By Christina Radish
The first volume of the NBC mega-hit television series Heroes is coming to a close on May 21st, kicking off the second surprising volume. In the episode, entitled “How to Stop an Exploding Man,” the everyday people with extraordinary abilities face moments of pain and peril with unflinching heroism, as the horrible predictions they’ve been fighting to change begin unfolding before them.
With the season one finale less than a week away, three of the actors -- Adrian Pasdar (Nathan Petrelli), Cristine Rose (Angela Petrelli) and Malcolm McDowell (Mr. Linderman) -- who play the more morally questionable characters on the show, talk to MediaBlvd Magazine about their roles.
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Adrian Pasdar as Nathan Petrelli |
MediaBlvd Magazine> Adrian, what can we look forward to in the finale?
Adrian Pasdar> Questions get resolved in a huge way. I have a big part in the end of the final decision-making in the last few moments of the finale. All those questions that are posited in the pilot are answered, almost to a T, in the finale. It’s a beautifully structured finale. There are really wonderful moments, at the very end. It’s just mind-blowing. It’s stunning, the way it’s all put together.
MediaBlvd> Will any cliffhangers be extended into next season, or will next season start from a different point?
Adrian> It does posit a brand new place, that season two will pick up with. The very end of the finale is where season two will pick up. It shows a good two or three minutes of where that’s going to pick up, and I don’t think anybody’s going to guess where. It’s a very interesting place.
MediaBlvd> Can you say if you’ll be there?
Adrian> I hope to be there. I think I’ll be there. I signed on to do Heroes and I wound up being on Survivor. I’d like to stick around, but if and when it’s time for me to go, I’ll be happy to have been part of a terrific season of TV.
MediaBlvd> Have you based Nathan on any real politicians?
Adrian> I think it’s a conglomerate. I’ve taken the best and the worst of politicians that have come across me in my personal life, and also people that I don’t know. We haven’t defined whether Nathan is Republican or Democrat. I’m sure an argument could be made for the former, in many ways. But, no, I haven’t really based this guy on anybody in particular. He’s just a nice mix of the worst and best that I’ve seen. I based this guy on the most morally liquid characters that I’ve run across. I think the writers have done a wonderful job of creating a fictional character. And, whenever anything is so successfully drawn, obvious parallels can be drawn to existing people. Having said that, there haven’t been any attempts to base this on anything, other than our writers’ imaginations. The conversations we have on the set, by and large, tend to focus around everything but the parallels that might be drawn between what we’re doing in real life. We’re just a bunch of actors, at the end of the day. There is an element of reality to what we’re doing, and I think that’s why it resonates so well. The actors have two responsibilities. One is to be visually compelling, and the other is to recite the lines as they are written by the writers.
MediaBlvd> Do you have any political aspirations of your own?
Adrian> I don’t. I did a show called Profit a while back and I based some of the work on some people who were in office at the time. George Stefanapoulous wrote me a letter on White House stationary, and I was so impressed and blown away to have received something with the White House seal. I did have a visit to the White House. There’s so much showmanship and gamesmanship involved in politics that it’s really not a stretch to imagine an actor getting involved in being a figurehead for a political party. But, for myself, personally, I don’t think I could do that.
MediaBlvd> Do you ever worry that, at some point, the writers will decide that Nathan is just really bad?
Adrian> Just when you’ve had your suspicions confirmed one way or the other, he does something that presents the opposite. When you think he’s bad, he does something that might be called heroic. He does something that’s good, and then he does something that’s not so good. That’s the beautiful part of the writers’ creation. They’ve made somebody who can lean on both sides of the fence and still serve his ultimate goal without compromising his ability to be good or bad. It’s a joy to play someone like this because the writing is so good.
MediaBlvd> Cristine, did you have any idea from the first episode that your character would evolve as she has?
