Tag: Blood Drive

An Interview With Thomas Dominique

Posted on by Scott Lake

Recently I got to talk with Thomas Dominique. He gave us the rundown on himself and a touch of Blood Drive. So sit back and enjoy before tonight’s episode of Blood Drive airs!

 

HMF: What is your favorite horror movie?

TD: Errrm… I have so many. If we’re going for straight horror, I would have to say The Exorcist. When I was younger, my friend got his hands on his Dad’s copy and had a screening for about ten of us.  We were like nine or ten years old. I remember it was daytime, we walked into his house with so much big talk like “yeah right, this isn’t going to be scary!”… We left his house mortified.

HMF: What was it that pulled you into the crazy world of acting?

TD: Certain films and TV shows really moved me growing up. I guess I always had a desire to tell my own stories. To me it always seemed like something other people did, It wasn’t until later that I actually decided to pursue it. I really wanted to learn how it was done from the bottom up… It’s a world where you’re constantly learning and trying to improve. You can live two lifetimes and still not learn everything there is to know about the craft.

HMF: What was it about Blood Drive that made you want to audition?

TD: The Character was a role I’d never played before, especially in the world that Blood Drive is set in. So I was going for a challenge… and I definitely got one!

HMF: Was Christopher your first choice?

TD: No, my first choice was Grace, but James Roland was just so stubborn about it. Then I said “alright I wanna play Clown dick; I’ve got some great ideas Jimmy, just roll with it!” He said “No, you’re playing Christopher Carpenter!” Then I bowed my head and solemnly agreed… Not really, that didn’t happen. Christopher was definitely my first choice. He has a lot of vulnerable qualities without being too much of one thing. Also a really interesting series arc, I definitely liked the character right away.

HMF: You obviously have great chemistry with Marama Corlett that shows through your scenes together. Do you share the same chemistry off screen between takes?

TD: Ahh I can’t stand her! (Laughter) nah, Marama’s the best! We had so much fun between takes, there was never a dull day when she was on set. She’s really funny. We sometimes would meet some of the other guys and go for dinner or a drink, and talk about all the craziness we had to do that day. All the cast had great chemistry! We would often go round to Christina Ochoa’s apartment for game nights… I’d get intense on those games man, trying to get my team or myself to win. We had a little gang which consisted of myself, Marama Corlett, Darren Kent, Andrew Hall, Colin Cunningham, Natalie Mendoza, Craig Jackson and Jenny Stead, Carel Nel and Keenan Arrison. Some of the cast lived in Johannesburg, but we’d hang out with them too whenever they were in town. Great guys like Adam Pelkowitz, Brandon Auret, and Sean Cameron Michael. Others had friends and family staying with them so they had less time to hang out, but would still come out sometimes.

HMF: How has Blood Drive been different from your other roles?

TD: Well, my character is naked quite a lot, it’s my first time doing that. Also I got to do stunt work and work with a lot of special effects, which was so much fun! There were so many contributing factors that made this role different to the others: Being in South Africa, working on a 13 episode show, being away from London for 6 months. It was a totally new experience for me.

HMF: What has been your favorite and least favorite scenes to film so far and why?

TD: I can’t pick my favorite scene cos there’s so many. But I do remember a particular scene that wasn’t too nice to shoot… It was episode 9 in the Pixie Swallow kitchen scene. It was only unpleasant because it was real Worcestershire sauce in the first few takes, and it went everywhere in my hair and ears, into my costume, down my legs… it smelt so bad! It took at least 4 showers to get the smell off. That was my least favorite part of scene, because of the sauce in my pants.

HMF: What comes next for Christopher?

TD: Christopher has a very interesting little journey coming up, I don’t want to spoil it for your readers and the Bleeders. If you didn’t know, that’s the name of our Blood Drive fans. They’re the best fans ever, I love the Bleeders!

HMF: What are we going to see in the future from Thomas Dominique?

TD: Who knows what the future holds… We’ll have to wait and see, I’m still in meetings and auditions at the moment. For the foreseeable future two friends of mine Samson Kayo and Robert Whitelock have written a play for the Soho theater in London, I’ve been involved from its inception. I’m really excited about it, it’s near completion and the script’s amazing. Other than that I take it one day at a time… Stay focused, work hard and pray I stay blessed.

