It was very exciting to interview two of the stars of
"Helix" on Syfy, Steven Weber and Kyra Zagorsky. Kyra stars
in "Helix" with Billy Campbell, and this is the second
season of the show. Steven, of course, has been around
for a long while and has been on many different TV shows
(not to mention many movies). He's one of my favorite
actors. I only got a few minutes with them, so I stuck to
mostly the questions about the show. They have already
filmed all of the episodes, so they do know how the second
season turns out, but of course, no spoilers! :)
Steven plays a cult leader this season, so I asked him about
that, and what type of cult leader that he could say he was
like. He said he was probably most like Jim Jones, but he
was not so much "insane or egomaniacal." He rules "more with
the carrot than with the stick". He considers his group a
"benign brotherhood or fellowship" that's been around for a
long time. Apparently, he's "very charismatic." Besides
being a cult leader, he's also a DNA expert, and somehow a
virus figures in with this cult. As viewers know, the show
"Helix" is about the CDC team that investigates viruses, and
this season is no different in that sense. This is what the
Syfy site has to say about Steven's character: "As the head
of the enigmatic order living on the island, Brother Michael
welcomes the CDC with caution. A student of nature and lover
of science, he eschews modern technology and is suspicious
of outsiders ... yet he has designs on making an impact that
reaches far beyond the Abbey, and he will stop at nothing to
preserve his way of life." The cult definitely has many
secrets, Steven said. I asked him whether he'd played a
creepy cult leader before, but he hasn't. He admitted that
he'd played creepy plenty of times, but this was the first
time as a cult leader. However, he didn't have to do any
special research for the role. He said that the writing has
"great clarity" and he just followed the script and what he
was supposed to do. However, he did joke that his character
is a "great dancer", although we won't see that on the
screen. He and Kyra joked around quite a bit during our
call. He's very charming on the phone, so I'm sure he'll be
convincing as a charming cult leader, too.
I asked Kyra about this season because I'd read that there's
a bit of a time jump between the first season and the second
season. She said that this is a brand new story, with lots
of new characters and a new setting, very different from the
first season. If any fans are curious as to what happened to
any of the characters from the first season, she assured me
that we will find out what happened to most of them. Her
character and the others have evolved a bit and have all new
issues to tackle in the second season. I asked whether their
two characters will have any romance in the show, but
apparently they won't. Steven did joke that they had one
off-screen! Kyra said that she and Steven have two
concurrent storylines but have at least one great episode
where they intersect. I look forward to seeing that!
Steven appeared 13 years ago in "Once and Again" with Billy
Campbell, so I asked him what it was like to be reunited
with his former co-star. He said that Billy "hasn't changed
a bit" and is still very much "beloved" by everyone. He
shared that Billy is a "fastidious reader" who's always
reading a new book. In fact, he's constantly reading on the
set, right up to the moment that they call "action", which
Steven admitted can either be admirable or annoying,
depending on how early in the morning it was.
Steven revealed that the story this season is very dark and
heavy, somewhat depressing, and that it involves events seen
in the news, but he said it was lightened up by Billy and
the other cast members, which made it a great place to work.
Sounds like the mood on the set was very fun, despite the
grisly storyline. Anyone who watched the first season knows
that Helix is not a light, fun show, so it's nice that the
cast wasn't dragged down by that feeling.
I really wish I could have asked more, like why Steven isn't
on Twitter any more, and whether he thought that there might
be a "Wings" reunion! However, I'm grateful that I could
speak with both actors, even for a short time, and that they
could tell us a little bit about this season of "Helix". I
look forward to seeing how it all works out.
I apologize for the lack of transcript! My recorder wasn't
working, so I just took notes and then wrote it right up
from memory.
MORE INFORMATION:
Dr.
Julia Walker
Kyra
Zagorsky
Still reeling from the revelations in Season One that
changed her life forever, Dr. Julia Walker is pursuing her
own agenda to define her new identity. In league with her
captors, the shadowy Ilaria Corporation, she must use her
passion, courage and fierce independence to find her moral
compass and create purpose in her new existence.
Brother Michael
Steven
Weber
As the head of the enigmatic order living on the island,
Brother Michael welcomes the CDC with caution. A student of
nature and lover of science, he eschews modern technology
and is suspicious of outsiders ... yet he has designs on
making an impact that reaches far beyond the Abbey, and he
will stop at nothing to preserve his way of life.
In season 2 of “Helix,” after barely
escaping with their lives, the survivors of season one
attempt to move on from the horrors that took place at
Arctic Biosystems. But when their work takes them to a
mysterious wooded island, they quickly discover that Ilaria
Corporation’s reach is deeper and darker than anyone
imagined, and a deadly new virus will present a threat that
no one thought possible.
Returning cast members include Billy Campbell, Kyra Zagorsky,
Jordan Hayes and Neil Napier, and new cast members include
Steven Weber and Matt Long.
Helix
— Premieres Friday, January 16 at 10/9c
Review season one of Helix
with the
Starter Kit Gallery
Helix Season 2 – Extended Sneak Peek
SUMMARY:
Helix
will return on Friday, January 16 at 10/9c with a psychotic
episode!
URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G8W5C8QZ_g&list=UUJPIr8AiO0qwClbzH3HAAVA
Harvest – Preview
SUMMARY:
The survivors of Arctic Biosystems find new horrors on a
remote island.
Tune-in for the season two premiere of
Helix, this Friday at 10/9c.
URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voFvBySK3NE
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