Interview with David Lawrence XVII

David Lawrence XVII

Max Carleton: Hi David, we are now recording. Let’s get this started!
David Lawrence XVII: Okay.
M: Let’s see. Before we start with our questions, is there anything you would like us to know before Heroes and Eric Doyle happened?
D: No. I mean, you’re talking about my career?
M: Yeah. Lots of people didn’t know you were a radio celebrity.
D: Yeah, that’s pretty much what I did: radio, voice work, and technology. I worked for some big companies: AOL, Google, Yahoo. I did consulting and worked for CNET. I went through all that way to become an actor, which many people thought was one of the stupidest things they have ever heard.

M: You showed them.
D: I guess, so far it’s going pretty good, isn’t it?
M: Yeah. Definitely.
D: And you know what? I never felt like I’m showing them anything. I realize that stepping out and saying, “Hey, You know what I’m gonna do? I’m gonna give up a few shows that I own and being on XM and Sirius, and 150 stations across the country and I’m going to be an actor.” A profession that is notoriously filled with successful people, you know. I know what an upward battle it might have seemed to people, but I really loved it and I really love doing it. I am the kind of person that really concentrates, focuses and is persistent. I figured if I did that well, then, either I spend the rest of my life trying or I actually succeed. And I so far have done pretty good.

M: Cool. It’s a big change, but I’m glad to hear it’s been great for you. Let me get started with some questions. Did you watch Heroes before you appeared on the show?
D: I did from the very beginning. I was fascinated since the time the promotions showed up on NBC. You know, I just loved the show. And I also said: “I dont think this is the kind of show that I could ever get on. I’m pretty sure this are the most beautiful people I’ve ever seen in my life and I’m not that way so I probably won’t get on the show.”

M: Can you tell us about your audition? How did you get the part of Eric Doyle?
D: It’s funny. I got the part because I have a great agent, who got me in on it. But more importantly, it was due to the fact that the people that cast the show saw a clip of mine during a student film and I didn’t know that at the time. In fact, I didn’t find out until the wrap-up party at the end of the season. I tried to get out of doing that student film because I got booked on a show that used to be on CBS called “The Club House.” It would have been my first network booking, but instead I did this student film because he couldn’t move the shoot day. That student film, that little scene that was in my reel got me the audition for Heroes.
M. Wow. What was the film?
D: It was called: “Sideshow attraction.”

M: Are you a sci-fi fan by the way?
D: A huge sci-fi fan. Going back to before you were born, to the late sixties when I used to watch Star Trek and keep a little notebook filled with star dates trying to make some sort of sense out of them.
M: Sweet. Kind of a pre-internet thing?
D: Pre-internet thing, absolutely.

M. Sounds neat. Going back to your acting, I’m very curious how they film your power? It looks like it requires a lot of synchronization between you and your “victim.”
D: No, that’s just the joy of editing. Every so often there would be a moment, like when I kissed Meredith, where we have to meet in the middle and we are both on camera. Most of the time it’s me being shot making the move and somebody else doing the move themselves so it appears to be very real when, in fact, they are doing some great editing. When it is both of us on the same scene, then we have to rehearse the timing or when they are shooting me over the shoulder.

Image courtesy of Greg Beeman's blog

M: Who is your favorite cast member? Or who did you have the most fun working with?
D: I had fun working with almost everybody. I love working with people who are dedicated to their craft. If there is one thing I learned is that Zach and Hayden and everybody, there is nobody that I worked with that wasnt fully prepared and just ready to have fun. Because when you’re prepared that is when you can explore and find new ways of doing things and try different reads and so on. I loved working with a lot of them. I wish I could single one of them out. I certainly loved working with Greg Grunberg, he was awesome.

M: Our readers are curious about you and Meredith, what is the background between the two of you?
D: So Meredith and I, we, met each other and this by the way is able to be found at the Assignment Tracker. You guys know about that?
M: Yeah we do.
D: So if you go look at my file in the Assignment Tracker, you will find out how we met. We actually met at a flea market. I was very much, you know, raptured with her and I wouldn’t leave her alone. That’s how that happened.

