Category: Interviews

Interviews with members of the Cast and Crew of Gotham

NYCC Interviews Constantine – with Matt Ryan – Gotham TV Podcast Exclusive

27 October, 2014 gothamtvpodcastgmail-com Interviews, NYCC 2014 Comments Off on NYCC Interviews Constantine – with Matt Ryan – Gotham TV Podcast Exclusive

Exclusive:  While at New York Comic Con this year Gotham TV Podcast were lucky enough to see the pilot of the other big DC show Constantine. The show premiered in the US on NBC on Friday the 24th of October and we sat down at a roundtable at New York Comic Con 2014 to discuss Constantine with Matt Ryan (John Constantine), Angélica Celaya (Zed) and show creator and executive producer David S. Goyer. The roundtable includes questions from other journalists present and our own questions to the cast and creator.

Our first interview was with John Constantine himself Matt Ryan who chatted with us about the challenges of fan expectations, playing the part of a Scouser (John Constantine is from Liverpool) and what’s been his scariest moment. You can listen to the podcast with all of the interviews we did at New York Comic Con 2014 with the cast of Gotham and Constantine or read on for the interview

Question – Playing John Constantine is a big job but as a character what drew you to this part?

Matt Ryan – The fact that he’s tormented, he’s guilt ridden he’s got all this dark shit going on and he’s someone that would flip the bird to the devil and do it with a smile and a wink. To play those two things is awesome. It’s so three dimensional and multifaceted. I still feel like I’m peeling back the layers of him and getting under his skin. We’re recording episode 9 and 10 and it’s getting deeper and deeper as we go and what’s great about a part like this is that you can keep going lower and lower there’s not going to be any end to it.

GTVP Question – How do you prepare to be a “petty dabbler of the dark arts” and more importantly as a Welshman how do you prepare to play a Scouser (A person from Liverpool where John Constantine is from in the comics)?

Matt Ryan – Interesting question, first of all reading the comics going to the source material, gleaning as much of that as possible and then reading a bunch of the Grimoriums you know magic books, watching a bunch of movies like the Exorcist and trying not to freak myself out too much. In terms of John being from Liverpool and being a Scouser, early on I wanted to get in touch with the DNA of the character and go for the essence of him rather than playing a voice and an accent. I talked to one of my best friends who’s from Liverpool about the accent but I wanted to get the essence of him and to do an accent that was accessible but wasn’t me. It wasn’t completely me and Welsh but also wasn’t a hard Scouse but was a Northern [English] accent. Something that’s going to be accessible and has that working class quality to it. That came about from me wanting to find out who the character was and I wanted to go for that rather than playing an accent.

Question – What is your characters relationship with Zed (Angelica Celaya’s character)?

Matt Ryan – It’s feisty. It’s really cool she’s someone that doesn’t take any of his shit and really gets in his face. They get on each others nerves they have this interesting sexual chemistry between them. They need each other and want to push each other away it’s a really interesting dynamic I think that they start to grow together as well. Where we’re at now they’re at a really interesting place it’s a really interesting chemistry they’ve got and it’s really fun to play.

Question – What was the scariest moment in your own life?

Matt Ryan – Probably doing this. Reading comics before I go to bed and then being in my apartment on my own, in a strange place alone hearing knocks in this strange apartment building in the middle of the night after a day shoot and shitting myself. That’s probably while I’ve done this cause you’re thinking about it all the time. I’m trying to keep reading the comics even though we’re working twelve to fifteen hours a day so I can keep that line to the source material and into the DNA so that it’s always there in the background. You do that before you go to sleep and you think of demons and stuff.

Question – When you do comic adaptations fans will judge you on every little thing you do. Does that ever come into your mind when you’re doing the role because this is such an iconic character?

Matt Ryan – Yeah, well it’s a lot of pressure isn’t it? It’s the fans that are the reason I’m here the reason the comics are loved so much and you want to do it justice. But I think at the same time, to make it your own, I think you have to be ballsy enough to go “Well OK this is what I’m doing” and hope that they like it and hope that my interpretation of it and the fact that I really like the comics and I’m trying to keep a line to that all the time and I’m hoping that will come across. But you can’t really think about it too much because it can get in the way. You want people to love something that they’ve spent a lot of time in their life reading because it’s something that they love.

 

No UK or Irish broadcaster has been announced for the show just yet but we’ll bring you news as soon as we hear it.

NYCC Interviews Part 6 with Ben McKenzie Gotham’s Jim Gordon – Gotham TV Podcast Exclusive

18 October, 2014 gothamtvpodcastgmail-com Interviews, NYCC 2014 Comments Off on NYCC Interviews Part 6 with Ben McKenzie Gotham’s Jim Gordon – Gotham TV Podcast Exclusive

Exclusive: In our final roundtable interview at New York Comic Con 2014 we spoke with actor Ben McKenzie who discusses his “Dream job” of playing Jim Gordon, the similarities between Alfred and Jim, his push-pull relationship with Harvey Bullock and guiding “The darkness” within Bruce. Here’s the podcast with all the interviews from New York Comic Con 2014 or you can read on for the transcript. Sorry for the poor audio quality at the end of the interview with Ben McKenzie.