Cristine Rose> Not at all. It’s a surprise package, every time I open up a script. I got a little bit of a hint in the fall, when it was alluded that I would be a little more interested in Nathan’s political career than might normally be expected from a mother. But, then I went into the background for a while, and I didn’t know if I was going to come to the forefront. It was terribly exciting to find out that I am, in fact, in league with Linderman. At the beginning, I really thought that it was my husband who had the powers, and so, it’s just been a real joy ride. I don’t think that we’re evil. I’m really thinking we’re out to save the world. I’m just a little misguided.
MediaBlvd> Are you drawing on any first ladies, such as Jackie O, for your role?
Cristine> I just like those clothes because they look good on me. I’m not drawing on anyone in particular. I did watch The Manchurian Candidate a while ago and there were elements of that, that Angela Lansbury did, that I really liked, but that was a long time ago. I adore Jackie O, and she looked so much better in clothes than I ever will hope to, so I can’t possibly go down that road.
MediaBlvd> As someone who is not in every episode, how much are you reading scripts and following things, just as a fan?
Cristine> I’ve been watching from the very beginning, and I ask for the scripts. When I’m going to be in an episode, I request all the scripts that have been shot between my last show and the show that I’m doing next. I have to keep tabs on what has been happening with the boys. I’m a big fan, and it’s hard not to be, once you get hooked on the storyline and, not only the brilliant writing, but the actors.
MediaBlvd> Malcolm, how did it feel to be cast as a character whose presence had loomed since the beginning?
Malcolm McDowell> It actually made my job much easier. They’d all been talking about this character, but I didn’t really know until Adrian told me that he’d even had phone calls with me, with nobody on the other line, since they didn’t know who was going to play the part, at the time.
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Malcolm McDowell as Mr. Linderman |
MediaBlvd> Were you following the show before you got cast on it?
Malcolm> To be honest, no, I wasn’t following it. I don’t watch that much TV, but when it was coming up, of course I tuned in. And, they sent me the pilot, which was really wonderful. I enjoyed it very much. As soon as I read it, my son also said, “Dad, it’s one of the great shows on television. What rock have you been hiding under?”
MediaBlvd> There seems to be an inherent contradiction in Linderman. He is orchestrating this plot that is going to end up killing lots of people in New York City, but his power is to heal and bring things back to life. Is that how you play the character?
Malcolm> It’s not a conscious thing. The man is a healer. He’s obviously got a wonderful side to him. He’s wonderful with children and he’s wonderful with pets. He’s the life and soul of a party. He tells a good joke. He’s a delightful man, and the kind of person that would be a very fine uncle to your children. But, having said that, there is a side to him, which is a little bit dark. He has this power thing, and he feels that the world is in such a state, and that the human race is so decadent and out of control, that he thinks the answer to that is starting again. It’s obviously a strange way of going about things, but there are other people on this planet, at the moment, that think the same, unfortunately, and they’re dangerous. Linderman must have had quite an unhappy childhood, for him to have taken it that far.
MediaBlvd> Do you think Linderman is evil, or just misunderstood?
Malcolm> I never really get into that definition of characters. I like them all. I supposed you could make the case for Hitler being misunderstood, couldn’t you? But, the fact is that Linderman is such a fabulous part for an actor to do that I really had to do no acting at all. I think the show is really well written. As a viewer, you’re always on the edge of your seat, but I haven’t a clue what’s going on. Although, I must admit, it’s so compelling. It’s an amazing show and they do such a great job. I can say that because I’ve been on the inside now. Of course, the regular cast members know all about it and I think they’ve got one of the best jobs in television.
MediaBlvd> Is there a villain inside of you?
Malcolm> I think that any part that you play, of course there’s always a little bit of you. The truth is, everyone has a bit of the devil in them, don’t they? It’s just that they pay me to have fun with it, so I’m happy to do it. I don’t only play the baddies. I suppose I’m primarily known for that, but in fact, that would only be half of my career. All the well-known roles I’ve had, I suppose, are on the heavy side, but I enjoy it very much. I think the word relish comes to mind, in terms of this part, particularly, and these wonderful scenes with Adrian. We have such a ball together. It was a pleasure.
MediaBlvd> Adrian, was the season arced out for you when you signed on?
