Smith's" Simon Baker on being a likable sociopath: 'You're either interested, or you're f---g not.'
Source:Seattle Post Intelligencer
Date:July 16, 2006
By Melanie McFarland
The CBS Stars Party took place in the Rose Bowl, or as I referred to it earlier on Saturday, when outside temperatures had reached broiling levels, God's Wok.
Though I feared we'd be stir fry minutes into the event, the air cooled off considerably between getting on the bus and reaching the stadium. For that I give credit to our driver, who got lost in the parking lot, delaying our arrival until the sun set a tad.
Be that as it may, I had to laugh as I walked onto field because a brass band heralded our entrance with -- and I kid you not -- a live rendition of Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It." Really. I set foot on the grass, the conductor went "Two! Three! Four!" and the horns kicked it out.
CBS made a football theme out of the evening complete with heart attack food (hamburgers, ribs and pizza) and field goal kicking area. Not exactly a fan of any of that. What I did like, however, was "Smith's" pilot, particularly because it had Simon "Hot, Hot, Hottie McHotterson" Baker in it.
To ensure that the evening had a point, I cornered Baker for a 10 minute conversation, not only because he's lovely to gaze upon, but because he shifted uncomfortably in his chair throughout most of "Smith's" panel, which reporters turned into a long, prickly discussion about likability. Had to ask him about that.
Discussing the likability of a character can be a dangerous game because the definition is a little weird and gray these days. What, exactly, are the qualifications for persuading viewers to like a character? We like Tony Soprano, and he's a philandering murderer. Vic Mackey's OK to root for on "The Shield," and don't even get me started with his list of problems.
Yet many guys had problems envisioning audiences getting into Baker's Jeff, a handsome, athletic fellow who will put a bullet in your skull if you look at him wrong. In fact, that's how we first meet Jeff in "Smith's" pilot. A couple of tough guys threaten the surfer boy, and his response is to calmly walk to his car, pull out his rifle, mount a scope, and sent them off to that great luau in the clouds.
A fantastic, cinematic scene, and one that touched off several mild but unmistakably apoplectic fits during the session.
Back to the party, where a friend and I cornered Baker, who looked less than enthusiastic about chatting at first. Then it registered in his brain that he was looking at two women who probably paid full price to see "Something New" at the theater -- trust me, not many people did -- and he proceeded to charm us for more than 10 minutes of friendly, funny conversation.
The highlight was when the topic turned to the debate concerning Jeff's you-know-what.
I mean his "likability," of course. (What did you think I meant?) The fuse was lit.
"What was that about? Who was asking that, someone from the fundamentalist Christian right?" he said with a smirk. "We're not trying to save the world here, we're just making an entertaining TV show. I don't know if you could tell, but I was getting quite annoyed with all of that."
Let's see -- tense adjustment of eyeglasses, stiffened torso, pouty mouth -- yeah, we could tell. "Contrary to whoever it was that was concerned about it, I think my character is likable. I also think my character is a good guy. I just think he's a f----g nutcase."
By the way, although Baker knew I worked for a newspaper, he had no problem f-bombing with abandon. For instance, here's his take on being burglarized, something that's happened to him a few times.
"You just feel violated. Even with the smallest things, you feel like, f--k, someone came through and went through my s--t and stole that?! F---k!"
Baker was a bit more delicate when I asked him if he drew upon any caper films to build his character. "No, but I like the genre. When it's done well, I like it. When it isn't done well, it sucks. Just like anything else, I guess... When it's done well, you can see all facets of the character.
"And that, kind of, was sort of something I wanted to say today. People were just polarized. If it's done well, you're looking at the nuances of the character -- not, 'Is he good,' or 'Is he bad.' How do you articulate that in five words or less? It's humanity. You're either interested or you're f---g not."
That's nine, but we'll take 'em.
From Seattle Post Intelligencer .
Date:July 16, 2006
By Melanie McFarland
The CBS Stars Party took place in the Rose Bowl, or as I referred to it earlier on Saturday, when outside temperatures had reached broiling levels, God's Wok.
Though I feared we'd be stir fry minutes into the event, the air cooled off considerably between getting on the bus and reaching the stadium. For that I give credit to our driver, who got lost in the parking lot, delaying our arrival until the sun set a tad.
Be that as it may, I had to laugh as I walked onto field because a brass band heralded our entrance with -- and I kid you not -- a live rendition of Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It." Really. I set foot on the grass, the conductor went "Two! Three! Four!" and the horns kicked it out.
CBS made a football theme out of the evening complete with heart attack food (hamburgers, ribs and pizza) and field goal kicking area. Not exactly a fan of any of that. What I did like, however, was "Smith's" pilot, particularly because it had Simon "Hot, Hot, Hottie McHotterson" Baker in it.
To ensure that the evening had a point, I cornered Baker for a 10 minute conversation, not only because he's lovely to gaze upon, but because he shifted uncomfortably in his chair throughout most of "Smith's" panel, which reporters turned into a long, prickly discussion about likability. Had to ask him about that.
Discussing the likability of a character can be a dangerous game because the definition is a little weird and gray these days. What, exactly, are the qualifications for persuading viewers to like a character? We like Tony Soprano, and he's a philandering murderer. Vic Mackey's OK to root for on "The Shield," and don't even get me started with his list of problems.
Yet many guys had problems envisioning audiences getting into Baker's Jeff, a handsome, athletic fellow who will put a bullet in your skull if you look at him wrong. In fact, that's how we first meet Jeff in "Smith's" pilot. A couple of tough guys threaten the surfer boy, and his response is to calmly walk to his car, pull out his rifle, mount a scope, and sent them off to that great luau in the clouds.
A fantastic, cinematic scene, and one that touched off several mild but unmistakably apoplectic fits during the session.
Back to the party, where a friend and I cornered Baker, who looked less than enthusiastic about chatting at first. Then it registered in his brain that he was looking at two women who probably paid full price to see "Something New" at the theater -- trust me, not many people did -- and he proceeded to charm us for more than 10 minutes of friendly, funny conversation.
The highlight was when the topic turned to the debate concerning Jeff's you-know-what.
I mean his "likability," of course. (What did you think I meant?) The fuse was lit.
"What was that about? Who was asking that, someone from the fundamentalist Christian right?" he said with a smirk. "We're not trying to save the world here, we're just making an entertaining TV show. I don't know if you could tell, but I was getting quite annoyed with all of that."
Let's see -- tense adjustment of eyeglasses, stiffened torso, pouty mouth -- yeah, we could tell. "Contrary to whoever it was that was concerned about it, I think my character is likable. I also think my character is a good guy. I just think he's a f----g nutcase."
By the way, although Baker knew I worked for a newspaper, he had no problem f-bombing with abandon. For instance, here's his take on being burglarized, something that's happened to him a few times.
"You just feel violated. Even with the smallest things, you feel like, f--k, someone came through and went through my s--t and stole that?! F---k!"
Baker was a bit more delicate when I asked him if he drew upon any caper films to build his character. "No, but I like the genre. When it's done well, I like it. When it isn't done well, it sucks. Just like anything else, I guess... When it's done well, you can see all facets of the character.
"And that, kind of, was sort of something I wanted to say today. People were just polarized. If it's done well, you're looking at the nuances of the character -- not, 'Is he good,' or 'Is he bad.' How do you articulate that in five words or less? It's humanity. You're either interested or you're f---g not."
That's nine, but we'll take 'em.
From Seattle Post Intelligencer .
posted by nikita | 7:19 PM
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