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By
Suzanne

Interview with Matt Nix, Jeffrey Donovan
and Bruce Campbell of "Burn Notice" on USA Network
9/4/13
This was a wonderful call, but it was also bittersweet
because it's the end of the show. I will really miss these
guys and the show. I can't believe it's almost over! They
are always so nice on the phone and good at entertaining us
as well, as you will read in this transcript.
BURN NOTICE SERIES FINALE
Moderator: Emily Spitale
September 4, 2013 2:00 pm CT
Operator: Ladies and gentlemen thank you for standing by.
Welcome to the Burn Notice Series Finale conference call.
During the presentation all participants will be in a listen
only mode.
Afterwards we will conduct a question and answer session. At
that time if you have a question please press the 1 followed
by the 4 on your telephone.
If at any time during the conference you need to reach an
Operator please press star 0.
As a reminder this conference is being recorded Wednesday,
September 4, 2013.
I would now like to turn the conference over to Emily
Spitale. Please go ahead.
Emily Spitale: Hi everyone. Thank you for joining today’s
call with Burn Notice’s stars Jeffrey Donovan, Bruce
Campbell and our Creator and Executive Producer Matt Nix.
Just a reminder that the second to last episode of the
series airs this Thursday at 9:00/8:00 Central. It’s
entitled Sea Change. And the series finale Reckoning which
is directed by Matt Nix will air Thursday, September 12th at
9:00/8:00 Central.
And images are available on our press site as well as
nbcunv.com.
We’re going to now open the line to questions.
Operator: Thank you ladies and gentlemen if you’d like to
register a question please press the 1 followed by the 4 on
your telephone. You will hear a three tone prompt to
acknowledge your request. If your question has been answered
and you would like to withdraw your registration please
press the 1 followed by the 3. If you’re using a
speakerphone please lift your handset before entering your
request.
One moment please, for the first question.
Matt Nix: This is complicated.
Operator: The first question comes from the line of Hal
Boedeker from Orlando Sentinel. Please go ahead.
Hal Boedeker: Thank you for joining this call. We just
learned that a major character is going to die in the
finale.
And I’m wondering what Jeffrey and Bruce would say to fans
to prepare them for this information.
Bruce Campbell: Jeffrey. Don’t eat Chinese food before the
episode.
Hal Boedeker: Okay.
Jeffrey Donovan: And my answer would be there’s nothing that
can prepare them.
Hal Boedeker: Okay. Well can I ask...?
Bruce Campbell: Yes. And I think - go ahead.
Hal Boedeker: Well I’m just wondering, why do you think that
ending works for this series?
Bruce Campbell: You know one of the interesting journeys
that Burn Notice has been on is it created a family for the
audiences to watch. And I don’t - and though we’ve been
humorous throughout the years there’s always been an
underbelly of seriousness and tragedy.
And I don’t think we could probably end the series with, you
know, a bow tie and smiles on everyone’s faces. I think that
the audience knows there has to be some sort of tragedy to
show how important their journey was over the years.
Jeffrey Donovan: And I believe it’s called collateral
damage. Once you have a group of people who have put their
lives on the line every single week it’s hard to maintain
that.
And then the specifics of course would be better answered by
Mr. Matt Nix.
Matt Nix: Yes. I mean I was not a - you know, I mean it’s a
question for you guys.
But I think the - one of the central ideas and conflicts in
this series has always been the - between Michael’s work and
Michael’s family.
And he started this series as a very isolated guy. And over
the years he has, you know, acquired this family and these
friends and these relationships that he didn’t have at the
beginning.
But we’ve always talked about the idea that there’s a reason
that a spy who’s putting himself in, you know, these kinds
of situations so consistently doesn’t have a bunch of close
relationships.
And I think that, you know, it was important to me to say
why have the last seven years mattered? Are those things -
are those themes that we’ve addressed over the years, you
know, are they real?
And I think the answer to that has to be yes. And so, you
know, Michael’s always had to balance those - the two sides
of his life and the final two episodes are really about
choices and sacrifices.
And it’s not just about being (fat) or killing off the
character. It’s also about taking seriously the things that
we’ve talked about and the issues that we’ve addressed over
the last seven years.
Hal Boedeker: Thank you very much and congratulations.
Matt Nix: Thank you.
Bruce Campbell: Thank you.
Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from the line
of Matt Mitovich from TVLine. Please go ahead.
Matt Mitovich: Hey gentlemen, thanks for your time today.
Bruce Campbell: You bet.
Jeffrey Donovan: Thank you.
Matt Mitovich: Matt I was wondering how - the way that
you’ve wrapped up the show here this season, how that aligns
with your original idea for ending this series whether is it
pretty much on the same page or were there pages you used
from your original plan in previous season finales?
Matt Nix: Both really. And the kernel of the idea which I
would really say is kind of this season and what Michael has
been going through this season and dealing with James
Kendrick and his organization, that was in my mind from not
- maybe not the pilot but, you know, as soon as I - that
first year I had a sense that we needed to land in a place
that wasn’t just about Michael fighting another bad guy but
was really about Michael, you know, wrestling with the
demons and himself.
