【Stendan】190513 Geek Vibes Emmett訪問

GVL: What or who inspired you to get into acting?
Emmett: Sylvester Stallone. Rocky is my favourite movie of all time. It’s perfect. I remember as a kid wanting to be an actor, or maybe it was a hero. I remember shadow boxing behind my couch as the music kicked in. But more than that I remember being moved by that movie, that story and how it made me feel.. Stallone did a movie & without even knowing it inspired a kid on the other side of the world, a kid he will most likely never meet to become an actor, thus shaping and probably saving his life. That is the magic of cinema, of movies, of TV, of storytelling. To make a difference to some kid, to someone, anyone, to inspire, that’s the goal. I know that sounds soppy as **** but I mean it. It’s why I got into this game.
GVL: Rocky really is a great movie and growing up it was either Stallone or Schwarzenegger for me. Were you a comic book fan, perhaps in your childhood?
Emmett: Every hood. Childhood. Adulthood. As a kid I spent all my pocket money on comics. Every morsel. Then I discovered women. Well, girls at that age and spent all my money on them…. I still do. Well, women at my age.
GVL: It is funny how things change once we discover women. The world is a better place with them that is for sure. Did you lean more towards DC, Marvel or both?
Emmett: Both. Without question. I’ve always been drawn to the dark complicated characters. Characters who carry a lot of baggage, a lot of pain, self-destructive characters, reluctant heroes, anti-heroes, not even heroes. Wolverine was a massive favourite. Still is. I was a big Judge Dredd fan, Punisher fan, Batman fan.. On the flip side of that, the downright psychotic, like Lobo & The Joker, I just crave.
GVL: You worked alongside Karen Gillan and Lee Pace in Guardians of the Galaxy. What was that experience like?
Emmett: Those two people were gorgeous with their time and really welcoming to everyone. I remember the three of us had this scene to do (it never made the final cut) Ronan & Nebula try to get information from me through torturous means. I remember asking Karen to really dig that weapon of hers into me at certain points to help get me where I needed to be, she always just said “absolutely”. No thought to herself. She made herself available to this random guy whose character name was “Head Riot Guard”. All she wanted to do was play, to create. Then when we finished the scene Lee came up put his hand on my shoulder smiled and went “very nice”, that meant alot….James later emailed me to let me know he was very happy with how it turned out. Again, he didn’t need to do that, but such is the heart of the man and the family he surrounds himself with, mirror that… case in point Karen & Lee.

GVL: Lets talk Lobo! Did you audition for the role of Lobo or were you asked to play him?
Emmett: Auditioned. I remember reading the scenes (which under a different character name) laughing to myself and thinking “whoever this guy is, is a ****ing lunatic…I thought to myself “I can really let loose here.” Usually you got shackles on or you go too far and scare them off but with these I felt that I had more reign to go to places I rarely get to go to…. After my agent sent off the tapes, Cam got in touch and we Skyped. He wanted me to do the tapes again, but to go even further. I just looked at him with a massive grin and said “you sure?”. He just smiled back and said “go for it”. It was all I needed. I know I wasn’t the only one they were looking at. I know there were bigger guys. But I also knew while some may be bigger none were crazier. I’ve been the wildcard on more shows than I care to remember, always labelled the unpredictable one. And I still am in many cases, but Cam really believed in me and wanted me from my first taping. To everyone involved in the process, and to those who said yes, to my brother Cam, I thank yis.
GVL: Were you familiar at all with the character of Lobo before you were cast?
Emmett: My first introduction to Lobo was a crossover between DC & Marvel where lobo fought Wolverine in a bar. I fell in love with that basket case way back then.

GVL: How much research did you have to do to prepare for the role?
Emmett: With Lobo unlike other characters, the only limitations you have is your imagination and with that you can go anywhere. I’ve been living inside that space all my life. So that muscle, at least, I knew was big enough to take this ****er on. I read the comics, I had Lobo fanatics Cam welsh and Cuffe on stand by if I had questions. As well as the scripts and the world already built. I was well looked after. Once I had the costume make up, hair, & eyes in, I danced. I let it organically go where it wanted to go… I didn’t try to control this beast, I just rode it….
GVL: What are some other ways you prepare for a role like this or any role you take?
Emmett: One thing I do for every job is have a Playlist. I have a playlist for every character. If time is an issue, and in many cases it can be, I find a playlist is a great short cut to get where I need to go. For Lobo, the song I’d listen to most to get into character was WE HAVE CANDY by Die Antwoort. I would have that blaring in my trailer and in the make up room, daily.. I disappeared behind that.
GVL: How do you feel knowing you are the first live action portrayal of such an iconic DC character?
Emmett: How do I feel? The Truth is I salivate at things like this. An iconic character that’s never been done before, and which everyone will have a strong opinion about, on a show where there is nowhere to hide? It’s a no brainer. I have to do things like this. Dare to suck. Take risks. I have always pushed myself to places that terrify me. I’ve always been attracted to doing things I felt in some small way I wasn’t ready for, trying to push through that fear, that feeling of not enoughness. Never have I thought those feelings are just my process. Always do I think ABORT ABORT, and always without fail do I breakdown to breakthrough. There has never been one exception. This project thrilled me. excited me. Scared me. And I’d have it no other way. Fucking loved it.

GVL: Will we get to hear his famous quote “They don’t call me the Main Man for nothing” or “Who’s the Main Man?
Emmett: You’ll get to hear many infamous quotes. Whether you’re familiar with them or not.
GVL: Sounds exciting for sure. Can you divulge a little information about what we can expect to see from Lobo on this season of Krypton?
Emmett: And fate whispered to the wolf “you cannot survive the storm” and the wolf whispered back “I am the ****ing storm.” You’re gonna see the ****ing storm.
GVL: What has your experience been like working with such a great cast like Cameron, Wallis, Blake and Colin? Is it like one big family on set?
Emmett: I know Colin and Wallis from other projects….seeing familiar beautiful faces like theirs makes the transition to a new show so much smoother…. Cameron and Shaun were new to me. Alot of my stuff was with these boys, so we became quite close on set….Twas a pleasure & honour to have danced with them.
GVL: Just one last question before we wrap things up. Do you have any upcoming projects that you would like to promote?
Emmett: Got a couple of shows coming out this year and next. Obviously Krypton for SYFY, but also Medici for Netflix. Peaky Blinders for BBC & Gangs of London for HBO & Sky. And a little indie movie called Lapwing….
GVL: Emmett thank you a ton for stopping by and speaking with us.
Emmett: Appreciate the questions my man.