#Moonlight with #AlexOloughlin: Vampire Love Lost Too Soon

“Only the good die young,” as the song goes. Over the years there have been a number of TV shows that have made an impact on us here at 25YL and that we have been sad to see struck down in their primes. A season or two that grabbed us, and…that’s it. Whether there is some sense of completion or we are left dangling by a finger from the side of a cliff, these are shows that we think are worth remembering, re-visiting, or even watching now for the first time. This week Kacie Lillejord takes a look at the short-lived show Moonlight.

by  Kacie Lillejord

For 25YL! Cancelled too soon

5 December 2019

 

The CBS TV show Moonlight premiered in 2007, set in Los Angeles and starring Alex O’Loughlin as private investigator Mick St. John and Sophia Myles as reporter Beth Turner. From the first episode, it’s clear there’s a level of attraction between Mick and Beth, but there are complications. One, Mick is a vampire; two, Mick and Beth have a shared history, which Beth isn’t initially aware of; and three, Beth originally dates someone else, DA Josh Lindsey (Jordan Belfi)

Moonlight Cast

Over the course of 16 episodes, we watch as Mick and Beth experience a fair amount of sexual tension as they work cases together. Their cases would sometimes intersect, or one would involve the other. Mick was always protective, but Beth could hold her own.

Mick saving Beth

The thing is, Mick has been protecting Beth since she was a young girl when he rescued her from a kidnapper—a kidnapper that happened to be Mick’s vampire ex-wife, Coraline (Shannyn Sossamon). If there was ever an ex you wished you could forget, Coraline would be it.

Coraline had kidnapped Beth for the sole purpose of saving her marriage to Mick. Angered that Coraline had turned him against his will, Mick’s relationship with her had fallen apart over the years. We later learn that even before vampirism was involved, the two endured a stormy and oftentimes volatile relationship. Coraline intended to turn Beth so she could give Mick a family, and instead of going along with the plan, Mick saves the young Beth and leaves Coraline to burn alive—one of the only ways in which a vampire can die.

Moonlight could be painted as creepy considering that from the moment Mick saved Beth as a child he always watched over her from nearby—not as a stalker, but as a protector, a self-appointed guardian. He did so because, with Beth, he felt guilty that it was because of his ex-wife that she was placed in danger. It instilled this desire within to protect her from any further harm, remaining in the background in case she ever needed him. Plus, as far as the audience knows, Mick never watched her sleep from the end of the bed like Edward did with Bella in Twilight.

It’s sweet, the way Mick cares for Beth. As the two officially meet again in the pilot episode, “No Such Thing as Vampires,” it’s apparent that they have a connection. Mick saves her from a crazed professor and his assistant in that same episode, declaring, “I’m not gonna let you hurt her.” The need to protect turns into love in Mick’s case.

Moonlight cast

For Beth, she struggles to remember Mick. She frequently comments that he seems familiar, but she can’t place him. He continually lets her guess, initially keeping his identity as a vampire secret from her. As time goes on, Beth connects the dots—even revisiting the house where Coraline held her captive, making Beth remember more details of the kidnapping, including her savior, Mick.

Mick relies on his vampire friend Josef (Jason Dohring) for advice and guidance throughout the series. Josef once tried to turn his mortal girlfriend into a vampire with her blessing so they could be together forever, but he failed, placing her in a coma that left her frozen in time as she hasn’t aged since. Josef sadly lets Mick and Beth in on the secret, even showing them his beloved.

Josef

Many times throughout the series, Mick and Beth are given reasons why they shouldn’t be together. These include Josef’s experience and also the deaths of a vampire couple that were together many, many years but were sacrificed by other vampires for breaking the code: rules that all vampires must follow to keep their existence a secret or else suffer the consequences.

An Impossible Romance

Mick and Beth are so obviously perfect for one another, but they keep getting in one another’s way. Mick holds back because he doesn’t want to damn Beth to a life as an immortal. He believes he can’t give her the best life. She hesitates because she’s already dating Josh, and she’s not sure what to make of her growing attraction to Mick.

Josh is a sweet guy that is good to and for Beth, but he just doesn’t possess the fiery passion and connection to Beth that Mick holds. In a way, Beth strays from Josh as she spends more and more time with Mick on cases. When Josh is dying, Beth even begs Mick to turn him and save him, but Mick refuses as it’s against his own personal code to turn someone, with or without consent. She and Mick hit a rift of sorts following this event, but they do mend their relationship.

Beth: “Save him for me. Mick…”

That’s the thing here: Mick and Beth, no matter what they go through, always end up together again. They always work through whatever obstacle is thrown their way. From the reappearance of Mick’s supposedly dead ex Coraline (she did make a reappearance pretending to be someone else but wound up back in Europe to be punished by vampire royalty for breaking some vampire rules) to finding out what Mick really was, the two have always overcome it together.

