[IMG:L]Television has a long history of characters who are frequently invoked but never seen: from Cheers‘ Vera and Frasier‘s Maris to Magnum P.I’s Robin Masters and Charlie’s Angels’ Charles Townsend (who at least had a voice). But Heroes has taken that time honored tradition and tweaked it for the new generation, crafting mystery around oft-mentioned characters who remain unseen just long enough to build to a big reveal: the name Sylar hung over the characters with dread until Zachary Quinto appeared in the role, while the enigmatic Linderman, the Vegas mobster, held out even longer before Malcolm McDowell appeared as the character with the healing touch.
The veteran actor believes he had the easy job. It was everyone else who had to perform scenes with an uncast character. “Of course they’d all been talking about this character, and I really know until Adrian [Pasdar] actually told me that he’d even had sort of phone calls with me and nobody on the other line of course,” said McDowell. “They didn’t even know who was going to play the part at the time.”
It was the younger McDowells – his kids – who turned Malcolm onto the show in the first place. He had not even been following it until he got the offer. “To be honest, no, I wasn’t following it. I don’t watch that much TV but when [the job] was coming up, of course I tuned in. And they sent me the pilot which is really a wonderful show. I enjoyed it very much and as soon as I read it, and my son also said, ‘Dad, it’s one of the great shows on television. What rock have you been hiding under?’ So that was it. The young guys, they know what’s what.”
Linderman finally appeared in person with Nathan Petrelli (Pasdar), to enlist him into the conspiracy to get a like minded individual in the White House. As the conspiracy deepens, even the actors want to know what comes next. Each player only has limited insight into his character, but McDowell stoked his co-star Pasdar‘s curiosity.with a possible connection between Nathan’s father and Linderman: “[I told him] I think from what I understand, actually, and I think I can say this, I knew your father quite well.”
Even the newest addition to the Heroes cast knows how to keep the secrets. Monday night’s episode had Linderman get his brain pulled out, but in the world of Heroes, you never know if that’s enough to do someone in. McDowell was mum on his episode commitments.
“Well, if I told you how many I’m doing, then it would probably give it away, so I better not say anything about that. But, suffice to say that I’m doing a few of these and I’m doing other work too. So, I’ll go in and out, as required, as needed.”
Having played sci-fi villains in franchises from Star Trek to Tank Girl, as well as the ultimate case for rehabilitation in A Clockwork Orange, McDowell appreciates his legacy of bad guys. Perhaps he’s just got it inside him.
“I think that any part that you play, of course there’s always a little bit of you,” McDowell said. “The truth is, of course one has a bit of the devil in one, doesn’t one? Doesn’t everyone? It’s just that they pay me to have fun with it so of course I do it and I’m happy to do it. Look, I don’t only play the baddies. I suppose I’m primarily known for that but in fact, that would only be half of my career if I was to top it all up. But all the well known ones I suppose are on the heavy side but listen, I enjoy it. I enjoy it very much. I think the word relish comes to mind in terms of this part particularly, and these wonderful scenes with Adrian. We have such a ball together. I’m going to talk for him as well, he only can say whatever he wants. I know I had a great time. It was a pleasure.”
Even though he delineates the 50/50 split, McDowell remains objective about all his characters. “I never really get into that sort of definition of characters. I like them all. I supposed you could make the case for Hitler being misunderstood, couldn’t you really? But the fact is that Linderman is such a fabulous part for an actor to do that really I had to do no acting at all. It was so well written, I think the show is really well written. Although I must say as a viewer, it’s sort of beautifully insane and you’re always on the edge of your seat but I haven’t a clue what’s going on. Although I must admit, it’s so compelling, it’s sort of déjà vu, it’s sort of like drugs or something. It’s an amazing show and they do such a great job, and I can say that because I’ve been on the inside now. Of course the regular cast members, they know all about it and I think they’ve got honestly one of the best jobs in television.”
Perhaps the ultimate ambiguity is that Linderman’s power is to heal the sick or dying, yet his ultimate plan is to kill millions of people for political ends. “The man is a healer. He’s obviously got a wonderful side to him. He’s wonderful with children, wonderful with pets. What more can I say about him? He’s the life and soul of a party. He tells a good joke. He’s a delightful man, and the kind of person that would be a very fine uncle to your children. But, having said that, there is a side to him, which is a little bit dark. He has this power thing, and he feels that the world is in such a state, and that the human race is so decadent and out of control, that he thinks the answer to that is starting again. It’s obviously a strange way of going about things but there are other people on this planet, at the moment, that I’d say think the same unfortunately, and they’re dangerous. Linderman must have had quite an unhappy childhood, for him to have taken it that far. But, I don’t know. I have to leave a big question mark open because I’m not allowed to say anything about what happens.”
McDowell has already faced comparisons between Linderman and public figures. He denies them all.
“I can’t tell you how many times people have said to me, ‘You were playing Rupert Murdoch, right?’ I’ve heard that about at least a half a dozen characters I’ve played. And, the answer is no, I have nothing to do with Rupert Murdoch whatsoever. I think the writers look to the headlines for inspiration, quite rightly, because they are mirroring what is going on in our society. They’re using it in a fictional way, and therefore, in a sort of a second hand way, we’re getting handed down these characters that are vaguely in the headlines, or something. I think that’s what happens, and it’s a little confusing, but I don’t think they’re ever meant to be a copy of. They could be inspired by events, or something, but that’s about it. As far as the actor working on the part, that’s neither here nor there. You’re working on the part, as written. At least, that’s the way I work. I mean everyone works in different ways, of course, but you can only take it as far as it’s drawn in the script.”
The characters McDowell has played become icons in their own right. Among over 150 credits, it is easy to single out Alex de Large, but many also remember him as Captain Kirk’s murderer Soran or H.G. Wells.
“You’re only as good as what they ask you to do. I’m very lucky that I was asked to do Heroes because, as I’ve said before, it’s a gift of a role. It’s really a wonderful part. I’ve been very lucky, through the years, to get a few good parts, here and there, amongst the crap. Let’s face it, there’s quite a lot of crap out there, too. So, the odd little pearl that comes my way, you seize on it and you say thank you very much. It was great fun, getting away with doing old Kirk in. I think he’d had a good run, anyway, and it was time to move on. So, that was fun. And, Time After Time was a beautiful film and I got two beautiful children out of that particular show, so I’m very fond of that one. That’s no fiction for me. And, so there you go. Life goes on.”
Heroes airs Mondays at 9 on NBC.