 

Thanks again to Thomas for taking time out of his schedule to speak with us. As always you can catch Blood Drive on SyFy Wednesday nights at 10 PM Eastern.

 

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Interview w/ Julian Slink of Blood Drive!

Posted on by TheShape

Hello, FREAKS & BLEEDERS! I am proud to announce a HMF EXCLUSIVE interview. Scott Lake had an amazing  opportunity to ask the Man of Mayhem himself, Julian Slink, a few questions along with a few reader…errr..Bleeder..questions. Mr. Slink is the Master of Ceremonies on the SyFy original show BLOOD DRIVE.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy the glorious Julian Slink!

HMF would like to send a HUGE thanks out to Colin Cunningham for taking the time to give us this chance to hear from Julian Slink. You, sir, are awesome!

If you would like to become a BLEEDER, please check out the Facebook group Blood Drive SyFy and be sure to sign the petition to have Blood Drive renewed for a second(or more) season!

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The Bleeders Are Hungry For Second Season of Blood Drive

Posted on by TheShape

Hello, FREAKS! As you all know, we are huge fans of the new series #BloodDrive on #SyFy from all the interviews with cast and crew we have done.

Well the #Bleeders (fans of the show) are craving more gory carnage from the gruesome #Grindhouse show, and due to lack of info regarding whether or not SyFy will renew the show for a second season, they have started a petition to help get the show picked up for a new season.

You can show your support by signing the petition HERE

You can also become a Bleeder by joining the Facebook group Blood Drive SyFy

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An Interview with the Anti-Stepford Husband Cliff, Craig Jackson

Posted on by Mike Junkin

Craig Jackson plays Cliff, one half of the psychotic couple of Cliff and Domi, these are two people you wouldn’t want to hitch a ride from in Blood Drive, but you might have a blast if they picked you up Craig and Jenny. Let’s see what Craig and I talked about and decided to share with you guys!

 

HMF: Here is the one everyone knows is coming. What is your favorite Horror Movie?

 

CJ: It has to be between “The Exorcist” and “The Fly”. I watched them when I was very young and they have scarred me for life.

 

HMF: When did you first discover acting was it for you?

 

CJ: I loved performing little shows for my friends and family when I was young. I stopped performing when I was a teenager and I focused more on making my friends laugh at school. It took a fantastic English teacher, who told me to channel that energy on the stage. Next thing I knew I was playing Iago in Shakespeare’s Othello and I was hooked!
HMF: Who were you biggest influences in acting?

 

CJ: I was obsessed with Peter Sellers and “The Goon Show” (A 1950’s radio show)  from the age of 10. I would listen to “The Goons” and let my imagination run wild. That’s the beauty of radio. Watching Peter Sellers’ visually was delight too. His physical comedy as well as his creation of different characters was genius!

 

HMF: What was the transition like switching from theater to film and Television?

 

CJ: It was pretty smooth. After leaving Drama school, I hadn’t trained a lot in the medium of film and television. I remember my first professional audition for a movie and the casting director just said, “you’re too big and stop acting!”. I took that note and worked at it.  I used to prefer Theatre to Film/Television, but that’s changed. I love the fact that you can try something spontaneous on film/television and if it works and they like it, that moment has been captured forever!
HMF: Do you ever return to the stage? If so what was your most recent production?

 

CJ: I am currently doing the West End Hit, “The Play That Goes Wrong” in South Africa. I haven’t been on stage for 7 years so I’m shaking off the cobwebs. I’ve missed performing to a live audience, as opposed to a dead audience. I find the dead audiences’  very  unappreciative and a lot quieter than live audiences’!
HMF: How has the experience of Blood Drive compared to other television and film roles you’ve had?

 

CJ: I had just come off 3 years of “Black Sails” which was absolutely amazing. To be honest, I was a little worried that it wouldn’t live up to my “Black Sails’ experience; but I had nothing to fear! We had such a great team and I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time! The show was SO out there and the directors/producers/writers gave you room to play and if you went too far they’d pull you back, which I love! I was very lucky to work with such a talented and supportive team and I think that translates onto the screen.

 

HMF: Was Cliff your first choice on Blood Drive, and what attracted you to the role?

