Another chat with Alex O'Loughlin! I love seeing him getting a lotta media attention again :) This time the TV Addict talks with him.
Alex O’Loughlin Talks CRIMINAL MINDS and Reveals Why MOONLIGHT Failed
While it may not be the MOONLIGHT revival that fans were hoping for (or to be more specific, that one really dedicated fan who is single-handedly keeping the “Save MOONLIGHT” campaign alive by inundating my email box with bi-weekly emails), star Alex O’Loughlin is making a return to the small screen this evening on a very special, not to mention intensily creepy episode of CRIMINAL MINDS. And here to talk about tonight’s role with your very own TV Addict, in between shooting his new CBS pilot (THREE RIVERS) and his upcoming romantic comedy opposite Jennifer Lopez is the immortal one himself, Alex O’Loughlin.
TA : Before we get into your guest appearance on tonight’s CRIMINAL MINDS, I of course have to first ask about MOONLIGHT. Were you surprised it was cancelled?
Alex O’Loughlin : Yes and no. It was a tough show for everybody in a sense that it was a high maintenance girlfriend. You love her, she’s great in bed but it takes so much of your time to appease her [laughs] that you’re left going, “Okay, is this worth the end result.” From the very beginning, there were huge amounts of changes: Five different showrunners, from the early days when it was Twilight we fired everyone, recast the show, reshot the pilot, called it MOONLIGHT, changed the showrunner. [Producer] Joel Silver and the network were butting heads constantly about the creative direction of the show. It was a lot of stuff to deal with behind the camera, maybe too much in fact. But to answer your question, I was surprised we were canceled because it was doing so well.
TA : On tonight’s CRIMINAL MINDS, you play Vincent, a serial killer who couldn’t be more different than MOONLIGHT’s Mick St. John. How did this guest appearance come about, and did you purposely look for a role that was Mick’s polar opposite?
Alex O'Loughlin : In terms of CRIMINAL MINDS specifically, the writer, Simon [Mirren] is a great friend of mine, and he said, “listen, I’m writing a role with you in mind. Would you read it,” and I did and the rest is history. I love playing different roles, the more variety the better. Once I’ve played a role I don’t want to play it again.
TA : Was there any apprehension about playing a serial killer?
Alex O'Loughlin : No apprehension because as far as I’m concerned Vincent is a redeemable character. When I first read the part, I could see how sympathetic he was. In terms of how I prepare, obviously not by going out and slaughtering anything. My main preparation with this character was the obsessive compulsive stuff because that’s the thing that rules his life and keeps him doing what he does time and time again. His OCD is at the core of his physical being.
TA : A lot of your scenes are with a young actor [Jake Cherry] who plays Stanley. Before accepting the role did the old Hollywood adage about not working with kids or animals ever cross your mind?
Alex O'Loughlin : (Laughs) That’s the old rule man, no kids or animals! But I love working with kids, I’ve never not enjoyed it. But then again maybe I’ve never had a bad kid. The thing about working with children is that there are no walls there, no barriers between you and their vanity. When you’re working with adults, we all have vanity, narcissism, whatever we have that has to do with our ego can potentially get in the way of our work. With kids there is a purity and an innocence regardless of what character they’re playing within them. And so to tap into that is just extraordinary to work with because it’s so true.
TA : What can you tell fans about the THREE RIVERS [the pilot that Alex O'Loughlin recently shot for CBS]
Alex O'Loughlin : Set in Pittsburgh, it’s a medical drama told from the perspective of the organ donor, the organ recipient and the surgical team. So every episode, someone may live and someone may die. Meaning the stakes are very high.
TA : Was it a difficult decision to sign on to what potentially could be seven years of playing the same character versus the idea of playing different characters between films and occasional TV guest appearances?
Alex O'Loughlin : Very good question and yes it his hard, it is daunting I got to say and i don’t think any actor would disagree with me. Once you’ve done a couple of films, I think the whole idea of being a movie star — well I don’t know about the ’star’ thing — but the idea of working regularly in feature films that’s my dream. To go from one character to the next and get to tell a million different stories, that would be wonderful, I’d love to be able to do that.
But the thing about television is that the job security, you cannot beat. I’m a family man and I have to think that way. But I definitely do get scared I’ll get stuck in one character and never find my way out. That other people aren’t going to trust me that I can’t find my way out to find one of their characters. So there is that.
