Smallville Magazine: The Last Stand....
I saw the final issue of Smallville Magazine and I leafed through it with no intention of buying it---until I got to the last page. Who is featured on the very last page of the very last issue of Smallville Magazine? Why Ari Cohen, that’s Regan Matthews if you’re nasty, so I had to buy it.
Erica Durance
*(On her “Stiletto” outfit): “We had to go to a bunch of different fittings to make sure it fit properly and had the right kind of movement for the stunts. I couldn’t sit down in it, so they had to build me a leaning post. I had to step on it lean back, and lay there waiting to shot again. It was tight and the material didn’t give!”
*(on Lois and Clark’s hesitancy in admitting their feelings for each other): “I thought that myself, but it’s a realistic reflection of a lot of relationships out there. It’s the classic ‘Who’s gonna speak first?’ I know where she’s coming from; Lois is still trying to figure out what she’s feeling for Clark, yet she’s drawn to the blur as well. In some ways, she sees something unique in Clark, so she’s drawn to him first.”
*(on throwing herself into scenes): “I’m a little bit of both (when asked if she cringes at the madcap situations her character gets into) “I’m a Gemini (dawnybee: Cool points gained? A lot.), so I have two distinct feelings about most things. When I initially get the scripts, what I love about Lois is that she seems to get in the most bizarre situations. As an actor, you don’t want to do the same thing all the time. However, I got it (the script for “Rabid”) and one side of me went “OMG, I’m a zombie!” The other side went, ‘This is great!’ I embrace it even thought some of it’s not in my comfort zone…..it adds a whole new level to the Lois and Clark relationship. You must really love a chick if she looks like death and tries to kill you and you keep her around.
*(on Lois’ growth): “I really do believe Lois is on the cusp. Everything has aligned itself for this to be the year she becomes the iconic Lois Lane, or at least my version of her. I’ve always liked the long story, so it’s better when the characters take the time to find themselves. That’s what I loved about being part of Smallville. Lois goes through all these phases and it’s all a part of who she is.
Callum Blue
*(on his knowledge of Zod) “Like a lot of people, I was aware of the Terence Stamp version. I was a big fan of the Superman movies when I was a kid, especially his character because he really terrified me. It’s that kind of steely coolness that gets into your head. I remembered Terence’s Zod and when they told me it was that character, I was completely excited. I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into it and do a different take on it.
*(on this Zod): “What interested me is that the fully developed General Zod we’ve grown to know in the Superman movies is not quite there yet. It’s Major Zod at the moment. It’s not like he’s a good guy and turns into a bad guy, that’s not where they’re going at all. He knows what he wants, which is to dominate the world. He hasn’t quite fully grown into the tyrant he eventially becomes. He’s kinda like a Mini-Me right now! He hasn’t built his confidence yet.
*(on how Zod is perceived by the Kandorians): “I took this part knowing that there’s no such thing as a villain. I’m sure Hitler didn’t look in the mirror every single day and think to himself, “You’re a villain. You’re a bad, bad man.” In his mind, no matter how distorted and deranged it seemed to everybody else, he was right. Hitler was supposedly doing what was good for Earth and mankind. I think Zod is the same. He looks at Earth as deranged and everybody as backward.
*(on Zod’s interaction with Tess): “..the fact that she’s still a human (dawnybee: Odd phrasing. ‘Still a human?’ How can she not be?). It’s like if you went to the zoo and saw one particular monkey who seems to be a bit more intelligent than the rest, but they’re still a monkey. He looks at her that way, but Tess keeps surprising him. Zod is fascinated by her in a way you would be by an intelligent monkey. At the moment, there’s that sexual thing going on, but that might be changing…In the last script I read, “Crossfire”, she kills one of his soldiers and instead of being pissed off, he admires it a little bit. Tess almost earns his respect. She’s one to watch.”
*(Zod brain over brawn):…”He’s definitely a warrior, and I want to honor that. That's why I’ve been to the gym to bulk up a bit, so I look like a warrior as well! (dawnybee: He needs to work on that more). That’s definitely where the producers want me to go too. Since I got here, they got me a trainer and I work out all the time (dawnybee: In the words of Shawn Spencer, ‘Aim higher!’). …Tom Welling is a big guy, so I want to establish that [opposition].
*(On Zod acclimating on Earth): “I want to keep that element of him being otherworldly. There are little touches in that script (“Crossfire”) that really interest me, like when he’s looking up at the sun and warming his face while he’s savoring an espresso. There’s little elements of him being on this planet and enjoying what Earth has to offer him, but he always feels separate for it. When he dresses in a tux and comes to special occasions (dawnybee: Was Zod in a tux in the finalized eppy or did it just change to a suit?) because he’s manipulating and not because he’s actually fitting in. He has to put on an acto so that people will fall under his spell.