 

CJ: The casting director put me forward for Cliff and I’m so glad she did!  Who wouldn’t want to play a ball busted whipping boy with lots of impotent rage. Oh! Who is also a psychopath! James Roland created such great characters in Cliff and Domi. When have such great writing to work off, it makes the process so much easier and enjoyable.
HMF: I love watching you and Jenny interact on the show as Cliff and Domi. How did you prepare for the role and how did you keep the chemistry so fun (and violent) between you?

 

CJ: Jenny and I got each other from the start.  We immediately, sat down and chatted about our characters and their backstory. Jenny lives in Cape Town and I live in Johannesburg and we would constantly send each other messages with ideas and general banter. We eventually started calling each other  “work husband” and  “work wife”. When you have chemistry like that, the process becomes hugely rewarding and you find deeper subtext in your character.
HMF: Of all the racers in the Blood Drive, Cliff and Domi appear very out of place. What has been the Bleeders reaction to the Disarming Duo?

 

CJ: Jenny and I felt very out of place. We looked like we’d walked onto the wrong set. But it added to our process in creating these characters, who lived in their own little crazy world. The #Bleeders reaction has been astonishing. I’m really glad Cliff and Domi struck a cord with the Bleeders. The appreciation of the fans on Twitter and Facebook makes what we do so much more rewarding! If the viewers don’t like what you do, whats the point?
HMF: What is it like being the couple that drives the man-eating Prius?

CJ: Emasculating! I was genuinely jealous of the other cast members and their cars! Just imagine how angry Cliff was! He had no choice. As a man who has been married for many years, you have to pick your battles in a relationship. Poor old Cliff has never won one!
HMF: What’s next for Cliff?

 

CJ: If I told you that, I’d have to kill you!
HMF: What can we expect from Craig Jackson after this season of Blood Drive is over?

 

CJ: Lots of stage work in South Africa. I’m in the process of getting an overseas agent, so hopefully you’ll see me more of me on your screens. Thanks again for all the Blood Drive love and support!!! You guys rock! Oh!… All the best for the wedding, Scott! Just don’t model your marriage on Cliff and Domi’s!

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An interview with the Face of Julian Slink, Colin Cunningham

Posted on by Scott Lake
I’m really not even sure how to open this interview. I’ve had the opportunity to talk to Colin Cunningham, an absolutely amazing actor, who brings his roles to life with such depth, I feel he might one day lose himself. Without further ado here is my interview with Colin Cunningham.
HMF: As always, what is your favorite horror movie?

CC: Hmmm. Let’s go with EVIL DEAD 2 and maybe BASKET CASE (freaked me out as a kid!)

HMF: I’ve seen a number of credits to you as a Director and Actor. What was it that gave you the film bug to begin with?

CC: I grew up in that age of television where there was very little actually on it. At midnight/1am Ray Charles would sing ‘America’ and the screen went black. That was it. That said, much of the ‘content’ that did play were reruns of old movies. Fortunately for me, they were all the movies that my Father grew up with. So, we spend hours watching them all. Started with The Little Rascals, Abbot and Costello, Bob Hope and Bing, etc. then moved into the big stuff. By the time I got to film school, and seen everything there was to see.

HMF: Who were you biggest influences getting into film and television?

CC: (Aside from my Dad.) Director Hal Roach. The Our Gang/Little Rascals serials started it all for me.

HMF: You’re no newcomer when it comes to Horror and Science Fiction. What has been your most memorable role pre-Blood Drive?

CC: John Pope (Falling Skies) for sure. What a great character that was.

HMF: How has acting on Blood Drive been different from other productions you’ve worked on?

CC: It was mind glowingly difficult. Never, have I worked so hard on a character. What made it different, perhaps the fact that they actually let me. Meaning, I was truly able to ‘work’. Untethered. More often than not, there’s some idiot on the set clipping your wings or cutting off your balls. Not on Blood Drive. It was incredibly collaborative. James Roland and David Straiton created a ‘company’ of artists. Not a typical cast and crew.

HMF: Was Julian Slink your first role choice?

CC: Slink was my only choice. Unfortunately, I wasn’t theirs! The part was actually offered to two other actors (who passed for one reason or another) before it came back my way. James actually wrote the part for Doug Jones! (who’d have been perfect in my opinion.) Love you Doug.

HMF: Do you have any fun stories to share about your audition?

CC: Only that I shot and edited it myself. I knew I was going to go all out. Wardrobe, make up, everything. And I really didn’t feel like driving into Hollywood with all the gear on to sit in some waiting room with other ‘actors’. I didn’t want to directed or coached. It was a take it or leave it kind of thing. So I just shot my own audition.