Question – What’s it like coming in and dealing with the fans at New York Comic Con?

Ben McKenzie – It’s great. I’m really excited about this panel because when we were in San Diego the show wasn’t on yet. It’s an odd thing to interact with fans who haven’t seen it yet cause they’re excited and also going “This isn’t going to suck right?” (laughs) and you say “No no I really think it’s going to be good”. So this will be a real opportunity to see people who have actually seen the show and what they think of it and get their questions.

Question -What’s it like playing an iconic character and making it completely your own?

B.McK. – It’s a thrill. It’s an absolute thrill. It’s kind of a dream job in that respect. It was very intimidating initially because the character has been portrayed before and portrayed by some brilliant actors but what’s freeing about it is what you pointed out we’re showing how he came to become, how he came to be, how he grew into the role of commissioner and that’s never been seen on film before. So there was a chance to take advantage of the mythology and the deep love for these character but also breathe fresh air into that.

Question – They’ve set Jim up as a mentor for Bruce which is very different to the comics. What’s that like since you’re basically helping to create Batman

B.McK. – Yeah. But I think Jim starts off trying not to create Batman. He is a law enforcement officer and you see in the third episode with “Balloon man” who is the first vigilante that Gotham had seen actually targeting people are morally corrupt and going outside the law to do so. Jim, rightly, is deeply concerned about this trend in Gotham. If people choose not to follow the law there is no law. If people choose to go outside the law, even for the right moral reasons the whole society falls apart. So when he starts counseling Bruce he’s trying to educate him on how not to fall into that trap. Because he sees a darkness in Bruce, he sees an incredible intelligence an incredible integrity in this young boy but he also sees a darkness and an anger that he’s trying to direct in the right way.

Question – so you have this area to negotiate between the murder and the full blown Batman. What do you do to envision this character. Is there a guiding source for that?

B.McK. – It’s actually quite straightforward in a way. He’s a war hero. He came straight off the front lines pretty much back to Gotham where he saw heavy action. So he approaches it with a military man’s perspective. Morally rigid, can-do, stoic, fight forward, fight forward, fight forward, don’t look back. Unfortunately he realises that the terrain is more complicated than even the war in which he was fighting. So he has to learn how to live in Gotham and get things done. Cutting deals educating himself perhaps making decisions that morally are dubious in order to get the kind of positive change that he wants.

Question – This is the back story that’s in your head? they haven’t said do that?

B.McK. – Well we talked about it and it’s set up in the pilot. Harvey Bullock leaves Essen’s office after basically trying to get rid of the kid and says “Oh your a war hero and your daddy was a big D.A. and I can’t get rid of you”. We don’t dwell on it. Hopefully we won’t do flashbacks just because they’re clunky. But that’s the approach, he was raised that way from the beginning because his father was a revered D.A. and a noble man. Perhaps not quite as noble as Jim thinks he was. So he’s always prided himself on this morally rigid stance and yet he’ll learn that perhaps he’ll have to be a little more flexible in Gotham.

Question – Are there any more parallels between Gordon and Alfred. They’re both military men Alfred was in the Marines, Gordon was in the Army. Do you see any other parallels between them?

B.McK. -There are. The parallels are their approach to life, perhaps being a bit stoic about it. At the same time Alfred has receded from the battle lines he’s not working on the ground level in law enforcement and his charge is to take care of Bruce. But his school of parenting is a bit…unusual let’s say and Jim’s is actually oddly a bit softer. He’s probably actually trying to talk to the boy and get him to understand things on a deeper emotional level. Whereas Alfred is probably coming from an older set where children are supposed to be managed and taught things, seen and not heard. Drilled a bit sort of like you would drill soldiers as he fences around Wayne Manor with him. So it’s a fun relationship and they are essentially battling over Bruce’s soul.

Gotham TV Podcast Question – Your partner Harvey Bullock has gone path of least resistance. Now you’re that block in the way how does that develop over the season. That tense relationship where you’re trying to drag him out of the mire but he’s trying to drag you in?

B.McK. – Yeah we end up sinking both back into it in a way. Pull out and fall back in and of course I’m hiding the secret from Harvey that I’ve not actually killed Oswald and that will come back and create yet another layer of tension between the partnership. It’s a complicated relationship that will only become more so. But they do at the end of the day teach each other things. Begrudgingly they learn from each other.

Question – Can they trust each other?

B.McK. – Eventually? Probably. (Laughs) but not now.

Click here for previous interviews –   Robin Lord-Taylor    Danny Cannon     Erin Richards   Sean Pertwee    Donal Logue

Ben McKenzie

NYCC Interviews Part 5 with Donal Logue Gotham’s Harvey Bullock – Gotham TV Podcast Exclusive

18 October, 2014 gothamtvpodcastgmail-com Interviews, NYCC 2014 Comments Off on NYCC Interviews Part 5 with Donal Logue Gotham’s Harvey Bullock – Gotham TV Podcast Exclusive

Exclusive: Here’s our interview with actor Donal Logue, Harvey Bullock on Gotham, who discusses the similarities and differences between Harvey Bullock and other characters he’s played, the impact of Ben McKenzie’s Jim Gordon on his character, the burden of comedic relief and the future broadening scope of Gotham. You can listen to the podcast below with all of our interviews from New York Comic Con or read on for Donal Logue’s interview

Question – From pretty heavy independent films to a pretty heavy character on TV do you feel it’s a natural evolution?

