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By
Suzanne
 
Interview with David Hewlett and Robert Picardo of "Moorlocks" on
Syfy 9/21/11
NBC UNIVERSAL
Moderator: Gary Morganstein
September 21, 2011 1:00 pm CT
Operator: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by. Welcome to
the Syfy Original Movie Morlocks 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 any time during the conference you need to reach an
operator, please press star 0. As a reminder, this conference is being
recorded today, Wednesday, September 21, 2011.
It is now my pleasure to turn the conference over to Gary Morganstein
from Syfy. Please go ahead.
Gary Morganstein: Welcome everyone. Thank you for joining the call.
Morlocks, the Saturday Original Movie will premier this Saturday,
September 24 at 9:00 pm, and I’m delighted to welcome the stars, David
Hewlett and Robert Picardo.
Thanks for joining us, guys.
David Hewlett: Pleasure indeed.
Robert Picardo: Yeah, it’s my pleasure. Thank you.
Gary Morganstein: (Sharon), would you please put forward the first
reporter?
Operator: Ladies and gentlemen, to register a question, please press the
1 followed by the 4.
And our first question is from Jamie Ruby with Sci-FiVision.com. Please
proceed.
Jamie Ruby: Hi, guys. Thanks so much for talking to us today.
Robert Picardo: Oh, it’s our pleasure
David Hewlett: We love talking.
Jamie Ruby: So - great, so do I. So first, why don’t you just kind of
explain, you know, you characters and what the movie’s about and all
that?
David Hewlett: Robert, you want to go first?
Robert Picardo: David plays the point of view character, so why don’t
you go first while I furiously think.
David Hewlett: So you can quickly jot some notes down. Well, yeah, I
guess again I find myself playing the somewhat grumpy scientist; strange
how that happens. And basically James Radnor is a scientist who has
developed a way of jumping through time basically, but he doesn’t
realize that he’s actually succeeded in his mission. He thinks he’s
failed and basically killed the last team that tried it out.
So we basically find him at the beginning of the film, he’s resorted to
writing fiction books about what he’s actually done and that’s where we
find him and where he gets sucked backed into this time machine program.
Jamie Ruby: Okay, great.
Robert Picardo: And as far as I’m concerned, I guess I’m playing the
cantankerous commander once again, but that’s about as far as the
similarity with Woolsey on Stargate would go. This guy is old military
and he’s the commander of this base, but he’s been being driven a little
mad by the fact that his son, who’s also in the service is dying of
cancer and he becomes quite irrational and decides that the clue to
saving his son’s life may exist in this DNA from these super powerful
creatures in the future.
So, I guess you could say that he creates the time paradox of the piece
by trying to steal genetic information from the future to save his son
in the present.
Jamie Ruby: All right. Now, this...
David Hewlett: Time paradox, that’s pretty heavy stuff there.
Robert Picardo: Well, I have all that Star Trek stuff going for me too,
so I know this stuff inside out.
David Hewlett: Of course. Of course.
Jamie Ruby: I just wanted to ask you...
David Hewlett: I thought it was just (gravy).
Jamie Ruby: ...obviously the idea of the Morlocks comes from the time
machine and everything, but it sounds like from what you’re saying, at
least from what I remember of the original movie, it’s not really a
remake. Is that - it’s just kind of using..
David Hewlett: No, no, I...
Jamie Ruby: ...some of the same...
David Hewlett: ...would say very, very, very, very loosely are we
associated with the original time machine.
Robert Picardo: And I would say it would be easier for H.G. Wells to
recognize a television than recognize his own story here.
David Hewlett: Absolutely, very nice, yes. The odds of...
Jamie Ruby: All right.
David Hewlett: ...Bulgaria.
Jamie Ruby: And then lastly, how did you guys become involved in the
film?
David Hewlett: Well, as soon as I knew Robert was doing it you know I’m
there.
Robert Picardo: I just...
David Hewlett: You know, because Robert...
Robert Picardo: ...wanted to be colder than I’ve ever been before and
shooting a movie on an unheated sound stage in Bulgaria in the middle of
winter sounded like just the ticket for me.
David Hewlett: Yeah, he eventually had to go outside to get warmer
because the studio was actually colder than it was outside because at
least outside the (odd bit) of sun would show. Yeah, I think we’re just
gluttons for punishment, basically, aren’t we Robert? We can do, “Oh
that’ll be unpleasant. Sure, sign me up.”
Robert Picardo: David, I have to say the only warmth that was generated
was when I would laugh at David’s jokes between takes. My body would
sort of convulse with laughter and that generated a tiny bit of heat.
David Hewlett: If I hadn’t met my wife before Robert, I would have
married Robert because he laughs at my jokes almost as much as Jane
does.
Robert Picardo: Can you imagine what our children would look like? But
that - no that’s a little weird.
David Hewlett: I hear you.
Robert Picardo: He has a...
David Hewlett: I’m guessing not...
Robert Picardo: ...very beautiful son now (and I think)...
David Hewlett: ...a lot of hair.
Jamie Ruby: Thank you.
David Hewlett: In fact, they’d look just like Morlocks basically with
the...
Robert Picardo: Well, this could be the hidden story behind the story of
Morlocks.
David Hewlett: In the sequels of the sequels, yes.
Operator: Our next question is from Kenn Gold with MediaBlvd. Please
proceed.
David Hewlett: Hello, Kenn.
Kenn Gold: Thank you, gentlemen. Hi, thank you for your time today. It’s
great to talk to you both.
Robert Picardo: Sure.
Kenn Gold: (Well, this follow-up) kind of on the question Jamie just
asked and she asked kind of how you got involved, and I just wonder if
you could talk maybe a little bit higher level. And what I’m getting at
here is you’re both really well established in science fiction
obviously, and on the Syfy Channel. And I was wondering when a project
like this comes up do they just come to you with a script and say, “Hey,
would you like to do this,” or is there any kind of an audition that you
still have to go through for something like this, or how does that work
out?
David Hewlett: I auditioned every day to keep the job.
