FBI Special Agent Ron Sandoval (Von Flores, center) flanked by Taelons Da'an (Leni Parker) and Zo'or (Anita La Selva) in Earth: Final Conflict. Photo copyright of Tribune Entertainment.
In today's Sci-Fi Blast From The Past, Von Flores talks about working on the fifth season of Earth: Final Conflict and playing the long-running role of the duplicitous FBI Special Agent Ron Sandoval.
It is quiet on the bridge of the Taelon mothership. The lighting is subdued and the bio-matter that makes up its walls is slowly decomposing due to the lack of core energy. Sitting in the captain’s chair, a place once occupied by Zo’or, the leader of the Taelons, is Howlyn, an Atavus. Turning his chair slowly around, the alien rises, walks a few paces forward and turns. He watches intently as FBI Special Agent Ron Sandoval is escorted into the room by one of the Taelon’s former volunteers. The two men exchange words and Howlyn, obviously displeased by what Sandoval has said, picks the human up by his shirt collar and throws him to the floor. The FBI agent lands with a thud on his back and just lies there. A few seconds later, he rolls over, lies still, and then rolls back again. Von Flores, alias Sandoval, looks up and asks, jokingly, “How’s that?”
Earth: Final Conflict director Kelly Makin yells “Cut,” and can’t help but laugh along with everyone else on the set. Unlike his villainous alter ego, Flores likes nothing better than to crack up his co-workers while on the job. Having already been at the studio for a few hours, the actor is settling in for what looks to be a long night shoot on the fifth-season episode Deportation. Despite the often-crazy schedule, Flores isn’t complaining. On the contrary, he is glad to be working on a TV series that has kept him gainfully employed for the past five years. He was, though, a bit worried when, at the end of last season’s finale Point of No Return, Sandoval was left for dead on the Taelon vessel.
“Talk about a real cliffhanger,” smiles Flores. “I’ll admit there was a part of me that was thinking, ‘Oh, man, I wonder if I’ll be unemployed next year?’ Happily, things worked out OK with regards to Sandoval.”
Flores had a right to be concerned about his character’s future given Earth: Final Conflict’s history involving cast changes. The show’s leading man, Captain William Boone (Kevin Kilner), was killed off at the end of the first season. When year four began, Captain Lili Marquette (Lisa Howard) left for Jaridia never to be seen again. Later, Jonathan Doors (David Hemblen) met his maker. At the start of this, the fifth and final season, the Taelons were gone along with Augur (Richard Chevolleau) and Major Liam Kincaid (Robert Leeshock).
“You know, it’s funny, I’ve come to learn, if nothing else, to roll with the punches when it comes to the many changes on Earth,” notes the actor. “This is going to sound really hokey but it feels like each succeeding season has been better than the previous one. Every year has felt like a brand new show, particularly this one. Whenever I’m asked to choose my favourite season it’s like comparing apples and oranges. It’s a personal choice as opposed to an objective one.
“I will say that I miss working with Robert Leeshock this season. I had the chance to spend some time with him doing conventions in England and Germany and the two of us had a lot of laughs. He’s a fun guy and he exudes good energy on a set. It’s not easy being the lead in a TV series. You’re there every day, the hours are long and the demands made of you are physical as well as mental. If you’re not careful you can develop some bad habits as an actor. My hat goes off to Robert and now, this year, to Jayne Heitmeyer [Renee Palmer]. I don’t know if I would want to be a leading man on a show. I quite like what I’m doing now thank you very much. I come in four or five days per episode, do my thing and still have time to play golf,” he jokes.
In Earth: Final Conflict’s fifth-season opener Unearthed, Renee Palmer and Street (Melinda Deines) mount a rescue mission to an underwater volcanic chamber to search for Liam Kincaid. What they discover instead are the Atavus, an aggressive ancestor of the Taelons that feed on the life forces of humans. A fight ensues and both women barely escape with their lives just before Sandoval beams the aliens and their regeneration chamber aboard the Taelon mothership. In the following episode, Pariahs, the FBI agent, who has been horribly disfigured by radiation poisoning, makes a deal with the leader of the Atavus, Howlyn (Alan Van Sprang). Sandoval agrees to help Howlyn conquer Earth if the alien, in turn, will allow him to rule the planet.