Donal Logue – When you’re younger and you do college theatre or something, I remember we would do something like a Joe Orton play and then you’d rehearse a Sam Shepard play you’d do next and then you’d do the play that night. That’s just being an actor. Especially in the old school. Look at guys like Burgess Meredith and those kinds of careers. Your job is to go all over the map it’s a little tricky but that’s what the fun is.

Question –  just a follow up. Some people have said the process of TV is different than the process of film that’s why I ask.

D.L. – I’ll give you a good story on that one so when I first auditioned for anything ever it was a mini-series about “Common Ground” which was the Pulitzer prize winning book about the Boston Busing Crisis in the mid-seventies and so Meg Simon who cast the show with Warner Brothers discovered me in Boston, I was a theatre actor at the time. I was reading (the script) and I said I dunno I’ve done a bunch of plays and I hear stories, am I supposed to be smaller I hear the process is different and (Meg Simon) said “Just act the F’ing scene”. If you think that way you’re thinking the wrong way. Every medium is it’s own thing. I did a sit-com which originally wasn’t supposed to be in front of a live studio audience and when that changed I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. John Lithgow said “It’s a two act play in front of an audience, it’s fantastic” and I said OK so it is it’s own animal. By the way John Lithgow to me is the king, when you talk about bouncing between all the mediums. He’s an amazing guy, super super great guy.

Question –  What’s your take on this character? I mean he’s so complicated and so layered and you do a great job.

D.L. – Thanks. I think my take on that is the same as most people the difficulty I have is that he also seems to have carry a little bit of the burden of comedic relief. It’s about finding that balance of when it’s real serious when it’s dark and when it’s kind of goofy. I’ve done comedies in the past and your living fully in the sunshine of that side of the street and then I went to Sons of Anarchy, Vikings and Copper so you’re comfortable in that cause you know it’s dark. With this one it’s a little tricky to bounce back and forth almost arbitrarily so.

Question –  and do you see him as corrupt?

D.L. – I think a lot of people are corrupt. Over the course of your career luckily you get to meet people who work in law enforcement, you get to meet criminals, you get to meet people who work in the military and they say “you know it wasn’t cool but we had to do a deal with this war lord to get through this”. That’s the world. I’m sure a lot of young idealistic people have walked into places like Washington DC into a police department and said “Well I know what the culture is but I’m gonna change it”. It’s not that everybody is corrupt there’s gradations of it. There’s big T truths and small t truths. I think now when you catch him (Harvey) he just wants to get to the finish line. He may want to stash some money on the side, legally or not and wants to add to his pension and then Jim Gordon comes in and (Bullock) has seen fifty of these guys but none of them have been Jim Gordon. They’ve never had the moral fiber of this guy. Jim Gordon is such a strong character that it changes Harvey which reminds him of who he used to be I think.

Question – What’s the appeal of police shows for you such as Life? What’s the appeal for you as an actor or is it just a different role?

D.L. – I would say it’s just a different role, trying to stay as flexible as possible. I have respect for all roles and professions but there’s something so iconic (here). When I did the pilot for Gotham I was doing what I thought was a really thrilling run on Law and Order: S.V.U. which I loved a lot. There’s something so iconic about being able to play a New York Detective. There’s a million amazing stories happening every night, every day there’s stuff going on here (New York) and these guys get to beeline straight to the strangest, darkest part of the human condition and I think there’s something fascinating about it.

Gotham TV Podcast Question – Will we get to see the story behind why Crispus Allen is no longer partnered with Harvey Bullock?

D.L. – We haven’t gotten to it yet. But we get more back story on Montoya and Allen and the M.C.U. and what’s nice too is that the show is starting to breathe more into the worlds of Selina Kyle, Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth which I like. It was fun to have so much focus on Gordon and Bullock’s partnership. It’s such a big world that I think people will be excited to see it breathe and open up a little bit.

Question – Are you a fan of comic books?

D.L. – I wasn’t a huge fan growing up but since I started working in Blade in 1997 I got into comics. Partially just to understand the world I was representing and i have for the last twenty or so years.

Click here for previous interview – Sean Pertwee

Donal Logue

NYCC Interviews Part 4 with Sean Pertwee Gotham’s Alfred Pennyworth – Gotham TV Podcast Exclusive

17 October, 2014 gothamtvpodcastgmail-com Interviews, NYCC 2014 Comments Off on NYCC Interviews Part 4 with Sean Pertwee Gotham’s Alfred Pennyworth – Gotham TV Podcast Exclusive

Exclusive: Ahead of the UK release of Gotham on Channel 5 Gotham TV Podcast were lucky enough to sit down at a roundtable at New York Comic Con 2014 to discuss Gotham and what we can expect from future episodes in season one with Executive Producer Danny Cannon and five members of the cast (Robin Lord Taylor, Erin Richards, Sean Pertwee, Donal Logue and Ben McKenzie) about their thoughts on the show, their characters and what could be coming in Season one of the show. The roundtable includes questions from other journalists present and our own questions to the cast and creator.