Robert Picardo: David and I do enjoy, I guess, being a little flippant
sometimes in our answers. But in all truth, I mean as far as my
relationship with the project, I think that the Syfy Channel has a list
of actors that are well-known to their audience from - and most of them
having appeared in other science fiction series.
David was on board first. He plays basically the lead in the piece so
when I got the call saying, “They’ve offered you this role and one of
your Stargate co-stars will be playing the other part.” And I found it
was David then I knew that it would be a lot of fun to work with him
again, and also I thought it was interesting to play a character who was
basically being driven insane for an emotional reasons. It’s unusual to
play a hard ass military guy who’s lost control of his judgment because
of an emotional reason.
So, it sounded like a fun thing to do and I love to go to Europe and
I’ve heard about Bulgaria. I’d never shot there before. So, those were
the main reasons. Also, it was right before Christmas so it got me out
of Christmas shopping with my wife.
David Hewlett: Sweet. You’re like the Grinch, like an actor acting
Grinch. Yeah, I mean that’s basically the same for me. I got a call -
I’ve done a couple of shows out in Bulgaria before and I have this sort
of twisted love for shooting out there because it is a truly unique
experience. I mean, it’s unlike anything you experience in North America
for good and bad.
But, it reminded me pretty much of the old days of making films with my
friends where it’s basically just seat of your pants-type of shooting
many of the time. And for some reason, maybe it’s like childbirth, you
forget it - you forget the pain and so you come back and have another
one. At least that’s what (my wife will go with).
So yeah, I’ve done a couple of them before and got the call about this
and it just seemed like fun. They always are fun. I mean, they are what
they are. They are they don’t aspire to artistic genius; they’re just a
bit of fun to watch and a nice little sort of roller coaster ride.
There’s some fun monsters and lots of shooting and blood and stuff. You
know, the stuff that I like watching, so...
Kenn Gold: Okay, great. And then, could you maybe just talk about - for
both of you, what was your, I don’t know, I guess most favorite part or
the funnest experience you had on this particular movie filming in
Bulgaria, or was there one thing that really stands out?
Robert Picardo: Again, first of all, we worked with some really
talented, wonderful British actors let by Christina Cole who plays
David’s ex-wife. And I mean I - sort of ongoing...
David Hewlett: Amazing actress.
Robert Picardo: ...romantic interest. Yeah, she’s terrific, yeah.
David Hewlett: Yeah.
Robert Picardo: And there were a number of British actors, forgive me
for not mentioning their names at the...
David Hewlett: Well, there’s Hamish Clark and Ray Fearon, Jim Fyfe, Iain
McKee, and a (fellow American) called (Unintelligible) as well as
another one, so - I looked them up.
Robert Picardo: Oh, look at him. Isn’t it wonderful he does his homework
for an interview? I...
David Hewlett: Well, there were...
Robert Picardo: ...appreciate that, David, you’re making us look good.
But, there were...
David Hewlett: Well, I would - you know, honestly I wouldn’t do it.
Robert Picardo: ...they - all I remember is they were all - they were
terrifically...
David Hewlett: I was going to say, I wouldn’t do it for most of the
people, but these guys were just fantastic. I mean, they were...
Robert Picardo: Yeah.
David Hewlett: ...a fantastic bunch.
Robert Picardo: There you have it, they were all unique and very strong.
And so, the experience of working with them and again the work
conditions were tough with the weather, so we all had to kind of bond
together and keep it light too because it was so cold and there was
steam pouring out of our mouths at every moment.
So, my main recollection is that we did laugh a lot between takes. They
were - like any creature movie you’re reacting a lot of time to things
that are going to be put in later, and I think given our respective
experience in Sci-Fi series television, David and I are used to looking
at nothing and responding as if...
David Hewlett: And working with nothing.
Robert Picardo: ...there’s something there. So, I remember principally,
as I said, the laughter, the jokes, the - and the fact that Bulgarians
still smoke very heavily on the set.
David Hewlett: It’s like their patriotic duty, basically, to smoke at
all times.
Robert Picardo: Right. Second hand smoke is their main gift to you as a
visitor.
David Hewlett: Yeah, so we had to go again because the cinematographer
had the cigarette in front of the lens and that kind of stuff.
Yeah, I think two sort of favorite things for me, (unintelligible) -
some for horror and just some for humor was, I mean everyone had such a
great sense of humor about it. And the British actors are so fantastic
because they’re like a part of the crew. There’s not that sort of, “Oh,
we’re challenged,” they’re like trained crew members basically, so they
approach the acting that way.
And as a result they’re just fantastic fun and good sports about it all,
which is not always the case. I don’t know how you found this, but not
always the case in sort of Hollywood stuff. I don’t know, but anyway so
that was the (unintelligible). But, a couple things that stood out for
me, one which I’m sure Robert will love me bringing up was Robert
falling through the time rift.
Remember that - where you have to scream? He has to scream and wave his
arms in front of a green screen...
Robert Picardo: Yeah, I’m really not looking...
David Hewlett: ...and I insisted on standing there, you know?
Robert Picardo: I’m not looking forward to seeing...
David Hewlett: I stood there and watched...
Robert Picardo: ...that shot because also, you know...
David Hewlett: It worked…
((Crosstalk))
Robert Picardo: ...the effects are done on a budget, so I’m sure that
whatever they put around me while I’m screaming I was hoping it would
cover me up. So, I have not seen it yet, so that is a...
David Hewlett: You know what, it’s so short. It’s so quick. Because I
was looking for it, because I was waiting for it, because I was hoping
to tease you ruthlessly about it today, but it’s actually really brief
and it looks really good. Like, it’s got the whole...
Robert Picardo: So David, you’ve actually seen the movie?
David Hewlett: I cheated. I called and got the screener so I could watch
it last night.
Robert Picardo: Oh, good for you. See, I told you, he’s totally prepared
for this. Now, at least I’m working on stage at night, so I have a
reason for not (seeing)…
((Crosstalk))
David Hewlett: Yeah, you’re busy. You have like a life and a career and
stuff. I’ve given up on all that, so I just go back and watch all the
old films I’ve done.
