By Christina Radish
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Rick Worthy at the 2007 San Diego Comic Convention. |
One year ago, ABC Family audiences met Aaron Corbett (Paul Wesley), a high school kid with a mysterious past and a heavenly secret. Now, Aaron has returned in a trilogy that includes the original movie plus four all-new hours of supernatural adventure.
In the mini-series Fallen, Detroit, Michigan native Rick Worthy plays Camael, an angel devoted to protecting Aaron, as he comes to terms with his destiny as The Redeemer. Familiar to audiences for roles in a variety of projects, including The Magnificent Seven, Star Trek: Voyager and Battlestar Galactica, Worthy talks to MediaBlvd Magazine about working in sci-fi and doing his own stunts.
MediaBlvd Magazine> How did you get into acting and what kind of professional training have you had?
Rick Worthy> I began doing theater at the University of Michigan, where I graduated. Then, I started doing local theater, when I moved to Chicago, where I really committed myself to becoming an actor. I did a lot of theater and commercials there. And, at some point, you’ve got to leave Chicago, if you seriously want to get into the film and TV world. So, I moved to L.A. with the intention of staying for five years, and now it’s been 15.
MediaBlvd> When you were studying acting, had you ever imagined that you’d be doing all of this sci-fi work?
Rick> At the time that I was thinking about moving to L.A., I was so afraid that I was going to be typecast as Drug Dealer #1 or Pimp #2, or whatever. And, also, I’m fairly tall, so I thought, “Well, I might get typecast as an athlete, or something.” I’m so happy to say that my very first job was as a Kligon on the video game for Star Trek. Then, I ended up working on Star Trek numerous times, over the years. It’s been a very interesting career that’s had a lot of science fiction, a number of cop roles, some serious drama roles, on stuff like Murder One and NYPD Blue. But, I had no idea that I would be playing an angel that was a martial arts expert, and who flies through the air. It’s been such a blast, and I’ve enjoyed every second of it. If this is it for Fallen, I’m sorry that it is because I really had a good time playing Camael. It’s a cool character. I think they did a good job adapting it. Even though, in the books, Camael look a bit different than I do, the network hired me to do it and I’m happy to have been the one chosen.
MediaBlvd> Since you started as a stage and theater actor, was there something specific that made you decide to make the move to television and film, or was that always something you had desired to do, eventually?
Rick> When I was in Chicago, Tom Amandes was playing Elliot Ness in a TV show called The Untouchables, and William Forsythe was Al Capone. They were shooting in Chicago and, like a lot of other actors in Chicago, whenever anything came to Chicago, you wanted to audition for it. I probably auditioned for The Untouchables a dozen times, and I finally got cast in one episode, with Cuba Gooding, Jr. We had a great time shooting it, and he’s such a great guy. I realized that, if I really wanted to take the step into TV and film, I had to leave Chicago and come to Los Angeles. I had always wanted to be on a great TV series, and one that people liked, that my mom watched, and that my grandma and grandfather, and everyone else, watched. Coming to L.A., it was really hard making the transition. The first two years were very hard. And then, Steven Bochco was doing a show called Murder One and I auditioned to play the role of Rickey Latrell, who was a pro-basketball player on trial for murder. I got the job and met Steven, and we just hit it off really well. I did always want to be on a great TV series, and I think Fallen has provided that for me. My dream would be that it would go on to be a weekly, ongoing series.
MediaBlvd> How did you become involved with Fallen? Was it just through the regular auditioning process, or had they specifically asked to see you?