Here’s our interview with British actor Sean Pertwee who discusses his thoughts on the larger role of Alfred in the show, the connection with previous versions of the character and being at New York Comic Con with a show like this. You can listen to all of our interviews from New York Comic Con in our podcast here or read on.

Sean arrived at the interview table and immediately reached out his hand to both of us to greet us. He thanked us for all the support and wanted us to know how much he much he appreciates all of the fan feedback and support since he started the project.

Gotham TV Podcast Question – With the casting of David Mazouz, Bruno Heller has said that he has a bigger role in the show than was previously expected what does that mean for your character Alfred?

Sean Pertwee – It means I’ll be around for a lot more as well. I have a son called Alfred as well which is a bit of a bizarre one, but he’s the same age and I have an affinity at this moment with children of that age and its really interesting. David [Mazouz] is one of the most driven, most fabulous actors I’ve ever met and I genuinely mean that and it can be difficult for young people, young actors young men and young women, he is extraordinary. He’s the most focused, driven guy and can really turn it on and he has a real sense of pain and darkness and we’ve found our own heart beat that we will begin to see at around episode three. There are people out there who are a little concerned about Alfred’s parenting skills – I was as well I have to say! [Laughs] But I mean how would he know how to be a father he comes from a military background, he blames himself for the demise of the Waynes, he never signed any contract to say that I’m now the legal guardian…how would he know? What we [David Mazouz and Sean Pertwee] are trying to do, developing, is to find a hook, a way of communicating with a young man who is suffering from post-traumatic stress; and then you start to discover that Alfred also has issues rage issues, guilt issues and everything else. We’ve become a disfunctional family and it really sort of gets out there by episode eight.You see a marked change [in the relationship] and a real marked flag in the sand as to which direction they’re going. It’s really difficult to say anything without giving too much away.

Question -Your Alfred is following on from and kind of pre-figuring Michael Caine in the films but obviously in the old days Alfred was a bit more posh. Are you interested in the Marine direction more Cockney side of Alfred that Gotham is presenting?

S.P. – Yes, certainly. He’s from the East End. He’s a Military guy. I wrote a bible [on the character] and presented it to Bruno on the first day. I tried to stay away as much as I can [from the previous character interpretations]. I have so much respect for my preceeding Alfred’s I mean they are absolute genius in their own way but you have to find your own sync, find your own rhythm, your own beat. So I presented it to him [Bruno Heller] that my father would have been the butler for the Waynes, he was ill, I went there to see him and I left the services to aid him on his death bed. He passed away and I took on the mantle of the valet, the role of the bat man, to the Waynes [Laughs]. So, you’ll see the development of their relationship over the next ten episodes. What I loved about Sir Michael Caine’s interpretation was that he represents the common man and I think that is why I am here.

Question – What is it like to bring the show to Comic Con and really present Gotham to the fans and interact with them?

S.P. – I think it will will be very interesting and I’m very excited by it, We’ve kind of been quite cosseted in our lifestyles because we’ve been working really hard so it’s really nice Ben’s done one and I haven’t done one before so it’s going to be lovely to see their reaction.

Question – And so are you going to put your parenting skills to good work?

S.P. – Yes of course [Laughs] I’ve been asked do I treat my son like that and no I don’t [Laughs].

Click here for previous interview – Erin Richards

Sean Pertwee

Erin Richards Gotham Interview NYCC Interviews Part 3 Barbara Kean – Gotham TV Podcast Exclusive

17 October, 2014 gothamtvpodcastgmail-com Interviews, NYCC 2014, Podcast Comments Off on Erin Richards Gotham Interview NYCC Interviews Part 3 Barbara Kean – Gotham TV Podcast Exclusive

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Exclusive:  Here’s our Erin Richards Gotham interview where she discusses her thoughts on the character of Barbara, her relationship with Ben McKenzie’s Jim Gordon, how she deals with attention from fans and the strong characters on the show.

Ahead of the UK release of Gotham on Channel 5 Gotham TV Podcast were lucky enough to sit down at a roundtable at New York Comic Con 2014 to discuss Gotham and what we can expect from future episodes in season one with Executive Producer Danny Cannon and five members of the cast (Robin Lord Taylor, Erin Richards, Sean Pertwee, Donal Logue and Ben McKenzie) about their thoughts on the show, their characters and what could be coming in Season one of the show. The roundtable includes questions from other journalists present and our own questions to the cast and creator. You can listen to the full podcast below with all the interviews or read on for the full transcript.

Question – How did you get the job of Barbara Kean in Gotham and how did you prepare for the part of Barbara Kean in the legendary city, did any tell you what you must do?

