Hartley Sawyer – The Flash

By starrymag | November 20, 2018

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

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

 

A) Season five of “The Flash” takes up the majority of my time. We shoot about ten months of the year, so it’s a large workload. I’ll look for some things on hiatus. I’m enjoying the hell out of the ride.

 

Q) Please tell us what is new this season on “The Flash” and with Ralph.

 

A) Ralph has grown. That was always the plan for him. I mean, for all intents and purposes, Ralph died in season four. The Thinker’s mind was a terrible place to be and he was there for a very long time. We talked about that. It was a Groundhog Day type of situation – for the team it was weeks, for Ralph it was years and years. In season five, we pick right up with Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy). Who is she? Why is she here? What impact will that have?

 

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

 

A) The scripts always have a ton of great stuff, but on the day of shooting things come up and are improvised. He eats a plant-based diet. I hammered that home in episode sixteen, I think it was, in season four. No meat for Ralph.

 

Q) What was it like for you joining a cast that was already so tight knit?

 

A) A pleasure. Warm folks and very generous. If you don’t have a good time and a hell of a lot of laughs working with “The Flash” actors you should check your pulse.

 

Q) Talk about working with Grant Gustin.

 

A) I loved working with Grant from day one. He’s always on point, always prepared and always fun. It’s always a good day if I have a scene with Grant. I love Barry and Ralph together, too.

 

Q) Do you get much input into how Ralph continues to evolve throughout the seasons?

 

A) Season four was more or less mapped out when I got there. The writers and Todd Helbing do a terrific job of giving actors the room to play and improvise and then they incorporate the things that really work into subsequent scripts.

 

Q) “The Flash” is always pushing boundaries and testing its characters’ limits and relationships. How does this season go even further?

 

A) One word, four letters. N-O-R-A.

 

Q) Will we be seeing Ralph bonding with anyone new this season or will he be growing even closer to any of the core group at S.T.A.R. Labs?

 

A) Ralph will be doing some dating… In terms of the core group, Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) and Ralph will deepen their friendship a great deal. I’ve loved that. There’s a real bond between Ralph and Cisco that forms. And Sherloque (Tom Cavanagh) and Ralph will have a very unique interaction.

 

Q) Can you tease about any upcoming guest stars we’ll be seeing this season?

 

A) I have someone in mind. But I can’t say anything about it…

Q) What have been some of your most memorable moments from filming “The Flash?”

 

A) Too many to count. Too many to mention. An overflow of great memories already.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Do you enjoy the instant fan feedback you receive to episodes?

 

A) Definitely! I try to set aside time to interact with the fans whenever I can.

 

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

 

A) I grew up on comic books and comic book movies. When I was growing up, comic book TV shows (except pretty much the Bill Bixby INCREDIBLE HULK) weren’t really a thing. I’m a little jealous of the kids growing up now with all the amazing shows out there. Whenever someone has downplayed the depth of comic books, I’ve always said that these stories are our modern-day legends and allegories. They give us hope. They show us what we wish we could be,and also what we fear we might be. That’s what they’ve always done for me. In some very dark times, comics and superheroes have kept me going and given me inspiration to do the best I can, and most of all, to always give something back. It’s truly my privilege to be a very small part of that world. If you’ve enjoyed anything I have done, from the bottom of my heart – thank you. It means the world to me, and it’s a dream come true.