HMF: On an average day what is your process for becoming Julian Slink?

CC:That all starts with James Roland. The words on the page. I guess the thing about Slink is that I just really understood him. Only it was unbelievably challenging as he’s not just ‘one’ guy. He’s a hundred guys. He’s one guy with Grace, another with Heart, another with Rasher, another Back Stage, another ON STAGE. He’s so many people. I’ve often said, there are many good actors out there that could have played him brilliantly, I just think I understood him more. I’ve never known a character to be so incredibly complex, and yet, I completely understood him. I knew who he was deep down and that much of his ‘persona’ was, in fact, a lie. But the panache’ and bravado, was all grounded in some kind of pain. The problem was, I wasn’t sure if I actually had the ability to pull him off. It was an almost impossible undertaking for me.

HMF: Without a doubt the Master of Mayhem is certifiably balls-to-the-wall nuts. How much of yourself goes into this role?

CC: Although I gave it everything. I have to think that’s there’s actually very little of ‘me’ in it. But Slink IS James Roland. An incredibly twisted, mind bending version of him. But I think Slink, James and myself all have a some very personal things in common.

HMF: Now I normally don’t do much in the way of “what if” questions, yet I have to ask, if Slink we’re taking part in the Blood Drive, what would he drive?

CC: Oh without a doubt. A 1975 AMC PACER (SUNDOWNER EDITION.) As it came with a roof rack. It also had the deeper shag carpet, like the Limited. 18 oz. vs. the stock 12oz. 🙂

HMF: You obviously have great chemistry with a lot of the other cast. What do you do to maintain that chemistry with them?

CC: Well, the compliment is appreciated. Unfortunately, that is something you can only hope for. If things click, great! But, you can’t learn it, teach it or even work for it. It’s either there or it ain’t. You hope. Great cast.

HMF: Even though this show give us a clear meaning of expect the unexpected, what might we expect out of Julian Slink in the future?

CC: He’s scheduled to take over as HOST of THE FAMILY FEUD (once Steve Harvey’s contract is up.) Heart Enterprises owns the show. 🙂

HMF? What’s next for Colin Cunningham after this season of Blood Drive?

CC: A Second Season of Blood Drive? If not, I go back to auditioning for Doctor, Cop and Vampire shows. 😞

That wraps up my conversation with Colin Cunningham. However, you guys will be in for a treat as soon as I get everything together so keep looking for that. You’ll know exactly what I mean when it gets posted.

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A Conversation with the Anti-Stepford Wife, Jenny Stead

Posted on by Scott Lake
I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with the Creator and a lot of the cast of SyFy’s Grindhouse Epic, Blood Drive. This interview is no different. Jenny Stead is a brilliant actress and is one of the best parts of the show. If you haven’t seen the episode “Booby Traps” yet, then please get caught up. You can catch Blood Drive on SyFy every Wednesday night at 10:00 PM Est.
HMF: Our first question never changes. What is your favorite horror movie?

JS: That’s a tough question and I feel bad admitting this to you but I’m not a huge horror fan. I have a highly active imagination! So the word ‘favourite’ is tricky. Which horror movies left a lasting impact and ruined the dark and alone time for me forever? That’s easier. The Exorcist should crack no. 1. my dad’s a preacher, so I grew up in a very religious family and that film freaked the shit out of me. (on the plus side it left me with an enduring adoration for Ellen Burstyn).

Don’t look now, Nightmare on Elm Street, Let the right one in (the Swedish version), Psycho and Rosemary’s baby are probably my ‘favourites’ and then I have to give an honorable mention to Pet Sematary. When my kids first started climbing out of their beds in the early hours of the morning, I’d hear their clumsy, toddler footsteps trundling towards me and, I kid you not,  for a second my heart would stop and I’d panic that they’d have a knife in their hands. Pet cemetery ruined a lot of morning cuddles for me. 

HMF: What was it that gave you the acting bug?

JS: I went to university planning to study psychology. I added drama as one of my subjects just to check it out.  By my second year I had been cast as Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s dream. By my third year I had dropped Psych and Drama was my major. So I guess it was my exceptional lecturers and the seduction of the stage.

HMF: Who were your biggest influences for getting into acting?


