SciFiAndTvTalk

This Week on Salem - "The House of Pain" (WGN America)

Stephen Lang as Increase Mather and Ashely Madekwe as Tituba 2 in the Salem season one episode "The House of Pain." Photo copyright of WGN America. 

This week on Salem, Increase Mather gets closer to understanding who really runs Salem. Anne (Tamzin Merchant) finds herself in danger, and Mr. and Mrs. Hale (Xander Berkeley and Lara Grice) realize that due to the circumstances, Alden (Shane West) may be the only one who can save her.

Guest starring in The House of Pain are Stephen Lang (Avatar) as Increase Mather, Sammi Hanratty (Chosen) as Dollie, Lucy Faust as Elizabeth and Mary Catherine O’Donnell as Emily, Written by Adam Simon and Joe Menosky, and directed by David Von Ancken, This all-new episode of Salem airs Sunday, June 22nd @ 10:00 p.m. EST/9:00 p.m. CT on WGN America.

As noted above, photo copyright of WGN America, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

SPACE Congratulates Orphan Black's Tatiana Maslany on 2014 Critics' Choice Award Win

Tatiana Maslany as Orphan Black's Sarah Manning. Photo copyright of SPACE.

Canada's SPACE Channel congratulates Orphan Black'’s Tatiana Maslany on her second consecutive Critics' Choice Award win for Best Actress In A Drama Series category, as announced last night at the fourth annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards in Los Angeles. The lauded star of the ground-breaking Space original series from Temple Street Productions, produced in partnership with BBC America, was honoured for her incredible work as eight different characters in Orphan Black. Also nominated in the category were Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife), Keri Russell (The Americans), Lizzy Caplan (masters of Sex), Robin Wright (House of Cards), and Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel).

“This win is testimony that Tatiana Maslany’s performance in Orphan Black continues to inspire critics and audiences alike,” said Catherine MacLeod, Senior Vice-President, Specialty Channels and Bell Media Production. “A huge congratulations to Tatiana and the entire Orphan Black team.”

Sarah Manning (Tatiana Maslany) fights for her freedom in the Season 2 finale of Orphan Black on Saturday, June 21st @ 9:00 p.m. EST on Canada's SPACE Channel and in the States on BBC America.

As noted above, photo copyright of SPACE, so please no unauthorized copying or duplcating of any kind. Thanks!

Rhona Mitra Q & A - The Last Ship

Actress Rhona Mitra poses with sailors from the United States Navy at TNT's "The Last Ship" screening at NEWSEUM on June 4, 2014 in Washington, DC. Photo copyright of TNT.

In the upcoming TNT drama from producer/director Michael Bay, The Last Ship (premiering Sunday, June 22nd @ 9:00 p.m EST/PST), Rhona Mitra plays Dr. Rachel Scott, a gifted, dedicated and no-nonsense virologist who takes on the seemingly impossible task of finding a cure to an incredibly powerful and deadly virus that has killed off 80% of the world’s population. Scott is teamed up with the crew of the naval vessel the U.S.S. Nathan James, under the command of Captain Tom Chandler (Eric Dane) and his XO Mike Slattery (Adam Baldwin). If they hope to succeed in their mission, our heroes must keep their distance from all they hold dear, but how long can they stay one precarious step ahead of an enemy that they cannot even see.

The British-born Mitra is no stranger to TV audiences, having appeared in such long-running series as The Practice, Boston Legal and Nip/Tuck. The actress also had the chance to further stretch her acting muscles playing Major Rachel Dalton in the popular UK action/adventure series Strike Back. When it comes to the big screen, her credits include Hollow Man, Get Carter, The Number 23, The Life of David Gale, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, Doomsday and the upcoming The Loft. Mitra recently took some time out of her day for a chat with me as well as other journalists about her work in The Last Ship as well as her career in general. The following is an edited version of that Q&A. Enjoy!

What are the unique challenges associated with working on a project like The Last Ship?

