Two interviews from Monte Carlo 2010 Television Festival (interviews)
Series - Meeting Callum Keith Rennie, a TV rising star - 08.06.10
A serial slaughterer in "Harper's Island", a beat up rock producer in "Californication", soon in "24", Callum Keith Rennie’s magnetism goes from one series to the other. He will be starring in "Shattered" - to be discovered on 13e Rue in France. A cop suffering from multiple personalities disorder, good cop and bad cop all together. A way for him to widen his acting range, often limited to bad guys. "That’s true, I often play the villain", said Rennie yesterday, as he was meeting reporters at the Monte-Carlo television festival. "Look at me! Evil is written on my face, right? [sardonic laughter]". Pause. "Let’s say I have a special intensity [laser eyes]. But I like to play a hero. It’s more complex, because I don’t do it often."
Four characters into one
As in "United States of Tara", currently airing on Canal+, where a housewife must let her inner self cohabit with brain squatters, "Shattered" involves a special acting performance. "Detective Ben Sullivan is always trying to act as best as he can, but he doesn’t know what hidden part of himself is going to come up." Without going too much into details, he reveals that at least four characters are living inside him: "the detective, and also a young guy, an alcoholic party guy and a somewhat crazed guy."
He immersed himself in books written by psychiatrists and documentaries dealing with multiple personalities disorder, but mostly he tried to give an autonomous life to each of his characters: "I’ve been working with a coach in order to develop a different body language for each of them, specific attitudes." I is another, even several others, scowls and faces included.
From our reporter in Monte-Carlo, Anne Kerloc'h
Insert: Shattered
Multiple personalities disorder is represented in several series: «United states of Tara» of course but also «Heroes» with Niki Sanders. She cohabits with a troubled double, Jessica, who’s in fact her sister, who was murdered by their father.
from here
Monte Carlo 2010 : Meeting Callum Keith Rennie
by Roxy, 8 June 2010 9h17
Callum Keith Rennie at Monte-Carlo 2010 Festival
You have discovered Callum Keith Rennie in "The L Word", "Tin Man", "24" or "Harper's Island". His most memorable roles are probably Leoben Connoy, "Battlestar Galactica" cylon and Lew Ashby, a rock producer for whom Hank Moody (David Duchovny) writes a biography in "Californication".
He’s now in "Shattered", a new cop series where he’s the lead. He interprets Ben Sullivan, a detective traumatized par his son’s kidnapping, and must cope with an uncommon disorder. Interview.
- Can you tell me a few words about 'Shattered', your new series?
It’s a cop drama where I play Detective Ben Sullivan. I have a multiple personalities disorder, meaning I have a hard time to cope with both my job and my family.
- There are four different personalities in the first season, can you describe them briefly?
No details then, just a few words. There’s a 13 year old boy, an angry alter ego bent on revenge, a very smart guy and another one who’s an inveterate party guy.
- Which of them is the easiest?
They’re all difficult to play.
- Can we say that "Shattered" is a crossover between "CSI" and "United States of Tara"?
Could I... or should I? I’ve seen both series. And- I’d say yes but with some hesitation, and some reservation.
- Whether it’s Leoben, Ashby or Ben, we can say they’re all troubled characters. What draws you to this kind of roles?
Oh, it’s probably because I’m kind of tormented myself!
- "Caprica", the new "Battlestar Galactica" spin-off started this year, what’s your take on it?
I haven’t seen it...
- I’ve heard say that Syfy might be interested in making other "Battlestar Galactica" spin-offs. Do you think it’s a good idea? Under which angle can the story be explored again without being redundant?
Syfy is used to handle this kind of thematic format, so there’s some logic in that. Whether it’s for "Battlestar" or not. Personally, I like it when things get rolling, you do something once and then it’s over. "Battlestar Galactica" has really redefined Syfy. Both in its way to handle themes but also in the way people get into them. I don’t think that going further in this direction has much sense... Or is very useful.
- How was your reunion with Katee Shackoff in "24"?
I love to work with her, we got together real well in "Battlestar" but we only met briefly on "24". She just dropped by... We haven’t really worked together, but it was great to meet again on the set.
- With the end of "24" and of "Flash Forward", what are your projects?
We just finished filming "Shattered" one month ago, so I’m recovering! It’s a good answer?
- And after the series?
Well what’s good and less good in this job, is that you never know what’s waiting for you... I don’t know yet if we’ll make a season 2 for "Shattered". And I don’t know either if there’s something else waiting for me!
Photo: Callum Keith Rennie and Camille Sullivan (Amy Lynch in Shattered)
from here
Thanks to surya74