Michael Emerson on Why He’s Always the Villain

The star of J.J. Abrams’ latest small screen venture, Person Of Interest, doesn’t deny he has what it takes to pull of those creepy and sinister roles he so often plays. Fifty-seven year old actor Michael Emerson, who portrays Harold Finch, one half of the unusual duo that prevent crimes before they happen, says that being cast in these type of roles “probably has to do with things I don’t even know about or my impact on people — the quality of my voice or the look of my face or the way I carry myself.”

The actor also added that the “simple answer is I’m able to give writers and directors whatever quality it is that they’re looking for; I have access to that set of characteristics. It seems my TV career has been consistent in a way. I have almost always played a character that is a little unknowable, a little dangerous. They’ve all been serious and a little bit alarming. I’m happy to provide thrills and chills for viewers, it’s fun.”    Read more

Michael Emerson: “I don’t think you can go too far wrong if you follow great material”

For the better part of three decades actor Michael Emerson was better known as a theater actor than for his roles in film and television.  But as Emerson has gained new popularity over the last half-dozen years — especially since he will be starring in a new CBS drama in the fall — he’s learned that he’s had to be working with the best material he could find in order to turn in his best performances.

Emerson tells The Hollywood Reporter, “I tend to follow material generally.  I don’t think you can go too far wrong if you follow great material, and also, you like to collaborate with people at the top of their game. So, those things. Also, you kind of go where J.J. goes.” 

That J.J. is, of course, J.J. Abrams, co-creator of the immensely popular television series Lost, which Emerson played Benjamin Linus.  Emerson is working with Abrams again in Person of Interest, an upcoming drama which Abrams is executive producing (Abrams also co-wrote the pilot).  It’s clear that Emerson feels comfortable with Abrams’ work, which explains his preference for the style of collaboration he explained above. Read more

True Blood’s Carrie Preston on Broadway, her career and how she got the role of “Arlene”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:52 — 13.8MB)

Even if you haven’t watched True Blood, you’ve seen Carrie Preston before.

Carrie has the remarkable ability to transform herself – her looks and mannerisms – in each role she does. She’s been in Duplicity and My Best Friends Wedding with Julia Roberts. Doubt, Vicky Christina Barcelona and even an episode of Sex and the City that I totally remem

ber her in. She even played Ben Linus’ (her husband, the great Michael Emerson) mother on an episode of Lost! I could go on but my fingers will get tired from all the typing.

She’s currently filming season 3 of True Blood and she took some time out to talk to me about Broadway, how she prepares for a role and yes, True Blood.

So, you’re from Georgia and you got started doing plays as a kid?
Yeah, I’m one of those, like I like to say I’m a “lifer.”  I’m in it for life.  My brothers also an actor, and we started doing plays in Macon, Georgia community theater when we were pretty young.  My brother, John, his name’s John Preston, he got the first play.  He’s older than me by two years, so I watched him, and I was like, “I want to do what John’s doing.”  And then before we knew it, we were completely ensconced in doing plays growing up.

And then I even started my own street theater company when I was in the 7^th grade with all the neighborhood kids, and I would charge 25 cents.  We would make up skits and sing songs and do it in the front yard.  I mean, that was pretty much… it was very clear that that was what I wanted to do with my life.  I just didn’t know that you could make a living at it.

Was there any one show or one specific moment that you were like, this is it?
I definitely got bitten by the bug, immediately, you know, when I was in the 4^th grade. Just doing the school, the community theater production of some play, it was called, The Lion Who Wouldn’t.  You know how they write those plays for kids and stuff?

The director who was running the community theater, he pulled my mom aside and he said, “Your child’s an actor”, and my mom said, “Oh thank you, she’s having a good time.”  And he said, “No, no, no, no. You’re not hearing me.  Your children are actors.  That’s what they are.”  So he encouraged us at a young age and sort of brought it up to my parents in a way that they had to kind of sit up and listen.  And thankfully my parents were very supportive and never tried to talk us into becoming accountants or anything like that.

Yeah, my mom said that to me more than once.  And I said, mom I can’t even count.
Exactly!  There’s no back up here.  This is it.  This is what we’re doing.

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