And tempted in a way to become this - the very thing that
destroyed him in the beginning of the series. You know, like
the people that burned him were in an organization operating
outside of a established political structure and doing their
own thing who felt that they were doing the right thing but,
you know, Michael was collateral damage.
And it’s an easy thing to become that if you’re not careful
if you’re doing the sorts of things that Michael does.
And so that seed was always there. But at the same time over
the course of seven years you discover new things and the -
and I’d say that the emphasis on the team and the way the
family came together in the show that was a much bigger
element than I anticipated at the beginning of the show if
that makes sense.
Matt Mitovich: Okay. And as a follow-up for this week’s
episode, it kind of left Michael in a real pickle there at
the end of the last episode. He had to basically break cover
in order to save Sonya’s life.
What can you possibly tease about how he gets out of that?
Is he about to launch into a big spiel of fast talking
or...?
Matt Nix: Actually I think that people will be surprised.
This - the ending of this season, the way that Michael deals
with Kendrick and his organization, fast talking is what
Michael did in virtually every other episode of Burn Notice.
And part of what makes Kendrick a formidable ally and
opponent is that he’s not a hypocrite. He’s not - he really
believes in what he’s doing.
When he says we don’t leave men behind, they don’t leave men
behind. When he says he’s more committed to this
organization than to anything else, he believes that.
And so, you know, I don’t think I’m giving anything away by
saying Michael does not die at the end of Episode 11. But
it’s not...
Jeffrey Donovan: (Boiler).
Matt Nix: ...simply. Yes, it’s not simply weaving another
little web of lies. It’s a very different turn for Michael
which I think will surprise some fans. And but I think it’s
ultimately all about addressing these themes that have
emerged over the years, you know, and these elements of
Michael’s character.
Matt Mitovich: Thank you very much.
Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from the line
of (Kim Haas) with Yahoo TV. Please go ahead.
Kim Haas: Thank you so much everyone for doing this today.
Matt and Bruce I wanted to ask you, the season has been very
emotional for all of the characters with Michael so
separated for most of them.
But one of the fun aspects of that has been that we’ve seen
Sam and Jesse become this really great team.
Is there any thought to maybe a spinoff with those two
characters?
Jeffrey Donovan: I guess that’s probably a Matt Nix
question.
Matt Nix: The thought, there’s certainly a lot of thought on
Bruce’s and my part (unintelligible). The - it’s something -
I mean, you know, let me put it this way. It’s something
that we have kicked around and it’s an idea that we’ve
liked.
And, you know, obviously three guys don’t get together and
make a television show in their garage. I mean like if the
opportunity ever arose...
Jeffrey Donovan: Damn.
Matt Nix: ...do something like that, then that’ll be really
fun.
And but, you know, it’s not - there’s nothing specifically
in the works other than that we all think it would be fun to
do if the opportunity ever arose.
Kim Haas: And Bruce do you agree?
Bruce Campbell: I do. I do. Yes, it’d be a different show.
Matt Nix: Actually on that...
Bruce Campbell: You know it wouldn’t be - it’d be something
that I know that I would enjoy. And I enjoy working, you
know, with Coby because it would just be a whole different
kind of dynamic. It’s been really great working with
Donovan.
You know but this is all bologna. You know what I mean?
There’s really nothing to talk about right now other than
the fact that it’d be fun.
But, you know, you really do have to jump through a lot of
hoops to get a show on the air. So right now it’s really
just a bunch of random Twitter talk.
Kim Haas: Okay (unintelligible).
((Crosstalk))
Matt Nix: I will say though just in terms of the - and just
really quickly, in terms of the actual like what’s gone on
this season that one of the really fun things about working
with all of the actors is the ways that - like the things
that they bring to the role that influence the direction
that the series goes.
So when you talk about like this has been a really emotional
season that has a lot to do with my conversations with
Jeffrey and, you know, him saying I really think that we’re
going to a more emotional place. And I want to, you know,
address that. And it’s been an opportunity for me to and the
other writers to embrace that and run with that.
And that’s really, you know, it’s a team effort. But it’s
really a credit to Jeffrey that that was something that he
was bringing out.
And in the case of Bruce and Coby, I actually say like, you
know, you can just see it in the writers, like you put those
two characters together and they’re really funny and the
scene just pops.
And inevitably in the next episode somebody is thinking of
something to do and they’re like oh, maybe we put Sam and
Jesse together. And it’s a credit to both of you guys Bruce,
that that just emerged. It wasn’t like anybody sat down and
said let’s make Sam and Jesse this fun team. It was really
just every time you put them on...
Bruce Campbell: Well I appreciate that because you know.
Matt Nix: ...the screen that happened.
Bruce Campbell: As you know Coby Bell is very difficult.
That’s a well-known thing within the industry, his
temperament and his - well frankly anger issues.
Matt Nix: But I don’t know how you dealt with it.
Bruce Campbell: We - well we’ve overcome. And no, sometimes
you turn tragedy into triumph. And I think that’s what we
try to do. The fart jokes.
Matt Nix: Yes.
Bruce Campbell: The little trumpet singing he does, you
know, all of...