That being said, after experiencing what I’ve experienced on both THE SHIELD and MOONLIGHT there is also joys and benefits to playing a character for a long time because you discover things and get to live out things you discovered about the character. There have been so many times in my life when I’ll finish a play or a film and a week later I’ll wake up and say, “Ah F*ck, that’s what I should have done with that scene, that’s the missing element.” And so in TV you get to live that out and discover so much more it’s great. but it’s definitely a catch 22 situation.
TA : Have you started shooting The Back-Up Plan?
Alex O'Loughlin : I start shooting in about a minute!
TA : Aside from the opportunity to work with Jennifer Lopez, what attracted you to the project?
Alex O'Loughlin : Nothing, just J.LO… No, just joking. The film is great, it’s funny, well written and I’ve never really done a lead role in a romantic comedy over here yet in America. Also, the director’s a pal, the great Alan Poul, who has a really smart clear vision for the film. And Jennifer being attached didn’t hurt.
http://thetvaddict.com/2009/04/29/alex-oloughlin-talks-criminal-minds-and-reveals-why-moonlight-failed/
CRIMINAL MINDS airs Wednesday nights on CBS at 9PM (8PM on CTV in Canada)
Showing posts with label Three Rivers Television Program. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Three Rivers Television Program. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Alex O'Loughlin talks with Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight interviews Alex O'Loughlin!
Alex O'Loughlin: From Vampire to Serial Killer
"Moonlight" hottie Alex O'Loughlin returns to CBS tonight for a guest-starring role on an episode of "Criminal Minds," in which a serial killer sends the team a videotape detailing one of his crimes. On the tape, he includes a plea, asking them to help him stop his killing spree. But first, ET checks in with Alex to get his take on his turn to the dark side.
ET: This role is quite a departure from Mick. How do you think your fans will react to it?
Alex O'Loughlin: How do you think they will react?
ET: I think they may be disappointed. You are not as sexy as you were in "Moonlight."
Alex O'Loughlin: There is more of that coming up. There is plenty of that.
ET: Is that why the part appealed to you, because it was so different?
Alex O'Loughlin: Absolutely. I didn't go to leading man school. I went to drama school. I don't want to play the same role, every role I get. The other thing is, my true fans, emphasis on the word true, will follow me wherever I go. I thought it was a well-earned breather between roles.
ET: Did you do any research on serial killers?
Alex O'Loughlin: Not so much on serial killers, as on OCD. I did a lot of research on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
ET: Right, because this character had to open doors twice and not step on cracks.
Alex O'Loughlin: There is more to it than that. OCD is an anxiety disorder. The patterns that people have ... you yourself might have some patterns that you are not aware of. A lot of us do. The patterns that people have in their daily life, such as putting their sunglasses on with both hands, or the way they tie their shoes. There are patterns that we have in real life that ease an anxiety that is inside of us. This is an extreme case of it.
ET: CBS seems to love you. You are doing the new pilot, "Three Rivers," for them. Can you describe your role and talk about the series?
Alex O'Loughlin: We have already done the pilot. The character's name is Andy Yablonski. It is based on a real-life character called Gonzo Gonzales-Stawinski, who is a cardio-thoracic surgeon I have been shadowing for the past couple of months. He has become a great friend of mine.
My character is a cardio-thoracic surgeon. He is a staff surgeon, but he is being preened to become head of surgery at Three Rivers Clinic, set in Pittsburgh. It is called Three Rivers because there are three rivers in Pittsburgh: The Allegheny, the Monongahela and the Ohio, but it is also told from three perspectives: The donor's perspective and the grieving family, the recipient and their family and the surgical team.
It is very different than "Moonlight." It is not about vampires, but there are equal amounts of blood as my last show.
ET: When you worked on "Moonlight," you worked with the American Red Cross for blood donation.
Alex O'Loughlin: That is something I am hoping to take on to my next project. I want to take it to another level and work with Donate Life America, which I will be working with in affiliation with Gonzo and CBS. I want to put something together and do something special for that.
ET: With 'Twilight' now and "True Blood," do you think that "Moonlight" was just one year too early?
Alex O'Loughlin: Many people say that. If they put it on now, maybe less people would have watched it because people are watching the other vampire projects. I just think they pulled it off too early. I think it is a show that took a minute to find its legs, but once we found our legs, our numbers were consistent and we won some awards. We were doing really well and then they canceled it.
ET: Nina Tassler said at the TCA [Television Critics Association] press tour that when they studied the fan reaction to the series, you tested better than the show.
