Wiki 24 Interview: Doug Hutchison


 * Interview by Thief12 (Carlo Giovannetti)

Doug Hutchison is an American actor who portrayed Davros, a ruthless Russian assassin, during Season 8 of 24. Being interested in acting since he was a child, Hutchison started his career in theater, and then moved on to TV and film roles. His most notable role is that of guard Percy Wetmore in Frank Darabont's The Green Mile, which earned him nominations for a SAG and a Satellite Award.

Through his career, Hutchison has also had roles in TV shows like The X-Files, Lost, and CSI, as well as films like A Time to Kill and Punisher: War Zone. Wiki 24 interviewed Hutchison to know about his life and career, his experience filming 24, as well as his future projects.

The following session of questions and answers was done by email. The interview was posted on September 1, 2016. It also features SPOILERS about the events of 24.

Wiki 24: What did you study at the University of Minnesota?

Doug Hutchison: I only attended U of M for one trimester. Took a few beginner classes in theater, sociology, and psychology before dropping out and eventually moving to NYC where I'd been accepted into The Juilliard School.

W24: How did you become interested in acting?

DH: Back in 4th grade, I was cast as Max Schmidt [the head gnome] in our elementary school's holiday production of The Day Santa Lost His Beard. At curtain call, the applause was intoxicating. I suppose you could say I was bitten by the acting bug at that point in my life! '''W24: Your biography on IMDb says that you even worked as a "giant CitiBank card handing out fliers in Times Square". How would you describe the experience of being a young actor trying to find your way into the business?'''

DH: I was broke off my ass in NYC. Had, like, an average of $37 in my pocket at any given time after paying the rent and bills, etc. I worked a plethora of job-jobs, from the giant Citibank ATM card handing out fliers in Times Square to delivering pizzas, waiting tables, washing dishes, working in a croissant/coffee shop, telemarketing, you-name-it. Anything to pay the rent.

After years of pounding the pavement, I finally started getting cast in various regional theater plays around the country and some off-Broadway shows. Eventually, I was cast in my first movie in 1987 called Fresh Horses, opposite Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy, Ben Stiller, and Viggo MortensEn. Looking back at the "struggle", I wouldn't change a thing. Being broke in NYC was a blessing as it helped me to work that much harder to manifest my dreams and ultimately cultivate a career in what I love to do: act. 'W24: Your first television role was on The X-Files'', playing a body-stretching mutant. Ever since, you’ve been prominently featured in the roles of bad guys, villains and/or eccentric guys. Do you feel you’ve been typecast in Hollywood?'''

DH: I've played a variety of roles from antagonists, protagonists, villains, and heroes. Most are more familiar with my "bad guy" or "eccentric" roles [as you put it] like Eugene Victor Tooms in The X-Files and Percy in The Green Mile, etc. but only because those performances were/are in high profile TV series and movies. I don't feel typecast at all. I'm a character actor. A chameleon. I love the challenge of transformation. If I was typecast as "the bad guy" for the remainder of my career, I'd be a happy camper. The villains are always the juiciest parts to play. W24: Were you a fan of 24 before working on it?

DH: To be honest, I'd never seen one episode of 24 before being cast as Davros! I lived without a TV for a ten year period, so consequently wasn't watching anything on it. I finally broke down and bought a flat-screen TV in 2011 when I became married because my wife, Courtney, told me that there was no way on God's good Earth she was going to live in a TV-less house! So it was, like, get the TV or lose the wife. I chose the former. Happy wife, happy life (o: W24: How did the script describe the character of Davros? How did you adapt it to your acting style, or did you incorporate any trait that wasn’t necessarily on the script?

DH: Davros was described as an assassin who would stop at nothing to succeed in his mission. I studied audio tapes for the accent. Other than that, I decided to play it straight up: a very ruthless, driven man, hellbent on terrorism.

W24: Any scene that you thought was particularly demanding, whether it was physically or dramatically?

DH: Well, I'd never been on a motorcycle before, so that was interesting!

W24: How would you describe the overall experience of filming 24?

DH: I was thrilled to be on such a high-profile show as 24, and portraying "the bad guy" [once again!].

