Post by Forever Xena on Oct 30, 2005 1:40:34 GMT -6
Lost Star Harold Perrineau
Scott's Spotlight by Scott Juba
Published: October 24, 2005
Normally, it takes numerous auditions for producers to cast one of the leading roles in their television show. When the producers of Lost cast the role of Michael (a father trying to connect with his estranged son, Walt, only to have him kidnapped), they immediately knew Harold Perrineau was the perfect choice to portray this complex character. “Harold was the only actor we brought to the network for Michael,” executive producer Damon Lindelof says. “He brings such intense dignity to everything he does. We thought that trait - a sense of honor - was needed since Michael was such a terrible father at first.”
Perrineau delivered a particularly moving and memorable performance in this season’s second episode during a flashback scene in which Michael had to say goodbye to his son. Perrineau prepared for that intense scene by bottling up his emotions until the cameras rolled. “It took a lot of hours of finding what someone might feel in that particular position, as well as what I might feel in that particular position,” Perrineau explains. “It’s a really wacky acting thing to do. You actually make yourself feel that bad for hours before, but you keep holding it down until it’s actually time to start [shooting the scene].”
These types of poignant performances come as no surprise to Lindelof, who says the acting skills that won Perrineau his role still shine through in every episode. “I believe he's just as genius now as he was when he was first cast,” Lindeolf says. “The character, however, has grown and become much more nuanced. What might have been originally construed as a little ‘one-note’ - at least in our writing of it - became a fully-fleshed out character who is now extremely sympathetic, all of which we credit to Harold's performance.”
Despite the show’s serious subject matter, Perrineau says filming Lost has its lighter moments as well. “What happened a lot the first season was someone would say, ‘Are they ever going to come for us?’ and above our heads, a plane flies by. And it’s like, ‘Well, there it is.’ [Laughs]. We do have a lot of those moments, and they’re really funny.”
This season of Lost has unveiled numerous revelations that have had a major impact on the characters, including what is inside the island’s mysterious hatch, as well as the discovery that another group of plane crash survivors lives on the island. Although Michael has yet to enter the hatch, Perrineau suspects that the hatch will eventually be of paramount importance to each of the characters. “The hatch is essential to what’s going on,” he says. However, he qualifies his statement by saying, “From my point of view it is, but at the end of the day, they don’t tell us, so I don’t really know. [Laughs].”
With the introduction of another group of plane crash survivors, several new cast members have joined the show, including Michelle Rodriguez, Cynthia Watros, and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. “[Working with the new cast members] has been fascinating,” Perrineau says. “It’s brought a new energy to the show. Not that we were all tired of each other – we’ve only been on for a year. It’s just a really different energy. The one thing that [the original cast members] have is that we actually did go through that first year together. [The issue is,] how do you incorporate new folks that weren’t part of the beginning process without making them feel alienated? So, it’s an interesting thing. But they’re really great people who bring really different energies. Adewale brings a really intense kind of thing. Michelle Rodriguez brings another thing, and Cynthia Watros bring something else.”
In recent weeks, there have been numerous rumors about the possibility of a Lost movie. Perrineau expresses interest in the project, but only if it occurs under the right circumstances. “I’m a firm believer in hit ‘em hard, hit ‘em fast, and leave them wanting more,” he says. “So if it’s two or three years and then we do some ‘bang’ type of movie, then I’m totally into that. But only if it’s like that. If we do two or three years, then they do a movie, and then they want to do some [more television seasons], the show could become over saturated.”
Although Perrineau is thrilled by the success of Lost, he hopes to branch out into other television and film projects during the summer when Lost is on hiatus. “Last summer there was just nothing that came up that I really dug,” he says. “A couple of things came up, but nothing that I really liked. With more people watching and with more acclaim for the show, I’m hoping this year a few things come up that are down my alley. I totally would love to do other things, because as much as I love the show, it’s just part of my career. I don’t want to give up my career [as if] this is the end. The hope is to actually do other stuff that I really connect with that’s really good and really cool.”
Regardless of whether he’s acting in the cinema or on television, Perrineau’s emotive performances prove why he is one of the industry’s rising stars.