*(on uttering “Kneel before Zod”): “You could definitely be scared of it. I can’t imagine how an actor playing James Bond comes across and says, “Shaken, not stirred” or “Bond, J ames Bond”. It’s a huge line, but on the day (of the shot), I said it so it was part of a scene and I meant it. It’s interesting, because it came out not as confideant as I thought it would. When I say it, I actually get hit over the head so it’s not as effective as it could be, but I’m sure I’ll get to sa it in a better place!”
*(working with Cassidy Freeman): “Cassidy is great. She’s very subtle in her acting and she says so much with her eyes. I love that. We especially hit it off and thatw as a good thing. We hung out at San Diego Comic Con. She’s lovely to work with. It sounds like a cliché, but the whole cast has been so welcoming and it was so easy to fit in. In all honesty, I hadn’t seen the show before being cast, but walking onto the set and seeing how much of a well-oiled machine it is, everything just goes like clockwork. .
…There were a lot of people on the crew from Dead Like Me as well, so I wasn’t completely alone.
*(concern over how viewers receive his Zod): “Part of me is for sure, but the bigger, more arrogant part of myself really couldn’t care less of whatever anyone else thinks. If I did, then I wouldn’t be doing justice to the part because all I’m doing is going on set and saying the line as truthfully as possible and honoring the character. If I listened to everyone else and their opinions, I’d never get anywhere. I’m sticking to my guns. I’ve made a few mistakes along the way, but none of that are going to make me go off track with the character. I’ve very confident that people are going to respond to it. I’m honoring Terence’s performance while making it my own, which is important to me.
Kelly Souders and Brian Petereson
*Kelly: (on Tom’s involvement as co-producer): “He’s really stepped up. Tom has been doing some producing responsibilities here and there over the last several years. He’s been directing and getting more increasingly involved, but this year, Tom’s helping with different ideas and dealing with issues as they come up in production. And whenever he’s not on set, Tom is trying to sit in on meetings. He’s a busy guy, and I don’t know how he does it all.
*Brian: (on Tess’ agenda): “The thing about Tess is that you never k now what side she’s on, and that’s how we want to play it, very much like Lionel Luthor. As twisted as it is, in her heart she has the world’s best intentions in mind. Tess really does believe a legion of Clark Kents would be able to save the world in a way we clearly are not doing ourselves.
*Brian: (On fan reactions to episodes): “It’s really hard because sometimes what we think will be shocking, the fans respond to differently. Last year, I would never have guessed Hex would have been one of the fan favorites, I thought Requiem would be a huge fan favorite. (dawnybee: Brian Peterson-crack smoker. Why would he think that one would be a fan favorite? Even if you could give a damn about Clark and Lana, you have Clark broke down and destroyed and Oliver, a supposed good guy, killing Lex, that is supposed to make people happy? Ollie trying to kill Lex did make me happy because that’s how jealous he is of Clark’s former relationship with Lex, but still.. Requiem was hard emotionally for a variety of reasons.)
Aaron Ashmore
*(On Jimmy not being iconic Jimmy): …”Thinking back now, the Jimmy character (I played) has been different than in the other incarnations (dawnybee: Other than the drug addiction, no he hasn’t IMO. “Ring that bell”? isn’t Classic Jimmy nerdiness, Aaron?). Now it makes a lot of sense because he’s not actually that guy. All those differences that come out in his personality became clear.”
*(on audience reaction to Jimmy): “Some did (embrace his take) and some didn’t. It’s great when people love you and it’s great when they hate you; I just don’t want anyone to be indifferent. At least you’re doing something interesting if they feel either way. I really did have a great time and it was one of my favorite jobs I’ve done. The people were great and the role was interesting, especially toward the end.”
*(on if it was hard to get into Jimmy’s dark side) “No, not for me. I really enjoyed it. I always felt it was in that character. There’s such a self-conscious aspect to Jimmy, but I always felt that was just below the surface. Even though he’s a nice guy and that’s who he really is, all the jealousy, self-contempt, and self-consciousness are all dark things. It was just waiting to come out. I’ve played all kinds of bad guys, bullies and jocks so it was fun to do.
*(on whether Jimmy really regretted marrying Chloe): “I don’t know… The one thing Jimmy did was lay out the truth as it is. All those things he said in that speech (where he told Chloe meeting her was the worst day of his life) were true. As much as they may have been in love, they shouldn’t have gotten married. There was so much back and forth and uncertainty, and just because you’re in love with someone, it doesn’t mean you’re ready for marriage and I don’t think they were…. Whether it was the biggest (mistake) of his life, that was the heat of the moment part.”
*(on teaming up with Lois in “Stiletto”): “Erica looked kickass. Seeing Erica in a catsuit is awesome!”
