Charles Mesure is Alec Ross - or is he?
Charles Mesure takes some time off recording the new series of V to talk to us about This Is Not My Life
Tell us a little about how you got involved in this
project
I was working on Outrageous Fortune - another Rachel Lang project -
and Kaitangata Twitch - another Gavin Strawhan project - and I read
for the part of Alec Ross. I was also offered a role on the
Cult,
but the dates clashed with
Kaitangata Twitch. So when I was forced to pass on
The
Cult
, TINML thankfully came back and offered me Alec
Ross.
Tell us about your character - and how did you get into
their mindset?
Alec Ross is a guy who does not know who he is. In the
beginning, he believes that he has been robbed of his identity and
his memory somehow - through psychological, surgical or (as it
turns out) technological means - and his quest throughout the show
is to find out who he really is and why this has been done to him.
So he lives pretty much in a constant state of existential doubt
and paranoia - and also fear for his safety, after witnessing what
happened to Kyle in the forest. As with any character, you rely on
imagination and experience to get into their skin - but in this
case, I was kept pretty much in the dark about scripts and story
developments until the last minute, so that helped inform Alec's
fear of the unknown. Also, the shooting schedule - on top of my
professional schedule in the months leading up to TINML - kept me
in a pretty "method" kind of state of anxiety and fatigue!
What was it about this show which attracted you to get
involved?
The smartest scripts I've ever worked on. You put the
likes of
Gavin Strawhan,
Rachel Lang,
Rob Sarkies,
Peter Salmon
and Tracy Collins together
(among others) and you have as great a level of what I call
"story-telling intelligence" as with any project I've ever worked
on - either in NZ or the US. Put that together with the opportunity
to lead a show - playing the protagonist as opposed to my
usual villain/heavy/love interest/supporting role - and TINML
became the chance of a lifetime.
What was the shooting of this show like - particularly
as the lead actor for Alec Ross?
Hectic. Really hectic. Shooting all day then learning
dialogue and mastering very intricate plot until one or two every
morning. Then up at six and do it all again! Our producer, Tim
Sanders and my colleagues, particularly
Tandi
and
Miriama
, were supportive to a fault -
they really had my back.
What were the challenges of this show?
What challenges didn't we have?? Actually, we had a lot
of advantages, in terms of the people involved, the weather being
on our side, a very supportive producer, etc. But the challenges
were numerous. The schedule. Creating an alternate futuristic
world. Telling a story that was intricate and detailed beyond
anything I'd done before. Working with the RED cameras - that
ultimately gave us some wonderful images but which were unreliable
beyond belief. One aspect of the shoot was very interesting - some
of our key personnel came from a TV background and some came
predominantly from film. There was something of a clash of cultures
- the story-telling practicalities and time constraints of TV
colliding with the film world's love of "the shot". But these
creative tensions no doubt took the show to another level, despite
a few tense moments on set. And our cinematographers Andy Commis,
Tom Burstyn and Simon Raby gave the show a world class look -
remarkably so given the time constraints.
With a production like this and the filming schedule,
was there any room for fun? Were they a good crew to be part
of?
The shoot was really enjoyable. Apart from the odd testy
moment over the schedule, everyone played together incredibly well.
I'm very grateful to the ADs and the cast for looking after me so
well - on and off camera. And
Peter Salmon
and
Miriama
made me laugh every day.
What was it like being part of a different kind of NZ
show like this?
We were very aware from day one that this was different.
Truth is we had no idea how it would be received. I was in love
with the show - but we knew that it could become a huge hit or a
very noble failure - because it was so different for a NZ show.
Is there any part of Waimoana that you would like to
have as part of your own life?
It's an interesting one - to live in ignorant bliss?
During filming, I often thought how fantastic it would be to have a
chip and to not have to deal with the real world! There is
wonderful potential in Waimoana - where criminals can be
rehabilitated, where a deeply unhappy character like Tandi's
character can achieve some kind of happiness, where there is no
crime or disharmony. But you bring in the profit motive -
personified in Richard Foster - and all that potential becomes
corrupted. I guess in the end, the truth is best - however
ugly.
Was there anything from the Waimoana world that you
tried (or succeeded) to take home from the set?
I took home some of Alec's G Star jackets - very
cool!
We're also seeing you on screen as Kyle Hobbes in V -
how was that for a different level of experience?
As much as I love coming home to work in NZ, I am very
lucky to get to work so often in North America. It's so hard to
even make a living as an actor and the working conditions and
rewards are night and day compared to back home.
V
is
similar to TINML in some ways - one thing they have in common
(which believe me is all too rare) is an ensemble cast that
genuinely likes going to work together and acting with each other.
Most of my scenes are with
Elizabeth Mitchell (from
Lost) and we have an absolute ball together.
Without giving too much away and given you're filming
this at the moment, is it the kind of role you want to continue
in?
We are filming season 2 at the moment and I understand
that I will be around as long as
V is. I'd love to
continue to play Hobbes - it's more of a "boy's own", sci-fi,
action role than the cerebral angst of Alec Ross - not that one is
more interesting than the other, but it's nice to keep playing
different colours.
How do you feel not being in New Zealand to see the
launch of your leading man role?
Very disappointing - the TINML team went through so much
together that it was a shame not to be there with them. But in my
game you have to follow the work if you want to eat - if I couldn't
be there for the premiere, then the next best place was on the
V
set in Vancouver.
What's next for you?
More
V
for now, then my life falls back into
the hands of the ratings gods!