Rhona Mitra:Well, first of all working on a naval destroyer was incredibly taxing physically as well as restricting because none of us had worked on such a ship. The Navy hadn’t allowed anyone to work on a ship like this before, and time-wise we had to work with its schedule. Also, as my character is the only scientist in a very stark and full military family, if you will, it was initially like being an orphaned and unwanted child. That was quite difficult because it’s like being the child on the playground that no one wants to play with.

At the end of day, though, when you have a mission which is far greater and eclipses anything that anyone could possibly imagine, it actually becomes a very easy task because you’re left with the sole understanding that you have the human race and its existence in your hands. So you run with that bone.

Could tell us about how you first became involved in The Last Ship and about the audition process for the role of Rachel Scott.

RM: I didn’t audition; the role came to me thankfully and wonderfully as an offer. So when it came my way I did everything I could to clear a space in front of me to make sure that I could be part of it. It’s such an extraordinary project with such extraordinary people across the board from Michael Bay to TNT and writers, and then beyond that, there was just the chance to play this extraordinary character and woman who has this incredible task in front of her.

You really don’t see too many characters like this in either the television or film worlds, and I feel that there’s been so much in my life and my career that I have done that wonderfully led up to playing a role as balanced as this and having a dichotomy of physical as well as cerebral strength. So that’s why I wanted the part and I’ve been working very hard since to make sure that I’m doing my best to do well by her.

Is there a particular scene from the first two or three episodes that sticks out for you acting-wise and that you can talk a little bit about with us?

RM: There’s a point in the first episode, at least I think it’s the first episode: it’s a bit tricky because shot them completely out of synch. It’s a scene where the Russians have come and attacked Dr. Scott. They pull her out of the snow and she has to tell Captain Chandler basically the rouse is up. Scott has to divulge to him that she’s been harboring this information and keeping the knowledge from him and his whole ship that there’s a possibility that his whole family and those of his crew could have been infected by this virus.

We shot it once, and then it was rewritten and we had to do it again at 12:00 at night. It’s probably one of the most important scenes, I think, of the entire series. So it was a matter ofrelearning words and making sure that everything was on point and the balance of basically exposing this information about the fact that 80% of the world’s population had been infected by a virus. Getting the balance of that information across in the television world - especially as a woman, where I’m not Bruce Willis and I’m not an action hero - and making sure that that information was plausible while doing my close-up at probably around 1:00 in the morning after having already shot 15 hours in that day was a worry for me because I wanted to make sure that that scene was on point.

Thank goodness Eric Dane is a very old friend of mind and someone I’ve worked with before. The two of us worked very closely together in making sure we got that balance right, and hopefully we did.

What was it about the show that made you want to do it?

RM: I think the subject matter is incredibly poignant, and I think it’s something that needs to be discussed right now. Also, I very much wanted to work with Michael Bay as well as with my old friend Eric Dane again.

Did you do any research before taking on the role?

RM: I did a tremendous amount of research. In fact, I’m somewhat of a geek and this project as well as the subject matter was already of tremendous interest to me. I know a great deal about paleomicrobiology and virology, so this role came at the perfect time.

I like the fact that these characters aren’t all just a kind of one-note. Yours, in particular, has a lot of development even just in the first three episodes. Is that something that existed when you started with the part? Or is it something that developed as you were working with it?

RM: Gosh, thank you so much for saying that. It had to develop very much because of the nature of the first episode and the information that she was holding against the Navy, I suppose. Once that information implodes, there’s a great release of a human being that is allowed to unfold. I very much wanted to make sure that the human being just underneath my character’s skin was released and exposed with a chance to exchange some level of vulnerability with a view to working as a unified force.

I also wanted to make sure that the audience was accepting of my character and that she wasn’t just this sort of closed off, very guarded scientist who is keeping a great, dangerous treasure from her comrades - potential comrades – or the audience. So it was a conscious shift that I had to make to make sure that she was “warmed” by her presence on the ship and those around her.