If they can do all that, there’s no reason why they couldn’t be together for eternity. That’s one of the best things about Moonlight. Beth and Mick were this passionate couple that everyone was envious of. There was so much more to be said and done and explored, and I definitely miss the Mick and Beth moments on the show. They saved each other, many times. Beth saved Mick when he was dying in the desert (a vampire gets worse and worse the longer they are in the sun in this show) by allowing him to feed on her blood, and Mick saves her from mortal danger on a regular basis. It’s a partnership that was special and could have produced some of the greatest moments in paranormal romance history.

Backgrounds

The vampires are very different in Moonlight from say, mainstream Twilight. To turn someone, you have to bite them, drain them of blood, and then make sure they have vampire blood in their system in their dying moment. Sun is an enemy; the longer a vampire is out in it, the worse they feel. The only ways to kill a vampire are by fire or decapitation. Stakes cause paralysis until they are pulled out. There is a clean-up team you can call if you make a mess and risk exposure of vampire life. Vampires are like a secret society, and they must abide by rules. One of the most important rules is that your sire (the vampire that turns you) must teach you the ways of a vampire or else they risk death for not abiding by this law. It is crucial that vampires and their existence are kept secret.

It would’ve been interesting to see Moonlight dig further into vampire lore and find out more about the laws that all vampires have to live by. How would it have affected Beth and Mick?

Mick’s and Beth’s backgrounds were explored somewhat, but Mick’s more so than Beth’s. It was shown that Mick was turned in the 1950s. It would’ve been cool to have more flashbacks of Mick’s human life in order to get more of a read on who he was and how different he is as a vampire than as a human. Not to mention his early years of being a vampire: how did he handle it? How exactly did his relationship with Coraline change after she forcibly turned him on their wedding night?

Mick is shown to use his vampire talents of heightened senses and psychic abilities (they are able to see the future and the past to some degree) for good, as he became a private investigator to help others. He gained a reputation for solving even the most unsolvable cases. He is mature and strong, and he strictly abides by his own standards. Very few vampires live so strictly or selflessly. Mick surely didn’t transform into the man he is overnight, so it would’ve been interesting to find out more about his life story and how he overcame his struggles.

Beth, on the other hand, may not have as much of an interesting backstory, but it would’ve been nice to know more about her innermost thoughts. Mick narrates the show, so we always know what he’s thinking and feeling. One episode of Moonlight allows Beth to do this, but it would’ve been a great idea to include more of Beth along the line so we could gain further insight into her thought process, including her thoughts on Mick.

Unfinished Business

In a way, Moonlight did a good job of wrapping up most storylines in the final episode. However, some important things were left unsaid. For instance, new Assistant District Attorney Benjamin Talbot (Eric Winter) had photos of Mick being hit by a car and bearing no injuries. Not only this, but an unknown source also provided Talbot with the names of vampires in the area, including Mick’s. We’ll never know what Talbot was going to do with this information or what kind of fallout could’ve been caused for Mick, Josef, and the rest of the vampires.

Alex O’Loughlin as Mick St John

Coraline’s fate is left up in the air as well. She disappears after being taken to Europe, but we’re not exactly sure what happens to her. It’s implied that she was killed for breaking vampire laws, but she was supposedly dead before, too. It’s possible she could have escaped and returned to Los Angeles to cause even more havoc in Mick’s and Beth’s lives. There is also the vampire cure that, although temporary, had the potential to become permanent if given the right tools. It could have solved one of the most daunting problems in Mick’s and Beth’s relationship by making Mick human and granting him the life he always wanted.

Beth saving Mick

Last but not least, Beth confesses to Mick in Moonlight‘s final episode that she doesn’t think they should continue as a couple given how badly things had ended for the vampire couple in that same episode. Plus, Beth never wanted to make the choice of mortality vs. immortality. Mick leaves upon hearing this but returns, kissing Beth. It doesn’t exactly solve their problems, but it implies that they’ll stay together anyway. It’s a nice thought, but I still wanted to know for sure what their fates would be.

Obstacles Against the Show

Like it did for many other shows at the time, the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike affected the show in that it shortened the number of episodes produced. Since Moonlight was in its first season, it couldn’t afford a setback like the strike, and I believe that’s part of the reason why the show was cancelled too soon. The strike placed the show on hiatus, allowing people to forget about it and move on to other things or otherwise lose interest. Any show, especially a new one, needs to remain constant through a season and up the ante each week to keep viewers interested. If it doesn’t do this, it’s harder for the show to return with its audience still interested and invested in it.

Plus, the timing of the vampire/paranormal romance genre may have been too soon, if you can believe it. When Twilight hit theaters in 2008, it became the next big phenomenon over several years. Love for everything vampire and paranormal romance was at the forefront, creating the likes of “Twihards.” Twilight somehow managed to do what Moonlight couldn’t by way of its quantity of fans as well as its ability to maintain audience interest. I love Bella and Edward, but I’ll always favor Beth and Mick.

