Alex O’Loughlin and Gabriel Macht – Interesting to look back at the days before they both starred in two hit TV shows. Alex as the lead actor on Hawaii Five-0, with a 240 episode run and Gabriel as lead on a 136 episode run of Suits, with the difference being that Gabriel ended up also as the executive producer of his show and being able to steer the direction of his show.
This is only one of the few delightful interviews they did together for the movie Whiteout.
For Collider
8 September 2009
Interviewing two people at the same time is hard. The reason is, when you’re interviewing just one person, you can focus all your energy and questions on that individual. But when you have two people ready and willing to answer questions, you’ve got to come up with stuff they both can talk about and you never know if they’re going to play off each other.
Sometimes you only have the time to ask one question because they’ll keep going on and on. Trust me, it’s a challenge. Thankfully, when I sat down to speak with Alex O’Loughlin and Gabriel Macht for their new movie “Whiteout”, not only did they play off each other quite well, we had enough time to ask some individual questions.
So if you’re curious what making “Whiteout” was like and what they have coming up, take a look at the interview after the jump.
Also, since it’s not online, Gabriel revealed that he’s been cast in Edward Zwick’s new film “Love and Other Drugs” opposite Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Transcript:
Alex: It’s not attractive.
Gabriel: Just don’t pick on your teeth. They are alright.
Steve: What we were discussing prior to the camera rolling – Food, in-between interviews. What’s your personal favourite?
Gabriel: Of?
Steve: Food?
Gabriel: Food! Uhm, actually … what’s my personal favourite. I was talking about this the other day. [To Alex] You might get a kick out of it. Crumpet, with some margarine and Vegemite on it. It’s actually…
Alex: Oh!
Gabriel: Yeah.
Alex: The word crumpet made me laugh. When you say it… crumpet
Gabriel: Sorry.
Steve: Okay, well
Alex: ‘Cos, you’re kind of crumpet. You don’t have crumpets here.
Gabriel: No, they’re … the closest thing is an English
Alex: They’re the greatest thing. They’re an Ozzie thing.
Gabriel: My wife is Aussie, and …
Alex: There’s the connection right there.
Gabriel: And the Vegemite, or the Promite
Alex: Vegemite… Promite is good too? But crumpet is a … how would you describe it? It’s kind of … It’s like a muffin, but it’s kind of got holes in it. They bake it and then they stop baking it. So, then you reheat it, and it’s kind of doughy, holey, crispy on the bottom. Oh. It’s delicious.
Gabriel: It’s really nice, yeah.
Alex: Can’t get them here, though.
Steve: I was going to say, I like… I like muffin tops. You know muffins?
Alex: It’s another… Well, yes, it’s a different thing, but it’s similar … it’s in the same land. You would find the crumpet and the muffin top, living in the same land.
Gabriel: They’re cousins …. they’re cousins.
Alex: Absolutely. At least.
Steve: I suppose I need to ask you a question about the movie at hand, or…
Gabriel: Oh, please don’t.
Steve: [Laughs] I guess we can talk about …no, no, no … I’m going in. When … when you … obviously, you knew this was going to be a physical shoot, when you were going in. But how did it compare to your preconceived ideas of what it was going to be?
Alex: I don’ think you can prepare yourself for minus 50 degrees, you know. I mean, you can’t … I’d never been in that … unless you had been there I suppose. But you can’t … you think you have an idea of, “I’ve been in the snow before” I’ve done this, I’ve done that … No man.
You know, it shuts down. Your body shuts down. Your mind changes. You know, your rhythm shuts down. Your breathing patterns change. Everything shifts. And so, it’s … it’s .. it benefits … for me it benefited my performance and my experience as an actor in the film, because I was subjectively experiencing the climate as a character. But, you know, I don’t think …
Gabriel: You see your blood pressure actually drops, right?
Alex: I think so.
Gabriel: Yes, so if your blood pressure is dropping, it’s sort of the antithesis of what you need to do as an actor. Because …
Alex: Which is like…
Gabriel: Which is such an intensity that you need to sort of create. And so, that’s a challenge actually. I forget about that.
Alex: Yeah.
Steve: Well, there was a lot of challenges, when I was looking at the notes. With the filming in the show in the show and filming at the sound stage. What was the hardest thing … and I rarely ask this, but what was the hardest thing that Dominic asked you guys to do, in the shoot?
Alex: Getting naked and running across the ice, when it was minus 35.
Steve: Really?
Gabriel: For me …
Alex: Yeah, dude. Didn’t you see the movie?
Steve: No, I did.
Alex: I was, yeah …. I was part of the Polar Bear club.