We’re given hints about there being something unnatural about the virus. Not to get into it too much with spoilers or anything, but will we be learning more about that as the season progresses?

RM: Yes, absolutely. There’s all sorts of, I guess you could say intrigue going on. This particular virus is very much like a character in its own right and really should have its own number on the call sheet because of its “personality.” That’s true of the ship, too, because they both have such strong personalities, you know? We’ll see them unfold and exactly how other people have impacted the virus as well as exactly how it has taken hold of the planet in the way it has. That to me is one of the most intriguing parts of our show.

The level of trust between the captain, his first officer and your character of Dr. Scott isn’t quite there, so there’s a lot of room to develop that a little bit. What’s it like to play that kind of dynamic with these characters? Usually with stories such as this, everyone is immediately onboard with one another, so it’s nice to have a little tension for a change.

RM: It’s completely expected to have more than a little bit of tension when you’re dealing with the fate of the human race and two very steadfast, very different backgrounds, neither of which understands each other. Dr. Scott has limited information about or experience with US military. She’s worked within its confines, you know, but that’s about it. 

From a military standpoint, there is the motivation that the captain of a ship has to take care of his crew and carry out the mission they’ve been given. However, when he’s not made privy to a mission that is of far greater important than his own and one that a civilian woman and scientist is harboring, it’s hard to not think of that one person, in this case Dr. Scott, as being an albatross to his ship. So it’s about working around the challenge and convincing the captain along with his crew that you’re the dove and not the albatross. That’s a lovely dance that we play out and one with a single unified goal that cannot be about ego or government. It can’t be about what everyone has learned before and your credentials or stripes.

We have a totally new scenario that neither side could have comprehended, even though they’re intelligent people and this scenario is it’s a real possibility. So it’s about figuring out how to best become a joined force and, I suppose, shredding away or abandoning one’s ego in order to deal with the situation at hand. Again, that’s such a lovely dance to play out onscreen and in life, I think, for all of us, because at the end of the day we’re really just left with who we are as human beings in a skin and a shell. The rest of it is all for naught when you’re dealt a catastrophe like this. That’s a humbling place to be. So as this show moves on, the “armor” falls off if you like, and the people are exposed, which is what I find to be most enchanting.

What do you most hope that people will take away from watching The Last Ship?

RM; Well, it has human beings dealing with a situation of this magnitude and how they ultimately come together as a unified force. It really doesn’t matter whether you’re from a military or scientific background. In the end, what it boils down to is who you are as a human being and how you show up to the fight.

As noted above, photo copyright of TNT, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

Harold Perrineau, Tom Everett Scott, DJ Qualls, Michael Welch & Kellita Smith Join Syfy's Z Nation

Actor Harold Perrineau.

Syfy today unveiled the cast of Z Nation, an all-new zombie series set to debut in the fall.  From production company The Asylum (Sharknado), the 13-episode action-horror series depicts the epic struggle to save humanity after a zombie apocalypse.  Harold Perrineau (Oz, Lost) Tom Everett Scott (Southland, Beauty and the Beast), DJ Qualls (Supernatural), Michael Welch (Twilighttrilogy) and Kellita Smith (The Bernie Mac Show) have joined the ensemble drama, currently in production in Spokane, WA.

 

Actor Tom Everett Scott.

 

In Z Nation, three years have passed since the zombie virus has gutted the country, and a team of everyday heroes must transport the only known survivor of the plague from New York to California, where the last functioning viral lab waits for his blood. Although the antibodies he carries are the world’s last, best hope for a vaccine, he hides a dark secret that threatens them all. With humankind’s survival at stake, the ragtag band embarks on a journey of survival across three thousand miles of rusted-out post-apocalyptic America.

 

Actor DJ Qualls.

 

Perrineau will play Hammond, the leader of the group headed west; Scott portrays Garnett, Hammond’s second-in-command; and Qualls plays the role of Citizen Z, a computer hacker who joins the team and helps them navigate the zombie-infested terrain.  Welch and Smith are Mack and Addy, respectively, two disparate wanderers drawn to the team – and to each other – by a shared goal: survival.

