Eric Ladin – SIX

By starrymag | June 4, 2018

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

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

 

A) I just finished an arc on a show called “Shooter.” It’s a USA Network show in its third season. It was a departure from my character on “SIX.” It also kept me in LA with my family, which is was wonderful. It is a really well thought out and well written show by a showrunner who I’m a big fan of named John Hlavin. I got to play a really different role as the son of an actor named Gerald McRaney. I also did a movie when I was on hiatus from “SIX” called The Painter, which is a really cool indie film. He’s a very kind of introverted painter. It’s kind of a story an interesting story about two lost souls that are very unlikely match, but they find each other and help one another through a very difficult time. It kind of has a cool, dark twist at the end.

 

Q) We’ll be seeing you as Trevor on the series “SIX.” How was your character originally described to you?

 

A) Trevor is interesting because I got this amazing audition material, but there was not a big description of the character. So, I think it allowed me to kind of make a choice, which was nice, with how I wanted to handle him. When I got the job, I had some conversations with David Broyles and Bruce McKenna. We kind of talked more in depth about who Trevor is and why they felt they needed a character like this on the show – somebody who can bring some levity to this group. For fans of “SIX,” it’s a heavy show and I think a lot of these guys are written with a ton of baggage, which is not a bad thing. It’s a great thing and it’s dramatic, which is awesome. I think Trevor tends to bring a really good amount of levity to the show, which I think is welcome. Also, he brings a contrarian view, which I think was important – something to kind of get a discussion going about two different view points that these guys often share. Especially this season, you’ll watch Bear (Barry Sloane) and Buddha (Juan Pablo Raba)’s characters go in two different directions. Trevor is spending a lot of the time maybe throwing some wrenches in both of their plans, but I think in the end we realize he’s doing it for a reason.

 

Q) Was there anything you added to him to that wasn’t originally scripted for you?

 

A) I think the overall energy. As actors (especially having done this now for a while), I think what I try to do is separate myself from the pack. So many people are going to read these auditions and we all have the same audition scenes when we go in to read for the parts. Especially as a young actor you try to give them what they want because that’s what you believe will get the job as opposed to kind of being truthful to what you read and how you, as an actor, kind of see this character and what you would want to do should you be on the show with this character. So, I think I did that. Trevor is a guy who, in my opinion, tells the truth and he might be the only one on the show that tells the truth. These are guys who have been together for a long time and when a group of guys have been together for a long time a lot of them might not see things from the same view point as someone who comes in. I think Trevor offers that and he’s not scared to say it. He’s not scared to hurt people’s feelings and say things that maybe otherwise be offensive to the guys. I think that’s something I really loved and appreciated and wanted to make sure I brought to the character.

 

Q) What did you find challenging about the role?

 

A) I think it’s always a challenge. First of all, TV is a challenge because you tend to (for writers and actors) we’re playing a character for ten hours a season and sometimes thirteen hours a season (depending on the season). If you go see a movie, you’re showing character for two and a half hours. So, you’re constantly trying to find different sides of a character and new truths to a character to allow the audience to see something different. Where the writers of this series have written eight hours of certain characters, there was an opportunity to bring in two new characters – the ones played by Olivia Munn and mine – and figure out who they were. They had a clear point and objective of what they wanted out of her character and Olivia brought her view point to it, which was excellent. I think they weren’t as sure about what they wanted from Trevor. It was challenging, but also gratifying to work with the writers throughout the season to try and figure out who Trevor was together. I’m fortunate to have been able to come in on a show like this because the writers were extremely open to me and my ideas and what I had in mind. I think that’s why Trevor this season you won’t see so much of him. You got introduced to him in the season premiere more than you might have wanted to, but as the season goes you’ll see the work that the writers and I have done. You’ll see Trevor progress and the character evolve. You’ll see all the work we did to try and figure out it out and hopefully you’ll see more in Season 3.

 

Q) Was there anyone you didn’t get to work with that you were hoping to have some scenes with?

 

A) I get to work with everybody this season. I don’t get to spend much time with Niko, none of us do. Niko [Nikolaeff], plays the prince so, unfortunately, we didn’t get to do a lot together. He’s not only a lovely person, but a talented individual. Hopefully, that will change and we’ll get to work together more in the future.

 

Q) How did you prepare for the stunt work of the season?

 

A) The guys got a lot more preparation than I did, being that I was new. I got this job about three or four days before I had to report to Vancouver for training. Fortunately, I keep myself in pretty good shape. I box four or five times a week and run pretty regularly. So, I was in pretty good shape. There is no doubt, I wish I had a little bit more time to prepare like the other guys did.

 

Q) Are the guys as close off screen as they are on screen?

 

A) Not really. I don’t really like any of them. [laughs] No, we are. This is an extremely tight-nit group. It’s difficult for us to be away from our families when we shoot on location, but one of those things that it does do is breed a sense of comradery and chemistry. It’s not all rainbows and unicorns. We get into it with each other, but it also is kind of truthful and indicative of the work that we’re doing. I think it shows up on screen. I think that’s one of the reason why it sets our shows apart from others.

 

Q) What do you think it is about “SIX” that has made it such a fan favorite series?

 

A) It’s a collaboration of many different things. I don’t think you can pinpoint one. I think that being a show that has an incredible group of writers that allows us to push the envelope as actors and actors willing to do the same – that kind of starts at the top. Then, all the crew is insanely talented. From the top down, our production design is talented. Our location scouts and the people who are building our sets and the costumers, makeup artists and hair stylists…This is a collaboration and I think unless all of those things are coming together, and everybody has a common goal and willing to put everything into it then you won’t necessarily get the product that we’re putting out there. Fortunately, we’re on a network that allows us to have that sort of budget to be able to do that sort of thing and tell the story that we want to tell.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Are you looking forward to the instant fan feedback you’ll receive to your role on the show?

 

A) I have a love/hate relationship with social media. I do. An actor is lying if he says he doesn’t like to get recognition from fans and peers a like. Of course, we first of all love our fans because they are the reason we’re on television and doing what we’re doing. If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t have our jobs. So, it’s always really gratifying to get the interaction from the fans, but most importantly the positive interaction. We’re happy that our fans are as energetic about the show as we are, but most importantly that they love it and they are happy with the work that we’ve done.

 

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

 

A) I would say keep watching. If you’re a fan of mine and you haven’t seen enough of Trevor as you would have liked, I would have said watch because he evolves over the course of the season and becomes a very instrumental part of the show. If you’re a fan of “SIX” from the past, I think you’re going to be really, really blown away with the steps we take this season from every aspect of the show. It’s a really fantastic season and you get two extra episodes. There is a lot more action and we push the envelope, for sure, this season. So, I don’t think anybody is going to be disappointed when it comes to an end – other than the season is over.