Hercules Forum: Our meeting with Kevin Sorbo in Hamburg

Courtesy of KevFriend, who gave me permission to post this from her website.

http://home.t-online.de/home/kevfriend/hanne.htm

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Made by Hannelore 19th of July 2001
Transcription by Leo (may Kevin forgive me, if I didn`t match his words perfectly!!)

Hannelore: Kevin, congratulations for `Andromeda`s` success as the No 1 original show in syndication!

Kevin: (interrupt...) NO 1 SHOW!!!

H: Why do you think the show is so popular?

K: ME!!! (laughts) I think there are two reasons initially! Because of the success of `Hercules` people followed me over and because of Gene Roddenberry`s name. People love Star Trek and they love Gene Roddenberry.They came over because of curiosity. So , this is why they hired me for this part. We stayed No 1 throughout and stayed No 1 because of the rest of the cast ; the special effects; the writing; the storyline... I mean for me as an actor it`s still a hero, but it`s a good thing to play something different, you know. I lost 12 kg of weight... I cut my hair... I`m a whole diffent guy . I needed to do something different than `Hercules`.

H: What makes `Andromeda` different from other Gene Roddenberry shows ?

K: I MAKE IT DIFFERENT!!! ( laughter again) I think this show is gonna be mostly compared to the original Star Trek. What makes the original Star Trek so good , was the relationship of the characters. I think other Gene Roddenberry shows have gone boring. It`s too much talking, too much visual effects ..., not doing anything. This show has very good visual effects , but also the relationship between the characters, the drama , the conflict, the humor, the fun... I still bring some of Kevin Sorbo to every role that I play, so as I did on `Hercules`. I still do adlibbing. If I find a place to put in humor...I put it in! I told them before I started the show, that this is what I do ! If you don`t like it , then Bye-Bye... because this is what I do. I think it`s fun for the audiance as well to have humor in there.

H: We have already seen some episodes of `Andromeda`: The characters are complicated and often at odds with eachother. There `s the feeling, that if Dylan cannot bring these people together, he doesn`t have much of a chance to bring back the commonwealth. What do you think Dylan has to do to unify his crew?

K: What do I have to do to unify my crew?? GET A NEW CREW !!!..... I think, that`s what makes the show so interesting. That you have this... everybody has his own agenda... for it makes it interesting to see so many different ideas of what you know. Dylan wants to restore the commonwealth, that`s what he wants to do. What else can you do.... He lost 300 years of his life. He has left nothing else there, so his prime directive is to restore it...., he believes in what he`s doing! He believes in bringing basicly democracy to the world and between the evil that`s out there. The crew is difficult for him, obviously with Tyr. He can`t trust what everybody`s doing. The best thing Dylan can do , is lead by example.

H: Why did the role of Dylan Hunt appeal to you?

K: Basicly, because I`m a huge Gene Roddenberry fan, that was the No 1 reason I was interested in the show. Another reason to play Dylan Hunt was because I still like to play the hero role. Wanting at least to be a hero; to show , that good will survive over evil. You know, the world seems to be becoming a darker and more evil place all the time. What`s in the Middle East, what`s happening in America , what`s happening everywhere....and I think kids need rolemodels and unfortunately actors , entertainers and athlets in America are becoming less and less of a rolemodel! I think it`s unfortunate. We ARE rolemodels, weather we want to be or not! I`m very lucky, to be associated with a show like `Hercules`and then move on with a show like this. For an actor to get two big hit TV-Shows back to back , that`s very rare!!

H: What`s the difference between your part in `Hercules` and your part as Dylan Hunt ?

K: I`M LEANER AND I GOT SHORTER HAIR !!! (isn`t that laughter again??) Well , you know, Dylan Hunt obviously is human. He is a mortal, not immortal. From an actors standpoint Dylan`s the far more interesting character to play. `Hercules`was fun, but it was more of a comic book; it was more just fun adventure and fantasy. This is something that could be real. We don`t know what the future is gonna be like. From that standpoint also as being an actor you try to play a character that has more conflict and drama... , more problems to overcome. I think , people will be able to like him more, to understand his problems. People have lost loved ones in their lives, so here is a character that has lost all of his loved ones, 300 years in the future. People can relate to the pain and the suffering he`s going through. „The Banks of The Lethe“ was able to show everything that he`s feeling.

H: What are your next future plans concerned movies ...or so? Maybe an „Andromeda“ movie?