 

Actor Michael Welch.

 

Rounding out the ensemble are Anastasia Baranova (The Darkness II) as Addy, Russell Hodgkinson (Big Fish) as Doc and Keith Allan (Rise of the Zombies) as Murphy.

 

Actress Kellita Smith.

 

Z Nation is a dynamic ensemble action-drama that will plunge viewers into a fully-imagined post-zombie America and take them on an adventure with a diverse group of richly-drawn characters. As the reluctant heroes learn to work as a team and battle ever-more-menacing zombies, their flaws, idiosyncrasies, and moral dilemmas will ultimately become the heart of the show.

 

Karl Schaefer (Eerie Indiana, Eureka, The Dead Zone) serves as executive producer and showrunner. Acclaimed action director John Hyams (Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning) will direct the pilot. The series is produced by The Asylum and sold internationally by Dynamic Television.

 

Lothaire Bluteau, Kevin Durand & Morgane Polanski Join Cast of HISTORY's Vikings

Actor Lothaire Bluteau.

The HISTORY Channel has announced new casting for season three of its hit scripted series Vikings, including Lothaire Bluteau (The Tudors) as Emperor Charles of France, a powerful man who views battling the Vikings as spiritual and earthly; Kevin Durand (The Strain) as The Wanderer, a mysterious man who is not what he seems; and Morgane Polanski (The Ghost) as Princess Gisla, the elegant, self-possessed daughter of Emperor Charles and his most trusted advisor. They join previously announced Ben Robson (Dracula: The Dark Prince) who will play Kalf, Lagertha’s trusted second in command.

Actor Kevin Durand.

Travis Fimmel (Warcraft) leads the stellar cast as Ragnar, along with Katheryn Winnick as Lagertha, an Earl and fierce shield maiden; Clive Standen as Rollo, Ragnar’s impulsive brother; Alexander Ludwig as Bjorn, the intelligent and bold warrior son of Ragnar; George Blagden as Athelstan, a young and not-so-innocent monk; Jessalyn Gilsig as Siggy, beautiful wife of the late Earl Haraldson; Linus Roache as Ecbert, King of Wessex, a man of strength, knowledge and undisguised ambition; Gustaf Skarsgard as Floki, a ship builder who designs the new generation of Vikings ships and Alyssa Sutherland as Princess Aslaug, Ragnar’s new wife.

Actress Morgane Polanski.

Vikings centers on Ragnar Lothbrok, a restless warrior and family man who longs to find and conquer new lands across the seas and claim the spoils as his own. The series portrays life in the Dark Ages, a world ruled by raiders and explorers, through the eyes of Viking society.

Vikings is created and written by Michael Hirst, one of the premier historical story-tellers in the industry (Academy-Award winning film Elizabeth; and the Emmy® and Golden Globe® nominated series The Tudors). Michael serves as Executive Producer along with Morgan O’Sullivan of World 2000 (The Count of Monte Cristo, The Tudors), Sheila Hockin (The Tudors, The Borgias), John Weber of Take 5 Productions (The Tudors, The Borgias), Sherry Marsh, Alan Gasmer and James Flynn (The Tudors, The Borgias). Dirk Hoogstra and Julian P. Hobbs are the Executives in Charge of Production for HISTORY.

Vikings is an international Irish/Canadian co-production being co-produced by World 2000 and Take 5 Productions. MGM Television brought the series to the network and brings VIKINGS to global audiences, serving as the worldwide distributor outside of Ireland and Canada. HISTORY broadcasts domestically in the U.S. Vikings is produced in association with Shaw Media, and the series also airs on HISTORY in Canada.

Continuum Sneak Peek - "The Dying Minutes" (Syfy US)

 Travis Verta (Roger Cross) and Sonya Valentine (Lexa Doig) in Continuum's "The Dying Minutes." Photo copyright of Syfy.