Scott's Spotlight by Scott Juba
Published: October 24, 2005
Normally, it takes numerous auditions for producers to cast one of the leading roles in their television show. When the producers of Lost cast the role of Michael (a father trying to connect with his estranged son, Walt, only to have him kidnapped), they immediately knew Harold Perrineau was the perfect choice to portray this complex character. “Harold was the only actor we brought to the network for Michael,” executive producer Damon Lindelof says. “He brings such intense dignity to everything he does. We thought that trait - a sense of honor - was needed since Michael was such a terrible father at first.”
Perrineau delivered a particularly moving and memorable performance in this season’s second episode during a flashback scene in which Michael had to say goodbye to his son. Perrineau prepared for that intense scene by bottling up his emotions until the cameras rolled. “It took a lot of hours of finding what someone might feel in that particular position, as well as what I might feel in that particular position,” Perrineau explains. “It’s a really wacky acting thing to do. You actually make yourself feel that bad for hours before, but you keep holding it down until it’s actually time to start [shooting the scene].”
These types of poignant performances come as no surprise to Lindelof, who says the acting skills that won Perrineau his role still shine through in every episode. “I believe he's just as genius now as he was when he was first cast,” Lindeolf says. “The character, however, has grown and become much more nuanced. What might have been originally construed as a little ‘one-note’ - at least in our writing of it - became a fully-fleshed out character who is now extremely sympathetic, all of which we credit to Harold's performance.”
Despite the show’s serious subject matter, Perrineau says filming Lost has its lighter moments as well. “What happened a lot the first season was someone would say, ‘Are they ever going to come for us?’ and above our heads, a plane flies by. And it’s like, ‘Well, there it is.’ [Laughs]. We do have a lot of those moments, and they’re really funny.”
This season of Lost has unveiled numerous revelations that have had a major impact on the characters, including what is inside the island’s mysterious hatch, as well as the discovery that another group of plane crash survivors lives on the island. Although Michael has yet to enter the hatch, Perrineau suspects that the hatch will eventually be of paramount importance to each of the characters. “The hatch is essential to what’s going on,” he says. However, he qualifies his statement by saying, “From my point of view it is, but at the end of the day, they don’t tell us, so I don’t really know. [Laughs].”
With the introduction of another group of plane crash survivors, several new cast members have joined the show, including Michelle Rodriguez, Cynthia Watros, and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. “[Working with the new cast members] has been fascinating,” Perrineau says. “It’s brought a new energy to the show. Not that we were all tired of each other – we’ve only been on for a year. It’s just a really different energy. The one thing that [the original cast members] have is that we actually did go through that first year together. [The issue is,] how do you incorporate new folks that weren’t part of the beginning process without making them feel alienated? So, it’s an interesting thing. But they’re really great people who bring really different energies. Adewale brings a really intense kind of thing. Michelle Rodriguez brings another thing, and Cynthia Watros bring something else.”
In recent weeks, there have been numerous rumors about the possibility of a Lost movie. Perrineau expresses interest in the project, but only if it occurs under the right circumstances. “I’m a firm believer in hit ‘em hard, hit ‘em fast, and leave them wanting more,” he says. “So if it’s two or three years and then we do some ‘bang’ type of movie, then I’m totally into that. But only if it’s like that. If we do two or three years, then they do a movie, and then they want to do some [more television seasons], the show could become over saturated.”
Although Perrineau is thrilled by the success of Lost, he hopes to branch out into other television and film projects during the summer when Lost is on hiatus. “Last summer there was just nothing that came up that I really dug,” he says. “A couple of things came up, but nothing that I really liked. With more people watching and with more acclaim for the show, I’m hoping this year a few things come up that are down my alley. I totally would love to do other things, because as much as I love the show, it’s just part of my career. I don’t want to give up my career [as if] this is the end. The hope is to actually do other stuff that I really connect with that’s really good and really cool.”
Regardless of whether he’s acting in the cinema or on television, Perrineau’s emotive performances prove why he is one of the industry’s rising stars.