Robert Picardo: You can tell he makes me laugh, guys.
David Hewlett: You’re in Cabaret now. Robert was nice enough to send me
an email, even though he knows that singing, dancing, and stage plays
are not generally something that I do. But yeah, you’re like busy all
the time now? So, the other...
Robert Picardo: I am working at night in Cabaret and Rachel Luttrell,
fellow Stargate alumnus, came to see it and gave me a great review, so
you could call her and she’ll talk you into it.
David Hewlett: She’s such a suck up. I can’t believe that woman. The
other thing that leaps to mind about having fun, or not really having
fun, but was amusing, was there’s a fantastic blood cannon that they
love to use on these things, and so Christina and I got to stand in
front of this blood cannon and basically got shot in the face with about
40 buckets worth of chuck meat, you know?
So strangely, I found that so much fun that I used it again when I was
back directing the next one, so I could then basically fire it at other
actors instead and get my aggressions out that way, but yeah those are
two things. It was poor Robert standing there in front a green screen
waving his arms going, “Ahhh,” and then this flying meat coming at me at
like 400 miles an hour.
Robert Picardo: Well, those are interesting. All of these are potential
career killers. David has seen the movie, I haven’t, but you can be sure
that it’s probably better to talk about that particular moment from the
point of view of innocence.
Kenn Gold: Great. I’ll let somebody else jump in here.
David Hewlett: Sorry, what was that?
Kenn Gold: No, I just said I’ll let somebody else jump in with a
question.
Robert Picardo: Sure.
Operator: Our next question is from Jamie Steinberg with Starry
Constellation Magazine. Please proceed.
Jamie Steinberg: Hi, it’s a pleasure to speak with both of you.
Robert Picardo: Thank you, Jamie. You sound familiar...
David Hewlett: Our pleasure to speak back.
Robert Picardo: ...I think we’ve spoken before. You’re...
Jamie Steinberg: I’m sure we have. My first question is where do you get
that great latte art, David?
David Hewlett: There was a little place in - sorry, Robert - because I
have, as I say, no life or career, I take photographs of the things that
people do on the top of the lattes that I ordered when I was living in
Point Roberts. And there was this woman in (Towastin) who would do these
amazing little sort of creatures and stuff, I guess like gorillas and
monkeys and stuff.
I took photos basically to show my son, but then ended up just sort of
tweeting them because I was so amused at how much time - well, it got to
the point basically the coffee was so cold by the time I got it because
of the amount of time she took doing these little art things, but yeah
she’s amazing, you know?
Jamie Steinberg: Well, what can you guys tell us was the most
challenging aspect of filming this film?
David Hewlett: Staying alive.
Robert Picardo: Well, aside from the cold...
Jamie Steinberg: Smoke from the Bulgarians.
Robert Picardo: ...and the constant use of imagination to guess what
you’re reacting to, I remember that being transported to and from the
set in these very old vehicles off very kind of rough terrain and rough
roads was a little scary. I remember going home at night that we were
sometimes praying in the backseat of the vehicle.
Do you recall the same, David?
David Hewlett: Oh my God. I resorted to having very large, they call
them happy teas. It’s basically just brandy with a tiny drop of hot
water in it and I would put back a giant one of those in the hopes of
being comatose enough on the drive home that I wasn’t going to like
throw up or basically have a heart attack and die. So, it’s a whole
different...
((Crosstalk))
David Hewlett: ...style of driving.
Robert Picardo: Yeah, the biggest challenge was really getting to the
set and getting home, rather than what happened there.
David Hewlett: Yeah, and just fighting not be in the front seat, because
you know that you’re first one dead. Yeah…
((Crosstalk))
Robert Picardo: You’re the first one to get propelled through the
windshield 250 feet…
((Crosstalk))
David Hewlett: …yeah. Yeah, I think, Robert, you hit it on the head
there. It’s the combination of environment because it was incredibly
cold, and also just trying to work with things that aren’t there. I
mean, there was a lot of Morlocks running around and trying to keep
track of who were Morlocks and who were just Bulgarians, and who are we
supposed to be looking at at the right time.
And also, frankly keeping a straight face. I mean Robert and I have a
lot of fun on set and I think it’s always nice to have sort of a sparkle
in your eye having just cracked some silly joke, and then having to
force it - your things together for the scene adds a wonderful sense of
sort of tension (and like the thing). But at the same time you’re
fighting the instinct to sort of giggle, or in my case make some kind of
rude comment about Robert’s acting.
Robert Picardo: I would say that there’s one other challenge to working
in Bulgaria that David and I as happily married men, I don’t have to say
this, but I noticed some of our British compatriots who were single did,
and that is that all Bulgarian women look like super models. So, it does
affect...
David Hewlett: Yeah, what’s with that?
Robert Picardo: It’s unbelievable. I had a friend who worked there,
another actor friend who when he was being driven from the airport the
cab driver said, “In Bulgaria, all the women look like super models.”
And then, he said he kind of laughed at that like, “Yeah, right, buddy,”
and got dropped off and went into the hotel lobby and realized that it
was true. They are just some of the most attractive women in the world.
So as I said, this did not affect David and my concentration, but I
noticed it was an issue on some of the other actors focus.
David Hewlett: That is very true; very true, yes.
Jamie Steinberg: What do you think it is about this movie that’ll make
people tune in to watch?
David Hewlett: Robert Picardo.
Robert Picardo: David Hewlett. I’m hoping that because it is very
loosely based on the H.G. Wells - some concepts taken from a great
classic novel, but nonetheless, the Morlocks are some very fearsome
creatures that were created in this classic novel many, many years ago.
So, I think that our main hook is that people are interested in seeing a
story about these future creatures that have been reduced either by a
toxic society or some sort of weird natural selection in the future that
have been reduced to these very powerful soulless, vicious, creatures.
