Sachin Sahel – The 100

By starrymag | November 26, 2015

By: Lisa Steinberg

 

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

A) “The X-Files” was done this summer, early July. Ever since then, I’ve worked on a show called “The Magicians” and a new show called “Julie and Her.” Working on “The X-Files” was my brother and father’s dream come true.

Q) How does the book of The Magicians compare to the show?

A) I think they are doing a great job. I think it is a great avenue for TV because they can show a lot each week. With a movie, they kind of branch out in order to satisfy in the two hours. With a TV show, they can extend if they need to create new things with the already great source material they have. Syfy does a lot of stuff really well. So, the writers are bringing a lot to it.

Q) What was it like for you to be a part of an iconic show like “The X-Files?”

A) I used to hide in my room when my dad and brother would watch “The X-Files” because it used to scare me so much. David [Duchovny] and Gillian [Anderson] are the two most comfortable people that I’ve ever met in their own skin. You just show up and you’re in this world. When you’re acting on it, you can’t really think, “I’m on ‘The X-Files.'” You have to go in there and do your job. When I first started, I had a moment to where I realized where I was – You can’t act in that situation because then you are not involved in what you are doing because you are too outside of it. It was probably one of the great experiences I have had. I was with Mulder and Scully! My character was talking with Mulder and Scully! So, something I have created exists in “The X-Files” universe so that was a cool thing.

Q) How do you go about creating your characters? Do they start with you reading the script?

A) Yes, 100%. It starts with me thinking about what I’m doing in the script and what is the purpose of my character in the script. We talked about “The 100” and Jackson was very early on revealed that he was an apprentice, learning and trying to figure out what was going on. While he might make a great doctor, what The 100 has thrust him on is a completely new situation. He is learning, getting better at what he has learned, but now everything that he has to do is completely new to him. Initially, I think he was a little more bright eyed and bushy tailed, but things struck him and it’s now a little more unknowing for him. He is trying to figure out how to best handle himself as a doctor. I think he is definitely coming into his own a little more and becoming stronger because he has to be. He has to be the best doctor he can be right now because there are so few of them in the world they live in. When he first started though, I had to look at him as an apprentice who was still learning.

Q) What have you added to your role as Jackson that wasn’t originally scripted for you?

A) Initially, the relationship with Abby (Paige Turco) made it apparent that he was her apprentice. But I think that Paige and I brought a lot more depth to the relationship in terms of a friendship, mutual understanding or bond that made it more real. Instead of me just learning from a mentor, I think she is a friend and someone I want the best for. After we did a scene in the pilot, we just looked at each other and said, “Yeah, that’s it. Something is there.” Ever since then she has been one of my greatest friends.

Q) Jackson seems very protective of Abby as well.

A) Abby is a person who cares about everybody, almost to the point of self destruction because she doesn’t look at herself anymore. She’s looking at the whole world around her, including her daughter, and trying to make everyone better as a doctor. While that is also Jackson’s job, it is also his job to look after Abby and make sure she is in the best position as well. While Abby’s eyes are on everybody, Jackson’s eyes are on everybody, but they are also on Abby. The world and health of the world only goes as far as her in his mind and she is a necessity. So, he needs to make sure she is okay -emotionally and physically. He has to make sure she is in the right frame of mind to be sure she’s able to do what she needs to do.

Q) Jackson seems, to me, like a quiet storm. How do you see him?

A) That’s a great way to say it – a quiet storm. Again, he was an apprentice and thrown into these crazy situations that he couldn’t be prepared for. So, he had to learn on the fly very quickly so he developed a steely demeanor. In this world, there aren’t many doctors. So, if he walks up to someone and he is nervous, frightened and telling them about the dire situation they are in it’s not going to help anyone. So, he has to remain calm. It’s his job to remain calm. He has to be as objective as possible, like doctors in today’s world. The situations there are harder to face so that storm that you seen underneath is him trying to maintain his steely demeanor. There are a few times when Jackson has lost it and those were times when things were happening to Abby, his close friend, which he can’t control. Near the end of season one when she is upset because she is trying to save that girl or even when they are about to crash land he was extremely nervous. So, there are very few times when he will show what is happening internally because he can’t. It’s not helpful to anybody if he loses his cool. Whenever he was with Abby, I feel the writers made a point for him to be a little bit more open and a little more alive. When the moment Kane (Henry Ian Cusick) or Jaha (Isaiah Washington), two powerful individuals, would walk in you have to maintain a certain demeanor in front of them because he has to look confident. The writers did a great job of changing Jackson when ever someone was in the room. It was great!

Q) What can you tease about his evolution in season three?