Rick> My agent called me and told me that there was this project called Fallen. She read the first two hours, two years ago, and thought it was really great. The casting director, Sandi Logan, wanted to bring me in to audition for Camael. I read the script and thought it was cool and, if it was done the right way, it was going to be really special, so I auditioned. It was funny because there were different types of guys reading for the role. I’m 6'2 ½” and there was another guy that was 6'8.” There was a guy built like Schwarzenegger. There was another guy who was a Pierce Brosnan type. When it’s a situation like that, you just have to do the best you can do and hope that you’re the one that gets the job. They ended up testing me for the role. I read with Paul, which was unusual because it’s rare for me to test with another actor. We had great chemistry when we read together. Everyone could see it. I could feel it, he could feel it, everyone else could feel it. I think that really impressed them. So, a couple days later, I got a call from my agent, and she said that they wanted to hire me for the role. Then, she asked me if I had ever done any wire work before and I said, “No.” She said, “Well, you’re going to be flying on a wire, 40 feet in the air.” That was kind of crazy. But, the whole process was a terrific experience.
MediaBlvd> Had you done any special effects or stunt work before, and what was that whole experience like?
Rick> I did a show with Michael Biehn and Ron Perlman, about 10 years ago (in 1998) on CBS, called The Magnificent Seven, that was a remake. We were basically cowboys. After I did Murder One, The Magnificent Seven was casting for the pilot, and I ended up testing for it and meeting the producers, and I got the role of one of the seven cowboys. I had never really had a lot of horse riding experience, but I had had some. I had never been on a horse and shooting a gun, at the same time. All of that was so new for me, and I quickly realized I had to learn new skills. When you do a one-hour show, you shoot eight days per episode. And, a good two or three days of The Magnificent Seven was dedicated to stunt fighting, so I had to learn how to throw punches, take punches, shoot guys, and stuff like that. That was my initial experience with stunt fighting, and I didn’t like it because I wasn’t very good at it. It was a new thing for me. I was used to giving the line, hitting the mark and doing the scene. Over the years, I’ve learned to really fall in love with the art of stunt fighting. When I met the stunt coordinators on Fallen, I just thought they were so magnificent with what they did. They were all professional fighters, or had fought professionally in martial arts, at some point, so they were bringing a real professional background to the whole thing. They taught us some really cool stuff. Now, the stuff I really love to do most is anything that has some kind of action and fighting involved in it. I really enjoy it. It’s also one hell of a workout. We were out in Chatsworth training, two hours a day, and I ended up sweating and eating all the right stuff. I lost 15 or 20 pounds, before we started shooting. I got in really excellent shape. I value that.
MediaBlvd> Was doing the wire work anything like what you expected it would be?
Rick> It was a little hard for me. On the first two hours of Fallen, I was on the wires, and it was a little scary. We were suspended on this cage-like device above a farm, outside of Vancouver. When you look at it, it looks like the wire holding up the cage is going to snap, at any second. Of course, it didn’t snap. It’s incredibly strong. It was so strong that we were able to do all these aerial stunts and fights, literally 40 or 50 feet up in the air. After awhile, I got used to it. I realized that everything was cool and it wasn’t going to snap. But, it was a little difficult, trying to make it look natural. You’re on a wire that’s connected to a vest, underneath your wardrobe. Everyone kept telling me to straighten up because I kept hunching my back a little bit since it felt so uncomfortable. This time around, I didn’t have any wire work to do. It was mostly all on the ground. Paul and Fernanda were flying in the air, which I thought was cool.
MediaBlvd> Had you been familiar with the books this is based on, prior to getting the role, or did you look into it after you’d been cast?
Rick> I think my nephews might have checked them out because they’re 12 and 10. I met Tom Sniegoski and, after we did the San Diego Comic-Con last year, he and I exchanged phone numbers and emails, and we kept in touch, over the months. He sent me comic books and different books that he had written, that he wanted me to read. I think a couple of them hadn’t actually come out yet. So, I started reading the one called Leviathan, and then I read Fallen. There are four of them. I thought they were really good books. They are definitely geared towards a younger audience, but nonetheless, I enjoyed reading them. I thought the way he portrayed all of the characters in the story was really cool. Because of the show, I’ve started reading more science fiction and fantasy stuff, even though that wasn’t really the stuff that I normally read. The books were really helpful for me, in preparing to play Camael, this time around. I got a better understanding of who he is and what he’s about, and how he relates to Aaron. The books helped me a lot. It wasn’t required reading for all of us, but I took it upon myself to read them.