“Sandoval is blatantly more independent this season,” explains Flores. “He’s just as duplicitous and is still looking out for number one, which is himself. With him and Howlyn it’s a game of cat and mouse. They’re always playing mind games, or at least I know Sandoval is playing mind games with Howlyn. He’s not about to make the mistake of underestimating the alien. My character knows that the most dangerous enemy is an unknown enemy. Sandoval is an astute student of all types of warfare. One of his greatest assets is being able to make a good study of his opponent. Sandoval remains an opportunist and, I think, is going to bide his time and see where this relationship goes.”
Unlike his former Taelon co-stars, Leni Parker (Da’an) and Anita La Selva (Zo’or), the actor had to undergo only two hours of make-up for the scenes as his radiation-riddled alter ego “Even then I wasn’t thrilled,” he says. “Somebody poking me in the face first thing in the morning with a cold brush loaded with glue isn’t my idea of a fun way to wake up. Also, I’m actually very claustrophobic and I don’t like anything over my face. It was hard, too, because it was another layer – no pun intended – to act through. I’ve lived with this character for five years, so I can more or less play him with one hand tied behind my back. However, it’s difficult to convey an emotion when part of your face is covered up. I think a lot of my acting comes from my face, or is it my hair? If I’m having a bad hair day I can’t perform,” chuckles the actor.
Despite the uncomfortable make-up, Flores enjoyed filming Pariahs. “It was certainly one of the more memorable episodes I’ve done so far this season,” he says. “It’s a pleasure to work with Alan Van Sprang. I enjoy his style, which is relaxed and easy-going, and I have a great deal of respect for his acting abilities. Also, Alan is one of only two actors that can crack me up. Sometimes all I need do is look at him and I can’t keep it together.”
Flores has similar accolades for Guylaine St. Onge, who portrays the evil Atavus seductress Juda. “She’s not only a beautiful woman but also a talented actress. Juda serves as the buffer between two egos – Howlyn’s and Sandoval’s – or should I say the pheromones between the two testosterones. The character exudes sexuality. It just gushes out of her pores. I won’t soon forget that scene on the Taelon medical table in which Juda and Sandoval ‘get to know each other better.’ Naturally, Guylanie was wearing her silicon/latex Avatus outfit. Now, that costume isn’t light. In truth, it’s quite heavy, and it has all sorts of groves in it. Guylaine was sitting on my quadriceps for this scene and by the time we finished shooting I had indentations all over my quads. I’m not complaining, though,” laughs the actor.
Much to his surprise, Flores was reunited with his old co-star Kevin Kilner in two episodes this season, Boone’s Awakening and Boone’s Assassin. “I never thought that would happen in this show’s lifetime,” he says. “All I kept thinking was, ’Are we in the first season again?’ It was surreal to say the least, although I have seen the first episode and there is a good on-screen chemistry between Jayne and Kevin. In fact, I phoned Paul Gertz [executive producer], who wrote both stories, and complimented him on his work.
“Unfortunately, there are still unresolved issues between Boone and Sandoval. Their story arc was not the main focus, so Paul really couldn’t do too much with it. Overall, the material we did have was solid. Nothing changed insofar as working with Kevin. It’s like riding a bicycle; you never forget. Kevin is a true professional and totally dedicated to his craft. He only wants the best for whatever project he’s doing.”
Boone’s Assassinalso features the first of two appearances by Anita La Selva as Zo’or, who is now occupying a new female Atavus body. “At one point in the episode Zo’or seduces Sandoval. How weird is that?” laughs Flores, “My character must be a very lonely man. How can he fool around with an Atavus that used to be an androgynous alien? That’s got to be one for the sci-fi history books.”
Of all the series regulars on Earth: Final Conflict, Flores is the only one who has been with the show since the very beginning. Not in his wildest dreams did the actor expect to still be around for five years or that Sandoval would prove so popular with viewers.
“I think that the watermark for my character was the first-season episode Sandoval’s Run,” muses Flores. “If that story had never been written I don’t think the fans would enjoy hating Sandoval and/or feel as sorry for him as they actually do.
“Also, I try to play him as ambiguously as possible. Portraying Sandoval as a straight bad guy is, in my opinion, too boring. Even in the fifth season I have fun saying his lines, if only for my own sanity. Who knows, maybe I’ll sing his last line in the show’s finale,” jokes the actor.
Steve Eramo
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