*(on the other Jimmy) :”I actually thought there might be a younger brother, or perhaps Chloe would be pregnant. I was just trying to rationalize if this wasn’t Jimmy Olsen, they can’t just kill him and not explain it. I didn’t picture the younger brother was going to be at the funeral, but that they were just going to reference him. If Chloe was pregnant that would make a lot of sense to why Clark was so nice and such good friends with Chloe’s future son, Jimmy (dawnybee: Aaron has spent as much time wanting Chloe pregnant by Jimmy as I have wanting Clark pregnant by Lex or Oliver.). Then logistically having Chloe pregnant would have been hard. I really liked the younger Jimmy Olsen and him following in his brother’s footsteps was a nice touch.
Mike Rohl, director
*(on what has impressed him most about the cast) “That’s very easy because I brag about the Smallville cast when I go to other places. The actors always come with high standards. As I said earlier, one of the rules on Smallville was the director/actor relationship in churning out the depths of emotions of the characters. We do that on other shows, but expectations are higher on Smallville. It’s always an epiphany and very creative to see these moments come out. It really makes you appreciate being here. The cast is led by Tom, who is a great director, and has a future in anything he wants to do in this business. He has a muscle for the stuff that he brings to Clark. When we’re on the set discussing the scenes, it’s not surface stuff he brings up; he’s digging deep. By that example, all the other actors dig as deep as he does, so you get this amazing creative environment.
Jacob Rupp, stunt coordinator
*(on the cast’s enthusiasm): “Tom’s got a really enthusiastic attitude, which after eight years is quite remarkable. Of all the shows I’ve worked on, none of the Smallville actors comes across as jaded. They’re so excited about doing the show, and so excited to get involved and do as much as they can with the kind of physical stunt work we do.”
Serinda Swan, Zatanna
*(on getting the role) “I was quite familiar with Smallville because I had been auditioning for it over the past two years. I had to keep myself up to date on what was going on. I tried to watch as much as I could if I had an audition coming up. I actually tested for the parts of Maxima and Tess. There were a few others, too. All the girls (characters) that have been showing up recently, I’ve tried out for! ….My audition was for “Cassie” I wasn’t sure exactly what was going on (in the script because she had received the sides of Clark and Chloe questioning Zatanna at the club)…We didn’t know Cassie was Zatanna until after I booked the role and TV Guide called my agent and wanted to schedule an interview while saying, ‘Congratulations, you must be so excited that Serinda booked Zatanna. This is the first she’s ever been seen live on TV. My agent was like, “Sorry, you’ve got the wrong person. She just booked Cassie.’
*(on the costume): “Straight off the bat, I Googled Zatanna. At first I was like, “Wow, that’s a small costume! Definitely not what I thought Cassie was going to be like, but that’s fine.’ ..My costume was amazing! From the first day I tried it on it was really comfortable. Zatanna’s sexy, but not overly sexy where it’s in your face. I had the fishnets, over-the-knee boots, and the great tuxedo jacket. I felt I could do magic in it. When they first said I was going to wear a magician’s costume, I was worried before I saw the pictures. I kept thinking of Mickey Mouse in Fantasia with the big pointy hat and robe. I was very relieved to see her costume and as soon as I got in mine, I was ecstatic. I want to wear it on Halloween.”
*(on getting into her magician role): “Based on the fact that as a child I always wanted to be a witch or a sorceress, I already had the whole throwing the hands out and pretending to cast a spell down.”
*(on Zatanna and Oliver): “Zatanna is a little bit of a flirt with Oliver. She’s not wearing those little fishnets for nothing! I really played into her femininity and her sexuality. When she goes in to ask Oliver for her spellbook, Zatanna goes through three different stages. She goes from being really flirtatious to the more melancholy, ‘Please, it’s my book and I want it bad!’ Then she’s a little angel, and at the end, she goes back to being flirtatious. With Oliver, Zatanna uses a lot of her assets to see what she can get. If they do carry on with my story, maybe she could come back as a love interest for Oliver….I loved my scene with Oliver where we get in a fight and I get to say the spell which binds him. What girl wouldn’t want to be able to use magic to have a big, strong guy thrown up against something and tied up?”
*(on the cast): “They were amazing. It’s nice to come on a set where everyone is a great team….They made me feel comfortable and at home. Justin is hilarious. He’s his own little television show. You can just sit down and he’ll entertain you forever. Tom is a classy guy and really nice. Erica was awesome and I didn’t get to work with Allison that much because she was really sick during the first few days I was shooting, but she was a trooper. She’d be lying down, they would call for her, and she’d get up to act. It showed a lot of professionalism on her part.”
*(On her DC connection): “My boyfriend Niall Matter was in “Watchmen”. He played Mothman, with the big wings and mask and they eventually haul him off to an insane asylum…if I could get around those wings, I could totally take him.”
ARI COHEN!!!
*(on auditioning): “I had done a number of auditions for Smallville for various parts, some recurring, and some were guest stars. We’d been close a few times, but I guess the producers were waiting for what they felt was the right match for me. Any time you get asked back it’s always a good idea to go. I was just hoping I’d finally get a chance to do it.”