Matt Nix: That can sometimes break through the dark miasma
that is rolling in his universe.
Bruce Campbell: Yes. I think that thoroughly answers that.
Jeffrey Donovan: Yes. Is that right? We answered way more
than the earlier ones.
Kim Haas: Thank you so much and congratulations on a great
season.
Bruce Campbell: Thank you.
Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from the line
of Doug Hanks with The Miami Herald. Please go ahead.
Doug Hanks: Thank you. So by my count Burn Notice filmed the
same number of episodes as Miami Vice did, 111. And
obviously it’s been a huge boost to the local production
industry.
And I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from people in the
industry who blame part of the reason there’s not a season
on the loss of the Coconut Grove Convention Center.
And I was hoping Matt, could you talk about that in terms of
the prospects for an eighth season and whether any local
production issues came into play there?
Matt Nix: Ultimately really no. I mean it’s like that’s a,
you know, it would have been a pain in the butt to find a
new place. But you don’t - I don’t think you decide to make
or not make a series on the basis of whether the stage
spaces are available.
So, you know, there were a lot of factors that went into it.
You know but and a lot of - but a lot of them were just
creative. I mean a lot of it was just, you know, and when
you’re making a series you really have a choice. You can
either end it on your own terms in which case you will be
invariably ending it what feels like a little early. Or you
can end it when you get yanked off the air in which case you
will invariably be ending it a little bit late.
And so that - so between the two of those, I mean I think
that, you know, there are obviously positives and negatives
and, you know, but I think that everybody - we were all I
think very happy this season, you know, when you know you’re
ending. That’s - you think about loss, like they asked for
an end date so that they could bring things to a close.
And, you know, once we had a sense that this was going to be
the last season we were able to do a new kind of
storytelling and the kind of storytelling that I’m really
proud of.
So yes, it wasn’t like we were like oh well, fine. You know
if you’re taking away the Convention Center we’re taking our
football and going home, not at all so.
Doug Hanks: Thank you.
Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from the line
of Michelle Alexandria from Eclipse Magazine. Please go
ahead.
Michelle Alexandria: Hello everyone. Thank you for taking
the time. My question is kind of a simple one which is is
there anything that you guys wanted to do on the show that
you couldn’t for whatever reason in terms of character
stunts or whatever?
Bruce Campbell: That’s a good question. Jeffrey what did you
want to do?
Jeffrey Donovan: Well I’m a private pilot. And I fly a
(Cirrus) which is an unbelievable plane. And I wanted to
actually shoot a scene where you don’t cut so you know it’s
me. And I actually fly, you know, me and Bruce or something
like that or me and my mom to safety. And the camera is on
us. And you see us actually be flying.
I really wanted to do that. But we never got to do that.
Bruce Campbell: I agree. I think Jeffrey and my stunt double
would have done just a great, great sequence.
Jeffrey Donovan: But - gee thanks Bruce. Why would
(unintelligible)?
Michelle Alexandria: (A new series).
Bruce Campbell: I roller skate like a mother scratcher. And
I’ve pressured Matt, you know, what do these people do in
their off season, you know, when they’re not working? I can
never sell that. I tried it eight different ways, seven
different seasons, never got in.
So I’m going to make a YouTube video and I’ll be done with
it.
Matt Nix: But you wanted to bowl as well. Are you actually a
good bowler?
Bruce Campbell: Well bowling, yes, bowling, that was just
one thing.
Jeffrey Donovan: He’s not a good bowler.
Matt Nix: Yes, okay (unintelligible).
Jeffrey Donovan: You would need your stunt double for that
Bruce.
Matt Nix: (Unintelligible). Yes, thank you.
Bruce Campbell: Yes, I’d say Jeffrey you also wanted to have
an episode where you played a full 18 holes of golf on
screen.
Jeffrey Donovan: Exactly.
Bruce Campbell: We were unable to do that. But yes.
Jeffrey Donovan: (Sold my soul) (unintelligible) in four and
a half hours. It was an 18-hole match.
Matt Nix: Yes, I mean actually I have - that’s a - for me
that’s a hard question to answer just because, you know, I
have a book of like the Burn Notice episodes that I was
never able to do.
One thing actually though just being in Miami, there are
certain things that just seemed totally logical to do. But
that you - for various reasons are almost impossible to do.
So like a boat chase, yes, and you need like six boats to
actually do a boat chase so that you have boats on cameras
and then this boat and that boat and three water safety
crews.
And once you actually get into the logistics of doing a real
boat chase that’s, you know, that like it seems like the
most natural thing in the world to do on Burn Notice but it
was something that we - you know we did pieces of boat
chases and little stuff. But we never actually were able to
do that kind of thing.
And also we always joked that we had a - on Burn Notice just
because of our production schedule we were given special
versions of the screenwriting software that would not allow
us to write the word night because we can almost never shoot
anything at night.
So if you watch Burn Notice, like whenever it’s night
they’re almost always inside because, you know, so that
was...
Man: Thank you.
((Crosstalk))
Michelle Alexandria: Okay (unintelligible).
Man: Who?
WoMan: (Unintelligible).
Michelle Alexandria: Hello?
WoMan: (Good).