 

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Why The TV Show #Moonlight, Starring #AlexOLoughlin, Mattered

 

The vampire cult hit that was ahead of its time is back from the dead for your binge-watching pleasure.

Originally published in Watch!Magazine, 

By Nate Millado

Posted  May 2019

Before he became Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett on Hawaii Five-0, star Alex O’Loughlin played brooding bloodsucker Mick St. John in CBS’ Moonlight (2007–2008).

The vampire detective drama won the People’s Choice Award—over the more zeitgeisty Gossip Girl—for Favorite New TV Drama.

Alex O’Loughlin stars as Mick St. John, a captivating, charming, and immortal private investigator.

So it was somewhat surprising that after 16 episodes, it was canceled—driving a stake through the hearts of its 7.5 million viewers. But over the last decade, Moonlight has developed quite the cult following and was recently made available by The CW on its streaming service, CW Seed. We pay respects to the dearly beloved one-season wonder.

Vamps Redefined

The first 90 seconds of the pilot perfectly set up its premise—and in turn debunked some old wives’ tales about vampires. During a dream sequence with an offscreen interviewer, the undead private eye says he sleeps in a freezer (not a coffin); doesn’t hurt women, children, or innocents; and is relatively unfazed by sunlight, holy water, and crucifixes. (“And while we’re on the subject, garlic is tasty on pizza,” he quips.)

Alex O’Loughlin gets vamped up in Moonlight.

A Star Is Born

Alex O’Loughlin was easy on the eyes, cracked wise with a dry sense of humor, and did many of his own stunts. So while Moonlight didn’t work out, CBS knew they had a bona fide leading man in the Aussie actor. The network offered him Hawaii Five-0.

Beth (Sophia Myles) and Mick St. John (Alex O’Loughlin) face the ultimate consequence of a relationship between mortal and immortal when a vampire kills a human in the heat of passion.

Beauty and a Beast

Sure, it was a supernatural series with an occasional case-of-the-week. But at its core, Moonlight was a romance between Mick and investigative reporter Beth Turner (Sophia Myles)—who wasn’t your typical damsel in distress. Their star-crossed storyline highlighted themes of mortality (Mick is 85 years old but forever 30) and commitment issues (could a human and a vamp really be together?).

Mick St. John (Alex O’Loughlin) defies the traditional blood-sucking norms of his vampire tendencies by using his wit and powerful supernatural abilities to help the living in Moonlight.

O’Loughlin delivered swoon-worthy lines like, *“Ever since I met you, I’ve stopped using the word never,”* without the slightest bit of irony, and also exhibited undeniable chemistry with co-stars Jason Dohring (Mick’s mentor and friend Josef) and Shannyn Sossamon (his vampire ex-wife/sire, Coraline). The ensemble was just hitting its stride when film and television writers began a three-month strike in November 2007, forcing the show into hiatus only 12 episodes in. The show returned in April and aired a final four episodes.

Former vampire couple Coraline (Shannyn Sossmon)

and Mick St. John (Alex O’Loughlin).

Fang Girls and Boys

Moonlight diehards were willing to give their own blood to save their show from cancellation. Partnering with the American Red Cross, more than 3,000 fans donated a pint of blood in a nationwide campaign to get the network’s attention.

Gone Too Soon?

Moonlight aired its final episode on May 16, 2008—missing the vampire craze by mere months! True Blood and Twilight blew up in the fall, while The CW’s The Vampire Diaries premiered a year later. “We sort of felt like we were the beginning of this new phase,” O’Loughlin said in a 2010 interview. Had the timing been right—who knows? Fun fact: Moonlight’s working title during pilot season—Twilight.

 

My Thoughts

• Great to see Moonlight still has some life – even 11 years after it got canceled. Just shows you that it was actually a winning show, even if it got mistreated.
• They make it sound so easy – to say that Alex just got offered the role on Hawaii Five-0 after Moonlight got cancelled. When in fact he suffered a lot of heartache and also put his all into the show Three Rivers as well, just to be disappointed again with cancellation, all before he started in Hawaii.
• Great to see that Alex’s hard work over the years, since 2000 when he went back to school to study his craft, got the reward of a successful show. One that is now regarded as the most successful reboot ever. And my hope is that he would be rewarded even more, with even better roles and accolades in the years to come, all for his dedication and leadership during the years on Hawaii Five-0 and the people who work on it.
• And a big Thank You to my partner in crime, Paula, for once again providing us with the best – these brand new Full HD Screencaps from Moonlight

Mick St John – our ‘Beloved Immortal’

 

* Words  “Ever since I met you, I’ve stopped using the word never,” actually delivered by Sophia Myles as Beth towards Mick in Episode 8 of Moonlight and not by Alex.