Erin Richards – Firstly nobody told me to do anything! I got the job during pilot season through a round of auditions with our fabulous creators Bruno and Danny, who are Brits which is nice [laughs]. I got the job and was over the moon. I have always loved Batman and working with these guys is always fantastic. On such an incredible and highly anticipated series at the time, I then sort of went about going back over the movies which I have always enjoyed and watching all of those again and then read Batman Year One [by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli] which is the comic that Barbara appears in. But for me Barbara is a bit of an open book because she is not in the comic books that often and also she’s in her finished form, so for me it was about just about finding something that was interesting and relevant and would work with what Ben has created in Jim Gordon so that we could really forge an interesting story and a dynamic that people would really want to watch.

Question – What about the chemistry between yourself and Ben McKenzie, it’s a key pivotal relationship in the show so I guess you are bouncing off one another?

E.R. – We get on great as people, we went to watch him do a radio play the previous night. The whole cast are really supportive of one another and we hang out a lot. I get on really well with Ben. We approach acting in the same way and have really similar backgrounds. We both did Politics degrees and the first time we met we had a lot to talk about, which is really nice to get on with each other because we do a lot of pretending together as actors. Though its not too hard with Ben he’s a good looking guy.

Question – There’s so much attention on this show, what’s it like interacting with the fans when there is so much anticipation, do you tune it out?

E.R. – I don’t think we need to tune it out. I really enjoy on twitter interacting with the fans and I like getting questions about my character. We feel a great sense of pride, affection and responsibility – isn’t that like a Batman thing, no its Spider-man [Laughs]. We feel a lot of responsibility to the fans as they are really in to Batman and we really want to deliver a programme that they are interested in and are proud of, as we’re up against the big boys, the films and what’s in everyone’s mind, so were hoping to deliver a beginning, as we are telling the origin story, and that it fits with what they have grown to love.

Gotham TV Podcast Question – One of the big things about Gotham is the strength of the female characters in the show. Can you tell us something about Barbara’s strength and where she gets it from and where she brings it to?

E.R. – Bruno Heller, our fantastic creator, writes amazing female characters. I’ve always watched his programmes and they always have these fantastic female characters, which is so brilliant to play and is so important. I feel that TV is leading the way at the moment with this and Barbara for me, personally, I feel that she is such an interesting character. She’s really strong, very intelligent and really motivated and though she comes from money, I think that doesn’t matter because sometimes it can be hard if you come from money to really find a path in life when you are given things on a plate. So she really has to forge her own way and she has this really interesting history behind her. The really interesting thing about Barbara as well is that though she is incredibly strong, she has these amazing weaknesses and character flaws that don’t take away from her strengths its just another part of her. This is the fantastic thing about Bruno’s writing is that a lot of women on TV are boxed in to she’s the hero, she’s the poor broken hearted one and I think that Bruno, and other amazing writers at the moment for TV, are creating women who are just multifaceted, you know they can be strong but at the same time they can be lonely and hurt and that is just everyone – women and men – its just people and finally we get to play those.

Click to go to previous interview – Danny Cannon

NYCC Interviews Part 2 with Danny Cannon Gotham’s Executive Producer – Gotham TV Podcast Exclusive

17 October, 2014 gothamtvpodcastgmail-com Interviews, NYCC 2014 Comments Off on NYCC Interviews Part 2 with Danny Cannon Gotham’s Executive Producer – Gotham TV Podcast Exclusive

Exclusive: Here’s our interview with British director and Gotham’s executive producer Danny Cannon who discusses the creation of Gotham, the connection with his other police procedural shows, his favourite villain and the possibility of other vigilante’s on Gotham.

Ahead of the UK release of Gotham on Channel 5 Gotham TV Podcast were lucky enough to sit down at a roundtable at New York Comic Con 2014 to discuss Gotham and what we can expect from future episodes in season one with Executive Producer Danny Cannon and five members of the cast (Robin Lord Taylor, Erin Richards, Sean Pertwee, Donal Logue and Ben McKenzie) about their thoughts on the show, their characters and what could be coming in Season one of the show. The roundtable includes questions from other journalists present and our own questions to the cast and creator. You can listen to our full NYCC interviews or skip below to read the full transcripts.

Question – So talk about the concept of Gotham?

Danny Cannon – (Show creator and other Executive producer) Bruno Heller had talked about this idea to DC but he sat with me at thanksgiving last year but the idea started way before that. He gave me the pitch of “Go back in time in Gotham and meet the only honest cop left”. It was great because the conversation we had was in 20 years time what would make a city like this need a masked vigilante to save it and why would the villains be so outrageous. So we started from that foundation we had a long way to go. Geoff Johns at DC comics allowed us to go in and we talked about origins of characters and who had the rights and we were amazed at how many didn’t have them. so that enthused them.

Question – So you worked on a lot of police shows has that been useful with Gotham?

D.C. – I spent a lot of time doing that but in Gotham you get to throw it all out. You know it’s more “let’s move the body” lets do that, “lets smoke around the body” lets spill my coffee on the dead guys face it’s going back in time it’s a New York City without gentrification without (New York Mayors) Giuliani or Bloomberg it’s a city spiraling out of control. So the procedural thing goes out the window

Question – So who was your favourite villain to work out the details of?

