Post by Edith S. Baker on Sept 2, 2010 21:01:05 GMT -4
Thursday, September 2 2010, 10:33 BST
By Morgan Jeffery, TV Reporter
Ben Linus from Lost season 6
ABC
It's been more than three months now since the Lost gang vanished from our screens, but we're not quite ready to move on just yet. The final season, out on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK on September 13, will feature a brand new 12-minute epilogue to the series, 'The New Man In Charge'. We caught up with actor Michael Emerson - the sinister Ben Linus - to discuss the finale, the DVD scene and his plans for the future.
Are you satisfied with Ben's overall character arc throughout the course of the series?
"Yes, I loved the entire arc and was especially delighted with Ben's end in the finale. It was finer and more satisfying than anything I could have imagined. I'm completely satisfied with Ben's adventure. Of course, there are always the 'paths not followed', which are tantalising. It would have been interesting to explore the relationship between Ben and [childhood friend] Annie."
What were some of your favourite scenes from the final season?
"I especially liked shooting the scenes where I was 'teacher' Ben, because it gave me a chance to play a new character in a different key."
Were you pleased to be able to answer some more of the fan's questions with 'The New Man In Charge'?
"Yes, I think the chapter is a nice addition to the Lost narrative. It's nice to have some of the more particular or practical questions answered since the finale took a more spiritual tone."
What were your thoughts on Lost when you joined the show in the second season?
"I thought of it as a work assignment, one of many guest spots I've done on shows over the years. I'm glad I had no idea what it would turn into or I would have been very nervous."
Do you have a favourite episode of the series?
"I have a number of favourite episodes in different categories, but an episode that captures much of what it was like to shoot Lost in Hawaii was the one where Ben and Sawyer (Josh Holloway) stand on a cliff looking at an island in the distance and trade quotes from Steinbeck [in the third season episode 'Every Man For Himself']."
Do you think of Ben as a hero or a villain?
"I think what's perfect about the Ben storyline is that we are never certain where he falls on the scale of good and evil. It's a tribute to the skill of the writers that the audience could never be certain about Ben, even to the very end."
In your opinion, will he ever join the other characters in the afterlife?
"I think Ben, like all humans, is eligible for the afterlife - it may just take him more time to get there."
Have you ever been tempted to act like Ben in real life?
"It would be pointless, no one would take it seriously. My wife says 'Don't ever give me that Ben look'!"
Which season was the most difficult for you as an actor?
"Season two. I was new to the show, and most of my scene work was fairly violent. As the years went by, I began to see more humour in Ben and enjoyed playing him more."
What's next for you now that Lost is over?
"I really don't have anything lined up. I'm lying low for a while and looking for a stage project."
Do you worry that you will always be associated with Lost and the character of Ben?
"One of my new responsibilities is to make sure I'm not trapped in this role forever. I'm looking for a real change of pace."
Any chance you'll star alongside your wife Carrie Preston on True Blood?
"The time is soon approaching when I will need work whether I like it or not! It would be a real pleasure to play a part on True Blood no matter how small. I am an admirer of Alan Ball and I could share a dressing room with my wife!"
What are your final thoughts on the entire Lost experience?
"I'm still trying to absorb this adventure that I've been on. I don't expect it will ever be duplicated in my life. The almost accidental way I got the role and the unbelievable reach of the series are reminders to me that you can never know where a job will lead you. I will treasure this experience even as I move on into my post-Lost life."
Source: DigitalSpy