Gabriel: In the very beginning, there’s 20 guys, for 3 minutes there…
Steve: I …
Alex: You were so overwhelmed by courage … the courageous act …
Steve: The male nudity, just makes me, you know…
Gabriel: Look the other way, right?
Alex: I understand.
Gabriel: You were waiting for me to come on stage.
Steve: It’s not…
Gabriel: Because, I had a no-nudity clause.
Alex: I understand.
Gabriel: [Laughs]
Steve: [Laughs]
Steve: Okay, I’m going to switch subjects, because you guys obviously been answering about, Whiteout all day. Okay, but you both are involved with a lot of other stuff. Is there any that you want to, sort of mention to your fans, of what you have coming up?
Gabriel: I have, three movies coming out next year.
Alex: Really!
Gabriel: Yep. I’ve got a movie called “Middle Men”, which is about the internet porn business in the late ‘90s. Which is a great comedy-drama, crime-drama. It’s a lot of fun.
Steve: I’m in.
Gabriel: Written and directed by the guy who wrote, “Midnight Run”, George Gallo. So, it’s a lot of fun. And then I’ve got an independent film…
Alex: Well, we need to get to mine, so …
Gabriel: …with Rebecca Hall …
Alex: Let’s wrap this up.
Gabriel: And Amanda Seyfried in. And then I’m going to do the next Ed Zwick film, with Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway, Oliver Platt, Hank Azaria …
Alex: He is busy.
Gabriel: So, it should be fun, yeah.
Steve: I’m…
Gabriel: This guy doesn’t have anything coming out.
Alex: Nothing. I’m on a new…
Gabriel: What’s your back-up plan for that?
Alex: Oh, very funny. I’m on a new almost very, very hit TV show. Almost, which will be called Three Rivers. About organ transplant medicine and organ transplantation. And, I have a film coming out with Kate Beckinsale called, “Whiteout”.
Gabriel: You’re in that?
Alex: I am. And I also…
Gabriel: Did you wear a hood all the time?
Alex: Yeah, I’m not telling. And I sort of have a film with Jennifer Lopez, coming, called The Back-Up Plan. You should stay tuned.
Steve: I understand. I’m definitely getting the signal. So, listen folks, thank you so much.
Link to the video:
Some thoughts:
- Of course, blood pressure actually goes up and not down, in extreme cold, as they mention here. And because of it, your heart rate also excellerates.
- Interesting trivia, is that James Caan was also in the movie Midnight Men with Gabriel.
Alex O´Loughlin ~ An Intense Study 
I’ve been meaning to thank you for your brilliant synopsis of a really terrible film. I’ve seen it numerous times but never understood what was going on, I even Wikied it and it still didn’t make sense. It was like they sloppily chopped up 3-4 films and tossed them together. It was only after reading your explanation that it finally made sense. Thanks much!
My favorite has always been the towel scene. 😆
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, I wrote that so many years ago.
LikeLike
LOL, I never understood the film either and am glad to see that I’m not the only one. I would not say it is a ‘terrible film’ but it’s certainly a film whose main, not to say the sole, interest is Alex. Even if fully dressed!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I also saw Whiteout before I knew who Alex was. It was only after H50 I happened to see the film again as awful as it was and discovered he was in it.😍 Imagine that!! The rest is history.😊😊😊😊
I must add that I am a fan of Gabriel Macht because I loved Suits and loved his character as well as a great ensemble cast and great guests. I discovered him as well in the Whiteout the second time around. I was sad to lose Suits last year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi You Two…..
I have enjoyed your continued stories on AOL, the early days, and some other histories about his early stuff. I am still an H50 ‘nut’….but not fixated on the show’s need to continue…I am friends with a number of the crew and many like-minded to me IG and TW fans. IMHO, if you look at it in the context of many of the horrible, horrible shows that are given the green light each year, it’s a shame that CBS canceled the show with no notice – and I say this for mostly the 200 + people (Cast, Crew and Services) who were put out of work with virtually no notice…..that was sad.
*Please don’t misinterpret*: Steve and Danny, and their chemistry/ interaction style (which became a ‘thing’ in and of itself) were the Heart and Soul of this series……and I would not disagree with those that say: there could not be the SAME H50 without S & D……and let the show die…….and I loved the end game…subtle, nuanced and right ending. I think PL did a great job with the goodbyes and final scene – given that he just had a few weeks to re-edit and shoot new scenes where needed.