*(on his perception of Regan): “It’s hard to have a sense of what the writers have in mind and how long the characters have been around. They were certainly encouraging me to think of him as an executive assistant rather than just a lackey. ..They were pushing me into being more than just the muscle, but obviously subordinate to Lex.”
*(Regan and Lex): “Regan took it (losing Lex) very hard. In the season seven finale, he was really discouraging Lex from going to the Arctic. Regan felt it was very dangerous and that people had been lost before. He knew there was grave danger in taking that trip. It was interesting because at the end of the year, it was very clear Michael Rosenbaum wasn’t coming back. I certainly didn’t expect Regan to return to the show. That was a surprise to me to receive a call to come back for season eight. I had no way of knowing they’d be setting me up as possibly taking over LuthorCorp. In addition to his loyalty to Lex, Regan felt strongly connected to him.. Lex was someone he admired very much, so his quest to find Lex was very authentic.”
*(Regan and Tess): “That was really fun. You never know where it’s going so you try to play each scene on its own merit. Cassidy Freeman is a great actor and we really loved playing that rivalry. Regan certainly felt it was a slap in the face, but as it evolved, it became evident Lex was still loyal to Regan while u sing him as his eyes and ears. It’s always great when you have concrete conflict in a scene…The more you have to do and the more interesting the character is, the bigger it becomes. It showed the writers and producers had enough confidence in me to further develop Regan a bit, so I was rewarding.
….”I enjoyed everything I did with Cassidy. She’s amazing and fun to play with. Some of the things I got to do at the end of the season were a little more interesting. At the end of season seven, it was more about running errands for Lex. In season eight, they left the character evolve. I just loved those scenes sparring with Cassidy. One of the first ones we did at the Daily Planet was a lot of fun. I liked when we had Chloe captive and we were giving her the truth serum. That whole episode was fun, with the interrogation of Aquaman and Black Canary. It was nice to see Regan gain independence.
..”It was clear Tess had that in her (kicking Regan’s ass like he stole her nightgown in Power) and that she saw Regan as a potential rival. She was also capable of doing whatever she planned. There’s no honor among thieves. I wasn’t surprised by that development, but I hoped Regan wasn’t dead.”
*(on Allison Mack-director of Power): “That was great! I like Allison a lot and got to know her better. I hadn’t gotten to work with her on the show. I had known her personally for a while and she was excellent (at directing). She was very confident and well-prepared. Hopefully she’ll do more.”
*(on whether Regan would’ve killed the JLA): “I believe so. There was a measure of ruthlessness that goes along with being associated with LuthorCorp in any capacity. Regan would have absolutely done what was necessary to finish the task. (dawnybee: as much as I love the JLA, don’t make me choose between Regan and them. I’d let Regan kill them all and help get a vat of lye in which to dispose of their bodies.)
*(Regan: Dead or Alive): “There was the episode he disappeared and we saw in the newspaper “LuthorCorp Exec Missing”. Initially what that was written it was, “LuthorCorp Exec Dead in Car Crash”. When we shot that, I assumed that’s how the episode was going to end. It wasn’t until they edited it that they changed the insert shot that he went missing. I was thrilled because I didn’t actually get word of that
Here are some of the S8 deleted scenes. "Hex" had a few and I wonder how long was the original draft of the script because they attempted to cover alot of ground with Chloe and Lois, yet all of that was cut. It's a shame because two scenes really give insight to Chloe that has been ignored: how she influenced Lois and her reaction to her break-up to Jimmy.
Deleted scene from Hex: Chloe and Lois
Deleted Scene from Hex: Jimmy and Not!Chloe Lois
*This is good. When Tess was introduced the rumor was that she and Clark would have a mutual attraction going on. That idea was scrapped later, but this scene shows how it could've grown.
Clark and Tess
Plastique
* * *
So I was in line waiting to pay for the mag when I saw an advert for the SPN magazine. I had to get out of line to find one to read because they interviewed Jim Parrack (Hoyt, “True Blood”) about his episode “Sex and Violence”. Nothing really of note except he’s from Texas so he really enjoyed the guys. He mostly talked about Jensen because their scenes were mostly together. He said they’d just sit there, drink the fake beer and talk about Texas and things in general and he was down-to-Earth guy. He said that it’s obvious that Jensen and Jared care a great deal about each other (not his exact words, but it’s pretty damn close). He said that Jared is really funny and that when filming the fight scene Jared was on the floor rolling around making farting noises with his mouth and Jensen just plowed through the scene and Jim marveled at Jensen’s focus. How it tied together was that his focus is because Jensen is so used to Jared. And he said when the scene came from his character, a siren, to spit fluid into someone’s mouth (face?) the liquid was thicker and the color was a lot like something else (he was to polite to say ejaculate) so they props people had to make it clearer and of course he, Jensen and Jared went to town joking about the fluid.