Michelle Alexandria: Hello?
Man: Hello?
Man: Hello?
Michelle Alexandria: I think lost you for a second there.
Man: So whoever’s not here (unintelligible).
Michelle Alexandria: Hello?
Operator: Ladies - yes. Ms. Alexandria your line is still
open.
And as a reminder ladies and gentlemen to register for a
question please press the 1 followed by the 4.
Michelle Alexandria: Okay. And then I have one more
follow-up question which is for a show like this or any show
that features a hero is it possible for the hero to have a
happy ending?
Jeffrey Donovan: Yes, thank you. I would say that if you’re
telling a story that has - if you’re telling a real story, I
mean and you think about any classical story it’s like the
ending will have both triumph and tragedy in it. You know
what I mean? Like I think if you’re just telling a story
that just has a sad ending, then well that’s a bummer. Like
people don’t - that’s usually not why we go see - go turn on
the TV or go to movies or whatever or read books.
At the same time if it is just happy then it really feels
like the story doesn’t have any weight or consequence. And
so I think that it’s always got to be a mixture of those
two.
Michelle Alexandria: Okay, well thank you.
Operator: Thank you.
Man: Thank you.
Operator: The next question - thank you. The next question
is a follow-up from the line of Hal Boedeker. Please go
ahead.
Hal Boedeker: Oh I’d like to go back to Jeffrey and Bruce.
And just to sort of ask what has the show meant to you?
Bruce Campbell: Go ahead Jeffrey.
Jeffrey Donovan: I’m not - it’s kind of a general and vague
question. Can you be more specific?
Hal Boedeker: Well what does it mean to you and your career?
What has it done for you?
What stands out from you over all the seasons?
Jeffrey Donovan: I don’t know. Bruce, why don’t you take
that one?
Bruce Campbell: It was a great gig is what it was. You know
actors - there’s so many levels to being an actor. One is
trying to get in your local community theater play.
Sometimes that doesn’t even work.
Sometimes you get in a local commercial and you’re happy
because you nailed that.
Sometimes it’s you’re great just because you’re happy to get
an agent. And then once you get the agent can they get you
better jobs? Then if they get you better jobs can you
actually get those jobs?
Burn Notice was a case where it was not just something that
got picked up or ran one or two seasons. It got picked up
and was successful right from the go get. And pretty much we
had seven strong seasons.
So it’s the equivalent of a grand slam homerun. So Jeffrey
and I, I know can basically - we can each put that on our
resume. Same with Matt Nix and anybody else who worked on
the show that they worked on one team that won the World
Series.
And we’ll always have that on our resume. And you can’t take
that away from us. And frankly it makes up for a lot of the
stinkers that we’ve all had in our career.
Hal Boedeker: Jeffrey, anything you want to add?
Jeffrey Donovan: I agree with that.
Hal Boedeker: Thank you.
Bruce Campbell: I will add one little thing though. And I
know you can still at least hear me I think, is that when
you work on a show for seven years you really get to meet a
- you meet a lot of great actors, a lot of great writers, a
lot of great directors and producers.
So it’s really given us all a database in our heads of
people that would be kind of fun to work with in the future.
And normally you wouldn’t get that if you weren’t spending a
long time on a show.
Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from the line
of Jamie Steinberg with Starry Constellation Magazine.
Please go ahead.
Jamie Steinberg: Hi. It’s such a pleasure to speak to - with
you guys and hello from South Florida. We’ll miss seeing you
film here.
Man: We will miss you too and hello.
Man: We will miss you. Yes.
Jamie Steinberg: I was wondering was there any memorabilia
that each of you all took that was special to you at the end
of the finale.
Jeffrey Donovan: I took one (unintelligible).
((Crosstalk))
Bruce Campbell: Is anyone from Fox listening? Yes, that’s...
Man: Yes, (anything) that you took?
Bruce Campbell: I know that I paid for some things so.
Man: What did you buy?
Man: Yes, I mean what did you buy? I mean you...
((Crosstalk))
Man: Buy (from us).
Man: Didn’t you get some shirts?
Bruce Campbell: I bought the best of the best of the shirts
that had the best patterns, that I liked the best. I bought
my jewelry which I found out was the most expensive part of
purchasing that because they actually wound up making them
gold after about the third or fourth season so I was like
wow, those are expensive. They’re like, yes we thought we
had gold instead of a cheesy, you know, plating.
But the most important thing I wanted was it’s a Sam Axe
notebook. It’s a spiral notebook. Sam is a little more old
school where he does jot down actual notes when he’s
listening to people talk on the phone.
So I have a spiral notebook that throughout the last five
years of the show that I used that I put dates. Every time I
did a little notepad, I put the dates on it.
And so to me it’s a little Smithsonian piece that I’m going
to keep that nobody else. It means absolutely nothing to
anyone. And that’s why I like it.
Man: That’s really cool.
Jamie Steinberg: Jeffrey.
Jeffrey Donovan: I - no. I wanted a chair for my lawn.
Bruce Campbell: You didn’t get that?
Jeffrey Donovan: It was a little green chair that had kind
of a silver railing to it, you know, arm rail to it.
