It’s time for a third conference call for Heroes. This time we have two stars that play brothers on the show. They couldn’t make it the first two times that NBC had this conference call, but they made it for this one. I was joined, once again, by other members of the press throughout the world.
If you don’t know, haven’t seen the show, or haven’t read my last two conference calls, Heroes is basically a show about ordinary people, like you or me, learning that they have extraordinary abilities. You might even call these people “superheroes”. As we will learn, though, some of these people may not be “heroes” after all. They may use their new-found abilities for evil.
Milo Ventimiglia (Peter Petrelli)
Milo Ventimiglia plays Peter Petrelli, a male nurse and politician’s younger brother who is plagued by nightmares that he can fly in Heroes. You may have seen him in recurring roles as Jess in Gilmore Girls and on the show Boston Public. His other television credits include guest-starring roles on primetime series such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, C.S.I., Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Promiseland. He also recently completed work on the sixth installment of the Rocky series, playing Sylvester Stallone’s son in the film, Rocky Balboa.
Adrian Pasdar (Nathan Petrelli)
Adrian Pasdar plays Nathan Petrelli, Peter’s over-achieving brother who is running for political office. He pretends that Peter is delusional with his fantasies of flight, but in actuality, Nathan has a secret of his own. Pasdar starred for two seasons on both Judging Amy and Mysterious Ways. He recently recurred on Desperate Housewives as David Bradley, as well as on Touched by an Angel as Edward Tanner. Pasdar began his career in Top Gun when he was cast as Chipper alongside Tom Cruise, Anthony Edwards and Val Kilmer. He has also starred in films such as Secondhand Lions with Michael Caine and Robert Duvall and Carlito’s Way, opposite Al Pacino and Sean Penn.
First, here is what I asked the two stars of the show and their answers to my questions…
Josh Clinton: Do you think that the show is too complicated for casual viewers? Adrian Pasdar: Apparently not. I mean a casual viewer would seem to not be a target audience for us. I think the audience is somebody who sits down and watches TV you now. Milo Ventimiglia: I think anybody approaching the show is going to want to answer questions for themselves as well as receive some answers. I know sometimes that is the pitfall when shows ask too many questions and not give many answers. But I think the casual viewer as well as an intense viewer watching the show is going to enjoy it the same as a human drama with people that have extraordinary abilities. AP: I think network TV through a large extent has underestimated the intelligence of the American public for many years now and it’s tried to appeal to the lowest common denominator. And I think that the average viewer is much more intelligent than that and they crave a little bit more complexity in their viewing and they are willing to sit down and pay attention and I think this program and the viewership has born that out. I think we’re seeing that people are interested in watching something that does require you to actually pay attention. JC: All right great. There is one last question for Adrian then. What was it like filming love scenes with Ali Larter? AP: It was exactly what you think it would be. You know you could pretty much take the time and write what you want. Because anything I am going to say is not going to surprise you. You know I mean she is a beautiful woman who is a professional and you know it was required of her for the scene and I did the same and we shook hands at the end of the day and went our separate ways. It can be awkward at times in situations like that with people who don’t know how to respond and respect themselves and their partners in a scene like that. It can be awkward. I’ve been through situations like that, but this wasn’t one of those situations. This was just like doing any other scene. Whether we were sitting across from each other at dinner sharing a cup of coffee or sharing an intimate moment in bed. I mean when it comes down to it, you have to be professional. You have to be able to do it again and again. Because it requires many takes and to not get bored with it. JC: All right thanks guys. AP: Mmm-hmm.
And now here are some of the rest of the highlights of what was said in this third conference call for Heroes…
Is there any truth to the report that the major ongoing story arc could be brought to a conclusion by the half way point, since creator, Tim Kring, thought there may be a possibility that the show would get cancelled early? Adrian Pasdar: I think from our prospective there really could be no end to this story, because one door closes and another just opens with this story line as it was explained to us early on. There may be periodic endings to sub-plots and sub-sub-plots. But the overall arc of the story is just never ending. And that was one of the major attractions I think for all of the cast and for the writers.