#AlexOLoughlin Interview – with Daemon’s TV (April 2008)

Listening to an interview like this, it is clear that Alex think a lot about his characters and the story behind them.

This was recorded on the set of Moonlight when they filmed Episode 15. Of course for the interview Alex was in full make-up for the flashback of Mick’s war days, before he was turned into a vampire.

Alex O’Loughlin as Mick St John

Daemon’s TV: Alex O’Loughlin talks about his character’s flashback in the new “Moonlight” episode 15

Alex: It’s a battle, which is the reality for so many soldiers at war, you know what I mean. So many people, like a lot of my friends have been to battle is Somalia, and you know the Gulf war and in different parts of the world, where they go in specialising in one area and they come out knowing a whole lot more about a lot of other stuff, because of what happens in the moment , you know.

So, some of the stuff that we are dealing with in this episode. I think I’m really excited about this episode. I previse*. Over to you.

[*Previse = Foresee or Predict]

Daemon’s TV: Even before becoming a vampire, it seems that Mick was already dealing with blood as a medic in the war.

Alex: Yeah, absolutely, except it didn’t quite have the profound affect that it has on him today. And if you go back to episode 11, when Josh, you know …. When Josh life … when Josh’s life finished and Mick … Mick was …. You know, Mick tried to save him. I mean, the part of him ….. he’s pretty good at kind of turning it off, and just dealing with what he has to deal with.

But that blood … I mean, there was so much blood. There was just the urge to do what comes naturally … instinctively and naturally to him now. It was right at the surface the whole time, you know. So, yes, but yes he did deal with that …. He did have …. He was no stranger to blood …. He was no stranger to blood and bloody parts and stuff.

Daemon’s TV: Do you think it has affected Mick now as a vampire?

Alex: Look personally I think, you know you make all sorts of character decisions that never necessarily make it to the final cut of the show or film, but ….

One of the things I’d sort of done a lot if thinking about was that perhaps in the many years that Mick has had and before he became a private investigator as well, and that in that time that … that transition time for him, which was a number of years, he may have gone off and actually studied haematology*, you know what I mean. Studied … gone and done a lot of research and got like really well educated in, you know … in blood. And so ….

You’re talking about this guy and he’s …. He’s got such a sort of strict set of morals, you know what I mean. He doesn’t kill for pleasure. And he doesn’t … anymore. He doesn’t  … you know he gets his blood from a blood bank and he doesn’t  … you know he’s got certain, you know … he structured this way of living and this way of existing as a vampire … it sort of sits more comfortably with him that what … what  … what  is instinctive to him.

And I think that it’s probably … I’m sure that it’s all to do with each other, you know what I mean. So yeah. And nothing … when he is consuming blood, he knows all about the cells and about the structure of blood and stuff, whereas a lot of other vampires may not.

[*Haematology = The branch of medicine involving study and treatment of the blood.]

Daemon’s TV: Do you do your own stunts?

Alex: I did do a lot of …. A lot of my own stuff in the first 12 episodes. I did … I did more than I’ve been doing in the last few weeks. Simply because I don’t have the time. Like a number of different units shooting. We’ve got a little more money, so we can afford to shoot at that pace that we need to. And so … if I … if they need me on main unit and the stunt is being done on 2^nd unit, then I just can’t be there, then I have to let it go.

But I really love doing that. You know, I’ve got a harness that I use for wire work. When I go up in the air and do big jumps and stuff. I really like the fighting ad stuff, you know.

And I really like being part of the choreography of that. Like I sort of see it as a dance. And also the choreography of the character … it informs. My character should inform the way they choreography fight and stuff like that. They should inform, no, my character should inform that. So, I really enjoy it. I find it exhilarating.

Daemon’s TV: If you became a vampire, which path would you follow? Josef or Mick?

Alex: I’m ….. I don’t know. I’m a bit of a lush*. I’m a bit of an *epicurist. I like sort of nice stuff. I’m happy to have nothing as well, which is fine. I sort of grew up with not very much.

But when I do have stuff, I like it to be nice stuff. I’m a bit of a snob [Laughs] And so I think I’d fit in just fine.

I think I’d probably be a combination of both. I think I’d go the Josef path and then I would be racked with shame and guilt and I’ll sort off ….. but then I’ll do it again. [Everybody laughs] For eternity. I think that is probably a fair guesstimation of what would happen.

*[a lush = somebody who likes luxury and and lives lavishly]

*[epicurist = someone with refined or luxurious taste]

*[guesstimation = opinion or judgment based on inconclusive or incomplete evidence; guesswork]

Daemon’s TV: What do you think of the fans’ efforts to save the show?

Alex: Yeah I’ve never …. Before Moonlight, really I’ve never … I haven’t been involved …. I’ve never been the lead of a TV show or network film, so my …. I haven’t had a fan base like this before. I had fans around the place that have seen my work in independent films and the rest of it. But never ….. I’m new to this as well and it’s … it’s quite overwhelming.

