Luke Macfarlane Interview (Part One)
Hey there, readers, this is your dutiful intern Jeff signing on to
'Bloggers & Sisters' for the first time. Upon wandering onto the
fourth floor of Stage 6 in September, I've had the pleasure of leeching
onto the talented writing staff of 'Brothers & Sisters,' hoping to
retain an ounce of their talent, creativity, and general awesomeness.
Expect great things this season.
Last week I had the
opportunity to sit down with Luke Macfarlane, who plays Scotty Wandell,
husband of Kevin Walker, and pester him with some questions about his
career, his Canadian heritage, and of course, his inclusion in the
'Yummy Yummy Screw' section of Perez Hilton.
Jeff: You're a series regular this season, correct?
Luke: Yes. It's very nice -- as an actor you always want a stable job, so…Brothers & Sisters looks like a pretty stable job.
Jeff: Is this your first series?
Luke: Actually, I was on a series that only lasted a season. On FX, it was called Over There.
Jeff: So, you're from Canada?
Luke: Yes, a place called, London, Ontario. It's about two hours southwest of Toronto. It's a college town…Yeah, it was actually a very good place to be raised.
Jeff: So you started at the beginning of the series?
Luke: I was in the third episode. In the first season, I think I did seven episodes, maybe eight. And then I came back in the second season, and did the same thing. Yeah, lo and behold, it turned into something permanent, which is always really kind of a nice thing. You know, it actually came as a bit of shock.
Jeff: Really?
Luke: Yeah. I was coming back and I was doing some of these episodes and I was still a guest star. I was talking with Matthew and I was like, "Do you know what they have in mind for us?" and he said, "Yeah, I think we're getting married." And I said, "What?"
Jeff: Nice.
Luke: Yeah, the actors are always the last to know.
Jeff: How do you think Scotty's evolved over the last few seasons?
Luke: He's definitely changed a lot. It's interesting with TV because you kind of jump in and you really don't know where the narrative is going to go, so you make bold choices, and you kind of get to tweak as you go along. And unlike with a play script, you don't know where it ends. So yeah, he's definitely changed a lot. I think Scotty's now less concerned with sticking his nose in other people's business. I think he's become more confident in himself.
Jeff: So the wedding episode – you mentioned you were sort of the last to know – how was shooting that?
Luke: Oh, it was really wonderful. It kind of felt like we were doing something big, and it was done with great care from the costumes to the script. I know that David had spoken with someone who had officiated gay marriages, so that the words would be accurate and in line. And it was beautiful, you know. I felt like we all felt like were doing something special.
Luke Macfarlane, as Scotty, says "I Do"
Jeff: And then with Proposition 8…?
Luke: Yeah, it was interesting – that happened after we did it. There was kind of that great synergy that happens when your work is in line with the world. It was very exciting, and continues to be exciting.
Jeff: So have you noticed a lot of the fan reaction to your character?
Luke: I
actually try not to pay attention to that stuff. It's always funny
when I hear people talk about Scotty, like "Oh Scotty, he's a fan
favorite!" So I was like, "Oh, that's nice!" Really, though, from my
personal experience I try to stay away from message boards and all that
stuff.
Jeff: So you didn't see your photo spread on Perez Hilton on Monday?
Luke: I heard! It's always funny how your friends from high school are the ones who tip you off. I got two e-mails from friends, like, "Hey – you're on Perez Hilton!" I try to stay away. Because you're always going to look, and see all the nice stuff, and then you're going to come across that one line that annihilates you, and you're just going to feel bad for a week. So, I learned my lesson early on.
Jeff: So you have a good working relationship with Matthew Rhys?
Luke: Yeah, very good. I think we both come from theatre backgrounds, so our approach to the material is very similar. Yeah, he's an incredible actor, an incredible guy. I couldn't be happier.
To Be Continued...
-Jeff Bibeau
Writers' Intern
Oh, wow, thank you Jeff for interviewing Luke! Finally some real substance of interview with a great actor.
Thank you!!
KC
Maintainer of Luke Macfarlane Online
Posted by: Kong Chang | October 27, 2008 at 06:01 PM
Awww, thanks for this. He and Matthew are the reason I'm watching this show!
Posted by: Tate | October 27, 2008 at 06:02 PM
wow! i was really happy to see that you have done an interview with luke M. cause kevin/scotty storyline is my favorite in B&S. just give us some more hugging/kissing next time,writers pls...
Posted by: Trinity Yanson | October 27, 2008 at 07:16 PM
Wow! Nice interview so far, Jeff. Can't wait for the next part!
Posted by: Sylviane | October 27, 2008 at 10:07 PM
Thanks for interviewing Luke!
I'm waiting for the part 2 interview.
Scotty is my favorite!!
Posted by: Spring | October 28, 2008 at 12:34 AM
This is awesome.I love Scotty and it's always good to know the man behind the character.Thank you Luke.
Posted by: nicol | October 28, 2008 at 01:05 AM
He is so warm and sweet, besides modest, and above all beautiful!
Posted by: maria de albuquerque | October 28, 2008 at 03:42 PM
Titles!
ok, Dan & Cole, don't freak out on me here! I'm not concocting new storyarcs! just engaging in a little harmless fun like always! I'M KEEPING IT GENERAL! I do not mean to break any establishment "RULES"! Just goofing off as my early evening caffeine-laden vanilla double latte starts to kick in!