Milo, how quickly did you discover that Pete’s power was duplicating other heroes? Did you know from the start? Milo Ventimiglia: No, going into the pilot I had no idea. I just saw there was this dynamic relationship between Nathan and Peter, and it was Peter aiding his brother Nathan and discovering that he could fly. And it wasn’t until a couple months later after the show had been picked up and we were all in New York and Tim walked up to me and explained what Peter’s ability actually was.
Adrian, I was wondering if you could just sum up for us what your take is on Nathan’s respective relationships with Niki and his wife, who we meet later this season? AP: I think you have to start with my wife to be respectful. The relationship there was predicated I think on a common understanding on what it would take to be a politician’s wife and all the things that go along with that. And love of course factored in heavily in the beginning as well. There is a sense of guilt that’s permeated. Nathan is kind of existent since this accident which we get into in episode nine or ten, which is an accident that Nathan feels guilty for. And it’s also an accident that shows something that we can’t really talk about too much right now. We get information from this accident on a few fronts, not just the one that explains why she’s in a wheelchair. To answer the second question about Niki, I think there is an attraction between the two of them that is based on just a classic dichotomy between being a politician and a stripper. I mean I think one of the best things that they did was put the politician with the person who would be the biggest liability to him. That would be the stripper in the story. I think that was just the drama speaking from the writers and the attraction between the two of them. I could run on and make some stuff up but you know, she’s hot and he’s powerful.
Milo, do you think the whole “save the cheerleader, save the world” thing might include hooking up with the cheerleader at some point? MV: She’s in high school. She is 17, so that’s never going to happen. I think there is a definite connection that Claire develops with Peter. But Peter has a connection with all the characters that he comes into contact with as more of a nurturer caretaker.
We’ve got a lot of Sci-fi shows on T.V. right now. Any theories as to why science fiction is hot right now on television? MV: You know I think it’s cyclical in many ways. I think the fantasy element of it can’t be overlooked. I think when times are as dire as they are around the world and you know every corner of the globe seems to be under some threat imminent or immediate. It just seems like this kind of a escapism takes root and grows wings faster in times of trouble. I think this kind of show speaks to people with its fantasy and escapism elements being presented in real ways. And on top of that it doesn’t add in the fantastic element of capes and spandex. It’s more rooted in reality so it’s taking a sense of realism and combining it with a sense of fantasy. And I think when you mix those two things effectively as the show and the writers have done you end up with quality television that draws you on a weekly basis. It is a serial ultimately but it’s more rooted in reality than any other superhero show that has come on TV.
Milo, we’ve seen you take on powers of other people when you’re in a room with them. At some point are we going to see what happens when he is in the room with two superheroes? MV: I think there would be a physical pressure that Peter would feel if he were in the room with two superheroes or two heroes. You know the physical and mental aspects of that could be too overwhelming for him. We do get into that. We do explore it along with is he ever going to retain these powers or is it just when he’s near somebody else.
Adrian, is your character a good guy or a bad guy? He’s got some dark side to him and he’s done a few things, like he wasn’t totally honest with his brother, etc. AP: My take on the character, not to sound too hoity-toity, but I’d approximate it as close to as playing Richard the III. In terms of, I need a physical kind of abnormality that has befall me like a hump or a limp or something, then I would really would have a Shakespearian experience. I do think that there is a dark side that has to be dealt with but the people that you think are good are probably going to turn out the other way and vice versa on this show. It wouldn’t do me any good to speculate as to how I’m going to end up. I think there is a whole lot of both in this character which is just interesting to play. I think it’s interesting to play and hopefully it gets interesting to watch. I am as much a fan of this character as the audience. I’m interested to find out where he ultimately is going to go.