Adrian> No. I think a lot of character dynamics are what define the progress that certain characters take, the performances, the way that people engage, however the relationships seem to manifest. They write for strengths of character portrayals. We’ve managed to pull such great actors into the show, like both Cristine and Malcolm, that it just enhances the writers’ abilities to generate lines. While I do have an overall arc for the season, it is somewhat fluid, in terms of who’s going to be playing off whom, and for what purposes.
MediaBlvd> How far in advance do you get the scripts, and are you ever surprised?
Adrian> I do manage to periodically pull some information from the producers and from the writing staff, prior to scripts being released. There are surprises that we all receive, when we read the scripts. That’s part of what makes it so exciting. I think that goes hand in hand with nobody basing anything on people that came before, like politicians or people in real life. The characters are so good and well-defined. We’re just as enraptured reading the scripts as I think the audience is in watching the episodes. It’s that exciting to read. They’re real page turners.
MediaBlvd> Were you surprised when you were told that Sylar had taken on Nathan’s identity?
Adrian> I thought it was a great opportunity to play another actor. I always love to do that. And, that was the culmination of a lot of work that Zach Quinto and I had done, up to that point. He wasn’t on call, but he came to the set and spoke to me in my trailer and just whispered the lines in my ear for about half an hour. And then, I watched him walk around. I followed him. He blocked the scene. To be able to take on his mannerisms and such, it was a real joy, especially with it being so specific. There’s not a lot of ambivalence in his actions and his motions, and to play somebody like that was a lot of fun. When I found out that I was going to embody and be playing him, that was a real surprise.
MediaBlvd> What does family mean to Angela and Nathan, particularly with Claire?
Cristine> I’ve put a lot of thought into this, as to what really my motives are, and there are still a lot of questions that I hope might be answered in the second volume, called Generations. That title might intimate there will be more news about what’s gone on before and what might go on in the future. I’ve been wondering if the plans of Linderman and Angela, and others of the Numeratti, as (show creator) Tim Kring refers to us, have been going on for decades. I’ve pondered whether Angela might not have borne her children to be part of this whole plan. The idea of bearing children to save someone, or in this case save the world, is something I’ve had to deal with. That’s one of the joys of the show. There are so many questions and so many mysteries that we still don’t know.
Adrian> I think that family plays such a big part in the landscape that’s been defined by Heroes. It’s really been a family-oriented struggle, on so many fronts. When I discovered that Claire was my daughter, there was a certain pragmatic approach to understanding what needs to be done, but there was probably a less than pragmatic approach about trying to figure out how she’s going to fit into the future of his life. As an alpha male who’s aggressive, in terms of succeeding, politically and professionally, it all harkens back to trying to please and win the approval of your parents. Playing Nathan has been a joy. I think there are some very interesting decisions that are going to come up, towards the beginning of season two, that are going to answer a lot of questions. At the same time, because of the nature of the show, it will open up a lot of other questions as well. Family, as it’s structured and as it’s begun to unfold in the Petrelli household, with the dynamic that exists between the four of us -- myself, Peter, our mother and Claire -- is going to open up a little bit more, or even add some more insight into how that all came to pass. We are the third generation of the Petrelli dynasty. I think it’s either going to start to unravel like a cheap sweater, or it’s going to be put back together very carefully by some talented people from the outside.
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Cristine Rose as Angela Petrelli |
MediaBlvd> Since multiple episodes are often filmed at the same time, how do you adapt to days when you’re working on different episodes at once?
Adrian> I’ve had to deal with three episodes in one day, and it can be a bit unwieldy, but I think the continuity that we’ve managed to achieve, over the course of the season, has prevented us from making any egrevious errors. It’s not that difficult, overall, when you’re trying to portray a single character through the arc of three different storylines, as long as they’re not too disparate. As long as they’re sequential, or roughly sequential, and not episode 8, episode 12 and episode 15. Usually, it was episodes in succession that we were shooting at the same time because of location or editing issues, or editorial concerns. It’s exactly what you’d think it would be like. It’s a little bit more taxing, in terms of execution, but it is doable.