Alex O'Loughlin: That is lovely to hear. It is always funny when you hear things like that, because what do you say besides thank you? I don't get it. I get up in the morning and my hair is all hanging in my face and poking up on one side, I need to shave and I look older than I am. When I stagger into the kitchen to get my breakfast, I don't think, "Oh, look at that handsome guy. Look at that talented special creature."
"The Big Wheel" episode of "Criminal Minds" airs tonight at 9 p.m. on CBS.
http://www.etonline.com/news/2009/04/73321/index.html
Photograph ~ Serial killer, Vincent (Alex O'Loughlin), from the CBS television series Criminal Minds
Alex O'Loughlin: From Vampire to Serial Killer
"Moonlight" hottie Alex O'Loughlin returns to CBS tonight for a guest-starring role on an episode of "Criminal Minds," in which a serial killer sends the team a videotape detailing one of his crimes. On the tape, he includes a plea, asking them to help him stop his killing spree. But first, ET checks in with Alex to get his take on his turn to the dark side.
ET: This role is quite a departure from Mick. How do you think your fans will react to it?
Alex O'Loughlin: How do you think they will react?
ET: I think they may be disappointed. You are not as sexy as you were in "Moonlight."
Alex O'Loughlin: There is more of that coming up. There is plenty of that.
ET: Is that why the part appealed to you, because it was so different?
Alex O'Loughlin: Absolutely. I didn't go to leading man school. I went to drama school. I don't want to play the same role, every role I get. The other thing is, my true fans, emphasis on the word true, will follow me wherever I go. I thought it was a well-earned breather between roles.
ET: Did you do any research on serial killers?
Alex O'Loughlin: Not so much on serial killers, as on OCD. I did a lot of research on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
ET: Right, because this character had to open doors twice and not step on cracks.
Alex O'Loughlin: There is more to it than that. OCD is an anxiety disorder. The patterns that people have ... you yourself might have some patterns that you are not aware of. A lot of us do. The patterns that people have in their daily life, such as putting their sunglasses on with both hands, or the way they tie their shoes. There are patterns that we have in real life that ease an anxiety that is inside of us. This is an extreme case of it.
ET: CBS seems to love you. You are doing the new pilot, "Three Rivers," for them. Can you describe your role and talk about the series?
Alex O'Loughlin: We have already done the pilot. The character's name is Andy Yablonski. It is based on a real-life character called Gonzo Gonzales-Stawinski, who is a cardio-thoracic surgeon I have been shadowing for the past couple of months. He has become a great friend of mine.
My character is a cardio-thoracic surgeon. He is a staff surgeon, but he is being preened to become head of surgery at Three Rivers Clinic, set in Pittsburgh. It is called Three Rivers because there are three rivers in Pittsburgh: The Allegheny, the Monongahela and the Ohio, but it is also told from three perspectives: The donor's perspective and the grieving family, the recipient and their family and the surgical team.
It is very different than "Moonlight." It is not about vampires, but there are equal amounts of blood as my last show.
ET: When you worked on "Moonlight," you worked with the American Red Cross for blood donation.
Alex O'Loughlin: That is something I am hoping to take on to my next project. I want to take it to another level and work with Donate Life America, which I will be working with in affiliation with Gonzo and CBS. I want to put something together and do something special for that.
ET: With 'Twilight' now and "True Blood," do you think that "Moonlight" was just one year too early?
Alex O'Loughlin: Many people say that. If they put it on now, maybe less people would have watched it because people are watching the other vampire projects. I just think they pulled it off too early. I think it is a show that took a minute to find its legs, but once we found our legs, our numbers were consistent and we won some awards. We were doing really well and then they canceled it.
ET: Nina Tassler said at the TCA [Television Critics Association] press tour that when they studied the fan reaction to the series, you tested better than the show.
Alex O'Loughlin: That is lovely to hear. It is always funny when you hear things like that, because what do you say besides thank you? I don't get it. I get up in the morning and my hair is all hanging in my face and poking up on one side, I need to shave and I look older than I am. When I stagger into the kitchen to get my breakfast, I don't think, "Oh, look at that handsome guy. Look at that talented special creature."
"The Big Wheel" episode of "Criminal Minds" airs tonight at 9 p.m. on CBS.
http://www.etonline.com/news/2009/04/73321/index.html
Photograph ~ Serial killer, Vincent (Alex O'Loughlin), from the CBS television series Criminal Minds
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
TV Guide ~ Matt Mitovich chats with Mr. Alex O'Loughlin
Matt Mitovich, from TV Guide, has posted a new chat with Alex O'Loughlin.