It’s a little like what’s happening in our political discourse at the
moment, but the - (under the dullness) remains that analogy.
David Hewlett: Boy, you really elevated it. That’s amazing. I was just
going to say, it really is just a fun ride. I mean, there’s just so much
going on. I mean, Mad Matt Cob who directed it is a fantastic fellow who
does a lot of contextual art and stuff for big, huge films and fantastic
artist, and he’s directed a couple of these things and he directed ours.
Like if it’s not a Morlock it’s like some weird looking chicken thing,
it’s just kind of non-stop fun. So, I think there’s definitely some
Sci-Fi stuff that you can enjoy in there, but I think it’s just sort of
settle back with a nice big thing of popcorn. I like putting a little
bit of the hot sauce on it, and then just enjoy the ride.
And truly Picardo, Robert, you are a wonderful, mad military type.
Robert Picardo: Well, I didn’t have the opportunity to see it. I only am
remembering back to David’s very funny and charming performance. So,
unfortunately because I was playing this particular character did not
have a lot of laughs, or intentional laughs otherwise, but David’s
character has a lot of wry, throw away comments, which provide a lot of
the fun in the movie.
As I said, I think probably the only funny moment I have is the
unintentionally hilarious moment in front of the green screen where I’m
being sucked into the time rift, but I haven’t seen it yet.
Jamie Steinberg: Thank you.
David Hewlett: Yeah, look - you guys can look for it now, now that we’ve
mentioned it and brought it up...
((Crosstalk))
Jamie Steinberg: That’s right.
Robert Picardo: Yeah, I think anybody who knows our work from other
science fiction will definitely want to see us going in and out of time
rifts because it’s an opportunity that may not come again.
David Hewlett: Yeah, true.
Jamie Steinberg: Well, thank you guys so much for your time.
Robert Picardo: Thank you.
David Hewlett: Oh, God, pleasure it is Jamie.
Operator: Our next question is from Chris Boyd with Hollywood Junket.
Please proceed.
Chris Boyd: Hello, Robert. Hello, David.
Robert Picardo: Hey, Chris.
David Hewlett: Hello.
Chris Boyd: So, I have to say that as a fan it is a real treat to see
you guys, two legends of the Sci-Fi world working together again to
bring new life to a classic story.
Robert Picardo: Well, I couldn’t have said it any better than that. Can
we call that my quote?
Chris Boyd: Sure. So, I’d like to know about the time machine itself,
because it was such a centerpiece in the original story. How does the
time traveling supposedly occur in this new version?
David Hewlett: It’s using the latch. We’re using a mechanism called the
latch, which basically opens the rift. And as a result, when the last
goes missing it’s essential that we go and basically retrieve it
otherwise it’s going to in this case it’s open - it’s not functioning
properly so it’s opening erratically now and again and causing all sorts
of chaos.
But the latch is the key and the latch is what my character basically
invented, though it didn’t work, and then as we discovered in this film
that it obviously did work and in fact it is being used for evil
purposes by people like Robert Picardo, (Wichita).
Robert Picardo: So from David’s perspective it is vindicating him for
having suffered a certain amount of ridicule for creating this thing
that may or that apparently didn’t succeed. So he gets to vindicate his
work, but also redeem the thing itself because it’s being used for an
apparently evil purpose.
Again, and my character is using it, yes, in a very self-centered way,
but at least there’s the emotional justification I guess that he’s gone
off the deep end because of his son’s imminent death from this very
aggressive cancer.
Chris Boyd: (Unintelligible)...
David Hewlett: It’s a nice little emotional attachment and a nice little
sort of emotional twist on the actual science of it as well. The science
is being used to cure cancer in this guys’ mind.
Chris Boyd: (Unintelligible)...
Robert Picardo: But, I’m out of my mind. I emphasize that I am crazy.
David Hewlett: And you’re - and his character too.
Chris Boyd: Typecasting, huh?
Robert Picardo: David knows that’s...
Chris Boyd: So...
Robert Picardo: David knows in real life that if we had to point to one
of us as being crazier than the other, then most of our acquaintances
would definitely not be pointing in this particular direction.
David Hewlett: No comment.
Chris Boyd: Oh, that’s great, guys. I noticed that in the preview the
first one I saw it didn’t have a Morlock monster in it, it had something
that looked more like a dinosaur, are there other creatures that you
encounter through the rift?
David Hewlett: Yes. Yes. There are these - I refer to them as the evil
chickens, but they are these sort of giant sort of flightless birds that
are scavengers basically. Those are one of the evil things that we have
to avoid. And basically the idea we see Morlocks and we see these
bird-like creature things, which I don’t think are ever sort of actually
named in the show.
I think, “Dammit, there’s an opportunity there I could have come up with
a good name.” But, the idea of being that the world has sort of
disintegrated into such chaos that there’s all sorts of these strains,
like mutant-like strains of animals and stuff. These are only two of the
many different sorts of horrors that are out there, so you know?
And you know what's scary is being attacked by a giant, flightless
chicken.
Robert Picardo: And my character doesn’t experience the giant flightless
chickens first-hand because being the Commander he just has to send
other people off into danger, which is one of the wonderful prerogatives
of being an actor later on in your career when they make you the boss.
You just tell other people, “It’s time for you get hosed down by the
blood cannon today, David, while I sit in the command room and look
through the window and call out orders.”
So, it’s fun to assume the mantle of command and send other people off
to get humiliated.
David Hewlett: All the time steaming from his head.
Chris Boyd: And you don’t need a stunt double.
David Hewlett: Stunt double; he had a stunt double, right.
(Unintelligible) yeah, just throw him off a cliff he’s fine.
Chris Boyd: So, when you guys accepted this role, you know, being able
to redo a classic, what did you want to bring to each of your individual
characters?
David Hewlett: My bit thing is always humor. I never liked science
fiction that took itself too seriously because I think there’s a danger
there of getting a bit melodramatic and I think you can lose people
there.