MediaBlvd> Did you do any other research into angels or nephilim, or did you just work with what was in the script and the books?
Rick> Being the Internet junkie that I am, I Googled nephilim and angels, and any other combination that I could think of, and I came up with some really cool websites on angels and different orders of angels. Some of the crew also provided us with information on nephilim. Someone had done some research, and they handed us pages that they had researched. People were very helpful with getting us information. But, I also like to research as much as I can, before I start any kind of project. It’s my job to know the character, as best I can. And, there is so much information on angels on the Internet, it’s amazing to me. The interest in angels is constantly expanding and growing. A buddy of mine, who worked on Stargate for the last 10 years, just sold a script about angels. It seems to be a popular thing, these days, and Hollywood is catching on to that.
MediaBlvd> When you made the first two-hour film, did you know the story would be continuing on, or was that something that came out of the success of the first one?
Rick> Anytime you start a new job, you hope that something else will happen from it. But, that wasn’t clearly set in place, at that time. When we aired last year, from what I understand, we did pretty well in the ratings, and I think that really impressed the execs at ABC Family. Paul and I didn’t know what was going to happen with the show. We had heard that there might be a chance that it might go further. Several months went by and then, finally, I got a call from my agent and she said that they wanted to do Fallen again, and it would be done as a mini-series. I didn’t think it was going to happen because so much time had passed, and I was already looking at other shows that I could do. But, it did happen and I’m so glad that it did. That’s just how it is, as an actor. You hope that something further is going to happen, but you have to play a wait and see game.
MediaBlvd> What can fans of the first film expect to get from this four hours, and how does your character fit in with everything?
Rick> If you had questions after the first two hours -- like, what’s going to happen to Aaron, what’s going to happen to Camael and is Aaron going to see Vilma (Fernanda Andrade) again -- all those questions are going to be answered in these four hours. Those are the kinds of questions that needed to be answered and I think we did a really wonderful job of addressing that. Without giving away too much, you will see much more interaction with Camael and Aaron, in terms of what Aaron’s mission is, as a nephilim, and what he was born to do. And, by the end of watching it, I think you’ll have a better understanding of who Camael is and what his purpose is, as well as Aaron and the relationship that he has with the people around him, like Vilma and the people he meets along the way. There are cooler suits and clothing, and much more martial arts. We’re going to be looking sharp and doing some really cool angel-fighting. I’m very proud of what we did. It would be great if people can see the whole six hours, and see the whole thing in its totality. I think it’s all important to see. These four hours are really beautiful work. It looks slightly different in tone and the way that it’s photographed, but it’s the same story. It’s the story of Aaron, this half-angel, half-human, that’s trying to find his way, and trying to find his purpose. We had a different director, this time around, and different producers, but I think we stayed very true to the integrity of the story, overall.
MediaBlvd> Did the break between filming the first two hours, and then doing the remaining hours, make it harder for you to get back into the character, or did the fact that the story picks up a year later help you?
