A Michael Emerson Interview

[spicedogs]

MICHAEL EMERSON
ANOTHER WORLD
by: Jamie Steinberg



Q) What are the current projects that you are working on?

A) I only have "Lost" on my plate right now. It films in Hawaii so it doesn't really allow me to juggle any other projects.

Q) Please tell us about your character Henry Gale/Ben on "Lost."

A) I think he's a sort of weather vein of good and evil in the show. I think people are challenged to decide whether he is a good man or not. It's a little tricky and it's a little mysterious. Although he seems to be the instigator of some sort of rough or troubling event, he also just seems to be a man with a secret agenda. Maybe he is, as he said to Michael during the last season finale, "one of the good guys."

Q) What made you want to be a part of the show?

A) The job sort of came to me. When a good part on a big TV show comes to you, you don't sit down and question it too much. You just say yes and do it. As you may know, it wasn't supposed to be such a big part. I was originally engaged to do about three episodes, but then they liked the character, I liked the character and everything seemed to work pretty well together. Here I still am.

Q) What was the breakdown they originally gave you for your character?

A) They didn't give me any breakdown. I didn't see a script until I got here. I just sort of assumed that the best way to play a character, who plays a villain or not, is to be in neutral or in the middle ground on the scale of ethics (good and bad). It turns out, that sort of ambiguity and the playing of it, is the way to keep it going. It creates mystery and I think that's very important to a show like this.

Q) What is new or different about this season of "Lost?"

A) I think this season, the audience's sympathies are going to be challenged a bit more than they have in the past. I think that the audience is going to live with "The Others" more. They are going to get to know "The Others" better and I think they are going to start to wonder if they are as bad as they were made out to be earlier on.

Q) What is it about "The Others" that intrigues viewers?

A) I think it's their mystery. It is that and their potency. The things they do, they are very good at. They are very smart!

Q) What is the most challenging aspect of your role?

A) I think it is challenging to maintain the character's ambiguity. I like the intensity of the scene work that they give me to do. I like the way that my big dark scenes involve a lot of guessing, a lot of subtext and a lot of figuring out the things that are not being said. It's rich that way. It has a lot of layers, like the best kind of plays that you might do on the stage. It makes this a very attractive role to play.

Q) How do you feel about working on an Emmy winning show?

A) It feels alright! The exoticism, the locale, the distance from home and all of that makes it a little more memorable. It's also more of an adjustment, too, to be so far from friends and loved ones.

Q) What about the show continues to draw in viewers?

A) On some level, there is action and adventure. There is also mystery about the show and it's also a puzzle. It's also science fiction and it's also metaphysical, I think. There are questions in it about perception, belief and about right and wrong.

Q) Does the cast have a lot of chemistry off set as well as they seem to on set?

A) The cast is all really nice people. Half of them I really don't know. I only have had scenes with, I guess, about half of the cast. Everyone is a sort of nice and agreeable person.

Q) What do you do in your spare time?

A) I get to play around in Hawaii. I am not a big one for water sports because I worry about sharks and things, but I do like to go up into the mountains here in the rain forest. There are beautiful places to hike and there are dense forests up in the mountains with waterfalls, strange birds and beautiful rainbows. It's very nice!

Q) What would you like to say to your fans and supporters?

A) I would like to say, don't be too sure that you know who Henry/Ben is. He may surprise you, yet. 


Original post can be found here:  http://starrymag.com/content.asp?ID=1681&CATEGORY=Interviews&PAGE=1

Comments

[sgt-peper.livejournal.com]

"I am not a big one for water sports because I worry about sharks and things"

Aw, an interesting thing for the actor behind Ben to say...!!!

[spicedogs.livejournal.com]

Yes, I thought so, too. The sad thing, he sounds just like my husband. I started thinking, "is that why I like this actor?" OMG.

[sgt-peper.livejournal.com]

Aw, that's really sweet though!!!

[angelcure.livejournal.com]

I'm becoming more and more a fan of Michael Emerson. He's such a great actor. I love the interview and I can picture him hiking in Hawaii and stopping to look at a pretty rainbow. Thank you for posting this!

[brandnewconcept.livejournal.com]

Great interview! Thanks for the link. He didn't mention it...but wasn't Michael the one who got interested in the show 'cause his wife was/is such a big fan? I think I read that over at IMDb (or someplace). I really like that Michael is "into" his role on the show (and isn't doing it merely for activity and a pay-check). That's one of those roles where I can't picture anybody but Michael Emerson playing Fake Henry/Benjamin (I certainly hope he gets an Emmy nomination next August).

[spicedogs.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'd love for him to get the Emmy. He was cheated out of being nominated for best guest appearance last year because he was in 7 LOST episodes and the limit was 6. Bummer.