Jim also said that he tried to make his character somewhat sexual since he was a siren and he figures that since it’s a demon there’s not a hindrance regarding sexual orientation so he wanted his character’s relationship to Dean to have that overtone.
Erica Durance
*(On her “Stiletto” outfit): “We had to go to a bunch of different fittings to make sure it fit properly and had the right kind of movement for the stunts. I couldn’t sit down in it, so they had to build me a leaning post. I had to step on it lean back, and lay there waiting to shot again. It was tight and the material didn’t give!”
*(on Lois and Clark’s hesitancy in admitting their feelings for each other): “I thought that myself, but it’s a realistic reflection of a lot of relationships out there. It’s the classic ‘Who’s gonna speak first?’ I know where she’s coming from; Lois is still trying to figure out what she’s feeling for Clark, yet she’s drawn to the blur as well. In some ways, she sees something unique in Clark, so she’s drawn to him first.”
*(on throwing herself into scenes): “I’m a little bit of both (when asked if she cringes at the madcap situations her character gets into) “I’m a Gemini (dawnybee: Cool points gained? A lot.), so I have two distinct feelings about most things. When I initially get the scripts, what I love about Lois is that she seems to get in the most bizarre situations. As an actor, you don’t want to do the same thing all the time. However, I got it (the script for “Rabid”) and one side of me went “OMG, I’m a zombie!” The other side went, ‘This is great!’ I embrace it even thought some of it’s not in my comfort zone…..it adds a whole new level to the Lois and Clark relationship. You must really love a chick if she looks like death and tries to kill you and you keep her around.
*(on Lois’ growth): “I really do believe Lois is on the cusp. Everything has aligned itself for this to be the year she becomes the iconic Lois Lane, or at least my version of her. I’ve always liked the long story, so it’s better when the characters take the time to find themselves. That’s what I loved about being part of Smallville. Lois goes through all these phases and it’s all a part of who she is.
Callum Blue
*(on his knowledge of Zod) “Like a lot of people, I was aware of the Terence Stamp version. I was a big fan of the Superman movies when I was a kid, especially his character because he really terrified me. It’s that kind of steely coolness that gets into your head. I remembered Terence’s Zod and when they told me it was that character, I was completely excited. I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into it and do a different take on it.
*(on this Zod): “What interested me is that the fully developed General Zod we’ve grown to know in the Superman movies is not quite there yet. It’s Major Zod at the moment. It’s not like he’s a good guy and turns into a bad guy, that’s not where they’re going at all. He knows what he wants, which is to dominate the world. He hasn’t quite fully grown into the tyrant he eventially becomes. He’s kinda like a Mini-Me right now! He hasn’t built his confidence yet.
*(on how Zod is perceived by the Kandorians): “I took this part knowing that there’s no such thing as a villain. I’m sure Hitler didn’t look in the mirror every single day and think to himself, “You’re a villain. You’re a bad, bad man.” In his mind, no matter how distorted and deranged it seemed to everybody else, he was right. Hitler was supposedly doing what was good for Earth and mankind. I think Zod is the same. He looks at Earth as deranged and everybody as backward.
*(on Zod’s interaction with Tess): “..the fact that she’s still a human (dawnybee: Odd phrasing. ‘Still a human?’ How can she not be?). It’s like if you went to the zoo and saw one particular monkey who seems to be a bit more intelligent than the rest, but they’re still a monkey. He looks at her that way, but Tess keeps surprising him. Zod is fascinated by her in a way you would be by an intelligent monkey. At the moment, there’s that sexual thing going on, but that might be changing…In the last script I read, “Crossfire”, she kills one of his soldiers and instead of being pissed off, he admires it a little bit. Tess almost earns his respect. She’s one to watch.”
*(Zod brain over brawn):…”He’s definitely a warrior, and I want to honor that. That's why I’ve been to the gym to bulk up a bit, so I look like a warrior as well! (dawnybee: He needs to work on that more). That’s definitely where the producers want me to go too. Since I got here, they got me a trainer and I work out all the time (dawnybee: In the words of Shawn Spencer, ‘Aim higher!’). …Tom Welling is a big guy, so I want to establish that [opposition].
*(On Zod acclimating on Earth): “I want to keep that element of him being otherworldly. There are little touches in that script (“Crossfire”) that really interest me, like when he’s looking up at the sun and warming his face while he’s savoring an espresso. There’s little elements of him being on this planet and enjoying what Earth has to offer him, but he always feels separate for it. When he dresses in a tux and comes to special occasions (dawnybee: Was Zod in a tux in the finalized eppy or did it just change to a suit?) because he’s manipulating and not because he’s actually fitting in. He has to put on an acto so that people will fall under his spell.
*(on uttering “Kneel before Zod”): “You could definitely be scared of it. I can’t imagine how an actor playing James Bond comes across and says, “Shaken, not stirred” or “Bond, J ames Bond”. It’s a huge line, but on the day (of the shot), I said it so it was part of a scene and I meant it. It’s interesting, because it came out not as confideant as I thought it would. When I say it, I actually get hit over the head so it’s not as effective as it could be, but I’m sure I’ll get to sa it in a better place!”