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Rick Worthy answers questions during the Fallen panel at the 2007 San Diego Comic Convention. |
Rick> It does help that it picks up a year later because, in that year, Camael and Aaron have been together, training and learning how to fight, and understanding angel ways and what his purpose is. And, Paul and I are friends, so we hung out a bit, in between filming. We had lunch a couple times, and we got a chance to know each other a bit better. I think that also helped a lot. When a year goes by, what I normally do, if I’m going to be involved in something where I’m playing the same guy a year or two later, is reacquaint myself with the whole thing because, in between that time, hopefully I’ve been working on other jobs. After we finished Fallen the first time around, I had been busy playing a Cylon on Battlestar Galactica, which I still do. I was just up in Vancouver for a couple episodes. And, I’m writing and directing a short film, as well, so I’ve been busy with that. When I found out we were going to go back and shoot the mini-series, I put everything down and re-watched the first two hours. I started looking at passages from the books and looking at the notes that I took on angels, and started trying to remember some of the stunt training that we did. I studied martial arts on my own, anyway, and that helped a lot, as well. I tried to get back into the mind-set of the character. You just can’t do it in a day. I really needed to take some time with it. By the time we were ready to shoot, I was pretty much there. It was really quite an extraordinary experience because I think I played the character better, this time around. The first time around, I think I did a fairly good job. This time around, I think I had a really good, solid understanding of him. That just comes from living with it in your mind, for awhile.
MediaBlvd> Are you going to be returning to Battlestar Galactica again, before it’s finished?
Rick> This is going to be the last year for Battlestar Galactica. I have no idea why. I think it’s a great show and everyone loves it, but it’s a decision from the powers that be. I will be returning to Battlestar again, to play Simon the Cylon. I’m not exactly sure what the final resolution of that show will be, but it certainly does involve the Cylons and the ship trying to find this place they keep hearing about, called Earth. I’m very proud of Battlestar Galactica, even though it’s not my show, I’m a guest on the show, but I feel like it’s my show because I’ve been involved with it for a couple years.
MediaBlvd> How had Paul Wesley changed, as an actor, in the time between finishing the first two hours, and then filming the newer four hours?
Rick> I care about acting so much. It’s probably the thing I can do best, in the world. Everything else I do sorta okay. I love acting. I’ve always been a big fan of actors, too. I think Paul is a very talented young actor with a commanding screen presence and a natural likability. When you’re acting with him, it seems so unforced, organic and spontaneous, and like he’s really listening to you, making eye contact with you and giving you an honest response when he speaks. Sometimes, you work with actors and they’re just going through it in a robotic fashion, and you don’t really believe them. Every time I’m in a scene with Paul, I totally believe what he’s saying. He’s a very good actor and I’m proud of him. I think he’s going to do very well, in this town. I think Paul could also hit Broadway, if he wanted to. He was in a play about a year ago, and I totally missed the show and I feel horrible, but he said he really enjoyed it. I told him that maybe, one day, we’ll be on stage together. I think they chose the right guy to play this role. It’s the kind of role that they probably looked at 1,000 people for, and I think he was absolutely the right one for it.
MediaBlvd> Camael is a rather serious character. Did you find yourself trying to lighten things up on set at all?
Rick> Oh, absolutely. I’m like that, anyway, on any kind of job. When I was doing Murder One, I was the defendant in a murder trial. In between shots, me and all the other actors would throw paper balls at each other and try to crack each other up. We just did crazy stuff. And then, when the director was getting ready to start rolling the film and call action, we would get all serious. Ever since then, that’s how I am. It really does help balance me out because, otherwise, you would lose your mind. You have to be the character, and then, in between shots, try to lighten up and laugh a little bit ‘cause that really helps. If you’re working with other actors who are like that, that’s a blessing. Sometimes, you work with people who are just very serious and they don’t want to lighten up. You’ll work with certain directors who are like that, too. Our director on this one, Kevin Kerslake, is such a brilliant director and funny guy that you know you’re going to have a good time because he sets the tone for the crew and the cast. I take my signal from the director, to see if it’s okay to goof around a little bit. He let us goof around a bit. And, Paul is so goofy and corny, anyway, that you can’t help it. Fernanda Andrade is the same way, and so was Hal Ozsan. Ivana Milicevic was funny. Everyone was really fun to work with.
MediaBlvd> As an actor, is it more difficult for you to do the emotional work or the stunt work?
