Sunday, February 28, 2010

Sanctuary / Stargate Atlantis - Sci Fi Pi: Christopher Heyerdahl Interview

At Australia's SciFi Channel's Sci Fi Pi blog:

(Please follow the link for the complete interview. Some behind the scenes photos from both SGA and Sanctuary at the link.)

Interview with Christopher Heyerdahl from Sanctuary

Sunday, February 28 by Captain



Christopher Heyerdahl is one of the pillars of the Sci Fi acting community. Some fans may not know him (some!) but everyone has seen his work, at one time or another, be it on Stargate, Stargate: Atlantis, Supernatural, Twilight, Smallville, The Chronicles of Riddick, Andromeda and of course Sanctuary, where he plays not one, but two characters - the loyal Bigfoot, and the dark and dangerous John Druitt.

We managed to scrape into a small wedge in Christopher's busy schedule to have a chat with the man who created the likes of Todd the Wraith and talk to him about what he and Amanda Tapping get up to on the set of Sanctuary, what it's like being related to a famous explorer, what he thinks of the status of Stargate: Extinction and where you should go should you be in the market for a bicycle next time you're in British Columbia.

A classically trained stage actor with years of experience, he has gravitated towards the world of televised Science Fiction with aplomb, bringing gravity, levity and a striking physicality to a multitude of roles.

A man dedicated to his craft, but also dedicated to enjoying himself, Heyerdahl is happy to open up to reveal the inner workings of true character, a true character actor, and genuine, bona fide Sci Fi star. Grab a cup of coffee, maybe a biscuit or two, and read on!


A brief excerpt:


...Do you ever draw comparisons between the 'love affair' between Todd and John Sheppard and that between Helen Magnus and John Druitt?
CH: " *(laughs)*
Not until this moment! I think the difference is you're dealing with a love that was, and cannot ever be, between, just to clarify *(laughs)* between Helen and John. *(laughs)* With John and Todd, it's an acknowledgement of a worthy comrade and foe. It's complex, even though they both want the same thing, they're at odds. One is the great American military beast, and the other is the great Wraith military beast. Todd is far more intelligent than John, given that he's a 10,000 year old scientist, but he certainly appreciates John's instinctive intelligence, his fearless ways and also his honour. There's a bond that can only be made by two men who've spent time in prison!"...