Cas Anvar – The Expanse

By starrymag | April 18, 2018

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working?

A) I have just finished a really awesome feature film that was created and directed and written by Veena Sud. She is the creator of “Seven Seconds” on Netflix and this feature film. It’s a very intense thriller with racial tension as well. It’s a great movie I got to do with Peter Sarsgaard. Before that, I did the grand finale of “Star Trek Continues.” It just finished it’s tenth and eleventh episode where I played a Vulcan.

Q) What is new this season on “The Expanse” and with Alex Kamal?

A) The show is taking a whole new turn with the entire system going to war. Earth, Mars and the Belt are now going at each other’s throats. We introduced a few new interesting characters with David Strathairn and Elizabeth Mitchell, who are playing Anna and The Belter Captain. We also meet some new guest stars who are playing journalist Monica Cohen and another character, which I can’t mention yet because it hasn’t appeared on camera yet. We are all put into the situation where our somewhat peaceful system is now in the middle of an all-out war, so everything changes – the landscape changes and everyone has to pick a side. Our team is conspicuously natural as we’re all mixed – Earthers, Martians and Belters. We’re a very unique self-governing nation on our ship.

Q) What has continued to challenge you about your role?

A) He’s grown a lot in the past three seasons. He’s gone from what he saw was a glorified bus driver and kind of a failure as his role as a husband and as a father – and even as a Martian! He really didn’t know what he was doing with his life and where he fit in. And in Season 2 he kind of figured out that this was where he was meant to be. He is meant to be a fighter pilot and his new family is his real family. He comes to terms with it in Season 3. You get to see him grow and see him deal with these epiphanies and failures.

Q) How do you get into character?

A) I don’t know. He’s kind of a lot like me. [laughs] I just kind of take a look at the situation and figure out how he would react and what I would do. There are a few things that he and I differ in, but mainly I really do identify a lot with the character in some ways. He’s very laid back, he’s very much a wise cracker and he likes to joke. He doesn’t get involved very much unless it’s absolutely essential. He stays quiet pretty much unless there is a real ho-down going on and he needs to get mixed in on it. Then, I just prep on my own at home and then we have nice rehearsals on the weekend with the group. I get to try out the stuff I’ve been working on and see if it works. If it works, we keep it and if it doesn’t we toss it into the circular.

Q) What are some of your favorite and least favorite aspects to Kamal?

A) Alex is a real down to Earth grass roots kind of guy.

Q) Down to Earth for a Martian!

A) [laughs] He’s a real down to Mars kind of guy! He’s grounded, rooted and has a great sense of humor. His Southern-Martian witticism always pop out when there are stressful things to deal with. I like his sense of humor and his perspective on the world. He doesn’t like to take life too seriously. He likes to have fun and he likes to laugh. But he really loves having that family that are his new shipmates.

Q) It’s great to see such a unification of different races, especially with the state of politics in the real world these days.

A) Yes, totally!

Q) Is there is someone you haven’t worked with much or at all that you would love to share a scene with?

A) I think I have worked with pretty much everybody. Especially in Season 3, I get to work with people I haven’t gotten to work with before. I got to work with Thomas Jane in Season 2 and even a little bit in Season 1. In Season 3, I get to work with some of the others that I hadn’t touched base with. The only person I haven’t had a chance to work with yet (and I don’t know if we’ll get to) is Shawn Doyle who plays Errinwright. I love his character and I love his performance. I’d love to be able to have a scene with him, but I can’t see a reason why Errinwright and Alex would ever have a scene together.

Q) What have been some of your most memorable behind the scenes moments from filming “The Expanse” this season?

A) There is always fun stuff going on. Wes Chatham is a wise cracker and a trouble maker. He likes to play practical jokes so we’re always keeping an eye on him. He’s always trying to make you laugh so you’ll screw up on camera. One of the funniest things I remember is that he sometimes forgets whose closeup it is and he’ll be pulling a prank and trying to make you laugh. He did this to Steven [Strait] and Steven is kind of looking at him funny because he’s making all these goofy faces and stuff. At the end of the shot, Stephen was like, “Dude! What are you doing, man? The camera was on you!” Wes just went, “Oh man! Busted!” That was a great blooper reel and those kinds of fun things happen.

Q) Will we be finding out some other recipes that are in the Kamal cookbook?

A) [laughs] Oh, I think we’ve got some good home cooked recipes. I think Season Three will have some. There will be some food to be had. I’m not going to spoil it in advance. There will be some new delicacies that will be making an appearance.

Q) What do you think it is about the show that has made it such a fan favorite?

A) I think it has a lot of things going for it. The source materials, the novels, are best-selling and Hugo nominated novels. The stories are amazing. We really pay attention to science and making it realistic. Also, we have great artisans on many levels – from the writers to the producers to the actors and the designers. We have an amazing cast with great attitudes. Everyone loves the project – which is a big thing by the way! The love of the project is palpable amongst everybody. So, I think that all adds up to great chemistry on screen, a great story and a great ride for the audience.

Q) What have you taken away personally from working on “The Expanse?”

A) I have learned a lot about Science and I’ve grown as an actor as well because of the people I get to work with. They are excellent actors and as a result they push me to be better and I’ve tried to push them. Knowledge-based wise I’ve learned so much about Science that it is awesome. So, I’m very grateful for that. I’m a huge Science geek and I like learning.

Q) What do you do in your spare time to relax after long days on set?

A) [laughs] There are some very long days on set. I’ll watch some Netflix. If I’m in LA, I’ll go play paintball. I video game a lot on set. That’s about it. I’ll hit the gym if I have time. When I do have down time, I’ll go visit my family and spend time with my parents.

Q) What advice would you give up and coming actors and actresses?

A) First off, I’ll say don’t. But if it’s the only thing you can do and the only thing that wakes you up in the morning and puts you to bed at night, then I’ll say don’t let anyone define. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can and can’t do, especially in this day and age. Boundaries are coming down and typecasting is growing and evolving in different ways so don’t allow anyone to sell you short.

Q) Is there anything else you want to be sure we share with our readers about this season of “The Expanse?”

A) Well, I will tell you that Episode One just aired and it came off like dynamite. It just gets better and better. The season escalates and there is a big climax at the end. It’s just going to blow your mind! What happens at the end is spectacular and Season 3 seems to be coming in hot. We’re number one on iTunes right now as the number one advanced pre-sale download for television, which is exciting and thrilling. I just can’t wait to see how this season unfolds! I can’t wait to hear what the fans think!

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of you and your work?

A) Thank you! I would say thank you so much for your generous, voluminous support. I genuinely feed off the feedback that I get from you guys. When I do something as Alex and I kind of think it’s kind of cool and a kind of a fun idea, then I hear back from fans and people who actually noticed it, observed it and appreciated it – it feeds me! That’s how most performing artists work. It’s never a monologue, it’s always a duo. It’s the actor/the performer and the audience. The performance isn’t over until the audience has experienced it as they are 50% of the interaction. So, getting the feedback is critical in terms of how I grow as an artist.