D.C. – Well I gotta say the villains that are upcoming. We still have many to go. I have to say Fish Mooney a villain that was written from scratch and Jada took that up a notch to make it even better,

Gotham TV Podcast Question – Now that we’ve introduced the vigilante “Baloonman” (in episode 3 of Gotham) there’s speculation that we could see more vigilantes within Gotham

D.C. –  Yeah definitely. I think a city that doesn’t trust it’s mayor or police department or can’t trust your neighbour there’s always going to be someone attempting to do that. As the show progresses the way we get to see David Mazouz’s Bruce Wayne navigate that too is very interesting. I couldn’t possibly say if any of the existing cast will do that.

Montoya the vigilante?

Question – Do you plan on exploring any of the supernatural elements?

D.C. –  We’re very feet on the ground here. Who’s to say where a show will go but for now we’re very grounded.Gotham is a crazy theatrical world but I’d like to think it’s all very credible so for now we’re just going to stick with that.

Gotham TV Podcast Question – Given that a number of the DC shows on TV have police forces or different police departments what are the possibilities of cross overs.

D.C. –  Very interesting again I don’t know. Right now what exists on air is apples and oranges. Tonally it might be a big shift but in the first season of the show as long as we keep building the reality of that situation and the great legacy of that I’ll be happy. Season two we’ll start again.

Question – Do you have any city models that have informed the show?

D.C. –  When I was talking to Bruno Heller who is one of the most well read individuals I know. He needed another partner on the show cause it was such an undertaking. I talked about incorporating Dickensian London and the have’s and have-nots. We talked about Grimm fairy tales and I talked about westerns also in that in a western town is a great way to tell moral stories. It’s easier to tell moral stories when they’re played out in a neutral town.That’s why westerns were always incredibly popular in the 50’s 60’s and 70’s were always so popular because a contemporary moral story is easier to play out in a nondescript town.

Click here for the previous Interview – Robin Lord Taylor                                                Click here for the next interview – Erin Richards

Danny Cannon RTE

NYCC Interviews Part 1 with Robin Lord Taylor Gotham’s Oswald Cobblepott – Gotham TV Podcast Exclusive

16 October, 2014 gothamtvpodcastgmail-com Interviews, NYCC 2014 Comments Off on NYCC Interviews Part 1 with Robin Lord Taylor Gotham’s Oswald Cobblepott – Gotham TV Podcast Exclusive

Exclusive:  Ahead of the UK release of Gotham on Channel 5 Gotham TV Podcast were lucky enough to sit down at a roundtable at New York Comic Con 2014 to discuss Gotham and what we can expect from future episodes in season one with Executive Producer Danny Cannon and five members of the cast (Robin Lord Taylor, Erin Richards, Sean Pertwee, Donal Logue and Ben McKenzie) about their thoughts on the show, their characters and what could be coming in Season one of the show. The roundtable includes questions from other journalists present and our own questions to the cast and creator.

Here’s our interview with actor Robin Lord Taylor who discusses his thoughts on the character of Oswald Cobblepott, how he prepared for the role, what he takes from the previous live action versions of the character and if the “Penguin” moniker will stick. You can listen to all our NYCC interviews below or read on for the full transcript after the jump.

Question – So how did they prepare you for this role on the show?

Robin Lord Taylor – I didn’t really get a lot of prep. When I auditioned I didn’t know what I was auditioning for. It was like the untitled Warner Brothers project but the night before I went in I got the tip off on what it was that “Your going in to audition for The Penguin in the new Batman origin story series” but at that point I was already prepared and I went in and did what I did and it worked out.But now in terms of preparation the scripts that Bruno (Heller) writes along with the world he’s created with Danny (Cannon) and the other writers it’s just so fully realised it’s just all there in front of me. When it’s right it’s easy.

Question – You didn’t feel that you needed to watch the previous incarnations?

R.L.T. – How can you not see previous incarnations the Adam West series played every day after elementary school I’d seen all of that.I’d seen Batman Returns a million times I could recite that movie from memory. But I realised from the scripts that they were going in a different direction with the character but to be following in the footsteps of Burgess Meredith and Danny Devito how freaking amazing is that? The one thing they brought to it was that sense of fun and that can be difficult cause it’s a dark world but that’s the one thing i took away from their performances. I’m trying to bring it into this.

Gotham TV Podcast – That’s a great tie by the way (his tie depicts fish bones all over it)

R.L.T. – (Smiling happily) Thank you very much

Gotham TV Podcast Question – Your character hates being called The Penguin but can we expect to see him take on that moniker?

R.L.T. – Very much so. That was a pivotal moment from the first episode. Since he was a child he’s been called penguin and he was a victim of bullying and a lot of it was centered around his appearance and his interests and all of his eccentricities but I think the moment that he comes out of the water in first episode was him embracing the name. I mean the moment that you take on the thing you hate the most and embrace it is the moment you take away the power of it and I think that moment is him harnessing the Power of the Penguin and going “OK you’re going to call me the Penguin then I’m the Freaking Penguin, let’s go” and that propels him into the series.

