Aaron Hill – Supernatural

By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) What are the recent projects that they are working on?

A) I took some time off because my daughter is just four months old so I am a new dad. We had some complications during the pregnancy so my wife had to be on bed rest for six months. I made myself available to help out with whatever I could as much as possible. She’s back it now and so am I. I did a movie recently with Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie and Joseph Gordon-Levitt right before we found out we were pregnant. That comes out in November and it is called The Night Before. A couple other features I did should be seeing the light of day this year some time. Next week, I’ll be guest starring on the new show “Baskets” with Zach Galifianakis. So, I’m getting back out there! “Supernatural” is one of the first auditions I took after Scarlet was born.

Q) How was your character Mike originally described to you?

A) I think the breakdown was something to the effect that he was a new dad scared for his life dealing with something he doesn’t know about. It was fairly vague except for the new dad part and I was like, “Sign me up.”

Q) What made you want to be a part of the show?

A) For me, anything sci-fi…Not until I did it did I realize how crazy fans were for a show like this. They fall in love with and follow them to conventions and stuff like that. It’s cool to be welcomed into a part of that family of people who are still really in love with it and are obsessed with it still after eleven seasons. Also, it films in Vancouver and I had a chance to go there for the first time a few years ago and I really loved it. So, the chance to go up there and to work on a long running show that the fans still love after all these years are two of the main reasons.

Q) What was it like for you entering a cast that has worked together so long and have become so well bonded?

A) They are very welcoming. I think through the years there is some crew that is the same and I mostly worked with Jared [Padalecki] and Jensen [Ackles]. I think they realize how blessed they have been to be a part of something so large and for so long. They are still very down to earth, cool dudes. It was a lot of fun to jump right in and never felt out of place for a second.

Q) How was it being a new dad playing a new dad?

A) That was a little bit odd. The only downside to me doing the show was that my baby girl was only six weeks old at the time and I had to leave to go do it. I have never experienced that kind of emotion before. I’m on the plane getting ready to leave and I never missed anything so much that my body almost hurt. Other than the fact that she and my wife couldn’t be up there with me, it was a little odd playing with other babies that were not my own when I was missing my own so bad.

Q) What were some of your most memorable moments from filming “Supernatural?”

A) I have been doing this a long time, but I still feel like a kid when it comes to things like prosthetics and blood. It’s fun! It’s like a big kid dress up and I enjoyed getting to see all the effects they used. It’s cool to see how all the CG stuff comes into play.

Q) What was the fan feedback like for you when your episode aired?

A) I think it was pretty well received. A lot of fans of mine from some of my previous work messaged me saying they wished he wouldn’t have met his demise in the episode. I think anyone who has ever watched “Supernatural” knows death isn’t always a death sentence. I’ll be interested in seeing where they take the rest of the season.

Q) You are still very recognized from your work on the show “Greek.” How does that make you feel?

A) It’s awesome! People always ask me if it ever gets weird or ever gets old that people come up to me and say, “I love you for this or this.” No, I don’t think anyone who is passionate about their work (whatever they do) get tired of someone else say that they admired or appreciated the work that they have done. “Greek” was something so special to me and the rest of the cast. We were very fortunate to get to be a part of something and our fans are awesome. Some of us are still keeping our fingers crossed that we may get a reunion at some point. If the fans want a reunion, they should keep voicing it loud and clear that it is something they are interested in. As far as I know, everyone in our cast would be on board to something happening.

Q) Who do you keep in touch with from the show?

A) We used to run into each other at various different auditions. I think I was the first one of the crew to turn into an old man, get married and have a kid. So, while all of those guys were doing the young single life I was off being an old geezer. We do still stay in touch. I do text to congratulate the guys and girls on their new work and their success. When we run into each other we catch up and it is like no time has ever passed.

Q) What does it mean to you to now be a part of such strong and welcoming fandom like “Supernatural?”

A) It’s great! I got to talk to Jared and Jensen a little bit while we were on set and they have such a huge fanbase. I think the fanbase is what they attribute to the success of the show. You don’t get eleven years out of a show if you don’t have some of the best fans out there, that’s for sure. I think it is great with my small part and I’m able to say I am a part of the group now. I welcome the chance to come back at some point if the storyline makes it possible.

Q) Is there anything else you want to be sure we share with fans that they might not know about your episode?

A) The veins and vein work were a combination of things. Part of it was a series of grids of dots on my neck so that visual effects could create digital versions. Towards the end with the transformation, they used some practical appliances that the special effects team applied, airbrushed and added in. I love being able to still trust the old school technique and not all the CG work. A cool little Easter Egg from the episode was that my daughter was actually triplets. With SAG rules, babies that young can only be on set for a minuscule amount of time. So, they have to have more options. I would definitely say that my time as a new dad helped that because when ever they would get fussy I was able to calm them down myself without having to have the mom come in. That was a plus to the job.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) I would say thank you so much to the people who have followed me and watched me from project to project and reach out to me on Twitter and stuff. I’m going to keep doing the best work that I can and as much as I can. Their support means a lot. If I don’t always get back to you on social media, please cut me some slack because I’m barely sleeping!