Today's News: Our Take
Alex O'Loughlin Previews Criminal Turn, Opens Up About His Post-Moonlight "Tailspin"
by Matt Webb Mitovich
'Alex O'Loughlin says of his Criminal Minds appearance, "Yeah, it's a little different." '
Can a serial killer played by Alex O'Loughlin slake his thirst for murder? The star of TV's too-short-lived Moonlight talked to TVGuide.com about his compelling guest spot on CBS' Criminal Minds (Wednesday, 9 pm/ET). Plus: Why Alex O's fans should give his new medical drama a chance.
TVGuide.com: Where have ya been, man? We had a long stretch there, after Moonlight went bye-bye, where the fans were missing you terribly.
Alex O'Loughlin: Yeah, I didn't work for like 10 months. I went back to Australia for a minute, and then I went and sat in a forest for a couple months and got my thoughts together. I did a bunch of writing.... Essentially, I went into a bit of a tailspin and left the country, to Mexico, out of phone range. I was kind of upset.
TVGuide.com: Well, nearly a year later, not a week goes by that I don't get a reader asking not if but when that show is coming back. Exactly what measures were taken to possibly save Moonlight?
O'Loughlin: I don't know exactly what happened after they cut it. I know they talked to CW, they talked to TNT ... a bunch of people.
TVGuide.com: Is there anything you can share about what was going to happen next on the show?
O'Loughlin: What I do know is that there was going to be some really cool stuff going on with Eric Winters' character, [the ADA] who was gathering the list of vampires.
TVGuide.com: Turning to the April 29 episode of Criminal Minds: [Series creator] Ed Bernero told me that your serial killer reaches out to the BAU for "help" — and he put "help" in quotation marks.
O'Loughlin: There are a few twists, and I can't tell you what they are. But the thing that I love about this episode is that we find a very disturbed character — a guy whose life is run by obsession and by compulsion, and he can't stop this pattern of killing. But he wants salvation. He finds a child, and the child represents perhaps the last bit of innocence within himself. This is what I drew from the character when I first read the script, and I hope that's what we see when the show plays. The episode was written by a friend of mine, Simon Mirren, who is very, very talented.
TVGuide.com: Paget Brewster told me that you had the women on the set all atwitter.
O'Loughlin: Oh, boo. Come on. I must have missed that! [Laughs]
TVGuide.com: You went from taking lives on Criminal Minds to saving lives on the CBS drama pilot Three Rivers. Sell me on the concept.
O'Loughlin: It's set in Pittsburgh, where the Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio rivers meet, and it's told from three perspectives — the organ donor, the organ recipient, and the surgical team. That of course means that in every episode, someone dies and someone potentially lives, so it's always very high-stakes. The show is really well-written and smart and sensitive. It's a beautiful little hour of TV.
TVGuide.com: I just know that some of your Moonlight fans are concerned that the premise, on paper, doesn't sound dynamic enough for their Alex O'Loughlin.
O'Loughlin: It's absolutely dynamic enough. I plead with my Moonlight fans to give this show a chance if they let me give it a chance. I can't do Moonlight again — it's finished. The bottom line is that my true fans will follow me where I go.
TVGuide.com: I take it that your Three Rivers character, Dr. Andy Yablonski, is not Australian.
O'Loughlin: [Laughs] No, he's not. They offered me the role, and I was like, "Can I at least audition as an Australian?" "G'day! Do you need a new heart?"
TVGuide.com: And they weren't buying.
O'Loughlin: No, they weren't.
TVGuide.com: Was Three Rivers the first project that CBS sent you as part of your talent deal with them?
O'Loughlin: No, no. They had a bunch of other things.
TVGuide.com: Did they try to add you to any existing series?
O'Loughlin: Mmmm.... There was talk about a couple bits and pieces that we didn't take seriously.
TVGuide.com: When are you doing the Jennifer Lopez movie?
