TV Guide’s Up Close: With Alex O’Loughlin (Part #1) – April 2008

TV Guide’s April 24th, 2008 interview with Alex O’Loughlin the night before the cult vampire CBS series returns Friday April 25^{th 2008}

^{Written by Matt Mitovich}

Part 1

Question: Where do you see the relationship between Mick and Beth going?

Alex: I have to be careful how I answer this, because I think I ….. The writers and I have different …. We have conflicting ideas about this. They …. The writers all want Mick and Beth to come together. And I think it’s more like Romeo and Juliet. Like I like the unrequited love thing. So … I don’t know. We’re all … I’m going to be surprised by that myself.

Question: Will Beth be more exposed to vampire society, and how will that affect her relationship with Mick?

Alex: Yes she will, and I think it will give her the capacity for understanding on a much deeper level than she had before. Therefore …. You know, hopefully, she’s going to be more patient with him. And they will be able to …. You know it won’t be as difficult for her to sort of coexist with this guy.

Question: Why does Mick seem to be unable to turn Coraline out of his life completely? And why was Beth chosen by Coraline in the first place?

Alex: Because he loves her. And she was a big love for him. You’ve got to remember that she’s the one he asked to be his wife. Despite how we feel about … despite how the fans feel about it … that’s … that’s the way it is.

And despite the damage that she’s done as well, he still has …. He still has a big love for that woman. The love he has for Beth is a very different love. And it’s a … it’s a love that could outgrow the love he has for Coraline .. or had for Coraline.

And why did Coraline choose Beth? Well, we’re not a 100% sure about that yet. You know, we haven’t answered that yet. But part of it may be because of the rare blood type. You know, because of the attraction.

Question: Can you tell us anything about Mick’s back story that hasn’t yet been revealed?

Alex: I can tell you a lot. But [clears throat] I can ….. you know what I can. I have to be careful what I can tell you about Mick St John, because there’s the work that I’ve done as a character and then there’s the work that we are going to put on screen in the second season.

And so I can’t pre-empty any of that. So … he was extremely passionate about music. He was going to be a career musician. But he was a career musician, but he was really going somewhere with it.

Question: I the unaired pilot, Mick had the hypnotic vampire stare. Whose decision was it to eliminate, and did you think it was the right one?

Alex: Yeah … it was one of those things that I think that …. I don’t know who’s decision it was. It was most probably Joel Silver’s, because he’s the boss of us all. And we call him daddy. And he pays our cheques. But I don’t know who’s decision it was and … but I don’t mind that that is gone.

What I do … is the ability that Mick had to see other vampires. And he looked at them and he sort of had that infrared vision where he could see the heat patterns of the human. But when he looked at the vampires it was sort of this swirling ash. And I thought that was fantastic. I don’t know why? Probably budget, I’d say.

Question: How did you feel when you first heard that fans were organizing blood drives with the Red Cross?

Alex: It’s an honour to be .. to participate on a philanthropic level. But something like the American Red Cross which I’m now a spokesperson for is. I mean, it is a big deal. It’s really great to … The fans … I mean it’s fan instigated. You know these guys came to me and said, “Would you be part of this?”.

And of course, I’d be part of it. It’s trilling. You know, it’s wonderful. So I’m very excited and I’m very proud of the fans as well. Like I really … it’s just something … you know, I mean, you get fans and it’s great. And I really love the support, but that just makes me go, “It’s awesome”.

Question: How uncomfortable ARE those “vampire teeth”?

Alex: They’re fine. They’re actually really comfortable. They were made to my mouth, so …. You know, I enjoy … I enjoy wearing them.

Question: Why not approach Mick with your own Australian accent?

Alex: Not believable. He’s not an Australian. He grew up in …. On the streets of LA.

Matt: Next week Alex tackles questions of a more personal nature, including what Moonlight would be like if it aired on cable, and the fluctuation colour of his eyes, and more. See you then.

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