*(working with Cassidy Freeman): “Cassidy is great. She’s very subtle in her acting and she says so much with her eyes. I love that. We especially hit it off and thatw as a good thing. We hung out at San Diego Comic Con. She’s lovely to work with. It sounds like a cliché, but the whole cast has been so welcoming and it was so easy to fit in. In all honesty, I hadn’t seen the show before being cast, but walking onto the set and seeing how much of a well-oiled machine it is, everything just goes like clockwork. .
…There were a lot of people on the crew from Dead Like Me as well, so I wasn’t completely alone.
*(concern over how viewers receive his Zod): “Part of me is for sure, but the bigger, more arrogant part of myself really couldn’t care less of whatever anyone else thinks. If I did, then I wouldn’t be doing justice to the part because all I’m doing is going on set and saying the line as truthfully as possible and honoring the character. If I listened to everyone else and their opinions, I’d never get anywhere. I’m sticking to my guns. I’ve made a few mistakes along the way, but none of that are going to make me go off track with the character. I’ve very confident that people are going to respond to it. I’m honoring Terence’s performance while making it my own, which is important to me.
Kelly Souders and Brian Petereson
*Kelly: (on Tom’s involvement as co-producer): “He’s really stepped up. Tom has been doing some producing responsibilities here and there over the last several years. He’s been directing and getting more increasingly involved, but this year, Tom’s helping with different ideas and dealing with issues as they come up in production. And whenever he’s not on set, Tom is trying to sit in on meetings. He’s a busy guy, and I don’t know how he does it all.
*Brian: (on Tess’ agenda): “The thing about Tess is that you never k now what side she’s on, and that’s how we want to play it, very much like Lionel Luthor. As twisted as it is, in her heart she has the world’s best intentions in mind. Tess really does believe a legion of Clark Kents would be able to save the world in a way we clearly are not doing ourselves.
*Brian: (On fan reactions to episodes): “It’s really hard because sometimes what we think will be shocking, the fans respond to differently. Last year, I would never have guessed Hex would have been one of the fan favorites, I thought Requiem would be a huge fan favorite. (dawnybee: Brian Peterson-crack smoker. Why would he think that one would be a fan favorite? Even if you could give a damn about Clark and Lana, you have Clark broke down and destroyed and Oliver, a supposed good guy, killing Lex, that is supposed to make people happy? Ollie trying to kill Lex did make me happy because that’s how jealous he is of Clark’s former relationship with Lex, but still.. Requiem was hard emotionally for a variety of reasons.)
Aaron Ashmore
*(On Jimmy not being iconic Jimmy): …”Thinking back now, the Jimmy character (I played) has been different than in the other incarnations (dawnybee: Other than the drug addiction, no he hasn’t IMO. “Ring that bell”? isn’t Classic Jimmy nerdiness, Aaron?). Now it makes a lot of sense because he’s not actually that guy. All those differences that come out in his personality became clear.”
*(on audience reaction to Jimmy): “Some did (embrace his take) and some didn’t. It’s great when people love you and it’s great when they hate you; I just don’t want anyone to be indifferent. At least you’re doing something interesting if they feel either way. I really did have a great time and it was one of my favorite jobs I’ve done. The people were great and the role was interesting, especially toward the end.”
*(on if it was hard to get into Jimmy’s dark side) “No, not for me. I really enjoyed it. I always felt it was in that character. There’s such a self-conscious aspect to Jimmy, but I always felt that was just below the surface. Even though he’s a nice guy and that’s who he really is, all the jealousy, self-contempt, and self-consciousness are all dark things. It was just waiting to come out. I’ve played all kinds of bad guys, bullies and jocks so it was fun to do.
*(on whether Jimmy really regretted marrying Chloe): “I don’t know… The one thing Jimmy did was lay out the truth as it is. All those things he said in that speech (where he told Chloe meeting her was the worst day of his life) were true. As much as they may have been in love, they shouldn’t have gotten married. There was so much back and forth and uncertainty, and just because you’re in love with someone, it doesn’t mean you’re ready for marriage and I don’t think they were…. Whether it was the biggest (mistake) of his life, that was the heat of the moment part.”
*(on teaming up with Lois in “Stiletto”): “Erica looked kickass. Seeing Erica in a catsuit is awesome!”
*(on the other Jimmy) :”I actually thought there might be a younger brother, or perhaps Chloe would be pregnant. I was just trying to rationalize if this wasn’t Jimmy Olsen, they can’t just kill him and not explain it. I didn’t picture the younger brother was going to be at the funeral, but that they were just going to reference him. If Chloe was pregnant that would make a lot of sense to why Clark was so nice and such good friends with Chloe’s future son, Jimmy (dawnybee: Aaron has spent as much time wanting Chloe pregnant by Jimmy as I have wanting Clark pregnant by Lex or Oliver.). Then logistically having Chloe pregnant would have been hard. I really liked the younger Jimmy Olsen and him following in his brother’s footsteps was a nice touch.