K: Oh, an „Andromeda“ movie may happen`, that`s certainly what the studios want. They want to follow what „Star Trek“ and „TNG“ did. When that will happen, I don`t know! But I will be doing something in January or February 2002; I´m shooting a film, but I´m not in the liberty to speak reign. I`m looking at three different things right now. Two of them are action, one is a romantic comedy. I want to do the romantic comedy!

H: We have seen Sam in „The Banks of the Lethe“. Will she appear on `Andromeda` again?

K: She is in episode..., well I don`t know, `cause we shot way out of order, but she`ll be in season two. She`s coming back. We already shot it, so she`s already in it !

H. How many seasons are you planning to play Dylan Hunt...?

K: Well, my contract is for five years , but television is always a very tricky business, I mean, you could be cancelled tomorrow. We`re in the envyable position to be No 1 . Very shortly they`re gonna announce , that they`ve picked up season 3 and 4. That should happen the next few months. I`m on five year contract, they got me to sighn for 4 or 5 years. The other actors are sighned for 2 years and from then on just 1 year, `cause they don`t know,, what they want to do with each character. Some characters might go, as of now they`re all still there season two. I know there`s talk, adding another woman to the cast, a love interest for Dylan Hunt. So, that may happen. I told them , it`s about time to get laid!! I said, it`s only fair if Dylan gets a little action..., I mean, Captain Kirk could have sex all the time!!

H. Have you any influences on the scripts?

K: Oh yeah! When Robert Hewitt Wolfe was hired , I`ve talked with him „You have to be ready , that I change dialogs!“. I did it on `Hercules`..., I do it on the show, too,...and I still do. The only other actor that switches dialogs as much as I do ...and probably more...is Gordon Michael Woolvett, who plays Harper. He changes a lot. I agree with the writers to give him free reign of that. He`s very good at it. Keith Hamilton Cobb is changing too, he gets more in season two. Hopefully we`re gonna make his character a little more compatible, which I think is important to the show. Otherwise we will be boring to the people.

H: Does Dylan ever get a new fiance or wife?

K: He`s gonna have a new love interest, but I don`t know when and where that`s gonna be. I know , when we go back to shooting in September, that I will meet somebody. If that will be the woman they bring in for the future episodes ,...I don`t know. I already met somebody in an episode we shot earlier this year, which is a great episode. It`s our version of the gun fight at the OK CORALL.

H: What is the difference between Dylan and Cap. Kirk?

K: I`m a lot TALLER than he is and I`m a lot SEXIER than he is!!!I think the characters are similar in some ways. They`re both are heroes; they`re both pro active guys, ...they don`t wait for things to happen, they try to anticipate what`s gonna happen and solve that problem ahead of time. I think , Dylan is less military, he`s more of a real person ....more of a regular guy. In a fistfight, Dylan is the tougher guy. When push comes to shove, he`s gonna get his way.

H: We`ve read, that Bruce Campbell and Michael Hurst will be gueststars on `Andromeda`! Will Kevin Smith appear on the show, too?

K: I don`t know about that yet! The studios in particular wanted to have Bruce Campbell and Michael Hurst. They know how big a part they were to `Hercules`. Kevin Smith was a huge part of `Hercules`too, that hasn`t been brought up here. I know, Kevin would like to come and do it. Michael Hurst is coming some time in October. Bruce Campbell is planning out of scedule, because he`s promoting a new book right now, but Bruce will be coming.He was supposed to be there...episode 9 or 10 this year..., but he couldn`t make it. But he will coming up. Both guys play characters, that were specificly written for the way they are. Michael will be way over the top and Bruce will be a sarcastic guy.

H: Is there a chance to see you at a convention here in Europe? You know , you have a lot of fans here, who really would like to see you!

K: Yes , I know!! I know there`s one in Berlin... and a big one in England, but I don`t have time for that one. But I would like to come over here and do some! Definitly and eventually I WILL!!!

H: Thank you very much for this great interview, Kevin, and all the best for you, Sam and the show!!

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Great interview! It sounds like they had a great time!

Shhh,
Whisper

Our meeting with Kevin Sorbo in Hamburg

Danke schon, Kevfriend!

Thanks, {{KevFriend}}

Way to go KF!!!

Good GRIEF!

and KF

great photos!

Hiya Susan

Read the interview now!

KevFriend, what preceeded....

NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!