I think there’s a fine line. I think I talked to, I think it was Tom who
said this, Tom Vitale who’s in charge of all the stuff, he was saying
that basically this line between - well, you have to commit to it. So,
you’re committing to the peril of the situation, but at the same time
it’s at such a heightened level that it doesn’t take people out of the
movie, but at the same time it makes it suddenly a little bit more over
the top than what would normally happen in life.
I was always brought up on Dr. Who and stuff like that and I loved that
sense of humor that came with it because I always felt that the funny
stuff always made the scarier stuff scary, you know what I mean? It also
helped take the sort of the curse off some of the techno babble and that
kind of stuff.
So, I would say my approach to almost every science fiction role is to
try to make it fun.
Robert Picardo: I had great fun playing such a macho character. If
you’re looking at my other major science fiction roles, the doctor on
Star Trek, and certainly Woolsey on Stargate, I often play characters
that might be good theorists and good thinkers, but you wouldn’t call
either of them very macho characters.
But, for some reason whenever I do a Syfy Channel movie, this applies to
the one I did before this as well where I played this ruthless
businessman, they always cast me in these very macho roles and for a guy
who is ruled at home by his wife and two daughters it’s a wonderful
excursion into fantasy for me.
Chris Boyd: I’m sure it’s (unintelligible). Well, that’s just awesome.
Well, hey, you guys seem like a lot fun. I could talk to you all day,
but the PR would just cut me off, but thanks very much. And David, you
were awesome in the Planet of the Apes, and I told (Ruth)
(unintelligible)...
David Hewlett: Oh, thank you very much.
Chris Boyd: ...months ago. So, thank you for that and we look forward to
seeing more from you guys soon. Thank you.
Robert Picardo: Thank you.
David Hewlett: Appreciate it. Thank you very much.
Operator: Our next question is from David Holguin with The Outhouse.
Please proceed.
David Holguin: Hi, thanks for talking to us.
David Hewlett: A pleasure indeed.
Robert Picardo: It’s a pleasure. I’ve never - I don’t know what The
Outhouse is, but I love the title.
David Hewlett: Yeah, I was going to say.
David Holguin: (Unintelligible), and the forum on The Outhouse is called
The Asylum, so it just gets better.
David Hewlett: Nice.
David Holguin: Bringing up the Planet of the Apes ties into my first
question. Both - like Robert mentioned acting on stage and both of you
are accomplished actors, do you - there are some actors that lament the
increase in green screen and CGI, do you both enjoy that?
Do you think it’s a necessary evil or is something that you look forward
to or look for or try to just take it because it’s another paycheck, or
what are your views on the increasing role of the green screen and CGI
characters, especially like off, you know the Planet of the Apes and now
the - you know, things like the Morlocks?
David Hewlett: Well, the funny thing with Planet of the Apes is that
they’d gotten to the point with (chronology) where you are able to
interact so much more than you used to be. Like when I started it really
was just tennis balls on the end of sticks and that kind of stuff.
They just couldn’t do this when I started. So there’s actually more to
interact with than there used to be, but again, I always loved it. I
think it’s - I don’t know how you find this, Robert, but to me acting
for film and television, is so disjointed anyways.
You often find yourself doing lines to the person, but not to the
person’s left eye or just off someone’s shoulder or something, because
your eye lines have to be different than what you’re actually capable of
doing on set. And so, there’s a huge amount of just acting to the
unnatural situations and such.
So, the fact that’s it’s CG, the fact that they’re monsters really makes
it. In a way, I think it’s actually easier because you get to just sort
of go all out for that kind of stuff. I love it. I love the technical
side of it. I’m a nerd, so I just sort of get a kick out of that whole
side of stuff.
I think if you want to do stuff where you get to play a character all
the way through that’s why people love theater, right? I mean, and
that’s certainly something - Robert, you’re doing that now on...
Robert Picardo: I don’t know that I love it as much as David does, but
I’ve certainly made my peace with it and I do agree with him very much
that it’s getting more and more sophisticated so that what used to be
basically just the cut away shot of whatever we were looking at that was
CGI, now it’s very much more interactive. But, it still puts a great
premium on imagination and for the actor and trying to get an idea from
the visual effects people on set and from the director exactly what
their idea is so that you can give them choices that hopefully one or
several of which will succeed in the finished version.
So, it requires a certain amount of imagination and patience, but I
enjoy - it’s essential to science fiction obviously, so it’s part of the
game so I respect that and understand it. It is wonderful once in a
while to get back to just a dramatic scene between two people and the
other person is right there. And it just seems closer to what most
people’s first experiences acting on stage, whether it’s in high school
or whatever, people that get bitten by the performing bug.
So, it is fun to be doing what I’m doing now, which is just getting up
on a stage and talking and interacting, and in this particular case
singing with other people. It’s without any major technology
intervening.
David Hewlett: And being loved by The L.A. Times too.
Robert Picardo: And being loved by The L.A. Times and getting to kiss a
woman on stage again, how wonderful.
David Hewlett: I’m not going to go down that road. Did you - now...
Robert Picardo: Well, you know, I mean...
David Hewlett: ...Robert, did you start in theater? Was that how you got
started?
Robert Picardo: Yeah, in my early 20s I did a couple of leading roles on
Broadway, the second of which was playing the son of the wonderful
legend, Jack Lemmon...
David Hewlett: Oh, of course.
Robert Picardo: ...this was in the late 70s, so I came to California to
recreate that role with Jack out here and planned to spend, you know, 12
weeks in California, and now it’s been about 32 years. So, it’s a
seductive place and there’s certainly a lot of work. There’s still
plenty of theater out here too, so you canwork in all media out here in
Los Angeles.
And also, I married a woman who doesn’t like the cold, so I don’t think
I’ll be going back to New York any time soon.
David Hewlett: And she’s a fantastic woman too, so you don’t want to -
yeah, you don’t want to mess with that.
Robert Picardo: No, I want to keep her happy. For example, I don’t know
that she would be happy shooting in Bulgaria unless it were the
springtime.
David Hewlett: Well, Jane actually came out to visit me at one point for
one weekend, and then never came back, so yeah it didn’t quite work for
her. But...
