B Gacks old Paul Gross (The Due South Guy) Interview In Sheer Desperation Of The BBC's Behaviour.
What behaviour? See my last post and go kick Beeb ass.
And now for a teaser:
How do you think that Due South influences Canada's image abroad?
My hope is that most foreign nations will view this as an accurate portrayal of the Canadian character - that we are polite, honest, deferential, patient etc. This should help us disguise the darker Canadian purpose: global domination.
That is so much a seed for fanfic.
Paul Gross picture We tracked down Paul Gross in Toronto and quizzed him via e-mail. The Canadian cultster cracked under our interrogation and spilled the beans on Series 4. "Just think of pirates, Country and Western singers, evangelists, Fraser's sister and Russian nuclear submarines" he told us. Ready for the Full Mounty? Read on...
Series 4 has just started on the BBC (Mondays on BBC2). Are there any surprises in store?
There are loads of surprises but if I told you about them then they wouldn't be surprises would they? Just think of pirates, Country and Western singers, evangelists, Fraser's sister, Russian nuclear submarines and the Canadian north - it's all in there.
Is there another series after this?
No.
Is there a movie planned?
We've had discussions about doing a couple of movies, maybe in the range of one a year. It's a notion I am seriously entertaining.
Will the original Ray ever come back to the series?
Yes. David Marciano returns in the show's final episodes. To say anything other than it's an exciting couple of hours would give too much away.
How does your new partner Ray compare to the original Ray?
That's a bit like comparing a Lambourghini with a Maserati. They're both powerful cars with their own individual strengths. Additionally, I purposely avoided making comparisons since it's singularly unhelpful for an actor.
Why is the consulate liaison officer called Margaret Thatcher?
It's a running gag that Paul Haggis introduced in the first series. A number of characters were named after Canadian Prime Ministers. I'm not entirely clear how Camilla's character came to be named after Thatcher but it does seem fitting.
Is Diefenbaker really deaf? What kind of dog is he?
No, he's blind. Actually his senses are all fine, he's just a fine actor. And for the record he is a pure bred Husky.
Do you resent all the attention that Diefenbaker gets?
It's not so much the attention I resent, it's rather how big it seems to have made his head. Diva Dog he's been known to be called.
Do people expect you to be a do-gooder in real life?
Some do, and of course, it's those who have difficulty in separating a character from an actor. Indeed, I would defy anyone to find a human being with Fraser's qualities.
What was it like to work with Leslie Nielsen?
Leslie is a great pal and prince to work with. Apart from his manifest comedic skills, he's game for anything and even at his advancing age will leap onto the back of the horse without a second thought. He's a joy.
Do you do your own stunts?
As many as the insurance company will let me. I'd like to be clear about this though: it's not that I'm particularly brave, it's that it makes filming simpler and faster. And when my working hours were normally in the 15 to 16 hour range I would jump at anything that would speed up the process.
Are you a good horserider?
My parents live on a ranch in the Badlands of Alberta, so I guess you could say I come by it honestly. In fact I just got a new quarter horse, standing about 16 and a half hands and going by the name of Mr. Dunne.
How are you similar to Fraser?
I look the same.
How are you different?
In every other way.
Which actor would you most like to work with?
Shakespeare.
Due South is shown in over 160 countries. Why do you suppose it is so popular all around the world?
I've been asked this question often and quite honestly I have no clever answer. My suspicion is that at its core the show has a generosity of spirit often lacking in current cinema and television and possibly acts as an antidote or counterbalance. Also I think there is something romantically evocative about the figure of the Mountie - it conjures up nostalgic visions of wide open plains, snow-capped mountains, and (although I'm sure such a time never existed) an era in which people were uncomplicatedly virtuous in a simple moral landscape. It's either that or the dog.
Can you tell me about your role as executive producer?
It's exhausting. I was responsible for all aspects of production from budget to final broadcast tape. That includes writing, casting, design, shooting, editing, scoring and the mix. The job is impossible without a brilliant crew.
What was it like to be producer, writer and actor all at once?
Confusing.
I believe the BBC put money into Due South. Can you tell me about this?
My understanding is that after its second cancellation by CBS, Robert Lantos (then Chairman of Alliance) was in France at a convention and was approached by a number of foreign broadcasters (BBC being the most notable) who suggested he continue the show and that they would help pick up the shortfall from CBS's departure. That's when he called me.
How do you think that Due South influences Canada's image abroad?
My hope is that most foreign nations will view this as an accurate portrayal of the Canadian character - that we are polite, honest, deferential, patient etc. This should help us disguise the darker Canadian purpose: global domination.
Have you seen the new Star Wars film?
No.
Do you use the Internet?
I am right now.
Do you have favourite sites?
Nothing in particular.
What next for Paul Gross?
I'm starting shooting a movie about an undercover narcotics cop who went rogue, eventually hurling his wife off a seventeenth story balcony. A bit of a departure, I know, but he's a fascinating character (based on a real policeman) and something I'm looking forward to. I'm also writing a script about an odd collection of characters who inhabit the world of curling, one of the world's fastest paced sports. I'll be acting in and directing that in the fall. Early next year I'll be going to Stratford (Canada) to play Hamlet.
Have you seen the BBC Cult TV site at http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult ?
No, but I'll go check it out.