In a post-finale interview, Peter Lenkov said that that the good-bye scene to Steve by the Cast was shot just 2 hours after the notice was give to the entire Cast and Crew that the show was canceled by CBS. From what I read, PL gave the Cast some general direction, but let them ad lib and say their own goodbyes (as the people they are – not just as the characters) …..I thought this scene was both brilliant and giving by PL….but truly, truly heartfelt and so real that the emotion leaped off the screen!!! ( I am not embarrassed to say this 70 year old fart shed some tears there)
However, I think the show could have and should have continued and did not have to be canceled. I thought Lance Gross was excellent in the way he played the character of Lincoln Cole And, as it was written)..subtle, intelligent, kind and great instinct (shown with his analysis of Steve’s situation(s))
I might suggest it could have been written in a slightly different way: with Steve giving the ‘temporary’ leading of the team over to Lou Grover – as he is the beloved father figure of the Ohana, *and* he had a personal relationship with the Governor….and thus, a smoother and more believable transition. Remember, as presented, the Plot Line was written that Steve just was going away for a while to find/ redefine himself and there was never an indication that he wasn’t coming back…he just needed to get away for a while.
It could have been presented that Lou did not want the responsibility and there could have been some back and forth and ‘negotiating’ between Steve and Lou for Lou to accept….more of Steve having to open up and room for banter.
With Lou ‘leading’ the team, there could have been time for Lincoln Cole to demonstrate in S. 11 to both the team and Lou his leadership abilities and his similarities under fire to Steve over a number of episodes. The could have been an emotional/ very dangerous episode where Lou breaks down and Lincoln must take over.
*I thought the remaining Cast was very strong* behind Alex O’Loughlan and Scott Caan. Adam was gradually regaining a place in 5 0, but it was going to be a slow, strong character-driven plot line. Let’s face it: *everybody* loved Jr. and Tani as their individual characters – and their blossoming romance just made it better. My first impression of Katrina Law as Quinn at the end of Epp. 1 with the motorcycle – in the shot of her from behind – in a camos and a dark haired military bun was: *Jeez…this is pretty cheesy* – they bring in someone quite similar looking to a certain MB person to be Steve’s love new love interest. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case and over the course of the season, the episode where she got to open up a bit was a great one and endeared her to a lot of fans for sure. She proved to be a great addition to the Cast……AND she was a Bad Ass also and a bit snarky like Danny. Nobody can do it like Scott Caan, but KL could have put the sardonic sarcasm needed into the series when needed for sure. I don’t know if Taylor Wiley’s health is getting to him as in most every scene, he was sitting. However, Shawn Garnett was growing constantly in the role of Flippa and he could have grown into that supporting role.
And speaking of Scott Caan, there hasn’t been an interview with him that I know of since the cancellation of the series. Who knows exactly whether he intended to come back to the series in S. 11 if there was one. He could have been negotiating with producers at the time of the cancellation??? No one knows that.
And remember one of the show’s main characters: the beautiful island of Oahu – I certainly relished it – especially Dec. thru Frb. every year.
So….Some ‘suit at CBS made the decision – and that is that. But if I was PL I would be shopping this Series and Cast to another network.
*What’s lost now?*
– Probably much of the cast. – Probably much of the crew. – A major void on Friday nite (and MPI and McGyver are great shows -* just not the same!!!)* *- *The ability for AOL to reappear on the show or rejoin the cast in the future – The ability for AOL to Direct and Write for H50 – Something he expressed passion about. – The ability for SC and other members of the cast to Direct and Write for H50 – Something PL was very generous with and encouraged.
So….I personally am sad to see H 5 0 go …..as I think series still had a lot of life left in it. Mahalo!!
And for those who say”it just wouldn’t be the same”…Tell me: “When ever IS life the same” ???
Sincerely,
Dave Wilson
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Dave
Yes, we still have a lot of the old stuff about Alex that we haven’t posted before. There are still lots of H50 stuff as well, which we will also post over time. Of course, for us, it is about Alex and his whole career and not just H50.
I share your sentiment and concern about so many people who lost jobs, but as I have said before, shows run from season to season. Peter also said that he expected each season to be the last. Fact is, they never knew before renewal each year, whether the show will continue or not – it was never a given. So, in fact, it was not sudden – because it is kind off expected each year to not continue.
Also, the cast and crew knew beforehand that Alex was leaving – and that should have given them some notice that the show had a big chance of being cancelled. I know, they got the news suddenly in the end – but still, they should have known that without the star, that the Network would seriously think of ending it all.
As with you, we have had loads of comments, on our FB page specifically, of people that would have wanted the show to continue, without Alex. And I have great sympathy for that – but for myself, I would have stopped watching the show a number of seasons ago, if Alex was not part of it. And maybe even with him in it, if I did not have this site.