Not only …. Not only witnessing first-hand the level … you know the amount of people and how much they support the show, but watching them … watching their behaviour. And you know how they are actually participating and stepping up and making things happen.

I think it’s great … I mean any time any of us get the opportunity to do any sort of effort for blood … I think we should take it, you know. So I am thrilled

Alex O’Loughlin as Mick St John – Saving Jacob

Daemon’s TV: Can you talk about the work relationship you have with Sophia Myles?

Alex: So we … look we spend a lot  of time together. We are great mates. She’s really fantastic to work with. We have a very similar … I am Australian, she’s British … we have a similar… we have a similar sensibilities. We have a similar sense of humour.

We have ….. we understand …. We grew up with the same TV. All that stuff. So we have a lot on common. And it’s …. She is easy to get along with, which makes  … it makes a big difference when you’ve got to spend 18 hours a day with somebody.

So  … but as far as our relationship goes …. In sort of in comparison to Mick and Beth. It’s very  …. You know, there is no tension between Soph and I. We are colleagues. We’re not lovers. We have our separate lives. We have …. So …

But what’s interesting .. you know people talk about onscreen chemistry. And it’s  … we get on screen and it’s  … we work together and those two characters have this really fantastic chemistry , you know what I mean. I’ve watched it. I see it when I watch the show back. But it’s  …. In real life, it’s like … it’s not tangible, not alive. But here it is, when you put it in the second dimension, on film, you know. It’s there.

Link to Video:

Trivia

• If parts of this interview video sounds familiar to you, you will know why, when you look at this article from Media Blvd from 2008, which we added to our archive a few years back: Alex O’Loughlin on the set of Moonlight – May 2008

#AlexOLoughlin on Daybreak USA (May 2008)

Here is another interview for our interview archive …….

This is the transcript of one of that Radio interviews Alex did to promote Moonlight. It took place on 2 May 2008. From the sound of it, that was the second time that Alex did an interview with them.

Unfortunately none of the excitement around Moonlight and the dedication of the fans could save the show……..

Radio host: Welcome back to Daybreak USA, the coast to coast IRN USA network and also on the World Wide Web at DaybreakUSA.net.

She is enamoured of a vampire, who is a private detective. He is somebody that remembers her when she was just a child. And he saved her life and now he’s torn between the love that she feels for him and he for her. But he’s a vampire, she is a human. How can it … how can its last?

Well you know what; it made it to the favourite show of The People Choice Awards. And know after the writers’ strike has come back strong. We’re talking about Moonlight. Its star, Alex O’Loughlin returns to Daybreak USA.

Alex, it’s nice to talk to you again.

Alex: Good morning. Nice to talk to you.

Radio host: Man, congratulations on what seems to be a show that’s hitting its stride. How does it feel for you and Sophia?

Alex: It feels terrific, you know, it’s been a … it’s been a really tough year and we’ve certainly been held back from hitting our stride, you know, all year. You know, they’ve just given us little bursts here and there to try to kind of survive the storm, but we have, you know. Like we ….

Radio host: Yes you have.

Alex:  …. weathered the storm and we’ve also … we’ve also received a couple of little things … little pats on the behind along the way. Like The People’s Choice Award and stuff. So it’s testament to the show that we have here.

Radio host: Absolutely. And you know when we spoke to you last year as the show was kicking off – A unique take on a storyline that has been told in many different ways and forms. And without mentioning the litany of show that have always chronicled the vampire with the heart of gold. I’d think that what it is that Moonlight managed to mine, and in my view from watching it, and also the responses of others, who blitzed us the last time we repeated our last conversation. I mean we got e-mails that would warm your heart.

Alex: Oh that’s great.

Radio host: When we repeated the interview that we did with you last year, and folks were like, “You talked to Alex O’Loughlin?”

Alex: [Laughs]

Radio host: “We had no idea he did radio” Oh was like okay, it’s Alex. We’re friends. We go way back. A few weeks.

Alex: There you go.

Radio host: You know. And so knew we had to give them warnings that this conversation was coming up. And I say all of that to say what you guys have fashioned with Mick St John character. How much design has gone into downplaying all of the gothic darkness of the vampire mythology? And fashioning this love story that you guys have with Mick and Bick … and Beth?

Alex: You know, I mean, it’s …. It’s … what we wanted was to …. We wanted to make a vampire show that was … that was accessible to everybody. You know and the show is not about …. It’s not about vampires you know. It’s actually …. What it is … it’s a character driven drama.

Radio host: Yes.

Alex: That’s what the show is. It’s a character driven drama about love and truth, you know. It just so happens that your lead character is a vampire.

Radio host: Hmmm

Alex: You know it so happens to be based in that genre. It also happens that it has a procedural element.

Radio host: Yes.