Are either of you comic book fans? And if you were, which were your favorites? MV: I grew up on comics and I was more into Batman and the Punisher. They were guys that didn’t have this out of this world abilities. They were just kind of crazy and had a vendetta kind of a stance. But of course at the same time following Superman or Spiderman or any of those characters is always exciting too. AP: I find myself in the same zone as Milo. My favorite was the Silver Surfer growing up. He didn’t really have any super powers other than surfing around on his board. Actually he did have a few but not as many as the others. Also, his slogan was that “he travels fast and he travels alone.” That always appealed to me as a kid.
Some actors are kept in the dark about their characters. They don’t know a lot of what’s happening but is seems like you guys seem to know a little bit more about your characters and where things are going. So how much do you want to know about your characters, what do you know, and when do you know it? MV: I just approach it like everyday life. There are hopes and ideas of where you may go and what you may be doing but that is not always going to happen. The scripts could come out and really have no direction. You’ll have a couple of conversations with the writers about what’s going on. But for the most part I’d like to try to keep focused on the page and the work at hand and have a very vague idea of what’s coming up. And then when the scripts come in they are always better than what I ever expected. AP: We’re six episodes ahead of what aired last week, in terms of what we’ve been allowed to read. And we’ve had conversations, I think all of us individually, with the entire writing staff. And they are very open to hearing our thoughts about what has been written so far and possible directions we might be going in. But they do have a bigger broader scope of things than what we do. It wouldn’t serve them to tell us about it because it’s a fluid state, so things constantly change. But they break stories all the time up there in the writer’s room and you know they have a pretty good idea through the rest of season one where it’s going to go and how it’s going to end up. When I go up for renegotiations that will be a good thing. MV: Regardless to whether we know or not, you’ll get one or two writers that will sneak down to the set and go “dude you have some cool stuff coming up or you’re going to be working your ass off, etc.” AP: Yes. MV: They won’t always elaborate on what it is but they do let you know you’ve got a lot of stuff coming down the pike. It’s great and we’ve got so much work to do that it’s enough to have the single script ahead of you, you know in your script book and work on that and discovering it as it’s given to you is as exciting as you can imagine.
Milo, you have been on a lot of shows. Was there anything different about this one or something that made you think that this was going to be a hit? MV: God, just reading the pilot script. It was different than anything that I had thought of or read in a long time or have seen. And then seeing all of the actors coming in and the writing staff coming in and then being on set as it was being shot. I understood that it was very different than anything I had ever been involved with. And for me the characters that I had played in the past was a bit of a departure from this. I could see it was going into a different direction, which I was definitely excited about.
Could you tell us a little bit about some of the special effects and green screen work that you guys may have been involved with and what has that been like for you so far? MV: Some of it is as simple as it playing into what we’re doing. It’s just a backdrop for them to paint in a city. Anything like that you know it’s not like a Star Wars film where Adrian is acting against an odd caricature. But I think the green screen stuff that we have to be mindful of doesn’t necessarily affect or illicit some specific reaction from me. AP: Yeah, the stuff that we do on wires is probably the most challenging especially when we haven’t been asked to do that too much. But the stuff where we were together in a harness, there was so many technical issues that if you could just remember our lines that is almost enough. I don’t want to try to convey any false sense of emotion. I mean it’s all there in your face, the danger that you’re confronted with. But it hasn’t been debilitating in any way, the special effects haven’t gotten in the way of our ability to perform the scenes as required. It’s just been an enhancement if anything when it’s been offered. It’s been fun.