Bruce Campbell: Yes, it’s club chair. It was a...
Jeffrey Donovan: And when I - and it was a really great
chair. And I mean I must have sat on it for seven years. And
when I went to the head dresser and I said yes, I’d like to
buy that chair. Where is it? They - I was informed that it
was never Burn Notice’s. It was actually a set decorator’s
chair. He leant it to the show. And when the show’s over he
took it back.
Bruce Campbell: Oh wow.
Jeffrey Donovan: So I didn’t know that our - my living room
on one of the most successful TV shows in USA Cable’s
history was a loaner of.
So I - you know that was the only thing I wanted. But what -
actually no one knows is that I actually own and possess the
one of the most iconic things that was actually on the show.
But I owned it from the get go and that was my original
Oliver Peoples aviators. When we shot...
Bruce Campbell: Oh those were yours?
Jeffrey Donovan: ...the pilot those were my sunglasses. And
when (unintelligible).
((Crosstalk))
Bruce Campbell: See I didn’t know that.
Jeffrey Donovan: ...offered, you know, a choice that was
cleared, I didn’t like any of the glasses. So I said I’d
like to use my own and Matt said, yes, that’s fine with me.
And so we shot the pilot with my own. Then when the series
was picked up they got a replica of it and changed the
lenses so that they would be less reflective.
But the original Michael Westen sunglasses are in my
possession. And I don’t - obviously I don’t wear them
anymore because they’re too iconic and I’d get bothered
everywhere I went. But so I’ll always hold onto those
forever.
WoMan: (Unintelligible).
((Crosstalk))
Bruce Campbell: I also say call sheets.
Jeffrey Donovan: What’s that?
Bruce Campbell: I said call sheets. Those are the little
daily worksheets that has a list of who worked that day and
what scenes you’re doing and where you are. So I save them
like once a week so I know - I have a good document of all
the actors that kind of came and went. It’s just a fun
little record.
Matt Nix: Well that’s a good idea.
Jamie Steinberg: Well that’s a good secret. I’ll keep that
between you and me.
Bruce Campbell: Oh okay.
Matt Nix: I can creep you out actually with what I have
Jeffrey. I actually did not realize this until the last
episode.
But Jeffrey and I are the same suit size and shoe size. So I
was hanging around with one of our (costume)
(unintelligible), you know, and he kept bringing like I
needed shirts for something. They were doing interviews or
something.
And he kept bringing me shirts. And I realized at a certain
point, wait these are all Jeffrey shirts, like I’m wearing
Jeffrey’s wardrobe, right. And he’s like, yes, it doesn’t
really matter because, you know, he’s done with that scene
and he doesn’t need this shirt anymore.
And he kept bringing them. And I was like wait a second,
what size suit is he?
And he was like oh he’s 40 Regular. I was like and what
waist size, inseam?
And they’re - I’ve got to get them taken in a little bit but
I got four of the - I got the tan suit. Like I got four of
the iconic (unintelligible).
Group: Wow.
Jeffrey Donovan: You got the official Michael suits.
Matt Nix: Yes because...
Man: That’s a good one.
Matt Nix: ...I was like well they’re good suits. And I -
there’s no sense not taking them. And a bunch of shoes so I
guess I’m going to have to like wear suits around all the
time now.
But I was like yes, the tan suit, you know, that’s a good
thing to have. I’ll take it.
Man: There’s a good one. That’s a good one.
Jamie Steinberg: Now you have your own Halloween costume.
You have like a Halloween costume for the next few years.
Matt Nix: Yes exactly, totally.
Jamie Steinberg: And what’s next for you and Bruce, Jeffrey.
What’s next for you?
Jeffrey Donovan: I’m resting. I’m resting. Bruce?
Bruce Campbell: You know, we’re actors that we’re fortunate
enough to work before Burn Notice. Hopefully we’ll be
fortunate enough to work after.
So there’s a bunch of stuff floating around but anything I
mention today would all be bologna because it can’t be
confirmed.
Jamie Steinberg: Great. Thank you guys so much for all the
memories.
Bruce Campbell: Thank you.
Man: Thank you.
Operator: Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen as a reminder to
register for a question please press the 1 followed by the
4.
The next question comes from the line of Joshua Maloney with
Niagara Frontier Publications. Please go ahead.
Joshua Maloney: Hi guys. Thanks for your time, appreciate
it.
So Jeffrey my question is for you. When we spoke before and
you speculated about whether there would be a seventh season
you sort of imagined that Michael was going to have to go a
dark place.
Now that you’ve actually done that I’m wondering what that
process was like for you as an actor.
Jeffrey Donovan: I was right about something? Holy shit.
Yes. I think that the reality of the season was a lot harder
than I imagined. And I give Matt and his team of writers a
lot of credit for taking not only the audience but me the
actor down a path that was incredibly difficult.
You know one of the things that Matt and I have always
talked about was what’s underneath, you know, what’s the -
when you peel away these layers of the onion, you know,
what’s at the core of Michael, and that journey was in the
seventh season.
And what we find is a, you know, no, I’m not being - trying
to be funny but it’s a frightened little boy.