Alex: A cop as well.. he’s a PI as well, you know. And, I mean these are just sort of … they’re not by the by, but they are really important facets of the show. However they are facets of the show. So the way … where I base my performance. My performance doesn’t lie in vampirism. It doesn’t lie in that genre. It lies in truth and naturalism and drama as we know it, you know.

Radio host: Yes.

Alex: And so, it’s as well … I mean you were saying Mick has his heart of gold. Well sometimes he does, but the other thing is, I mean, pardon the pun, that he’s only human. You know he doesn’t necessarily have a heart of gold all the time. And really the reason he became a PI, was that …. Yeah, it’s to help other people, but it’s all for himself at the end of the day. So that he can close his eyes in that freezer and sleep another day.

Radio host: Hmmmm

Alex: Without, you know … without killing himself, because this thing is bigger than he is.

Radio host: Well that torment is palatable, you play it well. The … the … the love affair that is growing between Sophia’s character Beth and you, reached and interesting point last week when, after being human for a brief period of time, you had to be turned by your good friend in order for you to save “My Beth”, as your character said.

Alex: Right.

Radio host: How much fun to take it in that direction, because again, that is one of the reasons why  think it has now, coming back from the writers’ strike, really hit a really good stride.

Alex: Yeah, it’s funny you know. My … that little line “My Beth”, that was actually … that’s just ..that’s an improv line that came. I mean, in the script it was written … you know, he has Beth, you know. And he was talking obviously about Andrews,  the guy who had kidnapped her, and “My Beth” just came out of me being in the moment, in the scene, you know

Radio host: Ahh

Alex: In Mick there for a moment, it was just in that moment I had this … I don’t even remember it happening, but  when we were shooting, I was just thinking about how much I love this … this women. And so, I can’t even remember the question now. You just made me think…..

Radio host: Well you know what, I think I was talking about the way the relationship was growing and the way it hit a new high in last week’s episode.

Alex: Oh absolutely.

Radio host: And now knowing that was an improv moment, that really sold that scene.

Alex: Yeah absolutely. I mean and that’s when I knew the core of the scene without ….. You know, it’s not that I know that I would say that. You never know anything like that. But I knew that that’s where the heart of the scene was that in that moment, you know. I didn’t know how the scene would play out with Jason either, you know what I mean, it’s …

Radio host: Hmmm

Alex: It’s another actor. But we have a wonderful chemistry and complicity on screen … so whatever he gives me, I sort of … I give back. And visa versa. And so I feel very save with him.

Radio host: Well I like what Jason is doing with his character, Josef and the by-play between the two of you is great.

Tonight’s episode involves Mick coming to the aid of a Hollywood starlet. And she’s being threatened by the paparazzi. And I think that for those of us that sometimes see the paparazzi as being a little bit out of hand. You know, Mick giving them a … you know a bit of a throttling, I think is something a lot of us might like to see.

Alex: Yeah [Laughs]

Radio host: Anything that … of course Eric Winters is returning as Benjamin Talbot. How much fun is that, to have that by-play? Because it looks to be a little bit of tension between you two.

Alex: Yeah it’s great. Look, Eric, Eric is …. Eric is a fantastic guy. He’s a terrific actor and its … and he’s got a great character on the show, you know. And he comes  and brings something new to the show.

He … he really fills the shoes that, that Josh left behind, you know. In one way, but he also facilitates a bunch of other things that you are going to come to learn as the show …. As the show progresses. You know, I don’t want to say too much about it, because there’s some really important ….

Radio host: Oh, no doubt. We really do not want to give it all away. Suffice to say, I saw Sophia on Craig Ferguson last night. We’d love to ….. Yeah, put a bug in her ear. We would love to have her come and talk with us.

Alex: Okay, yeah, I didn’t even know she was on Ferguson last night.

Radio host: Yes, she was.

Alex: I’ve got to You Tube that.

Link to Video of Sophia on The Late Late Show:

Radio host: Yeah you do, because she did a good job. She talked about being a vicar’s daughter.

Alex: She is a vicar’s daughter.

Radio host: A PK kid … a PK [Preacher’s Kid], so I thought it was really good and it made me want to talk to her that much more.

And of course for everybody that is big fans of yours, they will be tuning in tonight to Moonlight …

Alex: Terrific

Radio host: …. CBS. And much continued success to you man. We’re big fans of you, around here.

Alex: Thank you so much. I really look forward to speaking to you again, man.

Radio host: Same here. Take care.

Alex: Okay, you to.

Radio host: Daybreak USA rolls on the IRN and USA  radio network …….

Link to the video as redone by us:

(The old video got lost and we created our own)

Trivia

• Just to put this interview into a timeline perspective, it was the next day after the Duane Robinson interview which we posted two  weeks ago.  In other words, it was the morning after the TV Guide Sexiest Stars party.

#AlexOLoughlin – Talking to Duane Robinson about Moonlight (2008)

Another one of the old interview transcripts that we have not included in our archive yet. As  far as I know this was a radio interview, but I do not know for which station.