Robert Picardo: Well, that could be you though.
David Hewlett: That could be me. Thank God she finally gets rid of me
for a while. That’s funny. I think I did a little bit of school plays
and stuff, but basically I got started doing little films with friends,
so film was kind of the first thing that got me really sort of excited
about acting. So maybe that has something to do with why I like the
technical side of it so much.
David Holguin: You mentioned singing on Broadway and you sang once or
twice on Voyager, this is for Robert, you sang once or twice on Voyager.
I looked online to check if there was - if it was available or anything
existed, have you ever considered releasing a musical CD where you sing?
Like I know a couple of the Star Trek guys who have done that.
Robert Picardo: Well, embarrassingly I have made two or three, what we
call, Vanity CDs. I raised money for the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, so I
do have CDs, but they’re mostly song parodies ridiculing Star Trek...
David Holguin: Okay.
Robert Picardo: ...and science fiction and things like that. But, if you
go to my Web site you probably could get them, I’m just not necessarily
saying you should.
David Holguin: Okay. One last one question for Robert...
David Hewlett: You know, Rachel just got a CD out too.
Robert Picardo: Yes, Rachel just made a CD, I mean, a real studio CD...
David Hewlett: It’s gorgeous.
Robert Picardo: ...and in fact she just gave me a copy so I haven’t
played it yet. I’ve had it for 48 hours, so I’m going to play it on my
way to work. But, she’s a terrific...
David Hewlett: It’s really nice, yeah.
Robert Picardo: ...singer.
David Hewlett: It’s really nice, and my God the artwork on the front is
amazing too.
Robert Picardo: This is Rachel Luttrell we’re speaking of, Teyla from
Atlantis.
David Hewlett: Yeah.
David Holguin: Oh.
David Hewlett: Well, actually I think (Mara) from Morlocks is also a
singer as well and she’s got some albums out as well. You’ll have to
look her up and see what she’s got going (Mara Massler).
Robert Picardo: Oh God, what a lovely - I mean first of all physically
beautiful, but lovely personality. She’s ...
David Hewlett: Yeah.
Robert Picardo: ... she’s really wonderful .
David Hewlett: And having so much fun playing tough too. She’s really
enjoying running around with guns and stuff. She got all excited about
it. I told her that was a phase.
Robert Picardo: That’s (the topic) listen, we complain about how cold we
were, but let’s give special recognition to the woman that are running
around in tank tops carrying a gun freezing...
David Holguin: Oh, no.
Robert Picardo: ...you know, freezing to death...
David Hewlett: That’s...
Robert Picardo: ...(while we)...
David Hewlett: Yeah, that and childbirth are the reasons why I’m quite
happy to remain a man.
Robert Picardo: Although, you look good with a tank top and gun, David.
I’ve seen it.
David Hewlett: Certainly perky.
David Holguin: So, one last question for Robert...
Robert Picardo: Did we scare you away? Are you going to ask another?
((Crosstalk))
Robert Picardo: I think we scared you.
David Hewlett: Or that they just hung up on us, basically it’s just you
and me now, Robert.
David Holguin: Oh, no. Well, one quick last question for Robert, had you
found out or were you upset that Zachary Quinto voiced the EMH in the
massively multi-player Star Trek Online?
Robert Picardo: I have to tell you, I was gratified that there was a
little outcrying in the fan base as to why they didn’t use me...
David Holguin: Yeah, but...
Robert Picardo: ...but I did not lose any sleep about it. And I think
Zachary Quinto is spectacular in the new movie. I think he’s a great
Spock and one of my favorite performances from that film, so I look
forward to seeing him in the next one. I’m very happy that the Star Trek
franchise has been rebooted by J.J. Abrams. He’s done a great job.
David Hewlett: That’s a great - yeah, that film is fantastic.
Robert Picardo: Yeah, and there’s ancillary benefit to all of us because
it just revitalizes the brand name in people. Young fans go back and
they start watching because they see the movie and they love the movie,
they become interested in the whole legend of Star Trek and start
watching the older shows.
So, I’m happy that it’s all happened, and no I do not bear any ill will
towards Zachary Quinto.
David Holguin: Thank you very much.
Operator: Our next question is from Troy Rogers with TheDeadbolt.com.
Please proceed.
Troy Rogers: Hi, David. Hi, Robert.
Robert Picardo: Hi.
David Hewlett: Hey, Troy.
Troy Rogers: David, I was wondering, can you explain to me what those
big bird looking creatures are on the film?
David Hewlett: Everyone is confused by those. I think I’m probably as
confused as everyone else by the big bird-like creatures. I think
basically the idea is that the world in the future, which there’s a nice
little twist about that too in the film, but that these creatures from
the future are kind of a combination of some human genetics and animal
genetics and mutation.
And the giant chickens, as I call them, it’s like the birds have
reverted back to sort of almost like a dinosaur-like form. They’re
almost like raptors, the feathered raptors, which if my 4-year old son
was here he could tell me what they were actually called. But, there’s
basically sort of a little wink and nod about going back to almost like
dinosaurs.
It’s a very sort of Land of the Lost-type thing. We only see Morlocks
and bird-like creatures, but there are potentially many more of these
kind of things out there, so...
Troy Rogers: Okay.
David Hewlett: ...that’s it. I’m afraid all I know is to look scared and
then run that way.
Troy Rogers: Okay, fair enough. I also wanted to know from both of you
the - from the trailers I’ve watched it looks like a very physical
shoot. What were the stunts like for you guys?
David Hewlett: Like cowering...
Robert Picardo: Well...
David Hewlett: Basically cowering for me. What did you do?
Robert Picardo: Other than having to get sucked into the much maligned
shot of being in front of the green screen, being sucked into the
rift...
David Hewlett: But that was very Jane Fonda workout.
Robert Picardo: Yes. It was, and that’s why I’m frightened to see it. I
don’t remember having - I mean, a lot of the other actors had stunts,
but I don’t recall having any serious stunts. I remember I had to...