Mike Rohl, director
*(on what has impressed him most about the cast) “That’s very easy because I brag about the Smallville cast when I go to other places. The actors always come with high standards. As I said earlier, one of the rules on Smallville was the director/actor relationship in churning out the depths of emotions of the characters. We do that on other shows, but expectations are higher on Smallville. It’s always an epiphany and very creative to see these moments come out. It really makes you appreciate being here. The cast is led by Tom, who is a great director, and has a future in anything he wants to do in this business. He has a muscle for the stuff that he brings to Clark. When we’re on the set discussing the scenes, it’s not surface stuff he brings up; he’s digging deep. By that example, all the other actors dig as deep as he does, so you get this amazing creative environment.
Jacob Rupp, stunt coordinator
*(on the cast’s enthusiasm): “Tom’s got a really enthusiastic attitude, which after eight years is quite remarkable. Of all the shows I’ve worked on, none of the Smallville actors comes across as jaded. They’re so excited about doing the show, and so excited to get involved and do as much as they can with the kind of physical stunt work we do.”
Serinda Swan, Zatanna
*(on getting the role) “I was quite familiar with Smallville because I had been auditioning for it over the past two years. I had to keep myself up to date on what was going on. I tried to watch as much as I could if I had an audition coming up. I actually tested for the parts of Maxima and Tess. There were a few others, too. All the girls (characters) that have been showing up recently, I’ve tried out for! ….My audition was for “Cassie” I wasn’t sure exactly what was going on (in the script because she had received the sides of Clark and Chloe questioning Zatanna at the club)…We didn’t know Cassie was Zatanna until after I booked the role and TV Guide called my agent and wanted to schedule an interview while saying, ‘Congratulations, you must be so excited that Serinda booked Zatanna. This is the first she’s ever been seen live on TV. My agent was like, “Sorry, you’ve got the wrong person. She just booked Cassie.’
*(on the costume): “Straight off the bat, I Googled Zatanna. At first I was like, “Wow, that’s a small costume! Definitely not what I thought Cassie was going to be like, but that’s fine.’ ..My costume was amazing! From the first day I tried it on it was really comfortable. Zatanna’s sexy, but not overly sexy where it’s in your face. I had the fishnets, over-the-knee boots, and the great tuxedo jacket. I felt I could do magic in it. When they first said I was going to wear a magician’s costume, I was worried before I saw the pictures. I kept thinking of Mickey Mouse in Fantasia with the big pointy hat and robe. I was very relieved to see her costume and as soon as I got in mine, I was ecstatic. I want to wear it on Halloween.”
*(on getting into her magician role): “Based on the fact that as a child I always wanted to be a witch or a sorceress, I already had the whole throwing the hands out and pretending to cast a spell down.”
*(on Zatanna and Oliver): “Zatanna is a little bit of a flirt with Oliver. She’s not wearing those little fishnets for nothing! I really played into her femininity and her sexuality. When she goes in to ask Oliver for her spellbook, Zatanna goes through three different stages. She goes from being really flirtatious to the more melancholy, ‘Please, it’s my book and I want it bad!’ Then she’s a little angel, and at the end, she goes back to being flirtatious. With Oliver, Zatanna uses a lot of her assets to see what she can get. If they do carry on with my story, maybe she could come back as a love interest for Oliver….I loved my scene with Oliver where we get in a fight and I get to say the spell which binds him. What girl wouldn’t want to be able to use magic to have a big, strong guy thrown up against something and tied up?”
*(on the cast): “They were amazing. It’s nice to come on a set where everyone is a great team….They made me feel comfortable and at home. Justin is hilarious. He’s his own little television show. You can just sit down and he’ll entertain you forever. Tom is a classy guy and really nice. Erica was awesome and I didn’t get to work with Allison that much because she was really sick during the first few days I was shooting, but she was a trooper. She’d be lying down, they would call for her, and she’d get up to act. It showed a lot of professionalism on her part.”
*(On her DC connection): “My boyfriend Niall Matter was in “Watchmen”. He played Mothman, with the big wings and mask and they eventually haul him off to an insane asylum…if I could get around those wings, I could totally take him.”
ARI COHEN!!!
*(on auditioning): “I had done a number of auditions for Smallville for various parts, some recurring, and some were guest stars. We’d been close a few times, but I guess the producers were waiting for what they felt was the right match for me. Any time you get asked back it’s always a good idea to go. I was just hoping I’d finally get a chance to do it.”
*(on his perception of Regan): “It’s hard to have a sense of what the writers have in mind and how long the characters have been around. They were certainly encouraging me to think of him as an executive assistant rather than just a lackey. ..They were pushing me into being more than just the muscle, but obviously subordinate to Lex.”