This series has a lot of interesting dynamics to it, we’re talking about potential rape, potential murder. We’re talking about a heroin addict who is creative when he shoots up. How surprised are you guys that NBC is okay with this at 9 pm? AP: I think you know it’s all couched in science fantasy to a certain extent, which takes off the limitations in terms of what you can convey on 9 o’clock T.V. As far pushing the envelope in terms of what is acceptable. I think people are aware of what they are going to get into. So if they elect to watch this show with their children, of whatever age they deem appropriate, there is always enough leads before something super gory happens that they can turn the kids head away if they deem that’s the right thing to do. I ultimately think there is a responsibility that is being taken care of in presenting these characters. They are not glorifying heroin addiction or vigilantism. Once you drive the car into the wall, is that the right thing to do? probably not. Is she a kid going through an extraordinary situation? Yes, and she does have a regretful scene in the next episode that she realizes probably wasn’t the right thing to do. That’s just an example. But I think they are showing some restraint and responsibility in terms of dealing with these issues. And I do think it’s a plus for NBC to acknowledge that and to allow them to have a little bit of a license to tell the story.
Would the series work without the comic relief of Hiro and Ando? AP: I don’t think so. MV: Yeah, I think there has to be a balance to the dramatic element. when something heavier forlorn is happening it’s nice to go to a lighter place, which is more earnest and a more fun and spirited place. AP: I think that the comic relief is absolutely necessary especially with a show that prefers to deal with the density of some of the story lines you need an optimistic energetic hero like Hiro at times. And I think it was acknowledged and recognized very early on that would be a key element to the success or failure of this show. For Masi Oka to be able to pull this character off, he’s fearless and wonderfully suited for the job and we are blessed to have him.
It seems obvious that the relationships between characters are probably more important than the super powers in the show. So Milo can you talk a little bit about the Peter/Simone situation. Are we going to see more of that? MV: Yes, I think that’s one of those relationships like many in the show where it’s kind of the foundation where we all kind of go and how you react to a lot of things. Take Peter who has a big heart as a caregiver and falls in love with Simone, but of course she is attached to somebody else and it’s not until I think she makes the first move that he responds to her. It’s just one of the complicated triangles that appears on any show.
Of the six episodes aired thus far do either of you have a particular favorite and if so why? AP: I like episode five where I actually got to fly. I mean for obvious reasons. All of the episodes are like little kids or breathes of air. How do you choose your favorite? Every episode provided something unique and interesting for me to focus on and I’ve just been lucky and privileged to be a part of the ones that I have been in, so it’s been great for me. I couldn’t pick a favorite other than the obvious one, where I fly. MV: I like number three. It’s like where the show got into more new characters like seeing Matt Parkman, Greg’s character. I would say number six I also enjoyed because I could finally see Leonard Roberts, who plays D.L. Hawkins, come in and do what he does which is amazing. It’s kind of how can you really pick a favorite when they are all pretty good and they all store different things and different sides of all of us.
With the phenomenon that Heroes is becoming. Does it ever cross your mind or concern you that you could be typecast as a hero for the rest of your career? AP: We were just speaking about that the other day. Milo? MV: You know they are so specific to each one of these characters. And being a super hero comes after who they were before they became super heroes, in terms of description of the character. If we do are jobs well I don’t think that’s a danger anymore. Thus far it’s so specific that there’s a very good chance at not being pigeon hold for the rest of our careers as superheroes. AP: The foundation of this show is the character relationships, it’s a character drama for people that have extraordinary abilities. Being pigeon hold as a superhero or somebody throwing us some tights in the next film or show. Is that all that we are going to possibly do? I think that will just depend on if we are right for the job at that point for another show that takes place in the same genre or the same world.
We have a Heroes blog now on NBC.com and you have the online comic book. Do you think that there will be more off-shoots that will ultimately play a big role in terms of expanding the methodology of Heroes like Lost? AP: I’m sure there will be but we have to give time for any and all of that. MV: That’s always the case where something hits and it hits big and everybody wants answers, answers, more, more, more. And you’re on the internet and your asking your friends and getting as much information as you can but I think generally people should be patient and understand those answers are going to come up and they are going to surface when they are supposed to surface. I’m sure there is the potential for more sites to speculate and try to investigate as to why these people are in the positions that they are in. With this day and age of the Internet and everything it’s only natural that it goes down that road.