O'Loughlin: That films in like two weeks. She plays a 40-year-old girl who hasn't found the one and wants to have a baby, so she gets artificially inseminated. Then she meets the guy of her dreams — and that's me!
http://www.tvguide.com/News/OLoughlin-Criminal-Minds-1005531.aspx
Photographs ~ Alex O'Loughlin on the red carpet at TV Guide's Sexiest party, and as serial killer Vincent from Criminal Minds tv show
Today's News: Our Take
Alex O'Loughlin Previews Criminal Turn, Opens Up About His Post-Moonlight "Tailspin"
by Matt Webb Mitovich
'Alex O'Loughlin says of his Criminal Minds appearance, "Yeah, it's a little different." '
Can a serial killer played by Alex O'Loughlin slake his thirst for murder? The star of TV's too-short-lived Moonlight talked to TVGuide.com about his compelling guest spot on CBS' Criminal Minds (Wednesday, 9 pm/ET). Plus: Why Alex O's fans should give his new medical drama a chance.
TVGuide.com: Where have ya been, man? We had a long stretch there, after Moonlight went bye-bye, where the fans were missing you terribly.
Alex O'Loughlin: Yeah, I didn't work for like 10 months. I went back to Australia for a minute, and then I went and sat in a forest for a couple months and got my thoughts together. I did a bunch of writing.... Essentially, I went into a bit of a tailspin and left the country, to Mexico, out of phone range. I was kind of upset.
TVGuide.com: Well, nearly a year later, not a week goes by that I don't get a reader asking not if but when that show is coming back. Exactly what measures were taken to possibly save Moonlight?
O'Loughlin: I don't know exactly what happened after they cut it. I know they talked to CW, they talked to TNT ... a bunch of people.
TVGuide.com: Is there anything you can share about what was going to happen next on the show?
O'Loughlin: What I do know is that there was going to be some really cool stuff going on with Eric Winters' character, [the ADA] who was gathering the list of vampires.
TVGuide.com: Turning to the April 29 episode of Criminal Minds: [Series creator] Ed Bernero told me that your serial killer reaches out to the BAU for "help" — and he put "help" in quotation marks.
O'Loughlin: There are a few twists, and I can't tell you what they are. But the thing that I love about this episode is that we find a very disturbed character — a guy whose life is run by obsession and by compulsion, and he can't stop this pattern of killing. But he wants salvation. He finds a child, and the child represents perhaps the last bit of innocence within himself. This is what I drew from the character when I first read the script, and I hope that's what we see when the show plays. The episode was written by a friend of mine, Simon Mirren, who is very, very talented.
TVGuide.com: Paget Brewster told me that you had the women on the set all atwitter.
O'Loughlin: Oh, boo. Come on. I must have missed that! [Laughs]
TVGuide.com: You went from taking lives on Criminal Minds to saving lives on the CBS drama pilot Three Rivers. Sell me on the concept.
O'Loughlin: It's set in Pittsburgh, where the Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio rivers meet, and it's told from three perspectives — the organ donor, the organ recipient, and the surgical team. That of course means that in every episode, someone dies and someone potentially lives, so it's always very high-stakes. The show is really well-written and smart and sensitive. It's a beautiful little hour of TV.
TVGuide.com: I just know that some of your Moonlight fans are concerned that the premise, on paper, doesn't sound dynamic enough for their Alex O'Loughlin.
O'Loughlin: It's absolutely dynamic enough. I plead with my Moonlight fans to give this show a chance if they let me give it a chance. I can't do Moonlight again — it's finished. The bottom line is that my true fans will follow me where I go.
TVGuide.com: I take it that your Three Rivers character, Dr. Andy Yablonski, is not Australian.
O'Loughlin: [Laughs] No, he's not. They offered me the role, and I was like, "Can I at least audition as an Australian?" "G'day! Do you need a new heart?"
TVGuide.com: And they weren't buying.
O'Loughlin: No, they weren't.
TVGuide.com: Was Three Rivers the first project that CBS sent you as part of your talent deal with them?
O'Loughlin: No, no. They had a bunch of other things.
TVGuide.com: Did they try to add you to any existing series?
O'Loughlin: Mmmm.... There was talk about a couple bits and pieces that we didn't take seriously.
TVGuide.com: When are you doing the Jennifer Lopez movie?
O'Loughlin: That films in like two weeks. She plays a 40-year-old girl who hasn't found the one and wants to have a baby, so she gets artificially inseminated. Then she meets the guy of her dreams — and that's me!
http://www.tvguide.com/News/OLoughlin-Criminal-Minds-1005531.aspx
Photographs ~ Alex O'Loughlin on the red carpet at TV Guide's Sexiest party, and as serial killer Vincent from Criminal Minds tv show
New TV Squad interview with Alex O'Loughlin
As usual, Alex O'Loughlin gives a great interview! In this chat, they not only talk about his new projects but also our beloved Moonlight. Do you think that, as a boy Vampire, Mick St John would kick Selene's (Kate Beckinsale) tail? I would like to see that fight ;>
Oooooooo.... I totally agree that the Vampyre film Alex recommends ("Let the Right One In") is a must see!
