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karathracelivesJohn Hodgman, aka The PC Guy, who had a cameo as Anders' brain surgeon in S4.5 did a lengthy interview with the AV club, where he talks for a fair stretch about his role on BSG and what a turning point it was for him. Here's a small snippet specifically about Starbuck/Katee that made me grin:
It was completely different from any on-camera experience I had had before, which amounted to The Daily Show, where I’m sitting next to Jon Stewart, or the Apple ads, where I’m standing next to Justin Long. Just pure two-dimensional things. I remember making this decision: There was this X-ray behind me of a bullet lodged in Trucco’s head, and I’m talking about it, feeling myself afraid to cheat too far from the camera. I’m like, “What if I just turned around?” That was the one thing that if I had done that on The Daily Show or the Apple ads, they would yell at me, say “Cut,” and start over, because you’ve gotta be facing the camera. I said to myself, [Whispers.] “I think I’m going to turn around in this scene, in this shot, in this take,” and I delivered my line, “See, now look at this.” And I turned around and pointed at the bullet, and every cell in my body expected to be yelled at that moment, and while I was turned around, I might as well have jumped out of a plane, because I was just so unnerved. Then I turned back, and no one yelled, and the scene continued, and I felt like sighing. “Something has happened.” I think it was maybe that take or the next one where I legitimately, in character, got Starbuck to tell me to frak off. That was the best feeling.
AVC: Remaining present as an actor in that scene must have been terribly difficult and exciting.
JH: Oh it was. It was. It was exciting as a fan of the show, but it was much more exciting, I won’t say as an actor, but as someone who had decided, “I’m going to try it. I’m gonna try being here.” As someone trying to act, it was much more gratifying that she believed in me just enough, or at least wanted me to frak off that much, that she told me to “shut the frak up,” I believe is what she said. And that was great, and then I had to hold it for a minute, and then the scene was over, and it was terrific. They didn’t use that line, but it replays in my head about once an hour.
It was completely different from any on-camera experience I had had before, which amounted to The Daily Show, where I’m sitting next to Jon Stewart, or the Apple ads, where I’m standing next to Justin Long. Just pure two-dimensional things. I remember making this decision: There was this X-ray behind me of a bullet lodged in Trucco’s head, and I’m talking about it, feeling myself afraid to cheat too far from the camera. I’m like, “What if I just turned around?” That was the one thing that if I had done that on The Daily Show or the Apple ads, they would yell at me, say “Cut,” and start over, because you’ve gotta be facing the camera. I said to myself, [Whispers.] “I think I’m going to turn around in this scene, in this shot, in this take,” and I delivered my line, “See, now look at this.” And I turned around and pointed at the bullet, and every cell in my body expected to be yelled at that moment, and while I was turned around, I might as well have jumped out of a plane, because I was just so unnerved. Then I turned back, and no one yelled, and the scene continued, and I felt like sighing. “Something has happened.” I think it was maybe that take or the next one where I legitimately, in character, got Starbuck to tell me to frak off. That was the best feeling.
AVC: Remaining present as an actor in that scene must have been terribly difficult and exciting.
JH: Oh it was. It was. It was exciting as a fan of the show, but it was much more exciting, I won’t say as an actor, but as someone who had decided, “I’m going to try it. I’m gonna try being here.” As someone trying to act, it was much more gratifying that she believed in me just enough, or at least wanted me to frak off that much, that she told me to “shut the frak up,” I believe is what she said. And that was great, and then I had to hold it for a minute, and then the scene was over, and it was terrific. They didn’t use that line, but it replays in my head about once an hour.
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Date: 2011-07-01 03:13 pm (UTC)Thanks, Tara! I'd seen this link, but totally forgot about it.
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Date: 2011-07-01 03:59 pm (UTC)This is a brilliant bit of quote--really thinky about the nature of acting. Thanks for posting it!
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Date: 2011-07-01 04:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-01 06:27 pm (UTC)But I have to say that having him playing that part took me right out of the scene. I was all 'Hey, that's the PC guy!' and that's not a good thing in the middle of what's supposed to be a very emotional moment. Wished they'd just used a total unknown actor.
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Date: 2011-07-01 08:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-02 12:30 am (UTC)