating betrayal" for her character, noting that Serena had developed a favorable view of Johnny, seeing a similarity in their backgrounds as hard-working individuals from less privileged upbringings. She had even requested that the show's creator, George Kay, incorporate more moments to build their connection, making the eventual betrayal sting more deeply.
Renaux also shared his reaction to filming the scene, calling it "scary." He and Fox discussed the intricate choreography involved in filming the pivotal moment, a detail that may go unnoticed by viewers but was significant during production. The actors acknowledged the unexpected nature of the plot twist, particularly the reliance on a seemingly random Keanu Reeves quote as the linchpin for the reveal.