Moonlight's Alex O'Loughlin talks guest spots, TV pilots, and vampire smackdowns
by Mike Moody
Moonlight is history, but Alex O'Loughlin is still in demand. The actor, who garnered a huge fan base playing Moonlight's good guy vampire Mick St. John, returns to TV this week. O'Loughlin will guest star as a conflicted serial killer on CBS's Criminal Minds on Wednesday.
For O'Loughlin fans, the guest appearance is only a tease. What they really want to see is their favorite Aussie actor starring in a new weekly series. They might get their wish if CBS picks up Three Rivers, a drama pilot starring O'Loughlin as an organ transplant surgeon.
I got a chance to speak with O'Loughlin this week. We chatted about his new projects, his love for the vampire genre, and how Mick St. John could totally kick Kate Beckinsale's ass. Click through for the conversation, plus preview images and video from the actor's appearance on Criminal Minds.
Mike Moody : Moonlight got the axe, but you've landed a high-profile guest spot on CBS's Criminal Minds and you're starring in a new pilot for the network, Three Rivers. How does it feel to be so in demand at a major network?
Alex O'Loughlin : It feels good, Mike. It feels good. I mean, as an artist, you spend a lot of your life maybe not working and training, reading and really trying to further yourself. And the reality is a lot of us never really get to make a living at it. So it brings me great joy to be in demand. It's a lovely feeling. I've worked hard for a long time to be able to choose what I want to do ... It's a lovely feeling.
Mike Moody : You play a serial killer who's possibly seeking redemption in Criminal Minds. Can you draw any parallels from that character to Mick St. John from Moonlight, or is this something completely different?
Alex O'Loughlin : It's definitely different, which is what drew me to the part. With Mick St John, the only thing the two have in common is that they are both in control of what they're doing, but Mick was more in control than this guy. This character has a crippling case of obsessive-compulsive disorder, which now runs his entire life. He's had to stop working to maintain his anxiety, and it takes him all day and every moment to control it. And the killing is part of that as well. It's a form of control for him, and yes, he is seeking redemption.
Mike Moody : Did you study the effects of obsessive-compulsive disorder before taking on this role?
Alex O'Loughlin : Yeah, I actually had it. I think a lot of us have a certain degree of it, I know I do, but I'm not crippled by it. When I was a young boy in elementary school I was quite a blatant example of a child with OCD, and I remember how it used to make me feel and how difficult it was. I also did a lot of reading and I studied the effects of OCD on children and how it continues from childhood to adulthood if left untreated.
Mike Moody : Let's talk about Three Rivers, the CBS pilot you're starring in. The character you play is based on a remarkable real-life surgeon, Dr. Gonzalo Gonzales-Stawinski. What was it like getting to know the doctor and playing a character based on him?
Alex O'Loughlin : Well, I don't get star struck by many people, but I'm completely star struck by this guy. I love this guy so much. He's become such a great friend of mine. He's a rock star, he's a hero, and he's so cool. I spent many hours shoulder to shoulder with him in the operating room, and I've never met anyone like him before. I've really been affected by him. He's a great source of inspiration to many people. He gives life to people, and he's a wonderful, funny guy and really enjoyable to be around.
Mike Moody : Three Rivers can be called a "show about doctors," but it seems to be more than that. What's unique about this project?
Alex O'Loughlin : It's not a show about doctors, it's about transplant surgery, and it's called Three Rivers because it takes place where the Allegheny River and Monongahela River meet with the Ohio River in Pittsburgh. And it's also called Three Rivers because it's about three perspectives of transplant surgery: the recipient, the donor and the surgical team. That's what unique about it.
Mike Moody : Do you think it will appeal to Moonlight fans?
Alex O'Loughlin : I think it's going to appeal to a lot of people. It's a different genre. I love the vampire genre, though. I always have. Actually, I want to recommend a film, Let the Right One In ... It's directed by Tomas Alfredson.
Mike Moody : I've seen it. It's great.
Alex O'Loughlin : You've seen it?
Mike Moody : Yeah, I liked it.
Alex O'Loughlin : Oh, it's f*ckin' brilliant. Yeah, I'm a huge vampire fan, but (Three Rivers) is a different show, and I love it. It's really smart, it's grown-up, it's clever, it's funny and sensitive, it's got everything.