If I understand it correctly from what was being said it took place on 1 May 2008, the day of the TV Guide sexiest stars’ party.

Hope you enjoy the visit to the past, with this interview from 10 years ago. It was really nice to hear what high praise Alex had for his co-star Jason Dohring

Alex: Hi Duane.

Duane: How are you?

Alex: Great. How are you?

Duane: Fine. I was so surprised when I started researching you a little bit more, when I found out we were going to be talking, and I found out you were Australian. I had no idea. You are doing a good job.

Alex: Thank you very much.

Duane: Do you have Americans who go to Australia and have to put on an Australian accent to be in shows there?

Alex: Not really. But you have to understand that we don’t really have an industry there like … like you guys have here, you know. This is the ….. this is where it’s at.

Duane: [Laughs] I mean is it hard. Do they ever stop and say, you know, “Oh, that wasn’t American sounding enough”?

Alex: Oh absolutely. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes, specially, I mean … not a lot I’ve got to say, because I have been doing it for a while now. But if I get really, really tired, which is something that happens occasionally, doing the hours we do, I can slip on a word or two.

Duane: Yeah. I am speaking with Alex O’Loughlin. He is on Moonlight, which is on CBS on Friday nights. It has developed a very avid cult following. Were you surprised at that?

Alex: Yeah, I …. I … You know it’s interesting. I mean any time something that I am involved with, you know, develops a following; it’s kind of a surprise to me. But it’s a … I mean …it’s ….

Anything in this genre is … is always going to have a following. Because it’s such a … it’s such a sought after genre. It’s … look I am a fan of the genre, you know. And anything with vampires in it, I will gravitate to straight away. But the fact that the fans had stayed on board the way they have, is testament to the show and how good the show is.

Duane: I really enjoy it and it reminds me a lot of Beauty and the Beast, which was big in the 80’s.

Alex: It’s interesting you’d say that, because one of the original creators of the show … I mean the creator Trevor Munson wrote the book, but then his co-creator on the show, Ron Koslow … he was the creator of Beauty and the Beast.

Duane: Okay. So that’s kind of what you are going for. You’ve got star-crossed lovers, just because you are, you know,  different kinds of beings

Alex: Right.

Duane: And it’s been interesting to see the relationship develop, because … I mean somebody could put a creepy spin on it and say, you know, your character has known Beth since she was a little girl, maybe 8 or 10, and now she is grown up and you are still attracted to her. So that’s a little odd.

Alex: Well it is actually and that’s … …. It is a bit of a creepy spin. And it’s actually the source of a great conflict within my character. And that is that he … he’s known her for 20 years, because he saved her when she was a little girl.

He saved her life and he watched over her as a guardian angel, you know. As the years have gone by she has grown into a woman, and he has started …. You know instead of looking at her through paternal eyes, he started looking at her through the eyes of a lover. And this has been something that cause him great pain.

Duane: And for those of you who didn’t watch, she was kind of safe because she was involved in a relationship when they reconnected. But of course the powers to be like to take those obstacles out of the way and create new obstacles.

And when her boyfriend died she asked your character to turn him into a vampire. You said no. That caused a big conflict.

I as a viewer and somebody who’s got emotional ties to show, I was like, “How could she possibly be mad at him? He saved her life like 800 times”.

Alex: Right. You know what I mean. That’s what I said. How can you be mad at me?

Duane: Ungrateful woman. [Laughs]

Alex: No, WOMEN! [Laughs]

Duane: Well it’s neat to know that you kind of gravitate toward that supernatural and vampire type scripts, so did you have any idea when you started, that they were going to let Mick St John experience humanity again?

Alex: No. No idea. I was like …. I just thought that was so cool when they started telling me about it. It was, it was, you know …… I was thrilled about it.

I knew about it from about ….. we were talking about it from about Episode 6 or 7. You know, when Coraline comes back as Morgan. And that whole thing starts.

And so yeah, it build up to this great crescendo. And I’m not entirely sure that we are done with that storyline either. I mean  that’s … that’s the cure and everything. So it’s still a part of the zeitgeist. And so we’ll just see if it re …. re …. rises.

Duane: He was a very reluctant vampire. He wasn’t excited about being changed. It wasn’t something that he sought. And he doesn’t really enjoy all aspects of the lifestyle. So, it must have been a nice challenge to play somebody who has been immortal, who has enjoying humanity again and not taken those things for granted. That must have been kind of fun.

Alex: Absolutely. I mean, it’s been fun playing this guy from the very beginning. You know everything that has been thrown at him, it’s just …… I mean he’s such a layer interesting character. And he’s so ….

He so very much like a hero as well in a lot of ways, even though he’s not an ordinary person. I mean hero is an ordinary person in extraordinary situations. But he’s not an ordinary person. He has these superpowers and he has all this stuff. But he …… like you say, he is reluctant, and so he doesn’t ….. he doesn’t act as if he has those powers.

