This interview was done on 14 September 2010,
the day after the first Sunset On The Beach 1.
The “Hawaii Five-O” actor loves the Hawaiian life and doing his own stunts. Plus, Alex reflects on Jennifer Lopez’s “Idol” job.
Listen in!
with Kristin Dos Santos
Alex: I’m working and living on an island where the main greeting is ‘Aloha’, which essentially means love, you know. And you really feel it. It sounds kind of cheesy, but you really feel it. It was so amazing. There was 10 000 people there last night and they all loved it. They all watched it and cheered and loved it.
So, I don’t care what happens with the show. I mean, I want it to succeed. But I believe in it and I know we’re doing our job. It’s out of my hands now.
Kristin: You’re talking about the stunts. How much of your own stunts are you doing and can you tell us about the crazy things you’ve been doing?
Alex: In Episode 101, I do a stunt that is probably about 30 ft of the ground. I’m standing on a handrail so already sort of teetering on this handrail. And I jump about 15 ft out, 30 ft high and with one hand, horizontally grab a chain as I’m firing my gun at an enemy. And I swing on the chain and slide down the chain and keep firing.
Kristin: Wow.
Alex: And it was … I had wires and stuff, but I was so nervous. The funny thing is, the first time I did it, the stills photographer took a couple of stills and like my body was stretched out and I was firing and stuff. And my face was like [Alex pulling a scared face]
Kristin: [Laughs]
Alex: And they said, “You need to tone the facials down” and so then I was like [Alex showing a serious clenched face]
Kristin: [Laughs]
Alex: So that was pretty good.
Kristin: Tell me about the challenges of … you are now playing a native Hawaiian, your character is a native Hawaiian, correct? Or he grew up in Hawaii?
Alex: He is native, but he went away for a long time. He was sent to the mainland as a kid. You know, his father send him away for reasons that we will find out throughout the series. And when he comes back here, yes he does know a bit of Pidgin and he does know the area pretty well. He knows a lot about the island from growing up here, but he does feel like an alien again.
I think that, that is one of the things about McGarrett, is that he …. he feels alone in this world, you know. He feels …. He lost both his parents now and he feels detached in this world and that’s why the connection he joined … the connection that he finds with Danno, his new partner, is so important.
Kristin: Right
Alex: Cause it’s one of the only connections that he has, you know. And it is about really important stuff.
Kristin: I did want to ask you. You think there any chance that your “Back-up Plan” co-star Jennifer Lopez might make a guest appearance on this show?
Alex: Oh for sure, yeah. She’s coming on as a regular character in 107.
Kristin: We haven’t heard that yet.
Alex: Yeah, absolutely.
Kristin: It seems the obvious thing though, right?
Alex: Yeah, totally.
Kristin: Probably playing your love interest?
Alex: Oh, absolutely.
Kristin: Which is a nod to the movie.
Alex: I didn’t have to ask her. She’d just be like, shoot.
Kristin: She is waiting for the call, I know.
Alex: No but I do think, all jokes aside. Cause that is a joke, cause I’m sure, she won’t be on the show. Um, she’s going to be on Idols. You think is a joke? Is that right?
Kristin: Just heard it yesterday and I wanted to ask you about that. Yeah, how do you think she’s going to do?
Alex: I think she will be great, you know. She’s a great girl. Like she’s got a lot of spunk. And she’s got a lot of like … she’s got a great sense of humour. We had a fantastic time working. You know, her and Marc both were really fantastic people.
And so, I think she’ll bring .. I think she’ll bring an edge .. she’ll bring a humour edge, but she’ll bring … like she understands musicians and dancers, cause that’s who she is. That’s where she comes from …… and singers. So I think she really … I don’t know, it’s going to be really interesting to see does what she with it. But I think she’s going to bring something special that the other judges don’t.
Link to video
My Thoughts
- I never watched American Idol and I therefore have no idea how Jennifer are/were on the show. I have however started watching her new cop show Shades of Blue and I kind of like it thus far. I think Alex would have been just as surprised as with the Idols thing, to hear that she would be doing a cop show on TV. I know I am one of the few Alex fans who actually like Jennifer and enjoy her movies.
Alex O´Loughlin ~ An Intense Study 