MediaBlvd> With the TV landscape being a little more friendly to unsympathetic and amoral protagonists these days, do you think a show like Profit would have had a better chance, being on the air now, as opposed to 10 years ago?
Adrian> Absolutely, I think that show would have found a home now. I think one of the things, if I can be so bold, that I feel like I share with Malcolm is a kinship. There is a perceived utility that we both display, and that’s playing someone who holds a secret, someone who you like and trust, but not 100%, somebody you want to have a beer with, but you hope they pick up the tab. It’s always very fun to play someone who is somewhat enigmatic, but at the same time, there are underpinnings of real concern for mankind. There is a lack of desperation in these characters that is always fun to play. They’re not strident, but they are also very sure about what they are doing and why they are doing what they do. Jim Profit had a lot of that. He was somewhat of an anti-hero. He moved the story along, but he was not responsible for being liked, 100%. When you have a show that has the writers like our show does, you can embrace that, and it’s been really fun.
MediaBlvd> There is some talk of Nathan being separated from his traditional, familiar environment next season. Have you given any thought to what Nathan is like, if he’s not a man of power, with resources immediately at hand?
Adrian> I think that’s going to be the journey. From what I can tell, there is going to be a little bit of a story of redemption for the choices that he’s aligned himself with. How do you handle who you are, without the ability to pick up a phone and get anything you want? I think you’re going to find it’s a completely unexpected place that Nathan might end up, after the choices that he makes in the very last three minutes of the finale. It is what will lead to the story of what’s going to happen to him in Season 2.
MediaBlvd> Malcolm, how does Linderman compare to Loomis, your character in the Rob Zombie Halloween remake?
Malcolm> It’s completely different because Loomis is a psychoanalyst of some note. Although, for a man who’s got a patient like Michael Meyers, that he hasn’t been able to do anything to control or cure in 17 years, God knows how good of a doctor he really is. But, he’s a well-meaning man. Whereas, Linderman is running a big empire, like any of the chairman of the boards of multi-national companies. To put it in black and white terms, one is a good guy and one is a bad guy.
MediaBlvd> Are you paying homage to Donald Pleasence, or doing something completely different?
Malcolm> I have to tell you that I’ve never seen Halloween 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8. I must be one of the only people on the planet, never to have seen any of the films, and I’m so glad because I asked the director, Rob Zombie, who is a wonderful director, if he thought I should see them, and he said, “No, better not.” I knew Donald Pleasence, and what a brilliant actor he was, with that wonderful, sinister thing of his, and I could imagine him playing Loomis with that sinister thing he has, but it’s a new look. It’s a re-invention of it. My Loomis is completely different. So, I guess there will be some people that will be sort of disappointed, if they think I’m just going to copy him because I’m not.
MediaBlvd> What about these kind of genre projects attracts you to these roles, and what about them appeals to you as an actor?
Malcolm> To be honest with you, it’s not so much that I’m attracted to them, but I get asked to do them. You’re only as good as what they ask you to do. I’m very lucky that I was asked to do Heroes because it’s a gift of a role. It’s really a wonderful part. And, same with Loomis. I’ve been very lucky, through the years, to get a few good parts, here and there, amongst the crap. Let’s face it, there’s quite a lot of crap out there. So, the odd little pearl that comes my way, I seize on it and say thank you very much.
MediaBlvd> What are you currently working on?
Malcolm> It is a movie called Doomsday, that is directed by a lovely director, called Neil Marshall. And, my nephew is actually in it. He’s a very good actor, named Alexander Siddig, and he was in Syriana. He told me, “Listen, they want you to do this and it’s really good. You should do it.”
MediaBlvd> Which network did you do the War and Peace miniseries for?
Malcolm> I have no idea, to be honest with you. I play the wonderful part of Prince Bolkonsky, and I do most of my scenes with Brenda Blethyn, who is a dear, and a terrific actress. I don’t know who’s picked it up in the States, but I know that they are going to screen the whole nine hours of it in Rome, right through night. It’s quite a remarkable event. It’s a beautiful production. It’s really quite wonderful.