*(Regan and Lex): “Regan took it (losing Lex) very hard. In the season seven finale, he was really discouraging Lex from going to the Arctic. Regan felt it was very dangerous and that people had been lost before. He knew there was grave danger in taking that trip. It was interesting because at the end of the year, it was very clear Michael Rosenbaum wasn’t coming back. I certainly didn’t expect Regan to return to the show. That was a surprise to me to receive a call to come back for season eight. I had no way of knowing they’d be setting me up as possibly taking over LuthorCorp. In addition to his loyalty to Lex, Regan felt strongly connected to him.. Lex was someone he admired very much, so his quest to find Lex was very authentic.”
*(Regan and Tess): “That was really fun. You never know where it’s going so you try to play each scene on its own merit. Cassidy Freeman is a great actor and we really loved playing that rivalry. Regan certainly felt it was a slap in the face, but as it evolved, it became evident Lex was still loyal to Regan while u sing him as his eyes and ears. It’s always great when you have concrete conflict in a scene…The more you have to do and the more interesting the character is, the bigger it becomes. It showed the writers and producers had enough confidence in me to further develop Regan a bit, so I was rewarding.
….”I enjoyed everything I did with Cassidy. She’s amazing and fun to play with. Some of the things I got to do at the end of the season were a little more interesting. At the end of season seven, it was more about running errands for Lex. In season eight, they left the character evolve. I just loved those scenes sparring with Cassidy. One of the first ones we did at the Daily Planet was a lot of fun. I liked when we had Chloe captive and we were giving her the truth serum. That whole episode was fun, with the interrogation of Aquaman and Black Canary. It was nice to see Regan gain independence.
..”It was clear Tess had that in her (kicking Regan’s ass like he stole her nightgown in Power) and that she saw Regan as a potential rival. She was also capable of doing whatever she planned. There’s no honor among thieves. I wasn’t surprised by that development, but I hoped Regan wasn’t dead.”
*(on Allison Mack-director of Power): “That was great! I like Allison a lot and got to know her better. I hadn’t gotten to work with her on the show. I had known her personally for a while and she was excellent (at directing). She was very confident and well-prepared. Hopefully she’ll do more.”
*(on whether Regan would’ve killed the JLA): “I believe so. There was a measure of ruthlessness that goes along with being associated with LuthorCorp in any capacity. Regan would have absolutely done what was necessary to finish the task. (dawnybee: as much as I love the JLA, don’t make me choose between Regan and them. I’d let Regan kill them all and help get a vat of lye in which to dispose of their bodies.)
*(Regan: Dead or Alive): “There was the episode he disappeared and we saw in the newspaper “LuthorCorp Exec Missing”. Initially what that was written it was, “LuthorCorp Exec Dead in Car Crash”. When we shot that, I assumed that’s how the episode was going to end. It wasn’t until they edited it that they changed the insert shot that he went missing. I was thrilled because I didn’t actually get word of that
Here are some of the S8 deleted scenes. "Hex" had a few and I wonder how long was the original draft of the script because they attempted to cover alot of ground with Chloe and Lois, yet all of that was cut. It's a shame because two scenes really give insight to Chloe that has been ignored: how she influenced Lois and her reaction to her break-up to Jimmy.
Deleted scene from Hex: Chloe and Lois
Click to viewDeleted Scene from Hex: Jimmy and Not!Chloe Lois
*This is good. When Tess was introduced the rumor was that she and Clark would have a mutual attraction going on. That idea was scrapped later, but this scene shows how it could've grown.
Clark and Tess
Plastique
* * *
So I was in line waiting to pay for the mag when I saw an advert for the SPN magazine. I had to get out of line to find one to read because they interviewed Jim Parrack (Hoyt, “True Blood”) about his episode “Sex and Violence”. Nothing really of note except he’s from Texas so he really enjoyed the guys. He mostly talked about Jensen because their scenes were mostly together. He said they’d just sit there, drink the fake beer and talk about Texas and things in general and he was down-to-Earth guy. He said that it’s obvious that Jensen and Jared care a great deal about each other (not his exact words, but it’s pretty damn close). He said that Jared is really funny and that when filming the fight scene Jared was on the floor rolling around making farting noises with his mouth and Jensen just plowed through the scene and Jim marveled at Jensen’s focus. How it tied together was that his focus is because Jensen is so used to Jared. And he said when the scene came from his character, a siren, to spit fluid into someone’s mouth (face?) the liquid was thicker and the color was a lot like something else (he was to polite to say ejaculate) so they props people had to make it clearer and of course he, Jensen and Jared went to town joking about the fluid.
Jim also said that he tried to make his character somewhat sexual since he was a siren and he figures that since it’s a demon there’s not a hindrance regarding sexual orientation so he wanted his character’s relationship to Dean to have that overtone.