Mike Moody : You've been involved with a few causes, like the American Red Cross, that seem to stem from the roles you take on. What are your hopes or goals for Three Rivers, not on an entertainment level, but on a social or awareness level?
Alex O'Loughlin : My hope is to become involved with Donate Life America or an equally large non-profit organization to educate about organ donation. I want to be in a position where we can leverage the philanthropical aspects of what we do with TV spots, PSA's and campaigns.
Mike Moody : You have a few big movies coming up, including White Out with Kate Beckinsale, who was in the Underworld films. Did you two trade vampire stories on the set?
Alex O'Loughlin : A little bit, yeah. It was more like, "Who was the better vampire?" I was the better vampire! No, I was the better vampire! No, I'm a boy, I was better and I'm stronger than you!" (Laughs) We went back and forth, and I think she finally said, "You're an idiot" and walked away. But the bottom line is Mick St. John would kill what's her name, I don't even remember her name, from the (Underworld) movie! Mick St. John would kill her!
Mike Moody : So you're obviously a big fan of the vampire genre. Is there any chance you'll return to genre television or maybe do a genre film anytime soon?
Alex O'Loughlin : Sure, why not genre film? Why don't we do a big film? I'd love to do more genre work. I don't know about anytime soon, but it's not out of the question for me.
Mike Moody : Audiences really responded to your onscreen relationship with Sophia Myles on Moonlight. Any chance you might work with her again?
Alex O'Loughlin : Yeah, maybe. There's nothing set up, but she's a friend, and you never know. It's a small world and we have a scarcely small acting fraternity, so I wouldn't be surprised if it happened. She's great.
Mike Moody : We look forward to seeing you on Criminal Minds next week. Anything you want to say to your fans about the show?
Alex O'Loughlin : Tune in. Come on! Show up! It's a good episode. I think you'll like it.
http://www.tvsquad.com/2009/04/28/moonlights-alex-oloughlin-talks-guest-spots-tv-pilots-and-va/
Photograph #1 ~ Mick St John (Alex O'Loughlin) from Moonlight television show
Photographs #2 & #3 ~ Serial killer Vincent (Alex O'Loughlin) from the CBS tv program, Criminal Minds
Oooooooo.... I totally agree that the Vampyre film Alex recommends ("Let the Right One In") is a must see!
Moonlight's Alex O'Loughlin talks guest spots, TV pilots, and vampire smackdowns
by Mike Moody
Moonlight is history, but Alex O'Loughlin is still in demand. The actor, who garnered a huge fan base playing Moonlight's good guy vampire Mick St. John, returns to TV this week. O'Loughlin will guest star as a conflicted serial killer on CBS's Criminal Minds on Wednesday.
For O'Loughlin fans, the guest appearance is only a tease. What they really want to see is their favorite Aussie actor starring in a new weekly series. They might get their wish if CBS picks up Three Rivers, a drama pilot starring O'Loughlin as an organ transplant surgeon.
I got a chance to speak with O'Loughlin this week. We chatted about his new projects, his love for the vampire genre, and how Mick St. John could totally kick Kate Beckinsale's ass. Click through for the conversation, plus preview images and video from the actor's appearance on Criminal Minds.
Mike Moody : Moonlight got the axe, but you've landed a high-profile guest spot on CBS's Criminal Minds and you're starring in a new pilot for the network, Three Rivers. How does it feel to be so in demand at a major network?
Alex O'Loughlin : It feels good, Mike. It feels good. I mean, as an artist, you spend a lot of your life maybe not working and training, reading and really trying to further yourself. And the reality is a lot of us never really get to make a living at it. So it brings me great joy to be in demand. It's a lovely feeling. I've worked hard for a long time to be able to choose what I want to do ... It's a lovely feeling.
Mike Moody : You play a serial killer who's possibly seeking redemption in Criminal Minds. Can you draw any parallels from that character to Mick St. John from Moonlight, or is this something completely different?
Alex O'Loughlin : It's definitely different, which is what drew me to the part. With Mick St John, the only thing the two have in common is that they are both in control of what they're doing, but Mick was more in control than this guy. This character has a crippling case of obsessive-compulsive disorder, which now runs his entire life. He's had to stop working to maintain his anxiety, and it takes him all day and every moment to control it. And the killing is part of that as well. It's a form of control for him, and yes, he is seeking redemption.