The final goodbyes, were as you say, tearjerking and well done. If anybody watched the show over the years and did not FEEL that scene in the house, they have a heart of stone. It was raw and real. But I think even without the knowledge of non-renewal, it would have been done just as well, because they knew they were saying goodbye to Alex. And that news, they knew in advance. Saying goodbye to him would have carried the same emotions with or without renewal (in my opinion)
As far as Steve and Danny being the heart of the show – For me, that was true for the first few seasons, but Scott kind of killed that vibe by reducing his schedule on the show. The connection that Steve had with Grover and Junior became far more important for me. It is a pity that the writers did not explore those connections more. It would have made for far better viewing pleasure, that to try and artificially keep the Steve/Danny connection going, with the absence of Scott on many occasions.
As for Alex, I think and hope that he actually wanted to make a clean break from the show. 10 years of his acting career for one character was enough for me. If I understand most of his interviews over the years and many of them which I posted over the last few weeks, he always wanted more.
More than being stuck on a show with a one-dimensional character and a story where he had little input. If they told a more continues story of his character – it would have been a totally different story. But already in Season 1, some of the personal Steve McGarrett stories were dropped in favour of stories around the other characters. Which was great for the show in the long run, but not for McGarrett (or for my viewing pleasure) Alex always said that the personal McGarrett episodes, made the show for him. And unfortunately, there were not many of them over the years.
I doubt if any other Network would even consider touching a show that has been losing viewers over the years and was now losing its main star and attraction. It was still going strong – but there was no guarantee that the numbers wouldn’t have dropped significantly, if McGarrett left the show – a gamble the Network seemingly did not want to do..And most other Networks cater for more story-based shows, with less procedure and the rinse and repeat of stories and action (just my opinion)
As far as stuff being lost:
I would not have liked Alex to make “guest” appearances on the show. He said on a number of occasions that he does not want to play the same character, or even type of character, again and again. (Like I mentioned, 10 years of McGarrett has been a lot)
I doubt if he would have tried to write any further episodes for H50. Alex is not a series scriptwriter – unless he was given some input over whole story arcs, that would involve Hawaii and its people, or specific growth of characters. And I doubt if Peter would have given him that. He should have given Alex far more input options, many seasons ago already.
Alex had a passion to finish the Doris story and he did that. But for single episodes, I doubt if he would have the passion. And In my opinion, Peter kind of ruined the Doris story in the end once again (after Alex gave her a great send-off), by having all the cypher drama, being just about money.
Yes, it was great that Peter gave the cast members chances to write and direct – but that was not a lot if you think about the number of episodes that were produced. Those episodes can be counted on one, maybe 2 hands. But the % during all the 240 was not great. I know of other shows, where the actors are given far more input than that.
You say: “When ever IS life the same” ???
But I keep by my words in my post from a few weeks ago. “There is a time for everything” – Beginnings and endings – that is life!
Having said all that – with the state that the world is in at the moment, there are lots of uncertainty. Alex and maybe the Network might have thought differently if they knew what was to come. The show was job security.
And at the moment when new shows would be doing pilot episodes, none are being filmed. The Network might struggle to find good shows to replace it. And Alex might now struggle to find other projects for a while.
But the Network have not even renewed Magnum or MacGyver yet and far as I know.
Everybody is kind of in limbo. Let’s hope this time is being used for creating great “new” entertainment to come.
And thanks Dave, for your great passion for the show and the characters! That is what entertainment is about – creating passion.
LikeLike
As you, I am concerned about all the people who were part of the crew and are now jobless. Though they would be jobless now too, the cancellation came before the pandemic so it took them by surprise. But as FOYeur says, the “surprise” could come at the end of each season. People working in that business, ranging from actors to hairdressers, writers, electricians, dog trainers, you name it, know that they work for a limited period of time. It may be three months if they are making a movie, it may be three, five or ten years if they are in a TV show. They know they are not civil servants with a secure work future.
Sure, their situation is worse because being located in Oahu, they have less work opportunities than those living in the continent. But I cannot believe they thought that the show would endure forever.
The continuity of the show without McGarrett would have meant a total distortion of the very essence of H50. What attracted the audience was McG’s personal story as it made this cop show really different from the dozens other cop shows we see. As the storylines dealing with his family or his early life were dropped (Doris, the tool box, Wo Fat, Joe…), the show became less and less interesting. The cop job, the action, the crime-of-the-day and so on were just the entertaining way permitting to delve into his life. So as I see it, no McG, no H50. And notice I am saying McGarrett, not Alex.
On the other hand, I would have stopped to watch H50 if Alex had not been in it. Much as I like most of the other actors, many of which are very good, a show like H50 needs someone with very strong shoulders to carry its weight, and this someone was Alex. And yes, his decision to leave the show may have affected many people’s job expectations, regardless of the pandemic, but he could not be expected to sacrifice his career and his family life forever.
H50 was born, lived, and died. Like life itself.
LikeLiked by 1 person