Question – Did you try to make sure that there was a big difference in the characteristics of Oswald before and after the water scene in episode 1?

R.L.T. – Yes definitely. In regards to his walk I love that it’s an actual injury it’s something that we see established. This whole show is bringing some reality to this fantastic world so yeah I was hobbling around the apartment like a moron.working on it making sure it looked good and then Danny (Cannon) was also there to help me out.

Click here for the next interview – Danny Cannon (Executive Producer of Gotham)

Robin Lord Taylor

Gotham TV Podcast Exclusive: In the Interview Room with Gotham’s Victoria Cartagena and Andrew Stewart-Jones

10 September, 2014 gothamtvpodcastgmail-com Interviews, News 1 Comment

EXCLUSIVE: There are many fascinating pairings set for Gotham, from Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock to Fish Mooney and Oswald Cobblepot, and Gotham TV Podcast got the opportunity to interrogate the Detective partnership of Renee Montoya (Victoria Cartagena) and Crispus Allen (Andrew Stewart-Jones) about the TV show, their characters, the role of the Montoya / Allen partnership and the influence of the comic series Gotham Central on the show. We get to hear that their off-screen friendship is as strong as their on-screen partnership, we find out Victoria Cartagena’s favourite arc of the comic series Gotham Central and we uncover some details about Detective Allen’s past.

In the build up to the release of the Gotham premiere on Fox in the USA (22nd September) and Channel 5 in the UK, our look at the comic series Gotham Central shows the importance of this detective partnership to the Major Crimes Unit (M.C.U.) of the Gotham City Police Department and we can’t wait to see this great Detective alliance brought to the screen. You can read the interview below but there’s nothing better than hearing them in person. Check out the full interview where they answer all of our questions.

 

Gotham TV Podcast: What drew you to audition for a role in the upcoming batman prequel series Gotham? Did you have much exposure to previous incarnations of this universe such as the movies, comics or TV shows?

Victoria Cartagena (Renee Montoya): When I got the call for the audition there was no script there were only dummy sides [scenes unconnected to the TV show Gotham], however, I was aware that it had something to do with Batman’s Gotham and, because I’d been a fan all my life, I certainly wanted a chance to be part of the show. Because i grew up watching the Batman re-runs with Adam West and seeing all the Batman films from the 80s, 90s all the way up to the Nolan films, I’ve seen them all in the theatre so I was definitely familiar and excited to even audition for it.

Andrew Stewart-Jones (Crispus Allen): Honestly, the audition was one of a bunch on Valentine’s Day this year. I was just trying to get through the day. At the time, I had no idea what I might be getting involved in.  Also the role was a possible recurring so although that is wonderful, I was already auditioning for series regulars roles so this wasn’t high on the list. I should add that the folks behind Gotham were very secretive. I had no idea exactly what I was reading for.

 

GTVP: You’ve been cast in the roles of Renee Montoya and Crispus Allen, detectives in the Gotham City Police Department (G.C.P.D.). What qualities of the character of Montoya and Allen drew you to their characters?

Cartagena: I love that she’s passionate and fiercely loyal and I’m really drawn to what a bad-ass she is. Cause she certainly has a swagger, that I don’t, so that’s fun to play. She works with some really tough guys but she can hang with the best of them. And as an actor I appreciate that she’s flawed. She’s strong and intelligent but at the same time she’s quick to anger and it sometimes clouds her judgment. So she’s tough but vulnerable too and that’s always interesting to play.

Stewart-Jones: Without a doubt, his moral compass would always be his outstanding quality. In a world so dark and corrupt, Allen has his eye on the right way to do things. I love that.

 

GTVP: This is the first screen outing for Renee Montoya. She is known in the comics to have a complex and interesting back story in both her professional and private life. Will we see any of these complexities play out in the TV series?

Cartagena: So I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future but in the episodes we have shot you will DEFINITELY get a glimpse into the complex relationships, for sure (laughs).

GTVP: This is also the first screen outing for Allen. He is known in the comics to be fiercely loyal to his friends but doesn’t suffer fools lightly.  Will we see any of these strong character traits play out in the TV series?

Stewart-Jones: Rob Brown played a G.C.P.D. officer by the name of Allen in The Dark Knight Rises. Just FYI.  But yes, this is Crispus Allen’s big debut as such.  You’ve basically described me, Andrew, to a tee… so yes.

Jim Brown V4 Dark Knight Rises

GTVP to Victoria Cartagena: Another important person in Renee’s life is Detective Crispus Allen, your partner in the G.C.P.D. Given they have such a close relationship how has it been creating and developing that bond with Andrew Stewart Jones?

Cartagena: I absolutely could not have asked for a better screen partner. From the first day we walked on to set we had this immediate connection and he’s become a really great friend and I think that our bond keeps strengthening the more that we work together and its certainly transferred onto the screen. He’s just an amazing actor, a very generous actor and a lot of fun to be around. So I’m really just grateful to be able to be his partner.

GTVP to Andrew Stweart-Jones: Detective Allen is very protective of Renee Montoya, his partner in the G.C.P.D., and is known in the comics to have her back in many tough situations both in the field and in the office. Are you enjoying creating this partnership with Victoria Cartagena as Renee Montoya?