Rick> I’m more drawn to drama than comedy. That’s what I’ve always been attracted to, on stage as well as film and TV. I take it very seriously. I never try to plan something. If I know that my character is going to die or get shot, or something like that, I never try to plan out how I’m going to react. I have an idea of what might happen, but I never say, “Okay, on this line, I’m going to cry,” or “On this line, I’m going to do this.” I just let the possibility of that happening exist in my mind, and then, if it happens, it happens, and that’s fantastic because it’s a natural, organic thing. If it doesn’t happen then, hopefully, I’ll do something else. With the stunt fighting, I’m now 40 years old. I’m still in fairly good shape, but when we started doing the stunt training, I hadn’t worked out in a few months. At the end of the first week, I was in so much pain that I couldn’t function at night. I would just go to sleep. I was moody. One of my best friends was staying with me and he almost drove me to the hospital one day because I just wasn’t moving. After awhile, though, your body adjusts to this new thing that you’re doing, and then you have this new understanding of what your body needs to do and you start doing it. I had also started getting back into martial arts, and I was doing some yoga, and that helped a lot. You do have to be incredibly flexible to do a lot of this stuff. I have a bad lower back, and the first thing I had to do was realize that that was going to be my problem area and, sure enough, it was. I almost threw my back out, the second week. So, I started doing more stretching and yoga, and different kinds of exercises, and that helped a lot. After awhile, your body is adjusted and you’re ready to rock and roll. When we got to Vancouver, I was fully, physically ready to do all the stunts. And, I did all of my stunts, except one little flip that was done by a stunt actor.
MediaBlvd> Is there something you get recognized for most often?
Rick> I did an episode of Touched by an Angel with Rosa Parks and John Ritter -- God rest his soul -- about six or seven years ago. The episode was about racism. Me being African American and John’s character being white American, we had to figure out our racial prejudices and come to some kind of truce together. We played police officers who were partners. It was a beautiful episode. To meet Rosa Parks was meeting history. And, she turned out to be the sweetest old lady you’d ever want to meet. She was really nice. After that, I got recognized quite a bit because it was such a powerful episode. They aired it during Black History Month in February, and it was so popular that they re-ran it a few times. I got quite a bit of attention for that. Even though I’ve been a working actor for almost 20 years, and I’ve done lots of different things, there’s always one or two things that people recognize me from most, and that episode certainly is one. The other one was when I did Murder One. People were big fans of that show. And then, when I made the debut on Battlestar, which was before Fallen, I got recognized a lot from that. I was in the middle of Times Square in New York, at midnight, just walking because I was bored and I wanted to get out and walk around, and this guy walked up to me and said, “Hey, man, you’re the dude on Battlestar Galactica!” I said, “Yeah,” and he said, “Oh, my God, it’s nice to meet you. Can I have a photograph? Would you sign here?” That show is just incredibly popular, so I got a lot of attention from that. And then, when Fallen came on, I started getting recognized a lot as Camael. I thought that was very nice. I’m pretty anti-Hollywood and anti-celebrity. I like to do my work and come home and take care of my dog and hang out with friends. I don’t really go after the parties and the limelight. But, any kind of fame that we can get from this show is helpful for the show because it gets people talking about it. In that regard, fame is a good thing, if it can generate any buzz about the show.
MediaBlvd> You have angel, Kligon and Cylon on your resume. Are there any particular types of roles that you’d still like to explore, but haven’t had the chance to do so yet?
Rick> I’ve always wanted to play Jimi Hendrix. I’m a huge classic rock and roll fan. If you look at my CD collection, it’s from the 60's and 70's. I know there was a movie-of-the-week about Jimi, probably about five years ago, and it was actually pretty cool. But, I’ve always wanted to play a tortured musician/artist character. If it’s not Hendrix, maybe I’ll have to create one. That way, I can really learn how to play the guitar, which is something I’ve always wanted to do. I think it would be cool to play some type of musician in a band, or a singer, or something like that -- either someone who was a real person in history, or someone that is created.