In The Dying Minutes, this week's pennultimate season three episode of Continuum, time is running out for Kiera (Rachel Nichols) and John Doe (Ryan Robbins), who must work together to put an end to the Freelancers. Check out the sneak peek below and then tune in for the entire episode on Friday, June 20th @ 10:00 p.m. EST/PST on Syfy.

 

Doctor Who - BBC Worldwide North America & Titan Comics Reveal the 12th Doctor Cover

New Doctor! New Beginning! Offering shocks, surprises, and timestream-shaking revelations, don’t miss your chance to get on board this amazing ongoing series!

BBC Worldwide North America and Titan Comics are pleased to reveal the first cover art and creator details for the all-new ongoing Doctor Who comic series starring the Twelfth Doctor (played by Peter Capaldi), which hits comic stores on October 1, 2014.

Eagle award-winning writer Robbie Morrison (Drowntown, The Authority, 2000AD, Nikolai Dante) and New York Times-bestselling artist Dave Taylor (Batman: Death by Design, 2000AD) dive headfirst into the TARDIS console room and spin the new Doctor off to his most challenging destination yet! 

As with the Tenth and Eleventh Doctor ranges, Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor #1 comes with a beautiful regular cover painted by Alice X. Zhang, plus five other variants - including a "100% rebel Time Lord" photo cover and Mariano Laclaustra penned picture of Clara (Jenna Coleman). With the amazing storyline and fantastic interior art under lock and key at the time of going to press ­keep an eye on doctorwho.tv,titan-comics.com  and the official BBC Doctor Who Facebook page for the official announcements! 

Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor is available to pre- order from comic stores today and will hit retailers on October 1.  Due to licensing restrictions, fans in the UK and Ireland can only purchase this comic digitally. Titan Comics' new Tenth and Eleventh Doctor ranges will hit comic book stores on July 23, and print or digital editions are available to pre-order now - for more information, visit  titan-comics.com .

COVER VARIANTS :

COVER A: REGULAR COVER: Alice X. Zhang (Diamond order code: JUL141438)

 

COVER B: PHOTO COVER SUBSCRIPTION INCENTIVE VARIANT (Diamond order code: JUL141439)

 

COVER C: BLANK SKETCH VARIANT (Diamond order code: JUL141440)

 

COVER D: MARIANO LACLAUSTRA COVER FREE 10 COPY VARIANT (Diamond order code: JUL141441)

 

COVER E: CLARA PHOTO COVER FREE 25 COPY VARIANT (Diamond order code: JUL141442)

 

COVER F: ALICE X. ZHANG ‘STARK’ COVER FREE 100 COPY VARIANT (Diamond order code: JUL141443 )

 

Adam Baldwin Q & A - The Last Ship

Adam Baldwin w/USS Oak Hill officers 05/21/2014 - Actor Adam Baldwin from the upcoming TNT action series The Last Ship stands with Cpt John Wade and Adm Scott Stearney on the bridge deck of the USS Oak Hill as it approaches Manhattan during the 2014 New York Fleet Week Parade of Ships. Photographer: Edward M. Pio Roda tm & © Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserve

Over the years, saving the day has, quite literally, become all in a day’s work for Adam Baldwin. Whether as USMC (United States Marine Corps)/special forces officer John Casey in the TV dramedy Chuck, or voicing the roles of Clark Kent/Superman in the DC Animated Universe movie Superman: Doomsday, and sometimes even being the reluctant hero as mercenary Jayne Cobb in the Sci-Fi TV series Firefly (and subsequent feature film Serenity), the veteran actor has been a fictional force of good on more than one occasion.

My Bodyguard, Full Metal Jacket, Independence Day and The Patriot are among Baldwin’s numerous other big screen credits, while his additional TV work includes roles in such series as CSI: Miami, Stargate SG-1, Day Break, Bones, Castle and Leverage.

