Hey All,
Here is another interview by LOST Star Michel Emerson (Ben) who reveals some minor spoilers about Season 5 of LOST to NY Magazine.
He did confirm that we will see the Temple and where the Others went. Well here is the whole article:
In 2001, he won an Emmy for playing the perversely charismatic serial killer William Hinks on The Practice. Apparently, perverse charisma is Michael Emerson’s calling; he’s since earned two Emmy nominations playing the prevaricating and perversely charismatic cult leader Benjamin Linus on Lost—a character that was never intended to be full-time, but, as viewers have come to learn, there’s no denying Ben Linus. Emerson talked with Michael Alan Connelly about the new season.
What’s changed for Ben in Season 5?
He now operates in the other world, off the island. He is less secure and less well fortified, so he has fewer resources. The stakes of his activities may be higher because of the desperation factor, and the quality of having to improvise. He’ll carry on what seems to be his calling or his life’s work or his war, whatever it is—I’m not sure exactly what it is.
That makes two of us. Do you feel the show loses any power now that the characters are off the island?
I think we had a smaller definition of the island than the writers meant. When the island disappeared, everywhere became the island. They’re playing around with the island as some kind of portrait of a thing, but not the thing itself. Wherever we go, it goes also. [Laughs.] Boy, that’s kind of a squirrelly answer. Maybe this is a better overarching image for the season: There’s a great push to reunite—to try to put things and partnerships back together that have fallen apart.
The Others stole away to a place called the Temple. Will we be seeing more of them and learning about the Temple?
Yes and yes. I think we’re going to find them to be less malevolent as time goes by.
If you could get the writers to answer one burning question, what’s at the top of your list?
I’d ask the same big question everyone has: What’s the real deal? Where are we really?
Ben is often reading or quoting authors. Do you take the time to read the books he does?
There are no accidents in the world of props on Lost—the books are carefully chosen. This season, there’s a scene where I’m reading Ulysses by James Joyce. It’s on my winter reading list.
You came to the show late. Did you fit right in?
Not really. It’s a tight-knit cast. The show has generations of actors—I think I’m the third generation, which is Ian Cusick, Elizabeth Mitchell, and me. We hang out a bit; ours is a more shared experience, not being one of the original lovable Lost-aways. I’ve had a solitary time in Hawaii [where the show is shot], which is consistent with my character.
What TV shows do you watch?
Battlestar Galactica, which, like Lost, balances science fiction, adventure, and metaphysics in a good way. And I was thrilled by Deadwood. I love shows where language isn’t just a medium of communication. Deadwood’s was more brutal than any I’ve heard on TV, but it was also more lyric.
Posted By: The ODI
Michael Emerson Interview with NY Magazine
(Comments: 27)
Labels:
Ben,
Michael Emerson,
Season 5,
Temple
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27 Comments:
I've always wondered everytime I read that Benjamin Linus was never meant to be full-time how the show might have been different if he wasn't. Love him :)
Ben reading Ulysses. That's a disturbing image. : P
Possibly connection to LOST ? The last chapter of Ulysses is "Penelope", as in Penelope "Penny" Widmore.
That last chapter is famous for having only 8 sentences spread across dozens of pages, with only three periods and no other punctuation, with one of them being the longest sentence in English literature: 4,391 words !
Possibly connection to LOST ? The last chapter of Ulysses is "Penelope", as in Penelope "Penny" Widmore.
The whole book is a parallel to the Odyssey, and we know who's commonly Odysseus on Lost. Ben reads it in Episode 7, and I'm guessing his chance of having scenes with Des in that ep is pretty high.
I'm glad to see that we're going to learn more about the Temple ! I've been waiting for this since Season 3 Finale.
( sorry for my English language, I'm french ^^ )
Somehow I find the comment about being an "outsider" with the cast to be very sad. Especially since it's been said that new cast members have been made to feel very welcome. Now that's one statement that isn't cryptic.
I agree. Having "generations" of Lost cast is pretty disturbing. It's like they are the elitists, and they don't welcome in their weekend parties the new major actors. I mean, especially not welcoming Emerson, I can't imagine that! The guy saved the series in a way, and hence he saved their jobs.
HIC has said similar things, though. Last year, when they were asking him if he feels like an old-timer now compared to the "new kids," he said he still felt like a newcomer himself. And they've both been with the show regularly since 2006.
But then again, I don't think the original cast is as close as they used to be in the beginning, so I don't know if this is really all that surprising. You simply don't take on each and every colleague as if they were a family member.
Thanks ODI for the great read, I always enjoy the Michael Emerson interviews. Looking forward to seeing the Temple.
Wendy, I would. Sure, not the small guest stars that I've only seen once or twice, but people that I work with every day, I would invite on my barbecues. Not only actors, but also crew, that I would know for a long time.
Maybe it's just me and my Greek inheritance, but hospitality is important. In Greece, when people you somewhat know (but are not very close to you) are passing by your house, you always greet them and you ask them to come in for a coffee. And if you know that they had just traveled back to town, you offer them food. They usually decline, but you offer it anyway.
