Alan Van Sprang and Guylaine St Onge Article in Xpose Special #20 (S5 SPOILERS)
CJ
dedicated to EFC
(Xpose website: http://www.visimag.com/xpose/xs20_display.htm ).
There are several post-S5 interviews with John Whelpley (main writer
during S5), Robert Leeshock, Madeline Stewart (costume designer), Jayne
Heitmeyer, The Atavus (both Alan Van Sprang and Guylaine St. Onge) and
Stephen Roloff (production designer/ producer/ writer).
***All the interviews contain tons of S5 spoilers.***
Here are some quotes from the Alan Van Sprang/Guylaine St Onge article:
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** Alan Van Sprang: **
--> His feelings about Howlyn's character development <--
"I was pleased with Howlyn's story arc and his development on the show,"
says Van Sprang. "I loved how the writers established the character's
relationship with his son and then brought his feelings about his own
father into the mix. Howlyn was a bitter person because of what took
place between him and his father and, as often is the case in real life,
he let that ruin his relationship with his son, Yulyn. Another reason
why he's so miserable is because he's envious of others. Although that
can sometimes be a stereotype, I found that it gave me a reason to make
him as temperamental and downright nasty as he was. At the same time, I
tried to create a character that was both vulnerable and fallible
because of his emotions. I hope that makes sense."
--> His disappointment about the relationship between Howlyn and Renee
<--
"In terms of my character's development, I saw Renee as someone whol
reminded Howlyn of his deceased wife," he explains. "Whether or not the
show's creators agreed with me, that's what I stuck to. This is what
gave him the impetus from episode to episode to pursue Renee.
Subsequently, his feelings for her are what made him vulnerable and
fallible, which is what I was talking about earlier. As the season
progressed I wanted him to establish a solid enough relationship with
Renee in order that viewers could understand why Howlyn was so hell-bent
on wanting to be with her.
"I'd have liked to have seen him actually fall in love with her rather
than just lust after her, which caused Howlyn to eventually hate her and
then want to kill her. Sadly, towards the end of the show their
relationship was sort of reduced to, 'I can't stand her, she can't stand
me. I could careless about her, let's just get rid of her.' That's not
how I played it and it wasn't how I ever would have chosen to play it
from the beginning. I really wish we did an episode where the two of
them sat down together, had a cup of coffee and a chat. Who knows, maybe
after that they could've taken some relationship management classes and
worked their problems out," chuckles Van Sprang.
--> His feelings about Juda's departure from the show <--
"I was truly disappointed they did that," says Van Sprang. "I thought
the Juda character was vital to the story and to the triangle between
her, Howlyn and Renee. That tension would have served as a much more
interesting plot device than just having an alien getting pissed off
every week versus a woman that hates him and is leading a fight against
him and his entire species. When you bring someone as sexual,
interesting and intelligent as Guylaine the actress and Juda the Atavus
to the table, it adds spice to these characters and their relationships
with each other. It's a shame we couldn't have explored this dynamic
further. Incidentally, I just finished a movie with Guylaine called 'Do
or Die' for the Sci-Fi Channel. When we came in for rehearsal, we
embraced each other and said, 'Here we are together again. This time,
though, we look much more like human beings."
--> His favorite episodes <--
When it comes to his favorite Earth: Final Conflict episode, the actor
is especially fond of Atavus High. In it, Howlyn's right-hand man Ronald
Sandoval [Von Flores] hatches a plot in which the Atavus become a cult
among teenagers.
"It was neat to see posters of Howlyn all over the place and to have so
many kids obsessed with him. I felt really accepted and famous that
week," jokes the actor. "I also enjoyed Bad Genes, in which my character
is reunited with his son. My two absolute favorites, though, are Boone's
Awakening and Boon's Assassin. I loved working with Kevin Kilner
[William Boone] and Anita La Selva [Zo'or]. It was interesting to talk
with them about their experiences on the first season of Earth and to
watch them interact with Von Flores. I must say that I also enjoyed
working with Von very much. He made me feel welcome right from the start
and it was nice having someone on the set who had been with the show
from day one to turn to with questions or for advice."