Beginning on Sunday, June 22nd @ 9:00 pm EST/PST, Baldwin makes his debut as XO Mike Slattery, in the new TNT post-apocalyptic drama series The Last Ship, from producer/director Michael Bay. As the second-in-command of the Navy destroyer U.S.S. Nathan James – commanded by Captain Tom Chandler (Eric Dane), Slattery and his shipmates deal head-on with a global catastrophe. that wipes out most of the human race. Together, they must work with paleomicrobiologist Dr. Rachel Scott (Rhona Mitra) to find a cure for a virus that has wiped out most of the human race.

The talented and congenial Baldwin recently spoke with myself as well as other journalists about his involvement in The Last Ship and career in general. The following is an edited version of that Q&A. Enjoy!

What was it that first attracted you to the role on The Last Ship?

Adam Baldwin: It was a TNT production with Michael Bay at the helm. How could I say no? The chance to work aboard a Navy-guided missile destroyer is a chance of a lifetime. We’ve had the opportunity to go over the horizon on an embarkation to see that Arleigh Burke-class of destroyer in action, which is something I’ll never forget. It’s life altering.

As for my character of Mike Slattery, the relationship between him and the captain, played by Eric Dane is one of balance as well as a fine line. We had to thread this needle where you don’t want to be insubordinate and yet you need to be supportive as well as challenging of the decision-making processe. All that had to be done in a supporting role, and I’m very good at that.

Did you do a lot of research before filming began?

AB:The research materials that we were supplied were mainly the book Command at Sea by Captain James Stavridis and Vice Admiral Mack. It details how officers are to interact and also how to uplift the crew while still being in a fighting demeanor. It’s been very helpful with the language, the stature that you must bring to such a position, and the respect of command. So that’s been our main research and resource bible, if you will. Plus, the writers have done far more research than all of us put together. They’ve had a lot more time to do that, and we’ve also had technical advisors from the Navy to supervise and collaborate with us throughout the whole process.

What do you like most about Slattery as a character and what do you enjoy most about playing him, if there’s any difference between those two things?

AB: Well, the thing I like most about Slattery is his ability to balance Chandler’s decision-making process and to be a leader. I love the leadership role that an executive officer must bring to the command in this world. Also, we get an insight into his background and his family. Slattery loves God and country. He loves his family, too, and wants to restore order in civil society in this catastrophic scenario. So I loved the different levels and depths of a guy like that in a leadership position, plus you get to wear a really cool uniform (he says with a chuckle).

What’s interesting is the relationship between Slattery and Chandler. It kind of gets off to a rocky start and there seems to be a lot of room for both these characters to grow as they find each other a little bit.

AB: That’s true. Again, mine is a supportive role, and it goes both ways. The captain, obviously, has the final say and Slattery, being second in command, must respect that if he hopes to maintain discipline and order. It’s really a common sense benevolent dictatorship, if you will, onboard the ship. We have to keep certain ideals in mind, including common sense, integrity, enthusiasm and composure, as we’re going along.

It’s has to deal with managerial ability, too. You have to manage this crew of several hundred in an apocalyptic situation and Slattery and Chandler are able to strike a balance with that. while Slattery is still able to challenge him, not in an insubordinate way, but in a man-to-man way within the command structure of the Navy.

Hey, loved you in Chuck and I was curious -- is there any John Casey in Mike Slattery?

AB:There will be an opportunity where, I believe, you’ll see in one of the episodes that Slattery does get to go out into the field. So sure, there’s a little bit, but I think there’s a little John Casey in all of us, don’t you?

What do you think, in your opinion, are the biggest selling points for The Last Ship?

AB: The biggest selling points for The Last Ship start with the United States Navy and its structure of goodness, power, discipline and civil order. These are the things that break down when you have an apocalyptic event such as we portray, and I think the honor and respect that we show to the U.S. Navy as well as to the other armed services is a huge selling point. I think there’s a huge appetite for that around the world. These are men and women that put their lives on the line and sacrifice years away from their families and loved ones to basically allow you, me and the rest of us to make TV shows about it. So we try to portray that as best we can.