JS: As a kid, I always dreamed of being a singer/songwriter. I was in a band and I wrote a lot of music. My mom was the one who thought I should pursue acting. I was always quite a dramatic child. When I was 5 or 6 I used to put on her vinyl recording of Franco Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet, listen to it and cry and cry. (weirdo!)

HMF: How has acting on Blood Drive been different from other shows and films you’ve worked on?

JS: I’ve worked hard at a fairly prolific and successful theatrical career but I haven’t done that much film work. I really love the medium though and getting to be a recurring guest was awesome because I got to build on my character and watch her evolve. Blood Drive had THE most amazing cast, crew, directors and producers. Everyone was so kind, so generous and so funny. I also found it deeply satisfying having my own trailer and chair!

HMF: You play Domi on Blood Drive, one half of the duo Domi and Cliff. What was it that attracted you to this role?

JS: I loved the audition scenes with Cliff. James Roland wrote them with such honesty and familiarity, it was quite poignant. This married couple who are in a rut, getting on each other’s nerves all the time and coming to a crossroads about whether to stay together or just call it a day. The fact that they both like to torture and kill people and hold on to pieces of their victims (next level romance) makes them at once horrifying and completely hilarious. Who wouldn’t want to play these two?

HMF: Domi is probably the most disarming characters on the show as far as appearances go. She looks so sweet and happy, yet there is this almost devilish side that we see a lot of in the episode Booby Traps. How do you prepare for such a wild role?

6. I swear there were times on set when all the extras at the Mayhem party’s thought that Craig (Jackson) and I were a lost couple who’d stumbled onto set. We were dressed so differently to everyone Else’s steam punk vibe. Our wardrobe and makeup designer (Danielle Knox and Kerry Skelton) were genius. Just being in these bizarro, not quite Stepford wifey outfits with my hair all curled, bright lipstick and crazy long nails made me carry myself in a different way.

I also had the most amazing dialect coach (Claire Berlein) who became like a dialect/acting coach/spiritual guide. The fact that I got partnered with Craig Jackson who made me die laughing every day was also just an absolute gift. But really, it was all on the page. Roland and our extraordinary writers had created these fully realized characters, so it wasn’t hard.
I did listen to a lot of music which became like Cliff and Domi theme songs for me the top three probably being Inside out by the Chainsmokers, Tony by Diamanda Galás and Move bitch by Ludacris.
HMF: What was it about the role of Domi that pulled you in?

JS: Who doesn’t want to play a psychotic killer? Especially one that can kick ass while wearing a towel!
HMF: What has the fan reaction to Domi and yourself been like?
JS: The Blood Drive fans #Bleeders are the best. We’ve had fan art sent to us, one especially creative lady made an homage video to Domi and Cliff but my favourite insanity has been people asking me to be their mother. I like the idea of being the mother of bleeders! haha.
HMF: What can we expect out of Domi as the show continues?


JS: Expect nothing! Just keep watching because the crazy knows no limit.

HMF: What’s next for you after Blood Drive?

JS: I’ve just finished a run of playing Wendy in Peter Pan (polar opposite,  I know!) and next I’ll be on stage playing a washed up, Trump loving porn star in a play called The Visit. Hopefully I’ll get to do some more film work and sit drinking bottled water and snapchatting from my trailer again (good times).

Though we don’t know what the future holds for Cliff and Domi, I certainly hope to see them survive the Blood Drive and if we get a Season 2, they’ll return for more Mayhem.
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An Interview with the Head of Heart, Sean C. Michael

Posted on by Scott Lake
Recently I had an email exchange with Sean C. Michael. Known now as the head of Heart Enterprises. This South African native has come back to his hometown of Capetown to be part of this fantastic show called Blood Drive. So continuing on with my series of interviews with the cast and crew of Blood Drive, I bring you Old Man Heart. Be sure to catch Blood Drive on SyFy, Wednesday nights at 10:00 PM Eastern time.

 

HMF: Our first question never changes. What is your favorite horror movie?