A) We will all be effected by the ramifications of season three. The writers are awesome that after each season it is like a whole new world because things have changed drastically that it effects us all. While we all are our same characters, we all are going to be changed by everything that happened in season two. That will be cool to play and cool to watch. You’ll see everyone tilt and switch. No one knows which way they are going to go and how people are going to react internally to everything that has happened.

Q) What do you think it is about the show that just gives it all these layers and depth?

A) The writing is written in such a way that I always say when you watch the show to take a big breath at the beginning because you’re not going to breathe the rest of the time. It’s also like that when you are reading a script for it. You can’t put it down. You will go through the entire script so fast because you have to read it that fast because you have to make sure to catch up almost ahead of yourself. You’re so immersed and it is written with that heart pounding atmosphere because they want the audience to feel what the characters are going through. There are very few slow moments because in that world there are very few slow moments. They write it to the characters’ emotions and I think they do a great job because when you read it that is what you feel. I’m exhausted after reading them. It’s crazy!

Q) How does filming such intense scenes effect you?

A) For me, personally, it just bleeds into the work. If you are inspired by something, you want give it your best work. If you read something and it inspires you so hard, automatically you are like, “What can I do for Jackson that is going to help him in this world and in this situation? What can I do to help everyone in this situation?” You’re just ready.

Q) What is it that solidifies you all so well as a cast?

A) This cast, I don’t know how they are all on this same show, but they are all such beautiful, loving, hard working, caring individuals. They all care about everyone else so much. There are just no selfish actors on the show. They all really want everyone to work hard and want the show to be the best it can be. We are doing some heavy things on the show that can effect people emotionally and I think everybody is at a place where we’re like, “Let’s go in there, do the work and at the end of the day let’s enjoy ourselves because we are all such great people.” Even the crew, wardrobe and makeup – everyone is just a huge family. Being in this world for season three is kind of a rare thing. The CW is lovely that they have allowed the show to do what it wants to do and go for three seasons. We are kind of like a tight family in that way.

Q) The show has quite a large cast and this new season we’ll be meeting new characters. How do you think that will effect dynamics?

A) It’s the brain child of Jason Rothenberg and the writers he surrounds himself with bring so much to the table. We’ve never seen a brain like Jason so whatever comes out of his brain is better for the show. He wants an expansive universe, not just a show. He wants an expansive universe and to show every part of the world we are living in. You have to commend someone for that. Like with Lord Of The Rings, they wrote a language and had a whole map of everywhere. They knew what every facet was of that world. If you are creating a new world, why wouldn’t you want to explore the whole universe? That is really exciting to me. Isaiah  and Richard [Harmon] had their own storyline in season three when they went to go to find the City of Light, but that was based on the fact that these two brought so much to the table that they said they wanted to put these guys together to see what happens because they explode on screen.

Q) How was working with new costar Brenda Strong on Ice Sculpture Christmas?

A) It was cool. We just messaged each other and she said she couldn’t wait to play. Just watching her in Ice Sculpture Christmas, I’ve never seen somebody so in tune with what she is able to do. She has such strength in her that many people wish they could tap into. She’s going to bring that to “The 100” and do some amazing stuff.

Q) The show is sixteen episodes this season. Can fans expect to be satisfied with the shorter time frame?

A) You will be more than satisfied. I don’t think the word “satisfied” is enough for what is going to go through your head. I don’t necessarily have a word for what season three is going to be, but just be prepared to take one huge breath at the beginning of the season and make sure you have your food ready for when you sit down because if what I have seen so far is any indication then it is going to change everything.

Q) You are a part of social media. Why so important to you to spread positive messages to your followers?

A) I’m sure there are plenty of reasons and maybe it was because of social media initially. There were some negative things I saw on social media or in the world in general. I think this world is so beautiful and the things we’re allowed to do and enjoy. The world is a beautiful place. If we take seconds or minutes in the day to just look at that it changes our whole perspective and allows us to go out and get whatever the hell we want. As long as you get up every morning and go after whatever the hell you want, you can get it! That excites me. I’ve said it in an interview before, but nothing excites me more than motivation. So, I try to motivate myself and therefore motivate others because I find motivation really sexy. It is the coolest thing to get up and go after what you want. I don’t like people knocking other people down. I used to be fairly overweight as a kid so I understand what bullying is and I don’t like it. Now that I am getting into a position where I can speak to a few more people, I’m going to let them know that it is our job to make everyone else’s life better – not just our own. I think Jackson is helping me do that because he’s such a good man and has a heart that he’s definitely bled into me a little bit that I just try to be a little more like Jackson every day.

Q) What would you like us to be sure we share with fans?

A) I want to say thank you for how much the fans have taken to the show because we work very hard. It is a crazy show to put together because of the things we have to do on it. So, I thank them for their appreciation for loving the show the way it is supposed to be. It’s only going to get crazier.