David Hewlett: I think there was a part...
Robert Picardo: I had a scene when David’s character was put in jail and
I had to come and talk to him through the prison bars, I don’t know why
that popped into mind, but that was a scene I particularly enjoyed but
did not involve any stunts as I recall. David, how did you escape the
jail cell? I don’t recall off hand.
David Hewlett: It’s one of the things I don’t (unintelligible), which I
got a kind of a laugh out of it, how polite I am as a prisoner. There’s
one point where I’m very angry and the doors haven’t closed yet, but I
still I respect that there could be bars there and I don’t actually
leave the cell. So, it’s a very Canadian-like prisoner for the...
Robert Picardo: Is that being polite or just bad acting, David? Have you
given it...
David Hewlett: I think it’s - it was a choice, Robert. You know...
Robert Picardo: I like being incarcerated here in my sub-zero prison
cell.
David Hewlett: Yeah. Well, I felt it was a duality of the character
wanting to leave, but being afraid of facing the outside world. That and
I got queued wrong.
Robert Picardo: That and the door didn’t work.
David Hewlett: Yeah, that and the door failed too. That, and there was
this Bulgarian stuck in the door works. Yeah, the only stunt I did, as I
said, was cowering. Basically I do a lot of cowering, which I do enjoy
very much, and which I do feel I’m quite good at. It’s always a stunt
acting opposite Robert Picardo, because you never know what he’s going
to do. You...
Robert Picardo: Right.
David Hewlett: ...never know what he’s going to throw at you. Basically
your every muscle in your body is tense the entire time Robert is
speaking for fear of what kind of challenging just - you know?
Robert Picardo: Yeah, David knows that I like to work from the outside
out. In fact they - they’re not going to put me on television anymore,
they’re just going to view me from Google Earth.
David Hewlett: In his first satellite performance.
Troy Rogers: Nice. I just have one more quick thing, you guys mentioned
how cold it was in Bulgaria, I just wanted to know what was it like
production-wise over there?
David Hewlett: It’s crazy.
Robert Picardo: Well, first of all the people were great. They’re very
warm, wonderful people and very anxious...
David Hewlett: And...
Robert Picardo: ...for - they...
David Hewlett: ...very funny.
Robert Picardo: ...want obviously production over there, and they’re
skilled in their various departments. However, you get the feeling, how
should I put this, that they’re just - it seems like certain things
about it are very old fashioned from our perspective. For example, the
fact that they can all smoke cigarettes on the set makes it seem
instantly like it is 25 years ago from an American perspective.
What would you say, David that other differences are?
David Hewlett: Yeah, it’s weird. It’s definitely a mentality. The
difference, I mean they, I think quite justifiably, go like, “Well, it’s
a movie, what does it matter?” You know, what I mean? There’s a sense
where you get so used to in this industry, this kind of like desperate
need to sort of excel and to be 24 hours and it’s everything to the
people in the industry.
And there, it’s like another job and they do it well, and they’re - the
set design and the crew guys are - I mean they’re amazing. They do this
incredible stuff in the number of movies they put out. But there’s just
hilarious difficulties with translation, the back and forth. Bulgarians
have like a nod in Bulgarian that means no, sometimes.
And so, there’s often confusion in relation to that kind of stuff. And
it’s just a whole different mentality and I find it very funny, very
endearing at times, very frustrating at others. They make a lot of these
movies and they make then incredibly quickly, so it’s very
(unintelligible), I mean you know it’s as it would be anywhere.
But, as to that the sub-zero temperatures and the language barrier, and
it becomes quite an adventure, you know? I actually wrote an idea for a
pilot – about a production company out in Bulgaria because I was just
enamored with the way these things went because they don’t watch this
stuff.
Like they don’t understand that like, “Well, why does giant chicken come
and scare men? You know, why,” they don’t because it’s not the kind of
stuff they’re really watching, right? They’re very European. They make
these fantastic little films. I saw a fantastic one when I was out there
that one of the (VOPs) had done, which was called, oh what was it
called, Scrambled or something? It was basically a little sort of slice
of life about a women who can only afford to get three eggs for her
family and she ends up taking them throughout this little short film.
And that’s the kinds of films they make. We must look like idiots to
them because we’re like running and jumping around in front of green
screens and shooting guns and screaming and being chased by these
ridiculous creatures. I think for them they must find it all very, very
amusing, you know?
And as a result, sometimes you find yourself stepping back and going
like, “Hey, you’re right this is ridiculous,” you know? We come to these
guys’ country and then act like terrified monkeys.
Robert Picardo: The key to more eggs for the family may be the giant
hairless green screen chicken.
David Hewlett: Exactly...
Robert Picardo: So...
David Hewlett: ...that’s how I should have explained it to them.
Troy Rogers: Excellent. Thanks, guys.
Robert Picardo: Thank you.
David Hewlett: My pleasure.
Operator: Our next question is a follow-up question from the line of
Jamie Ruby with Sci-FiVision.com. Please proceed.
Jamie Ruby: Hello again.
Robert Picardo: Hello, Jamie.
David Hewlett: Hello again.
Jamie Ruby: So, is there something you guys learned since filming this
show, like about yourself or in general?
David Hewlett: That is a very, very...
Jamie Ruby: Besides…
((Crosstalk))
David Hewlett: ...leading question.
Robert Picardo: Oh, boy. Well...
David Hewlett: We love complaining. I kind of already knew that, but
we’re incredibly good at complaining.
Robert Picardo: I don’t know that I’ve learned something from doing this
experience, or in the intervening time since we did it? But as a result
of doing this movie I’ve learned...
Jamie Ruby: Either.
Robert Picardo: ...where David’s Los Angeles address is since then,
because I’ve been over to his house. No, we’ve become - I think from my
perspective, because I joined the Atlantis series late and those bonds
between David and the other cast members had been through four years, I
felt that we really became friends on this experience because we were
thrown together in these adverse circumstances. Although I had liked him
very much on Atlantis I felt like I got to know him doing the movie.