And I’m not sure if I even knew that when I started the
pilot with Matt. But no, with anything the seven year
marriage with Matt and writers, it was a world of discovery
that was really just an incredible joy to pursue.
And a lot harder I think to pull it off in the end. It
certainly tested my abilities. And I think that Matt might
even feel like it tested his ability but I think when you
come - when you push yourself to create something that
you’ve never done before it’s - if you do it right I think
it can - you can pull something off pretty magical.
And I feel - that’s what I feel like we pulled off something
magical for our final season.
Joshua Maloney: All right. And Bruce let me ask you. What do
you think about the fact that Sam has sort of become the
responsible one in that group? Does that sort of surprise
you?
Bruce Campbell: I like it. Because, you know, reporters, the
first couple seasons were like so you’re the guy that rats
on Mike, you know. I’m like shut up with that already. He’s
done with that. You know characters grow. Sam was worried
about his pension. You would be too.
So yes. Nice to have him - any character grow from the, you
know, fun loving guy to the guy who actually really is
concerned for everybody.
And everybody has their own moral strength. I’m glad to see
that Sam had a pretty good moral core. You know he knew when
something was really bad and that it’s a gut feeling. And
everybody has it.
So I think each character at one point or another was there
to help, you know, it takes a village to raise a spy so I
think that’s kind of theory.
Joshua Maloney: All right, thanks guys, appreciate it. And
thanks for a great series too, really appreciate that.
Bruce Campbell: Thank you.
Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from the line
of Suzanne Lanoue with the TV MegaSite. Please go ahead.
Suzanne Lanoue: Hi. Thanks for speaking with us and thank
you for all the many years that you’ve spoken with us. I
really appreciate it.
Man: Of course.
Suzanne Lanoue: And I’m really going to miss the show. And
but you guys have done an outstanding job this season.
And I really think you’re all very underrated for the job
that you do.
What do you miss most about...?
Man: Wait, say that again. Could you say that one more time?
Suzanne Lanoue: You’re underrated. Underrated actors and...
Man: Thank you. I appreciate that.
Suzanne Lanoue: ...writers.
Man: I just wanted to hear that.
Suzanne Lanoue: Very much.
Man: I just wanted to hear - you say that one more time.
Suzanne Lanoue: You want me to say it...
Man: I actually heard you clearly the first time.
Suzanne Lanoue: Very much. What will each of you miss the
most about working on the show and what will you miss the
least?
Man: Gentlemen.
Matt Nix: Well, you know, for me I think the thing that I’ll
miss the most is just there’s this opportunity like, you
know, you get - as a writer, you know, you get struck by
some idea or something you want to do or whatever.
And, you know, when you’re running a show like Burn Notice
we’re really able to do a new kind of thing each week. You
know we could do - and there’s always like, there was always
going to be action in it. There was always going to - you
know it’s the same characters.
But, you know, like one episode could be on an island and,
you know, dealing with a bunch of guys, you know, bunch of
mercenaries and the next thing could be in the middle of
the, you know, the center of a city and very intimate. And
could do something where they’re all locked in one building
or, you know, all sorts of things.
And the opportunity to just come up with an idea and then
make it happen, you know, it’s - even if I were to do
another show it’s hard to picture having another show with
that kind of narrative freedom.
And also just, you know, the opportunity to write these
characters that I’ve come to know so well. So I’ll miss that
enormously.
I think the thing that I’ll, you know, miss the least is the
- and this probably true for everybody, just the schedule of
banging out an episode of Burn Notice every week is, you
know, is pretty punishing and for everybody.
And, you know, our episodes were always so overstuffed. And
I think that’s kind of like one of the things that made us
successful but it was also something that made it very hard
on the actors and on the writers because, you know, every -
can be told every single week. Ah yes, we can’t do this
episode.
And then, I mean by people who were doing their jobs, you
know, and then realize okay, we got to cut this. We got to
figure this out. We got to do that. It was a tough process.
So, you know, it’s kind of two sides of the same coin
really.
Mr. Donovan?
Jeffrey Donovan: I’m going to miss the most my salary.
Man: For once an honest answer.
Suzanne Lanoue: Yes.
Jeffrey Donovan: How, you know, how much it just gave me
pleasure. How it just (unintelligible).
((Crosstalk))
Man: You receive money.
Jeffrey Donovan: And a ton of it every week on the seventh
and on a hit show that is global.
Man: Nice.
Jeffrey Donovan: The thing I’ll miss the least, you know,
there’s - every actor has his own or his or her own
idiosyncrasies and mine was to be quite frank, I - we all
knew how hard the show was since the beginning. And we knew
how difficult it was to pull off like Matt said weekly.
So the thing that was the most difficult was always some new
guy that just showed up. You know and said I love your show.
I can’t wait to work on it.
And then they showed up. And we said hey it’s going to be a
lot harder than you think. And on the first day they
underestimated how difficult.
And, you know, by the end of the day you’re, you know,
you’re puffing them full of fluids. And you’re putting ice
packs on the back of their neck because they’re literally
dying from exhaustion.
