Sullivan Stapleton – Blindspot

By starrymag | October 3, 2015

Q) So so much of the show is about, you know, figuring out who Jane is and what her history is, but Waller’s kind of got his own story going on. How much are we going to find-out about this guy and about his back story over the course of the season?

A) We’ll find that a lot that gets lost and how focused he is on his job and (almost) trying to help, you know, solve the case of who Jane Doe is.

Q) Can you compare the action that you’re going to do in this to what you do in Strike Back? You get hurt really badly in that one.

A) Yes, but that had nothing to do with a stunt on the show but yes, it is, I mean, the season actually (about) trauma and trials but there was absolutely a lot more action in Strike Back and so I think it’s a very different world to play soldiers as opposed to FBI agents.

Q) After Strike Back, were you inundated with different scripts, I mean, was a lot of things thrown at you and if it were, why does this appeal to you the most?

A) This is an awesome story and it’s obviously been created by Gero who’s a great man and actually the premise for the show is sort of it excited me to actually see where this will go, you know, throughout the season. And also its shot in New York and people who created it and the NBC and Warner Brothers family it was an easy ship to jump onboard. Obviously, you find out more about Kurt as we go on but yes, it’s interesting to find out what what drives him to become an FBI agent and then also what is his connection between these two people, Kurt Weller and Jane Doe so yes, it’s a great start.

Q) Sullivan, we’ve seen so many FBI characters on TV and often times they’re kind of cookie-cutter but I was really surprised at how intelligent your character was, how compassionate he was, how understanding he was about Jane. Can you sort of speak to what you like about this character and how he’s different from so many FBI agents we’ve seen on television?

A) I love the fact that there is this connection between Kurt and Jane Doe and why he’s, you know, what is this connection between these two and just his (broad) in trying to solve cases. What I love about this character of Kurt. It’s not the cookie-cutter FBI agent and it’s not just each case procedural we get to explore his past and his connection between himself and Jane Doe and yes, you see the drive that makes this man who he is. And he is a very layered man, you know, very focused at work but yet you do see some of the emotional characteristics of him, you know?

Q) How does Kurt feel about Jane at this point going into the second episode? He’s been very good to her but obviously he must be a little suspicious with some of the interesting things that have come out of her mouth and out of her fists.

A) Yes, well I think at first we are quite suspicious as to why, the FBI was directly linked to this case, this target and as to what the connection is and why his name was tattooed on her back and then through obviously the investigation and the tests they’ve put her through he realizes that she’s telling the truth. And so therefore I think we do see that sort of almost caring nature of him and the fact that he does sympathize or empathize with the fact that she’s lost and obviously understands that it would be quite hard to lost your identity and who you are or where you’re from.

Q) You’re supposed to be training her I think – or attempting to train her – until she turns the tables in this week’s episode? Do you see him getting more suspicious of her as he kinds of starts to realize that she’s got all these skills?

A) No, I don’t know about suspicion. I think that just opens-up the door to actually really trying to find-out who she is or how she understands the different aspects of the world we’re in she understands weapons and fighting. I think that just sort of becomes more intriguing for them as they’re finding stuff out.

Q) What characteristics do you like about the role you’re playing in the series as compared to other roles?

A) Well, actually Kurt is he’s a pretty honest and straight-up guy and he’s obviously he’s very focused at his job and for good reasons. Something happened in his past that I think drives him to sort of try to make the world a better place by I guess chasing criminals and solving cases. And which in turn saves people’s lives so I think I like the fact that, you know, he’s got a big heart and that’s how he lives his life. He’s got things to do, he seems to come from a very positive place.

Q) Talk a little bit about if you can about what it’s like working with Jaimie. It seems like from the first episode at least that you and Jaimie have some really good chemistry that’s really playing well into the show between Agent Weller and Jane Doe so what’s I like working with Jaimie and how well do you guys play off each other during production?

A) She’s awesome. She’s an awesome girl to work with and she’s good at her job so I think sort of working with that every day and working with that aspect it just makes work easier and Jaimie and the rest of the cast we all just get along really well and we sort of do our best to try and make the show the best that we possible can.

Q) Strike Back was filmed all over the world and Blindspot is filmed mostly in New York. Do you feel more sort of settled filming in one city and what is New York like as a location as an actor

A) Good question. I love it. I guess you’re right, it’s been nice to settle-in to a city for obviously longer that more than a few months were Strike Back we were in and out of places after a couple of months. So it’s nice here and New York, New York’s a fantastic city that it is a great place to work and it’s a great character to have in the show to be able to see the city and then chase criminals through this town it’s exciting.

Q) And did you meet with any FBI agents or maybe even go to Quantico to learn more about your character?

A) Yes, I did. I met-up with a couple of agents that we just talked about how they approach work and what it was an honor to meet the men that do this for real and to hear some of the stories they told me it was really eye-opening and, you know, exciting.

Q) One of the things that I’m really curious about is your relationship with the rest of your FBI team and is as the season goes on that relationship is going to develop along with your relationship with Jane?

A) Yes, I mean we are great friends, the whole group of us and we all enjoy making the show but yes we’re sort of we’re developing this team as being together for years and so we are quite close and understand each other. But yes, I’m sure we will see these relationships develop throughout the course of the season and delve into people’s back stories different connections of each of the characters.

Q) Earlier we were talking about what you admired about the character of Kurt and as we know, every actor brings a little of himself to the characters. In what ways would you say you’re similar to Kurt, if at all?

A) Yes, I would say I’m similar. I think we’re both very focused to our work and I guess even though Kurt rights the wrongs in the world I guess I’d do the same if something’s not right, I’ll fight against it so it’s similar in that sense. And then also the camaraderie between obviously Kurt and the other agents, stuff that again is very similar to myself, working with a great crew that we’re working with and my fellow actors that I’m working with I have that sense of – I don’t know. I enjoy sort of working as a team to do the best we possibly can.

Q) Yes, well if you had a chance to go hang-out on a night on the team, would you rather hang-out with Kurt or with Damian or both?

A) Great question. Well, probably both because at least then you’re not going to get in trouble andprobably more with Damian because then you’ll get into some trouble.

Q) So in the pilot I know you get knocked around quite a bit, I mean, Weller almost gets blown-up, almost gets knifed. What was it like for you to play the guy that for once is getting knocked around a bit instead of doing the knocking around and how much punishment is Weller going to take this season?

A) Good question. I don’t know. I don’t know, but yes, at first, I mean it’s been fun to do – I don’t know – to explore action in a different way. It is a bit different. But that’s fine, I don’t mind getting knocked around but we always seem to end-up on the right side at the end of the fight

Q) I was reading an interview with Martin the creator and he said that each episode is sort of going to revolve around Jane Doe that how long do you think that the show can keep that up and how much of the season also is going to be spent on trying to figure-out the mystery of why your character’s name is tattooed on her body?

A) Yes, I think well obviously that is one of the most important arcs as to why we connected and why has Kurt Weller specifically been drawn into this case but then we can puts lots of tattoos on Jane Doe. I’m hoping that yes, we can hopefully it’s going to make the show go for a long, long time.

 

*CONFERENCE CALL*