--> His opinion on his character's death <--
"I'd have thought that either Renee or Sandoval would have killed
Howlyn," he says. "I didn't expect them to bring in a new character, who
was a member of Howlyn's army, then have that person stage a mutiny and
kill him. So it certainly was a surprising way to end what was for me,
an enjoyable time on Earth: Final Conflict."
** Guylaine St Onge: **
--> On playing the character of Juda <--
"Juda knew what she wanted and was going to go after it no matter what.
The powers she possessed were quite unfamiliar to me," laughs St Onge.
"It was quite pleasurable, actually, to walk in the shoes of a gal who
posed that much of a threat to humankind. To be honest, the hardest part
of playing Juda came with the everyday physical creation of the
character. I usually portray elegant, beautiful women, and they take
quite a lot to put together. Being an alien, Juda required a little bit
more time, effort and imagination, but it was all worth it as she was
great fun to play."
--> On her sci-fi experiences prior to playing Juda <--
The actress's first Earth: Final Conflict experience was long before the
coming of the Atavus. When casting first began for the series back in
1997, she read for the role of Captain Lili Marquette. Although she did
not get the part, St Onge's efforts in the audition room were not
wasted. The Earth: Final Conflict casting people remembered her and cast
the actress as Serina Charmeaux, a sexy assassin in the fourth season
story Blood Ties. Wearing a special energy-draining suit, Serina
siphoned Taelon core energy from human hosts, killing her victims in the
process.
"I'd done a bit of sci-fi prior to Blood Ties," she recalls,"
specifically an episode of The Outer Limits [Bodies of Evidence]. In it
I played an alien, but a lot of the work was done in post-production.
Because of that, I didn't really feel as if I was involved in a sci-fi
show, if that makes sense.
"Blood Ties was different, and a lot of it had to do with my costume.
After being hired to play Serina I went in for a wardrobe fitting and
was just amazed. Someone in the costume department had done a fantastic
drawing of this very sci-fi-looking outfit being worn by a shapely
female. So the Serina suit really did it for me. When I put it on, I
felt very out-of this-world – no pun intended – much more so than on The
Outer Limits."
Once again, St Onge's work on Blood Ties served her well when she
auditioned for the role of Juda. The actress had several people,
including Earth: Final Conflict producer John Calvert, rooting for her.
"A number of very talented women were up for the part," she says. "I was
just very lucky to get it."
--> The relationship between Juda, Howlyn and Sandoval <--
"The triangle among the three of them is very human-like," explains St
Onge. "Howlyn's relationship with Juda is one where the male is
explosive and no-nonsense in his desire for dominance. Juda likes
Howlyn's primitiveness, but she's also attracted to Sandoval because of
the sophisticated way in which he goes about his mission. That appeals
to her, and those feelings are reciprocated by Sandoval."
--> Her feelings about Juda's departure from the show <--
Although she was very much in the thick of the action when Earth: Final
Conflict's fifth season began, Juda was subsequently given less and less
to do. Then, suddenly, in Art of War, she was seriously wounded and
ended up dying during the second act. Was St Onge surprised at Juda's
untimely demise?
"Absolutely," she says. "I didn't see it coming. It was disappointing as
I thought there was so much more potential with the character. However,
I realize that the producers had a lot on their plate based on the fact
it was their final year. When you're wrapping up five seasons of a TV
show, it's demanding on so many levels. I think they had to figure out
their priorities with regard to storytelling and stick to them."
--> Her feelings about being a part of the show <--
Although her experience of working on Earth: Final Conflict was all too
brief, St Onge nonetheless enjoyed it. "Everyone was great on the show.
I respect, admire and look up to Jayne Heitmeyer, and was impressed by
her level of commitment and professionalism to the show. Alan was
terrific to work with, as well as Von Flores, and the crew, too. I've no
regrets. It was a fun time."
Cathputer
>Here are some quotes from the Alan Van Sprang/Guylaine St Onge article:
Thanks, CJ. I wanted to write about some things they said when I get the time.
Cath