Also, Eric Dane is a powerful, powerful captain as our lead. It’s always important to have someone in the leading role who is a kind and stern and reliable leading man. Rhona Mitra is a powerful and strong, beautiful leading lady as well, and I am just happy to be along for the ride to help support those guys and make this show exciting, scary and sexy.

Given the vast array of projects you’ve worked on and characters you’ve played so far in your career, how do you decide when you want to work on a specific project, and where do you plan on going in the future?

AB: My good friend Nathan Fillion, who’s the star of Castle over on another network, recently said, “I don’t so much as choose the jobs. They choose me.” That still holds true for me, too. I can say, “No,” to meeting with someone about a particular TV show or movie, but The Last Ship was something that just jumped out at me. This is one of those things that you’d almost do for free, although that would make my wife uncomfortable (he jokes).

As far as where do I see myself going in the future? I don’t know. I’ve been blessed to have been working steadily for 35 or so years, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have fun on-camera and work with wonderful, talented people. The one thing I learned from Stanley Kubrick when I worked on Full Metal Jacket many years ago was to be patient and appreciate the work that you’re doing at the moment. People ask me, “What’s your favorite project that you’ve ever worked on?” Well, I have a few mile-markers, but my favorite is the one I’m currently working on, which is The Last Ship. So I appreciate it in the here and now.

I’d love to know more about what it was like filming on the Navy carrier and any other locations that you guys may have filmed at and what it’s like doing all the action sequences.

AB: We filmed mostly aboard the Navy-guided missile destroyer the USS Halsey during the pilot, and then switched over to the Dewey for the run of the series. We also had some stages built at a local studio.

I can only speak for myself, but for the most part when we were aboard the ship, I felt that I was in the way of an operating Navy ship. So I’d try to stand aside as much as I could unless I was granted the room to actually be on-camera while we were filming a scene. Although the captain and his crew were excited and loved having us onboard, it’s a functioning Navy ship that has business to take care of. Taking that into account, I just wanted to respect where I was standing. So that’s the way I approached it, and the (film) crew did as well. I’m just trying to personalize it as much as I can. It was exciting. We got to see guns fired while the ship was on maneuvers out across the horizon. All I can say is I’m glad they’re on our side after seeing what I’ve seen.

Being a husband and father in real life, how is it to play a father and husband on the show and someone who can’t get to his loved ones?

AB: Well, there are desperate moments and yet, as any solider/sailor/airman/marine knows when they’re deployed, they are responsible to the crew that is under their command. With Slattery, his wife and children are out there and he wants to get back to them, obviously, but first things first.So there’s that inner conflict that he along with everyone onboard has to deal with. Do we stay or go? Do we go back on land and run home to our families? If we do that, will we then get struck down by the virus? What do we do? The higher purpose has to come into play, though, and we’re all torn and yet know what our mission is.

You’ve been in lots of different series where you play the burly, hunky agent or a lieutenant, colonel, second-in-command, etc. Do you ever feel typecast and do you enjoy playing these types of characters like Slattery?

AB: You have to remember that the root of typecast is “cast.” It’s all work, and I can’t deny my physicality. I am 6’4”. I am 245. I’m just a large guy, so those types of roles naturally fall to, I guess, just my overall appearance. So I don’t ever run away from them. Would I like to play a softer, gentler, kinder Adam Baldwin? Sure I would, but in the meantime, I’m having fun kicking ass.

I’ve noticed that you do tend to do a lot of Sci-Fi roles. Do you find that you yourself might be gravitating towards that or do you enjoy those kinds of roles?

AB: I definitely enjoy those kinds of roles. I first fell into that in a big way when The X-Files came along, and that led directly into Firefly. Both those shows exploded. Obviously X Files was already huge, but Firefly exploded into the Sci-Fi world. While it didn’t last very long on television, it’s still very popular 12 years later.