Mike Moody : Did you study the effects of obsessive-compulsive disorder before taking on this role?
Alex O'Loughlin : Yeah, I actually had it. I think a lot of us have a certain degree of it, I know I do, but I'm not crippled by it. When I was a young boy in elementary school I was quite a blatant example of a child with OCD, and I remember how it used to make me feel and how difficult it was. I also did a lot of reading and I studied the effects of OCD on children and how it continues from childhood to adulthood if left untreated.
Mike Moody : Let's talk about Three Rivers, the CBS pilot you're starring in. The character you play is based on a remarkable real-life surgeon, Dr. Gonzalo Gonzales-Stawinski. What was it like getting to know the doctor and playing a character based on him?
Alex O'Loughlin : Well, I don't get star struck by many people, but I'm completely star struck by this guy. I love this guy so much. He's become such a great friend of mine. He's a rock star, he's a hero, and he's so cool. I spent many hours shoulder to shoulder with him in the operating room, and I've never met anyone like him before. I've really been affected by him. He's a great source of inspiration to many people. He gives life to people, and he's a wonderful, funny guy and really enjoyable to be around.
Mike Moody : Three Rivers can be called a "show about doctors," but it seems to be more than that. What's unique about this project?
Alex O'Loughlin : It's not a show about doctors, it's about transplant surgery, and it's called Three Rivers because it takes place where the Allegheny River and Monongahela River meet with the Ohio River in Pittsburgh. And it's also called Three Rivers because it's about three perspectives of transplant surgery: the recipient, the donor and the surgical team. That's what unique about it.
Mike Moody : Do you think it will appeal to Moonlight fans?
Alex O'Loughlin : I think it's going to appeal to a lot of people. It's a different genre. I love the vampire genre, though. I always have. Actually, I want to recommend a film, Let the Right One In ... It's directed by Tomas Alfredson.
Mike Moody : I've seen it. It's great.
Alex O'Loughlin : You've seen it?
Mike Moody : Yeah, I liked it.
Alex O'Loughlin : Oh, it's f*ckin' brilliant. Yeah, I'm a huge vampire fan, but (Three Rivers) is a different show, and I love it. It's really smart, it's grown-up, it's clever, it's funny and sensitive, it's got everything.
Mike Moody : You've been involved with a few causes, like the American Red Cross, that seem to stem from the roles you take on. What are your hopes or goals for Three Rivers, not on an entertainment level, but on a social or awareness level?
Alex O'Loughlin : My hope is to become involved with Donate Life America or an equally large non-profit organization to educate about organ donation. I want to be in a position where we can leverage the philanthropical aspects of what we do with TV spots, PSA's and campaigns.
Mike Moody : You have a few big movies coming up, including White Out with Kate Beckinsale, who was in the Underworld films. Did you two trade vampire stories on the set?
Alex O'Loughlin : A little bit, yeah. It was more like, "Who was the better vampire?" I was the better vampire! No, I was the better vampire! No, I'm a boy, I was better and I'm stronger than you!" (Laughs) We went back and forth, and I think she finally said, "You're an idiot" and walked away. But the bottom line is Mick St. John would kill what's her name, I don't even remember her name, from the (Underworld) movie! Mick St. John would kill her!
Mike Moody : So you're obviously a big fan of the vampire genre. Is there any chance you'll return to genre television or maybe do a genre film anytime soon?
Alex O'Loughlin : Sure, why not genre film? Why don't we do a big film? I'd love to do more genre work. I don't know about anytime soon, but it's not out of the question for me.
Mike Moody : Audiences really responded to your onscreen relationship with Sophia Myles on Moonlight. Any chance you might work with her again?
Alex O'Loughlin : Yeah, maybe. There's nothing set up, but she's a friend, and you never know. It's a small world and we have a scarcely small acting fraternity, so I wouldn't be surprised if it happened. She's great.
Mike Moody : We look forward to seeing you on Criminal Minds next week. Anything you want to say to your fans about the show?
Alex O'Loughlin : Tune in. Come on! Show up! It's a good episode. I think you'll like it.
http://www.tvsquad.com/2009/04/28/moonlights-alex-oloughlin-talks-guest-spots-tv-pilots-and-va/
Photograph #1 ~ Mick St John (Alex O'Loughlin) from Moonlight television show
Photographs #2 & #3 ~ Serial killer Vincent (Alex O'Loughlin) from the CBS tv program, Criminal Minds
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