"Marijuana and Nothingness Under the Mexican Sun" -- All right, this is Justin's episode all the way. He relapses, he takes off in Tommy's car and boozes it up (with herb and prescription meds) while driving down the Mexican coast (it will be SO REJUVINATING, by the way, to see locations and exteriors! Miles of beach and sun and rundown motels! We won't feel cramped and claustrophobic due to the endless parade of Walker interiors).
I read Norman Mailer who coined a phrase "...the cleanliness of all the clean american backyards"
SO....
"Clean American Backyards" -- This sounds very David Lynch-ian to me (during his "Blue Velvet" period.... with a happy all-american facade....that is, until you penetrate under the dirt to find the slime and repulsiveness lurking underneath). The scriptwriters LOVE to dis William Walker. We'll just lay it on a little thicker here. Additional tales of sexual and corporate perversity surface as Sarah investigates reports of illegitimate Walker twins living in a Utah commune.
"Julia's Three Days of Menstrual Flow" -- I'm not sure exactly where I'm going with this one, but if I saw this title on ANY program guide it would definately pique my curiosity. Plus, Julia needs a little story action! The writers give her no love!
"Angelina Stabs Jen in the Heart" -- I saw this title blaring out at me from US Weekly going through the express checkout lane. This epsiode involves little Paige playing a socialist anthem on her guitar at grandma Nora's next charity function. Plus Paige overdoses reading the National Enquirer and In Touch and other gossip mags once she is grounded.
disclaimer: I am making new titles FOR AMUSEMENT PURPOSES ONLY. Any relation to existing fictional characters is purely accidental.
Posted by: will | October 28, 2008 at 05:41 PM
p.s. -- when I say little Paige "overdoses", I mean on trashy reading material... that came out wrong! I picture her on her bedroom floor surrounded by a Karl Marx biography on one side and lots of tabloid mags scattered on the other....
Just to clarify.
Maybe she has her guitar too.
Not that this little girl bears any resemblence to anyone we know.
All righty then.
Posted by: will | October 28, 2008 at 07:13 PM
Thank you so much for the Luke interview! I LOVE Scotty!
Posted by: paige | October 28, 2008 at 07:48 PM
Ok... Let me try this again. To avoid any confusion, these characters are named SMITH. Nora and Kevin Smith. Also, Kevin's niece, Paige Doe, is included in this dialogue.
----------
A Paige-Kevin-Nora Dialogue
(Paige and Kevin are still lying out back by the pool)
----------
Paige: (leafing through a magazine) Uncle Kevin, have you ever used fruit-flavored condoms?
Nora: Oh, good heavens! (grabbing her magazine) All right! THAT'S IT! (to Kevin, angrily whispering) WHY is she reading an Advocate magazine? Where'd she GET this?
Paige: Please don't talk about me in the third person, grandma. I'm right here.
Kevin: (explaining) She's reading a Sean Penn article.
Paige: I'm reading about Sean Penn in "Milk", grandma. Kindly return my reading material.
Nora: (gives her back the mag) Skip over the fruit-flavored condom ads please Paige. (whispering to Kevin) She doesn't even know what sex IS! You're confusing her!
Kevin: Mom, give me some credit here, please. She's not confused! I took her to the Museum of Contemporary Art, to a Faye Dunaway film festival. I'm a FABULOUS uncle.
(pause)
Paige: Uncle Kevin taught me that 99 cent Jesus candles and black velvet kitten paintings are tres vulgaire.
(pause)
Paige: Grandma, am I a fag hag?
Nora:: NO, Paige, definately not!
Kevin: You have... certain... fag hag-like tendencies, Paige.
Nora: Stop saying "fag hag"!
Paige: Aunt Kitty says fag hag.
Nora: If Aunt Kitty jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge, would you follow her?
Paige: (flipping through the magazine) Boy, you gay men sure are materialists.... Dolce and Gabbana.... 2(x)ist underwear.... Bruno Magli loafers.... John Varvatos facial scrub.....
Kevin: You'll be very happy to know I use NONE of those materialist, corporatist products, Paige.....
(Paige smiles)
Nora: (to Kevin) You are so full of it.
Paige: Would I be required to wear a burka while traveling across Turkey, Uncle Kevin?
Kevin: We're not going to Istanbul, Paige. Forget about it.
Posted by: will | October 30, 2008 at 01:07 PM
Thank you for the interview! Kevin and Scotty are my favorite characters and I really enjoy the show.
Posted by: FLmom | November 04, 2008 at 01:13 PM
Just resently caught up and watched all of season one and all of season two on dvd. we thought we could go back online and start at the begining of season three, however we have been unsuccessful. What should we do? Something tells me we'll have to wait until it comes out on dvd. Please tell me I'm wrong.....
Posted by: Patricia Hernandez | December 17, 2008 at 05:04 PM
The show last night was disgusting and I will never watch your pornographic show again. I hope others turned their tv off as well.
Posted by: Marcell White | April 20, 2009 at 01:43 PM
Luke macfarlane is sooooooooooo HOT!!!
Posted by: suzie | June 16, 2009 at 04:41 PM