What’s interesting to me about working in Sci-Fi or in these big films is that you can find the humanity while still in this extraordinary world. I find that the drama of someone’s life can be brought to bear while still having fun and chewing popcorn. I like that. Those are the kind of movies I grew up with, although more Westerns and “shoot-um-ups” as that my dad called them -- the Dirty Harry’s, the Wild Punch’s, The Good, Bad, and the Ugly’s -- movies like that. I just love the individual siding against the odds, and that’s what The Last Ship brings you. You have a crew of individuals that must come together to fight against a common foe through teamwork.

What’s been your favorite part overall about the experience so far on The Last Ship?

AB: There are so many. My favorite part is my friendship with Eric Dane. We’ve become fast friends as well as colleagues and we trust each other, which is so important when you’re working on a project of this long term nature. A captain and the second-in-command need a good working relationship, and because Eric is such a cool dude – and so am I - it worked out great. So that’s my favorite, that relationship.

As for the overall experience – and I think Eric would probably echo this – it’s the opportunity we’ve had to walk onboard these ships in and amongst real sailors and have them welcome us and show us their surroundings, from the engine room on up to the bridge, and for them to trust us. To be trusted by the Navy with depicting their branch of the service in an honorable way while still finding the flaws in human nature, which makes drama interesting over time, is a chance of a lifetime. I don’t know if that answers you question, but those are just my visceral reactions.

Adam, did you always want to work in this industry while you were growing up, or did you have other professions in mind?

AB: Well, when I was young I was a hockey player and I was a pretty good one because I was big and strong and fast and skated a lot since I was maybe 3 or 4 years old. Then, however, along came a bit of a family problem that short-circuited my going to hockey camp when my buddies would go to hockey camp. So when they came back after two summers of hockey camp in Canada, I couldn’t really compete with them at the highest level I wanted to, so I had to find another group to hang with.

The theater department where I grew up was very well-organized and had great teachers. It was well-funded and what I love so much about the theater is that you have this welcoming home for “misfits.” You have tall, short, fat, skinny, straight, gay, black, white, square, round, etc. -- all these different pegs go into a theater and all you’re trying to do is make each other laugh. So from a young age, I got to meet this diverse culture of people and, again, all we were trying to do is make each other laugh. I think that’s such a valuable thing for kids and I’m sad to see schools lose their budgets that they can’t afford that. Music is so important, too. My kids do music and I did theater, so it’s been such a blessing for me and I just feel very lucky.

Dominion Sneak Peek - Series Premiere (Syfy US)

DOMINION -- Season:1 -- Pictured: (back l-r) Shivani Ghai as Arika, Anthony Stewart Head as Senator David Whele, Rosalind Halstead as Senator Becca Thorn, Alan Dale as General Riesen, Carl Beukes as Archangel Gabriel; (front l-r) Luke Allen-Gale as William Whele, Roxanne McKee as Claire Riesen, Christopher Egan as Alex Lannon; (center top) Tom Wisdom as Archangel Michael -- (Photo by: Gavin Bond/Syfy)

War is coming and humans face extinction. Check out the sneak peek below and then be sure to watch the series premiere of Dominion this Thursday, June 19th at 9:00 p.m. EST/8:00 p.m. CT on Syfy (US).

Defiance Sneak Peek - "The Opposite of Hallelujah" (Syfy US)

DEFIANCE -- Season:2 -- Pictured: (l-r) Tony Curran as Datak Tarr, Julie Benz as Amanda Rosewater, Jaime Murray as Stahma Tarr, Stephanie Leonidas as Irisa, Jesse Rath as Alak Tarr, Graham Greene as Rafe McCawley, Grant Bowler as Joshua Nolan -- (Photo by: Joe Pugliese/Syfy)

Dive into new Defiance with an exclusive look below at the season two premiere, The Opposite of Hallelujah, airing Thursday, June 19th @ 8:00 p.m. EST/7:00 p.m. CT on Syfy (US).