So, my big take away was that I thought we really established a
friendship beyond just friendly colleagues on the last season of
Atlantis. So, without getting too mushy...
David Hewlett: Yeah, it was nice to sort of...
Robert Picardo: ...that was my - I would say that was my best take away
from the Morlocks experience.
David Hewlett: That’s wonderful. That’s very sweet of you. I sort of
agree. I mean, we always sort of chatted in brief when we were shooting
on Atlantis, but to actually have the time to sit down and eat that
amazing pizza in Bulgaria and stuff and just get to talk and work
together. I mean, what’s so funny is we’re very different and very
similar in many ways, and I very much respect your work and really do
enjoy working with you, so we should do it more.
Robert Picardo: Back at you because I agree that, and I mean I work with
a lot of actors that make me laugh and without trying to sound like I’m
patting myself on the back, I’ve made a lot of other actors laugh on the
set, but no one makes me laugh as much as David does working with him.
So I can say that unequivocally with all the funny people I’ve worked
with.
Jamie Ruby: Okay.
David Hewlett: Oh, thank you. That’s so sweet.
Jamie Ruby: Do either of you have any interesting or crazy or just fun
fan stories?
Robert Picardo: Fan stories?
David Hewlett: Fan stories? Fan (unintelligible)...
Jamie Ruby: Meeting fans or...
Robert Picardo: My favorite fan story of all time was early on in my
Star Trek experience. I went to, I think, it was somewhere in the South.
I don’t know if it was Tennessee or Alabama, but a fan came to the
convention who carved tombstones for a living, so he gave me a tombstone
with my face carved in it as a gift in - you know, in...
Jamie Ruby: Okay.
Robert Picardo: ...I mean in marble about, I don’t know how much it
weighed, probably about 40 pounds or something like that, but...
Jamie Ruby: Oh, wow.
Robert Picardo: ...my faced carved in marble. So, getting the tombstone
home in my carryon bag is my favorite memory because when they open your
bag because it’s so heavy and they go, “Why are you carrying a tombstone
onto the flight?” you want to say, “Well, I don’t,” you know, you don’t
want to say you have a bad feeling about the flight or that you’re a Boy
Scout and always like to be prepared for anything, but it was a fun
story getting it home.
And the tombstone to this day sits in my garden. My wife is waiting for
me to die, and no doubt she’ll save a little money.
David Hewlett: It’s already covered. Nice...
Jamie Ruby: (And David)?
David Hewlett: ...God, if I ever got a tombstone. I’ve been very lucky.
I think one of the things that I find funny is that many of the Stargate
fans feel that because I am McKay that they are allowed to be McKay back
to me. So, some people are pretty rough on me sometimes when I see them
at conventions or whatever.
I mean, my favorite one is we did sort of a press sort of junket with
bloggers. It was probably Season 1 or Season 2 and one of the
interviewers from Germany said, “I see you in SG-1 and I hate you. I
hate you. You make me sick. I don’t like so much, but now you make me
laugh.” And that was the first question I got and I was like, “Oh,
great.”
Jamie Ruby: Oh, that’s great. All right. And then last...
((Crosstalk))
Gary Morganstein: We have only time for one more question. I’m sorry.
Jamie Ruby: Oh, okay.
David Hewlett: Okay.
Jamie Ruby: Okay. Nevermind.
Gary Morganstein: No, go ahead, Jamie.
Jamie Ruby: Oh, okay. I thought you meant you wanted to take somebody
else. Sorry.
Gary Morganstein: That’s all right. Go ahead, just you be the last.
Jamie Ruby: I was just going to say, okay what’s something your fans
would be surprised to know about you?
Robert Picardo: Oh.
David Hewlett: I’m very, very dull.
Robert Picardo: That’s not true. I’m a terrific cook. Maybe they’d be
surprised to know that because I don’t think I’ve ever cooked on screen
in science fiction. But it’s high time I did a Syfy cooking movie, so if
anybody’s out there who’s got a story to pitch that involves someone who
can cook and in an exciting - in front a green screen, I’m your guy.
David Hewlett: (That’s his), while waving his hands. I can attest to
that. Robert had us over for a pizza party, actually a couple of times
now, but the latest one was the - I still dream of the food there, like
it was unbelievable. These little pizzas and stuff that he made and was
it meatballs? What did you do? You did (unintelligible)...
Robert Picardo: Oh, all sorts of - yeah, all the usual Italian fair, but
since I got my wood fired pizza oven I care less and less whether I’m
working as an actor. I’m just as happy to be cooking in front of it.
David Hewlett: Perfect. And I’m more than happy to eat it too. So - boy,
the things that people do. (Talk about me), I think I’m pretty
transparent, but I recently got into gardening (unintelligible), which
basically makes me instantly old. But, that’s something I’m very, very
surprised to find myself enjoying running around clipping roses and
getting excited about grapefruits growing on trees and things.
So, like I said, I’m very dull.
Robert Picardo: Well, between cooking and flower cutting I know we’re
sounding a little, what’s the word, we’re very in touch with our
feminine side, let’s put it that way.
((Crosstalk))
David Hewlett: Well, we’ll be able - we could use the (unintelligible).
Gary Morganstein: The tape and, you know, transcripts are around. I’m -
I appreciate you saying that.
Robert Picardo: Our wives, you know, pump iron and do brickwork.
Gary Morganstein: There you go. We know. All right, listen guys, thank
you so much.
Woman: (Unintelligible).
Gary Morganstein: We’re out of time. Thank you again...
Robert Picardo: Sure.
Gary Morganstein: ...Saturday, September 24, 9:00 pm, Morlocks, starring
Robert Picardo and David Hewlett.
Thanks again, everyone.
Operator: Ladies and...
David Hewlett: Thank you very much, (sure).
Robert Picardo: Thank you.
Gary Morganstein: Take care, guys. Bye-bye.
Operator: ...gentlemen...
Robert Picardo: Thank you. Bye-bye.
VIDEO
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