He doesn’t live as if he has these powers … he kind of tries to live as much of a human existence as he can. And he denies a lot  … a lot of the stuff that he can do. And so….. yeah, he is a very interesting guy.

Duane: Well one thing that is going to bring a lot more viewers to Moonlight I think, is the TV Guide picture. [Giggles] You are listed as one of the hottest stars on TV and I have to say that picture is fantastic! Have you gotten some … some attention about it this week?

Alex: Thank you. Yeah, apparently people are pretty excited about it. I’ve got a … I’m not, I haven’t got the copy of the magazine yet. I must still go and pick up a  copy and take a look at it.

But I’ve got the party on tonight. I will be on the red carpet and a bunch of interviews and stuff. And so …. You know, I am not sure … I guess TV guide channel will be playing that at some stage.

Duane: Okay, well we will look for that. You say Mick has all these layers, but there are so many viewers of the show who really don’t need that many other layers. They just like to see you topless and doing some more pull-ups, you know. [giggles]

Alex: Take the layers off. And get down to business.

Duane: [Laughs] So how do you feel about Mick’s love life? Just a quick answer: Beth or Coraline?

Alex: Ooooooo … they’re both …. they’re both ….. awwwww

Duane: [giggles]

Alex: Can we have one … can we alternate?

Duane: No, you can’t even  … a hybrid obviously would be perfect, but …..

Alex: I think Beth is definitely better for him …. I can’t give you a quick answer on that. Beth is better for him, but he loves them both.

Duane: Yeah, cause Coraline has this sort of exotic  intangible.

Alex: Yeah, she’s kind of got him bewitched.

Duane: [Laughs] And will be seeing her again? Because Shannyn is just great.

Alex: Oh yeh. You’ll be seeing her again.

Duane: Excellent. And she is the one who brought this whole cure into the storyline. We found out that her family is a very old vampire family. And so again I’m sure that’s something that’s going along with the whole mythology.

There is an interesting thing that I always … I always laugh when I watch it. My son makes me stop it sometimes during the battle scenes, because you’ve got a vampire face. There is a face that you have to put up.

It is like a close-up, with the mouth open, the teeth showing, the eyes that are all silvery. Did you have to work on that for a while?

Alex: You know it’s funny ….it’s funny  to talk about this stuff. Because it is so much like it’s …. When I am in vampire mode it is just play time, you know.

It’s like I’ve got a mask on. I’m just … I’m just playing.  I didn’t actually. I didn’t have to work on that. I kind of knew exactly what to do, because I’ve read so many vampire books. I’ve been such a fan of the genre for so long, it was like as soon as those teeth were in I was …. It sort of just came alive, you know, on its own.

Duane: Yeah, You haven’t tried any blood, have you?

Alex: Oh yeah we … we  …. We kill lots of goats and sheep.

Duane: [laughs]

Alex: [laughs]

Duane: I have to be honest. I started watching the show because of Jason Dohring, because I’m a huge fan of him. And probably because you were in it from the very early stages. The character of Josef was supposed to be kind of an older, wiser man.

Alex: Uhm.

Duane: And they made him into this young hotshot stockbroker smart alley guy, which is what Jason Dohring plays so great. You guys have fun together?

Alex: We have great fun. He is a terrific friend and he is a wonderful cohort on the show. I mean, he is, not to mention, a great actor, you know. He is very … he is very present and he is very ….

He is a very diligent hard working actor as well.  And so, we ….. you know, I mean we deliver together. We really work well and collaborate well together and we get on famously as well.

So we were in New York a couple of weeks ago for the Comic Con and for the Early Show and stuff. We did a bunch of press and we just had the best time. We had a few hours off and we went and got some food and you know just went down town and … we are great buddies. It is terrific to work with a friend.

Duane: Well it sounds like you are having a wonderful time. I hope it continues on. It’s going to be one of those things that will be frustrating, because you’ll have people who want Beth and Mick together right away, but you can’t do it too soon. And there’s that … that kind of balance that you have to find with people. Because you can’t put them together and make them happy.

Alex: Exactly.

Duane: [Laughs] Congratulations on the TV Guide spread too. It’s a great picture.

Alex: Thank you so much.

Duane: Have a great day.

Alex: Anytime, you too.

Duane: Bye Alex.

Alex: Bye.

Audio clip of the interview:

Some Trivia

• In the interview they talked about American actors they might need to speak in an Australian accent – Not so sure many American actors would go to Australia to play an Australian, but it seems that some British actors might do it. In Oyster Farmer where Alex plays Jack Flange, his sister Nikki is played by a British actress Claudia Harrison. Of course Jim Norton who played Mumbles is from Ireland, but he did not have to talk with an Australian accent like Claudia had to.