*sigh* And the whole shebang is here http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/duesouth/interview.shtml until they pull the plug in two weeks.
And now for a teaser:
How do you think that Due South influences Canada's image abroad?
My hope is that most foreign nations will view this as an accurate portrayal of the Canadian character - that we are polite, honest, deferential, patient etc. This should help us disguise the darker Canadian purpose: global domination.
That is so much a seed for fanfic.
Paul Gross picture We tracked down Paul Gross in Toronto and quizzed him via e-mail. The Canadian cultster cracked under our interrogation and spilled the beans on Series 4. "Just think of pirates, Country and Western singers, evangelists, Fraser's sister and Russian nuclear submarines" he told us. Ready for the Full Mounty? Read on...
Series 4 has just started on the BBC (Mondays on BBC2). Are there any surprises in store?
There are loads of surprises but if I told you about them then they wouldn't be surprises would they? Just think of pirates, Country and Western singers, evangelists, Fraser's sister, Russian nuclear submarines and the Canadian north - it's all in there.
Is there another series after this?
No.
Is there a movie planned?
We've had discussions about doing a couple of movies, maybe in the range of one a year. It's a notion I am seriously entertaining.
Will the original Ray ever come back to the series?
Yes. David Marciano returns in the show's final episodes. To say anything other than it's an exciting couple of hours would give too much away.
How does your new partner Ray compare to the original Ray?
That's a bit like comparing a Lambourghini with a Maserati. They're both powerful cars with their own individual strengths. Additionally, I purposely avoided making comparisons since it's singularly unhelpful for an actor.
Why is the consulate liaison officer called Margaret Thatcher?
It's a running gag that Paul Haggis introduced in the first series. A number of characters were named after Canadian Prime Ministers. I'm not entirely clear how Camilla's character came to be named after Thatcher but it does seem fitting.
Is Diefenbaker really deaf? What kind of dog is he?
No, he's blind. Actually his senses are all fine, he's just a fine actor. And for the record he is a pure bred Husky.
Do you resent all the attention that Diefenbaker gets?
It's not so much the attention I resent, it's rather how big it seems to have made his head. Diva Dog he's been known to be called.
Do people expect you to be a do-gooder in real life?
Some do, and of course, it's those who have difficulty in separating a character from an actor. Indeed, I would defy anyone to find a human being with Fraser's qualities.
What was it like to work with Leslie Nielsen?
Leslie is a great pal and prince to work with. Apart from his manifest comedic skills, he's game for anything and even at his advancing age will leap onto the back of the horse without a second thought. He's a joy.
Do you do your own stunts?
As many as the insurance company will let me. I'd like to be clear about this though: it's not that I'm particularly brave, it's that it makes filming simpler and faster. And when my working hours were normally in the 15 to 16 hour range I would jump at anything that would speed up the process.
Are you a good horserider?
My parents live on a ranch in the Badlands of Alberta, so I guess you could say I come by it honestly. In fact I just got a new quarter horse, standing about 16 and a half hands and going by the name of Mr. Dunne.
How are you similar to Fraser?
I look the same.
How are you different?
In every other way.
Which actor would you most like to work with?
Shakespeare.
Due South is shown in over 160 countries. Why do you suppose it is so popular all around the world?
I've been asked this question often and quite honestly I have no clever answer. My suspicion is that at its core the show has a generosity of spirit often lacking in current cinema and television and possibly acts as an antidote or counterbalance. Also I think there is something romantically evocative about the figure of the Mountie - it conjures up nostalgic visions of wide open plains, snow-capped mountains, and (although I'm sure such a time never existed) an era in which people were uncomplicatedly virtuous in a simple moral landscape. It's either that or the dog.
Can you tell me about your role as executive producer?
It's exhausting. I was responsible for all aspects of production from budget to final broadcast tape. That includes writing, casting, design, shooting, editing, scoring and the mix. The job is impossible without a brilliant crew.
What was it like to be producer, writer and actor all at once?
Confusing.
I believe the BBC put money into Due South. Can you tell me about this?
My understanding is that after its second cancellation by CBS, Robert Lantos (then Chairman of Alliance) was in France at a convention and was approached by a number of foreign broadcasters (BBC being the most notable) who suggested he continue the show and that they would help pick up the shortfall from CBS's departure. That's when he called me.
How do you think that Due South influences Canada's image abroad?
My hope is that most foreign nations will view this as an accurate portrayal of the Canadian character - that we are polite, honest, deferential, patient etc. This should help us disguise the darker Canadian purpose: global domination.
Have you seen the new Star Wars film?
No.
Do you use the Internet?
I am right now.
Do you have favourite sites?
Nothing in particular.
What next for Paul Gross?
I'm starting shooting a movie about an undercover narcotics cop who went rogue, eventually hurling his wife off a seventeenth story balcony. A bit of a departure, I know, but he's a fascinating character (based on a real policeman) and something I'm looking forward to. I'm also writing a script about an odd collection of characters who inhabit the world of curling, one of the world's fastest paced sports. I'll be acting in and directing that in the fall. Early next year I'll be going to Stratford (Canada) to play Hamlet.
Have you seen the BBC Cult TV site at http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult ?
No, but I'll go check it out.
*sigh* And the whole shebang is here http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/duesouth/interview.shtml until they pull the plug in two weeks.