Why do you think people from such a wide set of demographics are really getting into the show? MV: I think it is just the subject mater and a lot of what Adrian said earlier, with the state of the world today people are just interested to see a group of characters with unusual circumstances. And you know the young and the old. It is kind of funny. My best friend’s grandmother is 88-years-old and she watches the show and her favorite character is Claire. I don’t think there is one story line that plays to a younger audience and another that plays to an older audience. I think overall you kind of look at it and collectively you think that there is something for everybody and ultimately every story line is appealing to an 88-year-old woman as well as a teenager or a woman who is in her 20s, 30s or 40s.
Whether it’s to do with the story line or just how particular things work physically or just something that happened one day. What’s been the most surprising thing in your experience with Heroes? AP: Most surprising thing? I don’t know it all seems like it’s been so well mapped out. Everything here has been very well thought of and a lot of work has gone into the crafting of it. So I think for me the biggest surprise is that it’s all gone off without a hitch. Everything has gone according to plan. The plan was to deliver quality television with good special effects and well-drawn characters. Those three goals have been met and you can never predict what the audience is going to want or not want. But all you can do is deliver your best and I think everybody on all fronts here has really realized the potential of this story and they have done their best to achieve that. MV: I just have to agree with Adrian. The execution and the collective nature with everybody involved has really gone in such a linear motion that it would be hard for the show to not do well. Being on set we see so many talented people working really hard and working well together. AP: Here is a good example if I could jump in Milo. MV: Good ahead. AP: On Fridays we generally screen the episode that is going to be air on Monday at lunch. When it’s time for that, everybody grabs their plates and sits down in a highly orderly fashion and they wait for the screening to start and at every commercial break there are whoops and war yells. People that work on the show are as big, if not bigger, fans of the show than the people who watch it on Monday nights. They are just so happy to be a part of this whole effort and it shows that the crew and cast are huge fans of the shows. We can’t wait to see what the special effects team has done. We all are working in our own little world with so many people and locations that we don’t always see each other on the set. And to see it all come together on Friday afternoon in such a great manner is so rewarding and so exciting.
The world is going crazy right now. We have the risk of Nuclear War coming from North Korea and the Middle East is a mess. The United States is a target and there is also global warming, and your characters are gathering in a “saving the planet” type of story. How do you guys relate that story to reality? MV: I mean what we have going on is fictionalized and what’s going on in the world is very real. I think now if we could tell our stories and tell them in a way that is going to give compassion to humanity to lighten up on each other and just try and understand one another and work together a lot more than the world actually does. I think that is the best we could hope for, if we get entertained as well as entertain, that would seem to be the goal for us on the show and the issues that we deal with in relating to the real issues of the world. AP: I think ultimately to celebrate the differences that we share as a human race and not to chastise each other for them. If that lesson could be learned incrementally, I think we would probably be in a better place. But it is in the end just a TV show.
How has your life changed since being on the show? MV: It hasn’t changed at all and that’s a shame. I honestly walk down the street and go into the grocery store and eat in a restaurant, and it’s all pretty much the same. I get a couple of more people saying “hey I love your show” or “hey you’re from that show” but it’s not much different. AP: Yes, but this is Los Angeles. Everybody sees stars walking down the street all the time. If anything they give you a nod and a wink and say nice work. They don’t really stop and try to talk to you.
Have you actually gotten to the part in the show where your character gets to meet ten of the other characters with powers? AP: Yes we have. MV: Yes, we’re eleven shows in but… AP: They‘ve filmed eleven I think, but only six have aired right? MV: Yes six have aired. I think by three or four more you know why these characters are mixing and coming into one of those lives and also exiting one of those lives. AP: The whole series is ultimately going to hinge on how well these characters come together. I think that is obvious to everybody. I think it is one thing to write the characters separate from each other but when they start to meet that’s going to be the success or failure mechanism of the show. How well they come together.
– Heroes airs on NBC on Monday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
– Heroes airs on the Global network on Monday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