So, you know, a hardest thing to always watch was anyone who
ever thought that this show was easy to do because you
watched it. And then seeing them just, you know, fail
miserably on their first day but then they - then on the
second day we all picked them up and they - and we gave them
a slap on the back and said, you can get back in there.
And they always kind of fulfilled the commitment but that
was always just kind of the hardest thing was initiating the
uninitiated.
Bruce Campbell: I guess from my - I would say I miss most
the unique nature of the show because I swore on a deck of
bibles that I would not do a doctor show, a lawyer show or a
cop show because they drive me insane. And I would hang
myself in my trailer season two if I did those types of
shows.
It’s just the way I’m wired. I like Burn Notice because it
wasn’t any of those shows. We’re cops but we’re cooler than
cops where we help people. We save lives but we’re not
boring like doctors are boring.
And the most boring of all is a lawyer who deals with legal
stuff all the time. We deal with legal stuff every single
day. We break laws every single day on Burn Notice but we
never do anything wrong.
And so I just - there’s very few shows that were like it.
I’m referring to it in the past tense now.
So I will mostly miss that because it’s going to take a
while to find another gig that is as interesting and complex
and not boring.
I won’t miss the heat.
Suzanne Lanoue: I thought you guys were going to say yogurt
would be the thing you’d miss the least.
Jeffrey Donovan: Oh no. It’s like a commercial. You know you
take a bite and spit in a bucket.
Suzanne Lanoue: Okay. Well thank you very much.
Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from the line
of Jamie Ruby with scifivision.com. Please go ahead.
Jamie Ruby: Hi guys. Thanks so much for talking to us today.
Not knowing obviously if I’m guessing when the main
character is going to die, not knowing about that or what
happens, I’m curious, do you guys think that Michael can
ever kind of walk away from the life he has even if he has
the choice and he can be with seeing all that? Is that in
him or is it kind of engrained in him to be the way he is
and be helping everybody and doing this kind of job?
Jeffrey Donovan: Have you seen the last two episodes?
Jamie Ruby: No I have not.
Jeffrey Donovan: I mean I think Matt appreciates how
difficult of a question that is. I think that what is
displayed in the last episode is who (Michael is).
And the kind of ambiguous nature of a spy is always going to
lend itself to the question of is he honest about choices he
makes or is it for God and country or whatever, you know,
the statement might be.
But I think that, you know, you can take Michael out of
Miami and out of the CIA but I don’t think you can ever take
the hero out of Michael. And I know that sounds corny but I
think that when Michael is put in a situation where he has
to save someone, he’ll never walk away from that situation.
But if he had a choice professionally as far as career I
think he could walk away from his job with the government.
Matt?
Matt Nix: Yes. I agree. I mean I think that a big
(unintelligible) particularly in the last (unintelligible)
what he does. Like what is the nature of that compulsion.
And the - you know and as you go back to the origins of the
series, it was always (unintelligible) you know
(unintelligible).
And our (take) from that got more and more as we
(unintelligible) well it’s not that he’s a nice guy. Like
something’s going on with this guy that he’s like constantly
putting himself in (you know) danger for all sorts of
reasons he doesn’t (unintelligible).
Where does that (unintelligible)?
Jeffrey Donovan: Hey Matt, I don’t know if you know this but
you’re breaking up. I think you might be on a (cell phone).
((Crosstalk))
Matt Nix: Oh sorry. Can you hear me now?
Jeffrey Donovan: I only heard about every fourth word.
Suzanne Lanoue: Yes, me too.
Matt Nix: Oh okay. (It’s what Jeffrey said).
Jeffrey Donovan: No. You still broke up Matt.
Emily Spitale: I think you said what Jeffrey said.
Matt Nix: Yes. I agree with what Jeffrey said in that case
if you can’t hear me.
Jeffrey Donovan: Just put quotes around my quote and then
attribute it to Matt.
Matt Nix: Yes, exactly. Yes, perfect.
Suzanne Lanoue: Okay. And then secondly, what do you both or
sorry, all three of you think that you’ve learned most about
yourself since starting the show?
Jeffrey Donovan: Have you learned anything Bruce?
Bruce Campbell: Oh boy. No. Things that I suspected just
came true.
Suzanne Lanoue: Okay.
Jeffrey Donovan: That I’m an amazing actor.
Bruce Campbell: Yes. Yes, that all that surprised me. Yes,
of course. You learn something basically every day, some way
to spin something, some way to end a scene, some way to put
a little button on something.
So, you know, you’re always thinking. And we’re grateful to
Matt and the writers for being, you know, fluid with our
inabilities in certain cases and poor memory and stuff like
that.
So, you know, we learned how to survive. We learned - no,
here’s what it is. We learned how to do this show in seven
days and that’s a lot to learn. That’s a big learning curve.
And I want to find the idiot who did the first episode in
seven days because I’m going to kill him.
Jeffrey Donovan: I think that would be Matt.
Bruce Campbell: No. No, somebody...
Matt Nix: Yes.
Bruce Campbell: ...broke that precedent. All the other shows
I did were eight days to do the same amount.
Matt Nix: Eight days, yes.
Bruce Campbell: And some genius came in and said I can do it
in seven so I want to find that person.
Matt Nix: I’d say for me, can you hear me okay now?
