The Returned – Interview with Aaron Douglas
By: Christian Junklewitz
Convention: FedCon 24 (May 21 – 24, 2015)
Source: Serienjunkies

Note: This interview with AARON DOUGLAS was translated from German to English using Google Translate. So there may be some errors

Battlestar Galactica, Flashpoint, Hemlock Grove, The Killing, The Returned – the list of series that Aaron Douglas played in is long. Serienjunkies.de spoke to the actor on the edge of FedCon 24 in Düsseldorf.

Since “Battlestar Galactica” you have played in numerous other series, including “Hemlock Grove” and “The Killing”. What I would like to talk to you about at the beginning, however, is your guest appearance in “Flashpoint”, for which you were nominated at the Gemini Awards.

Flashpoint was great fun! We filmed the episode at the Air Canada Center in Toronto. And we actually filmed up there on the scoreboard. For Enrico Colantoni , however, this was no fun at all. He is afraid of heights. The shooting took a correspondingly long time because he had to go down every now and then. The episode was great for me: I’m a big hockey fan. So it was great to be able to walk through the stadium like this – and get to know all the innards and rooms behind the scenes. In addition, there are not many people who are allowed to stand up there on the scoreboard. It was exciting.

I can imagine that playing such a complex and disturbed character must have been quite a challenge. Do you need more preparation time for something like this than for other guest appearances?

Not really because I don’t work like that. I don’t plan what I’m going to do in advance. I don’t research either. I have no idea how it can be that I’m an actor. I just come to the set and say the words. It drives the people around me crazy. Katee Sackhoff and I have talked about it many times because she is a very similar actress. I don’t learn my text the night before. You hand me the scene we’re shooting. I read it a couple of times. My brain captures the dialogue. Then I stand up and start talking.

That sounds almost unbelievable. Especially when you keep in mind the variety of characters they play, be it in BSG, in “Flashpoint” or now in “The Returned”.

Of course it is true that I know the script – and the producer or director explained his vision for the character to me. I read the script – and I immediately have the character’s voice in my head. I know how he speaks, how he walks, how he acts. And so I just do it. That is weird. (laughs)

How important is it to harmonize with your counterpart?

Extreme! That is the most important thing! You always react to what the other players are giving you. If they’re good, it’ll make your own game better. That’s why Battlestar Galactica was so great because we had so many great actors in the series. And all you had to do was actually react to it. When you’re in front of a camera with someone like Eddy ( Edward James Olmos ) or Mary ( Mary McDonnell ) – especially Mary, who I think was the best of us – it’s not difficult to find your own best form. If you don’t, the settings will land on the floor of the cutting room with you.

For your new series “The Returned” I actually wanted to ask you whether you saw the French original. That was, of course, before you talked about your approach to roles …

I haven’t actually seen the French version yet. But I intend to. Now that the season is over, I have no problem with that either. Before that, I wanted to avoid influencing my representation of the figure by what my colleague did in France. Even if you try to differentiate yourself, if you try to do it differently from him, your decisions are influenced by him. I didn’t want to have in my head ” He did it this way and that, you have to do it that way or do it differently “. My figure should stand for itself. I played it the way I saw it.

Isn’t it definitely more difficult anyway, because you know that there is an original with which you are inevitably compared?

Katee Sackhoff struggled with it in Battlestar Galactica . Basically all actors whose characters were already in the original series. There are fans who like both versions or those who prefer one version. For me … I don’t really care. I do my job and ready. I am sure that the colleague in Les Revenants did a great job. I have heard nothing but praise for the French series. Others have to decide whether my interpretation of the role was worse or better.

Have you heard anything about whether the US version will continue?

I would be surprised if there was no second season. But I do not know.

The ratings were not that good …

Yes that’s true. On the other hand is the Carlton Cuse series. And he’s got Bates Motel on the station. I think A&E will want to make sure he stays happy. So I guess they will give The Returned (2014) at least another year. But of course I don’t know.

What’s on your TiVo? What are your favorite series?

I always watch series in blocks. That means I wait until I can watch the entire season. I just finished the last season of Justified . I thought the series was great! The last season of Mad Men is still waiting for me. I haven’t seen Game of Thrones yet. But I have all the episodes there. The Americans on FX is a fantastic series! And I don’t miss an episode of Bob’s Burgers. Never, never! (laughs) This series makes me laugh so much!

Is there a series you would like to play in?

I would love to do a voice over for Bob’s Burgers, it would be great fun! Otherwise … Too bad that the series is no longer running, otherwise I would have said Deadwood . For me, Deadwood is the best series in television history! It would have been great to play there!

I would also like to be in Ron Moore’s Outlander because I would like to film in Scotland.

Mr. Douglas, thank you very much for talking to us!