W24: Are you still in touch with any of your fellow cast members? DH: It's often difficult to play a guest-starring role on a series, because you're not really part of the "family" [of series regulars]. You kinda feel like an outsider, a temporary guest at the table, and then it's over in a blink of an eye. Rarely, if ever, do I stay in touch with fellow cast members on the shows in which I guest star since the gigs are so brief and -- when it's over -- you tend to just move on to the next chapter.

W24: Any funny anecdote or memorable moment during your time on the show?

DH: There was one memorable moment when I saw Kiefer [Sutherland] for the first time on the set. He and I did a movie called A Time to Kill years ago and actually flew back to LA from Mississippi together at one point. We had a lay-over somewhere and got quite drunk together in the airport bar. When I saw Kiefer on the set of 24, I went up to him and said, "Hey, Kiefer. Doug Hutchison. We worked on A Time to Kill together. Good to see you again". Well, I could tell that he hadn't remembered me by the expression on his face, but he played it off and said, "Oh... oh yeah... how've you been?". It was pretty funny. To be fair, A Time to Kill was a loooooong time ago [1996] and I did look quite different then, playing a redneck, white trash, rapist... and Kiefer and I did get quite shit-faced in that airport bar... so I can't blame him for not remembering me!

W24: How did it feel to be working alongside actors like Kiefer Sutherland?

DH: It was an honor. My only regret was that Kiefer and I hadn't had more scenes together in the episode. Our characters really didn't have that much interaction.

'W24: You’ve worked in a lot of films and TV shows, including iconic roles like Percy Wetmore (The Green Mile) and Horace Goodspeed (Lost''). Out of all the characters you have played, which one was your favorite to play?'''

DH: Percy in The Green Mile. Hands down.

'''W24: In 2011, you married 16-year-old Courtney Stodden. I read a 2012 interview with Christian Post where you said that because of this, you’ve gotten death threats, been called a pedophile, your agent quit, and your family disowned you. Even your career seems to have been on hiatus ever since. How tough was this process? And how are things any different now 5 years later?''' DH: Indeed. My controversial marriage to Courtney turned Hollywood upside-down and there were inevitable repercussions. However, now over five years later, blessedly my family, the press, and industry at large has done a complete 180°. Court and I just celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary this past May 20th and renewed our vows [under the Hollywood sign]. The media's behind us now 100% because I think they can see that we're the real deal. Despite our vast age difference, Court and I are very much in love and committed to our marriage.

My career's back on track. Just played the main guest-star on the final series episode of CSI, gearing up to co-star in two movies, and just signed with a very prominent talent manager. And I'm happy to report: no more name-calling or death threats!

'''W24: On another note, your IMDb page says you were the frontman of a band called The Yuh-uh-uh-uhs. When was this? Do you play any musical instruments?'''

DH: I created The Yuh-uh-uh-uhs [a fusion of B52s and Talking Heads] back in the early '90s with a bunch of out-of-work-actors. We were all musically-inclined and needed a creative outlet since our acting careers were so catch-can back then. I was the lead singer, guitarist, front man, and went by the alias "Mr. Yuh". We wrote and performed whacked-out songs like "Vampire Chickens", "Earthworms on the Sidewalk", and "My Mother is a Psychotic Deranged Dog-Eating Maniac". It was great fun while it lasted!

W24: Do you still sing?

DH: I do still sing and play guitar, but haven't performed in, like, forever.

'''W24: What is the next step in your career? What projects do you have in the near future?'''

DH: Well, as I mentioned, I'm gearing up for a few movies. One is called USA Motel, and may star Thomas Jane. They're still putting the cast together. Kind of a violent underground Tarantino-esque vibe about an ex-cop searching for his missing daughter. I'm also collaborating with a British director by the name of Michael Redwood [who directed Peter O'Toole in his final movie, Decline of an Empire two years ago] who's poised to direct his next feature entitled The Third Angel. Otherwise, I just finished writing a screenplay called Saving Khloe that I'm hoping to direct and star in next to my wife [that is: if I can talk her into playing the part!]. We'll see... W24: Finally, any particular director, actor or actress that you dream of working with?

DH: Guillermo Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Kevin Spacey, Ray Winstone, Jeff Bridges, Helen Mirren, Salma Hayek, Courtney Stodden [!]... and I would love the opportunity to work with Frank Darabont and Antoine Fuqua again.

W24: Thank you so much for your answers, and for your availability to collaborate with our website!

DH: It was my pleasure (o: Look forward to viewing it on Wiki 24 when it's up!