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| Jessica Alba |
Dark Angel, now in its second season on FOX (premiering Friday at 8 p.m.), is best known for its main star, Jessica Alba, who plays the genetically engineered crime fighter Max. But what would Alba do without her talented supporting cast?
Four of the show’s chief supporting actors–Valarie Rae Miller, Richard Gunn, J.C. MacKenzie and the “new guy,” former Days of Our Lives hunk Jensen Ackles–spoke with Hollywood.com about Alba, the new season, their characters and the joys (and pains) of shooting in Vancouver.
On Vancouver:
Gunn (who plays Sketchy, an amicable, booze guzzling messenger with slight mental issues): It’s great up here, but over the summer, I have to admit, I did get a little tired of Canadian girls. I mean, I wasn’t up here in Vancouver at all–I was in Spain, through Madrid and Barcelona. But while I was in Spain, all you saw were Canadian girls. Weird.
MacKenzie (who plays Normal, Max’s stressed-out boss): I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but it really sucks up here. I hate it. I understand that it’s one third cheaper to shoot here, but it’s just not my kind of place, ya know? The people are pretty fake. If they hate you, they don’t say it like in New York. People are much more honest in New York. That’s where I spent my summer–renovating parts of my house. Well, I didn’t do it. I paid a guy. I have the mechanical skills of a small retarded child. I just sat by and smoked crack. [Laughs] Smoking crack should be taught in all of the acting classes.
Miller (who plays Original Cindy, Max’s best friend and butt-kicking confidant): I like it here. It’s mellow. There’s such a slower pace in Vancouver. But there’s definitely a culture shock when you’re coming from L.A.
Ackles (the newest member of the cast who plays Alec, a sarcastic fighter who’s most likely a good guy): I don’t mind it, man. Not at all. But then again, the rest of the cast has had a year to get used to it, so it’s different for them. But hey, the weather’s nice.
On their camaraderie:
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| Jensen Ackles |
MacKenzie: Well, speaking of Jensen, being that good looking shouldn’t be allowed. It’s just wrong. I mean, movie stars can look good and be good actors, but on TV, it’s usually one or the other. Except for Jessica [Alba], that is. She’s not bad.
Ackles: I knew early on that the cast would work well together. They had me in a scene where I was fighting another character, and from offscreen, J.C. yelled out, “I’ll put $300 on the good-lookin’ one!”
On their characters:
Gunn: Sketchy’s like a lot of people, ya know? He drinks beer, likes women–a lot like me. But he’s a conspiracy freak, that’s for sure. I’m happy with him.
Miller: [Laughs] Original Cindy’s not going to be a soft kitten this season.
MacKenzie: Man, I’m hoping Normal mellows out. I get so many people coming up to me saying, “He’s the boss from hell,” and I’d like that to change. He needs to loosen up. Then again, it’s just sweet to have a job.
Ackles: Well, being named Alec, you’ll soon find out why…a real smart Alec. He’ll provide a lot of comic relief, I think. He’s a guy who just marches to his own drum. But deep down he’s got a good heart.
On the second season:
Miller: All I can really tell you is that you’re going to learn a lot more about [the military law-enforcement agency] Manticore. There will be a new mythology this time around.
MacKenzie: The stuff that worked last season stays. But we’re going to get even more sci-fi this season. Mutants and androids and stuff like that.
Gunn: I think we’re going to give the fans exactly what they want: to find out more about [Alba‘s] Max. They’ve been pretty in the dark so far.
On the show’s executive producer, James Cameron:
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| Valarie Rae Miller |
MacKenzie: I met him at a party for the cast when the show first began. Actually, we were at the [FOX network] one day and I was trying to find a seat and the only one empty was next to him. I was like, “Oh, man,” but went ahead and sat down. He just started talking to me, right like that. He’s a sweet guy.
Gunn: It’s really been quite a while since we’ve seen him. He’s in L.A., we’re in Vancouver, ya know? But I know he’s got a lot of say in what we do on the show. He knows what he wants, but he just expects you to do the best job you can. I’ve had dinner with him a couple times. He’s not a tyrant.
On fans’ reactions:
Miller: Actually, when I walk around, people don’t even recognize me. It’s the best of both worlds. You see, I apply this three-second rule. I give ’em three seconds to figure out who I am and that’s it. They say, “Did I go to school with you or something?” But I just pass it off.
Ackles: The whole pretty-boy thing is pretty interesting. There’s a notoriety involved, but it also opens doors, ya know? But I think having your own calendar dedicated to you is going a bit far. [Laughs]
On future projects:
MacKenzie: I’ve done a handful of Spike’s [Lee] films, and I’d love to do more. I’d do any part for him. He’s a misunderstood guy. Doing his films, I never even had to audition. He’s the only director who met me as I first stepped off the elevator and led me into his office, talking like friends the whole time.
Miller: I’ll be in a new movie [All About the Benjamins]
that I shot over the summer. Ice Cube is in it. He’s cool. He rewrote the script himself. I play a really girly character. She works in a bail bondsman’s office and is really bored in life. [Laughs] Much different than Cindy.
Gunn: I’ve got a film coming out soon about a haunted ship–lots of special effects. Good actors in it.
Ackles: Well, I’d like to say that I’ll be rooting for the Dallas Cowboys this fall, but, after watching them in the preseason, it’s pretty obvious that it’ll be a lost cause.
FOX‘s Dark Angel airs on Friday nights at 8 p.m.
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