M: It’s interesting to know how that obsession started. There is a lot of speculation about whether or not Sylar has acquired your ability.
D: Yeah he did. He kind of had my ability anyway. Mine was a very specific type of movement control that he has certainly superset out. You know, because he’s already acquired some many different approaches. It is kind of hard for me to think that I gave him anything new. In fact, when we ran against each other in level 5, he was kind of having fun by being controlled by me and then he put me in my place
M: There is no keeping that guy under control.
D: No.

M: It was cool to see you back in Volume 4: Fugitives. How did they let you know you your character was going to come back.
D: I got booked for work (laughs). That’s basically it. They called you and they are like “You are booked for the thursday early morning call 6:30.”
M: So do they do it through your agent or what?
D: Yeah. My agent calls me and says, “you are on hold for such and such date.” they firmed it up and that’s basically the way that works.

M: In the cast commentary of episode 20 Cold Snap, Bryan Fuller talks about a scene with your character that was cut out. He mentioned it involved Sylar capturing you. Can you tell us more about it?
D: I don’t know. It wasn’t on my script. I mean, it was cut out of the script process not the actual shooting and editing process. It is sort of left to the viewers imagination how Sylar grabbed me, brought me to the Hunter and strung me up like a puppet. I wished I knew more about the imagination that goes on in the writing room, but I don’t. I wish I could help you more there but I can’t. Whatever it was, it was fabulous.

M: I bet. Let’s continue with your character then. Fans love the Puppetmaster. How do you think it came about that he got such a big following and what do you think about your fans’ feelings towards you?
D: I really think that any sort of positive feedback that he gets, it’s because they’ve given him great lines to say. They’ve given him wonderful funny lines to say that are sarcastic. One of the joys to play a bad guy is that you get to play with lines that are funny. Who gets to say “You know i think I want a destination wedding like Fiji”? or gets to call the cheerleader, “Barbie”? Only bad guys get to take that risk. Nobody else would.

M: Speaking of getting all the cool lines as a Villain. What do you think of the new approach in “Nowhere Man”? Do you think they kind of change him from Villain to Hero? or is he somewhere in between?
D: I thought that he always did have good in him, but he was always put on a position where he can’t really show it. What I’m so excited about is that if he ever does come back he might come back as a good guy. But that is completely up to Tim and the gang and what they are going to do with the character, if anything.

Eric Doyle in Nowhere Man

M: I can really see him being useful in that role. Back to “Nowhere Man.” How did you like working with Bryan Kimmet and Lauren Shappiro?
D: They were both awesome. As you know, Bryan came back from the first episode of Season 2 “Company Man,” which is regarded as one of the best episodes of Heroes ever. People just love him. They love to hate him, and that is the kind of character that you want to be playing against with.

M: Are there any plans to bring Eric Doyle back to the show? “Nowhere Man” certainly left the door open for many possibilities.
D: I wish I could tell you. I don’t know.
M: We definetly have our fingers crossed here.
D: That would be great. I really would enjoy that.

M: Let’s see. Going back to the sci-fi question earlier? are you a comic book fan?
D: Huge comic book fan. I don’t collect as many as I’d like, but yes I was the guy that hang out waiting for the truck to show up on Saturday morning in Cleveland, when I was growing up, to get the next installment of whatever I was reading at the time. Huge marvel comics fan. Huge dc comics fan. Growing up in Cleveland, both Superman and Batman were created by people who were native Clevelanders. So, you know, Comic book is kind of in your blood when you grow up in Cleveland.
M: Do you have a favorite comic book villain?
D: I really like Green Goblin and I also really like Lex Luthor. I’m kind of an old school guy when it comes to that sort of thing. I like villains that have senses of humor and most of them do.

M: Before we finish, can you tell us and all your fans any other projects you are working on?
D: I don’t have anything in the fire right now other than the film “The New True Charlie Wu.” It’s kind of cool because people can go and be a part of that film if they want to. They can actually be one of the producers on the film by contributing as little as 10 dollars, and by telling their friends about it; all the way up to being an executive producer and get credit at the beginning of the film just by telling other people and having them contribute to the project. It’s a great project its done by the students at Middle Tennessee State University. I am in one of the lead roles in it. It was a great film to play with. You can go see everything about it and become part of it: http://youandcharliewu.com

M: Sweet. We are definetly going to check that out. I think thats everything. Thank you for taking some time to talk with us!
D: No problem.
M: You are very accessible to the fans on twitter, we really appreciate it!
d: No worries. Thank you for having me. Bye bye.
M: Bye.