Stewart-Jones: Working with Victoria is an absolute honor and a treat. She is incredible. Very giving, funny and gullible. So susceptible to all of my shenanigans – which I LOVE!  The on-screen relationship, I believe, will benefit from the instant connection we had as professionals.

 

GTVP to Victoria Cartagena: We’ve been covering the comic series Gotham Central in the lead up to the show and have particularly been enjoying the interplay between your character and Crispus Allen. We know that you’ve been reading the series too. Are there any standout moments that you read and would like to see transferred to the TV series?

Cartagena: I really love the story arc for Renee in Half a Life [issues 5 – 9] she went through a lot of highs and lows. So I really hope it makes it onto the show because what stood out to me was how strong the bond is between Montoya and Allen. During those really tough times (Crispus) Allen was the only one that really went to bat for her and he had her back without question. You could just see how fiercely loyal they are to one another. So they’re more than partners, they’re friends or…more like family actually. I hope that the audience get to see that bond and it was important for me to read that on paper to make sure we were getting the job done.

GTVP to Andrew Steward-Jones: We’ve been covering the comic series Gotham Central in the lead up to the show and have particularly been enjoying the interplay between your character and Renee Montoya. We know a number of the cast have been given Gotham Central to prepare for their roles. Were you given any reading material to guide your preparation of your character and to what extent do you balance this with the bringing new ideas to the role?

Stewart-Jones: I wasn’t asked to read anything but I’m a bit of a comic nut. I didn’t want to just lift the character off the comic book pages and present him on people’s screens. I wanted him to be human. Accessible. But, at the same time, I am committed to always having the comic as the foundation upon which I build.

 

GTVP to Victoria Cartagena: Gotham has many different characters on the path to greater destinies, Jim Gordon eventually becomes the Commissioner of the G.C.P.D., the young Bruce Wayne will in adulthood become the Batman and Oswald Cobblepot is taking his first steps on the road to leading the criminal underworld, which of these narratives most excites you?

Cartagena: I’ve had the privilege to do at least one scene with all of these actors so I’m just looking forward to what each one of them brings to the story because they are so talented and they bring their own unique and original take on the portrayal so it’s just going to be thrilling to watch. (My answer is) all of them.

GTVP to Andrew Stewart-Jones: Gotham has some other interesting characters on the payroll of the G.C.P.D., there is the mystery of Edward Nygma, the intensity of Jim Gordon’s moral code, the political aspirations of Captain Sarah Essen and the old school style of Harvey Bullock. How does this mix of characters affect the dynamic in the G.C.P.D. and which of these characters interest you the most?

Stewart-Jones: The beauty, mystery and sheer fun of Gotham is the mufti-faceted dynamics of the relationships. It’s never ending. Always escalating. It’s fascinating to witness. I was Harvey’s partner before Gordon and so there is tension. A wound or two. Deep history. I’m closest to him. I won’t say if that’s good or bad.

 

GTVP: The fan reaction is building for this show in a big way, are you excited for the New York premiere of Gotham in September where you and your fellow cast members get to experience the fan reaction to the pilot first hand?

Victoria: For sure, I’m definitely excited. We’ve been working on this for months, it feels like a really long time and we really can’t wait to share it with the public and I really hope to hear back from the fans and I hope they enjoy it and I think that they will. So, Yes, can’t come soon enough. Just a few more weeks.

Stewart-Jones: When the word for my level of excitement is invented, I will happily use it ad nauseam. Until then we can use the longest word from Mary Poppins. It’s PGA rated, which helps.

 

GTVP: Finally, if Gotham TV Podcast were to be questioned in the suspect interview room at the G.C.P.D., which of the Montoya-Allen partnership would play the “Good Cop” and who would play the “Bad Cop”?

Victoria: This is my favourite question. So…you guys are so great that I think that there would be no need either of us to play the bad cop. But, on the off chance that one of you broke the law or you just had something that we need like some information then I’m pretty sure that Montoya would be the one to ride you until you spill the beans because she is a dog with a bone that one.Yeah I’d put my money on Montoya.

Stewart-Jones: If you ever end up being questioned by us, that information will not help you in the slightest and you will be wishing and praying to wake up from your bad dream! Gotham TV Podcast… do not cross Allen and Montoya! Oh, and thank you for this. I’ll be listening in. Enjoy the premiere.

 

Derek O’Neill and John Harrison are hosts of the Gotham TV Podcast, the unofficial podcast about the TV show Gotham and the connected DC universe. A very special thank you for this interview to Amy at Channel 5 and Holly, Marc and Steven at Warner Bros for their help and most importantly we want to thank Victoria Cartagena and Andrew Stewart-Jones for their time.

You can check out our other podcasts here. For anyone wishing to delve deeper in to the Gotham Central series you can check out our podcast reviews and discussions on the comic series: Gotham Central Review Part 1, Gotham Central Review Part 2, Gotham Central Review Part 3, Gotham Central Review Part 4, Gotham Central Review Part 5

 

Renee and Crispus Police Car (2)