For people that we work everyday with, our house is always open for them. So yes, I am very surprised, and sad, that someone like Emerson does not feel welcome after so many years in the main cast. I feel that the original actors are either very high on their horse, or they are jealous of him being regarded as one of the best actors on TV right now. I don't know which one of the two is worse. But if Emerson says that he lived a very solitary life while in Hawaii filming, and he is not invited in the other actor's parties, it's very, very, sad.
I have yet to read a bad Emerson interview. The guy is gold.
And I'm absolutely stoked that we're gonna see the Temple :)
Eugenia, I think it's a bit of both. On the one hand, it seems a bit peculiar, because as you say, he has been on the show for three years, and apparently, he isn't the only one of the "newer" additions to feel that way. On the other hand, the cast is so huge, that some of the actors still haven't had scenes together, or didn't have scenes in over a year, so I can imagine that some of them don't feel incredibly close. I have to say though, I felt incredibly odd when the crew was shooting videos showing how everyone welcomed the Season 4 actors, because... how genuine can that be if they're filming it? It's bizarre they would have to stage something like that.
I'm really looking forward to see the Temple. It must be a place of great significance for the show.
And look how many Season 5 Interviews he gave during the last days and the "oldies" aren't even mentioned or seen.
I am also a bit bothered by his comments about the cast and the lack on inclusion. Its not what I would have expected. Does most of the cast keep year-round homes in Hawaii? He doesnt and that may explain some of it. Age may have something to do with it - he is quite a bit older than the rest of the cast except Terry O'Quinn. (But that wouldn't explain why HIC and Mitchell were excluded) Of course, envy could also be the answer - which would really disappoint me.
Jorge Garcia's blog did note the Emerson and Josh Holloway were at his house for a Halloween party.
Yes Wendy. I totally agree about the new cast "welcome" thing being filmed. It is bizarre. There is a lot of "generation gap" involved as well as personality differences I'm sure, and perhaps living arrangements and family with children vs singles, etc. Since ME has interacted with quite a few of the cast on a regular basis, (as well as HIC) it still strikes as odd - and sad. ME gives the best interviews of the whole cast and never comes across as negative about the show, as some others do.
And thanks for the article ODI.
sorry guys, this doesn't really have anything to do with the topic, but i just needed some clarification. it says the premier starts at 8...does this mean episode 501 starts at 8 and 502 at 9, or does this mean the clip show starts at 8, 501 at 9, and 502 at 10? i'm asking because my friend works until 9 that day and is gonna see if he can get off at 8 for the show, but i think he'd be pretty pissed to find that he had taken off early for the clip show.
Great article, cheers ODI. He does always give a good interview. Nice to hear about some other shows he likes, I didn't picture him a Battlestar Galactica fan. I don't think it's too much of an issue, the fitting in thing. It didn't read like he was bitter or anything.
Michael: clip show starts at 8, 501 starts at 9, 502 starts at 10.
That is a bit strange that ME mentioned not fitting in like that. Last year ME and Ken Leung went out to a Jazz club. ME went to Jorge Garcia's house for a Halloween party this past year. Whenever Terry O'Quinn is interviewed about who he likes to work with, he always talks about how him and ME get along so well and talk alot outside of work. Doesn't sound that tight nit to me. Plus with all I mentioned above sounds like ME is getting along with "all generations of Lost"..lol. The solitary thing might be, that all the cast who is married, there spouses are with them while they film and Michael's spouse stays in thier home in L.A because she acts in True Blood show. Maybe he is just lonely, but thats the life of married actors!
But then again, I don't think the original cast is as close as they used to be in the beginning
this is 100% true and I have my own sources (not Dark's LOOOL) who confirmed this!
ME rocks and anyone who listens to the podcast knows I express this thought all the time.
I agree about him not ever really having a "bad" interview.
One of my goals for the podcast is to interview ME, so hopefully one of these days it will happen. :)
Emerson likes Deadwood. He moves up the awesomeness meter to some level of awesomeness that can't be represented by a mere meter :)
I loved how he mentioned in one of the other more recent interviews that if he were to guest star on "True Blood," he would like to play a vampire.
Deadwood* and BSG are my favorite shows ever, as well (above Lost, even. Sorry folks). If Michael Emerson loves Freaks & Geeks too, I might proposition him. Don't even get me started on Ulysses.
*For those who find Deadwood abhorrent because of its language, I say, too bad for you. You're missing the closest thing to Shakespearean perfection of language the English language has produced since...Joyce, maybe; and the most compelling statement of the meaning and necessity of community; and the most heartlifting portrayal of fragility, friendship, and love, as well. So there.
With all the time travel talk, along with what happened to the survivors, The Temple and The Others seem to have been forgotten, lol. I would imagine The Temple is an original Dharma station, but it's one of the things I'm looking forward to most in S5!