Jeffrey Donovan: Yes.
Suzanne Lanoue: Yes.
Matt Nix: Okay. I’d say for me that what I really learned
was that sort of how far or what I sort of had creatively
when I was pressed. You know what I mean like the - because
the way the show was done and it wasn’t just the schedule
though that had a lot to do with it but it was, you know,
having Jeffrey call up and say, you know, I don’t think this
scene is working. I think we should do this a different way.
Or I want this out because (do this) or having Bruce.
And it just feel like, you know, you’re like being
challenged by the actors and finding that even when I really
didn’t feel like I could do it, like I didn’t feel like I
had the answer, that if you just sort of trust yourself and,
you know, reach inside yourself or, you know, at least my
experience was, you know, just kind of trusting the process
and going like, okay, well this is going to work out. It’s
going to be challenging and I’m going to have to figure
something out.
And if I dig deep and I really - and I’m willing to take a
risk and, you know, then we’re going to find something fun.
And at the beginning of the series there was always this
panic. Like it was going to like everything was going to
fall apart.
And by the end, you know, I felt like I sort of learned how
to do that. You know and just trust that we could make
something cool if we all kind of knuckled down and worked
together and breathed deeply through the panic.
Suzanne Lanoue: Okay, great.
Operator: Thank you.
Suzanne Lanoue: Jeffrey, anything?
Emily Spitale: And we’re going to take our last question
now.
Operator: Certainly. The last question for today comes from
the line of Michelle Alexandria with Eclipse Magazine.
Please go ahead.
Michelle Alexandria: Oh no. Going to ask Burn Notice
question ever. A lot of pressure.
My last question for you guys is you have amazing series of
cast members over the years. Can you guys talk a little bit
about who your favorites were and why?
Man: Gentlemen.
Matt Nix: For me I’d say like my favorite - I have tons of
favorites over the years. And there were a lot of really
like (unintelligible) actors. The people that I tend to
think about the most in terms of guest cast were the big
foils to Michael. Because those were always, you know, like
for a one episode fill-in might be or guest actor of any
kind might be interesting. But you’re not generally
exploring a character over time, that kind of thing.
And we were lucky to get Garret Dillahunt to play Simon was
a really fun one. Jay Karnes who played Brennen came back a
number of times. Tim Matheson who played Larry.
You know the opportunity sort of to explore villainy like
less as a dramatic conceit and really more in terms of
character like who are these guys. What motivates them.
Tricia Helfer who played Carla in the second season was
magnificent.
I’m leaving a bunch of people out. But those - actually JP
who plays James in this season is also, you know, has done a
great job.
So really exploring those motivations and going on that
journey with an actor. And we’ve been blessed to have a lot
of great ones.
What about you guys?
Jeffrey Donovan: Yes, Jay Karnes...
Man: And Bruce.
Jeffrey Donovan: ...only because it was the first time Matt
had ever written a character that was smarter than Michael.
And that was always the kind of precedent that no one in the
room was ever smarter than Michael Westen.
And Matt did a cool - wrote a character that was smarter
than Michael. But his ego kind of got in his way which was
his downfall.
But, you know, I love Jay Karnes. But as far as craziest
villains, Garret Dillahunt. His Simon, the tweets that I
read about how - what a great thing to bring him back and
then what a clever thing that Matt and the writers did about
ending, you know, spoiler alert, his life.
And showing kind of what Michael can be as a monster was
just a great flag in the history of Burn Notice.
Bruce Campbell: The great Jack Coleman as well. You know
playing the conflicted CIA guy. I just enjoyed Jack so much
mostly as a person but his character was a lot of fun to
watch because things were happening left and right around
him and he was always, get Langley on the phone. He was
always mad, you know.
So we’d show up on set and go hey are we going to hell at
each other today? He’s like yes, I think we are. Like let’s
do it.
And John C. McGinley was very good. And you’re right, Tim
Matheson was definitely one of the best. You know Larry was
a great recurring, just really troublesome bad guy.
And I think, you know, for actors bad guys are sometimes -
those are the best parts to play because you can really chew
it up. And Tim Matheson certainly did.
Emily Spitale: Great. It’s Emily. I’m going to say - I’m
going to just interrupt here and say thank you to Matt and
Jeffrey and Bruce. And sorry to cut this but we have to let
these guys go.
PLEASE JOIN
BURN NOTICE’S
JEFFREY DONOVAN, BRUCE
CAMPBELL AND SERIES CREATOR MATT NIX
ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER
4 AT 12:00PM PT /3:00PM
ET
TO DISCUSS EXPLOSIVE AND SHOCKING SERIES FINALE
In the must see explosive
BURN NOTICE
series finale, Michael
Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) finds himself at the end of the
road. Still at odds with the CIA and unable to forgive
himself for betraying his team, he will need to regain
the trust of those closest to him to finish what he
started. However, in order to face the last of his
demons some sacrifices must be made and lives risked.
BURN
NOTICE stars Jeffrey Donovan,
Gabrielle Anwar, Bruce Campbell, Sharon Gless and Coby
Bell and was created, written and executive produced by
Matt Nix.
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