SM: There are so many classics like The Shining, The Exorcist and The Babadook, but The Blair Witch Project made such an impression on me when it was first released. It was so original, clever and groundbreaking at the time.
HMF: Who are your biggest influences in acting?
SM: I’m inspired and influenced by so many great writers, directors and actors, so the list is endless, but to name a few actor favorites would definitely include Jessica Lange, Susan Sarandon, Daniel Day-Lewis, Anthony Hopkins and Jeff Bridges. I’m pretty much obsessed with all good TV and film, and the art of great storytelling. There’s nothing more exciting than reading a brilliant screenplay for a project I’m about to start work on and figuring out what I can bring to a certain role to make it fresh, exiting, entertaining, authentic and truthful.
HMF: What was it that drew you to acting?
SM: When I was growing up, I was the youngest of three kids and quite a loner. My parents got divorced when I was seven and our lives turned upside down. As a form of escapism during those very difficult, unsettling and confusing times, I learnt to entertain myself and sort of disappear into my own little fantasy world. My parents were also involved part-time in entertainment – my mom a dancer and my dad a singer – so I was immediately drawn to the arts, performing in school drama productions and the choir.  I did my first professional theater production when I was twelve years old and I was hooked. The rest is history.
HMF: What was it like growing up and acting in South Africa?
SM: As a child in the seventies and eighties, I was blissfully unaware of the politics and social inequalities in apartheid South Africa. I knew that things were kind of weird and strange, but there was no internet, no access to information and extreme censorship in the media.  I instead followed my passion for acting and grabbed every opportunity I could to perform. After completing my schooling and compulsory conscription in the national defense force, I left my hometown of Cape Town and moved to Johannesburg to pursue acting full-time. I did soapies, TV presenting, commercials, voice-over work, script writing and completely immersed myself in the industry over three decades. Today, there are so many international TV and film productions being shot in South Africa due to lucrative tax incentives, top class film studios, experienced cast and crew and astoundingly beautiful and varied locations around the country. It’s the perfect place for a young actor wanting to learn the craft and gain experience.
HMF: What takes an actor in musical theater and pulls them into film and television?
SM: The need to pay the rent and survive. Yes, one does theater for the love of the craft, but financially it can be a struggle.  Film and TV is more lucrative with added and varied opportunities. As I got older and gained more experience, I found the medium of camera work more challenging and demanding.  It’s a very technical, fast-paced environment and to rise above those pressures and deliver a natural, unaffected honest performance for the lens is truly gratifying.
HMF: On Blood Drive you play “Old Man Heart”, the head of Heart Industries. How did you go about preparing for this role?
SM: I was already a big fan of the grindhouse genre and specifically the work of Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino.  After reading the script for episode 1 of Blood Drive, I was totally blown away by it.  I had not laughed so much and read something so over-the-top, insane, ridiculous and entertaining in a very long time. I immediately understood the world that James Roland had created and by reading the scripts for further episodes, figured out where Old Man Heart fit in the storyline and how his character radically affected others. Creating a believable character is quite an organic process for me. It was important for me to climb inside his somewhat demented head (Old Man Heart, that is 🙂 and really find, not only his motivation and what makes him tick, but literally his voice. I also grew my hair, beard and nails, practicing how to paint them a gorgeous bubblegum pink. It’s difficult. I dunno how the ladies do it so perfectly.
HMF: What is it that sets the role of “Old Man Heart” apart from other roles you’ve played in the past?
SM: Over the past ten years I’ve played lots of villains and baddies, but this role was, without a doubt, the most complex, multi-dimensional and challenging one to tackle.  In the first few episodes you just see his pink nail varnished hands and get a taste of who this curious mastermind behind-the-curtains might be.  Finally in episode 6, he is revealed and as the series progresses, we go even deeper.  By the time we reach the end of season one, audiences will have discovered more of Old Man Heart’s backstory and my portrayal throughout will hopefully make more sense (especially when fans re-watch the entire series).
HMF: What was it that drew you to audition for Blood Drive?
SM: I happened to be on holiday in South Africa when they were holding auditions for the show. Being a fan of the genre, it was very exciting to be considered for a role in it. I initially auditioned for the role of The Gentleman, which of course later went to the perfectly cast Andrew James Hall who did a masterful job. On my return to LA, I did a callback for the role of Old Man Heart via Skype, but I was already filming on USA’s Shooter series with Omar Epps and Ryan Phillippe, so was unavailable to them.  The producers managed to do rewrites of the first few Blood Drive episodes and wait for me to become available, so the minute I wrapped on Shooter, I jumped onto a ‘plane back to South Africa to start work on the show. It’s an amazing story and I cannot be more blessed and thankful to John Hlavin, James Roland everyone concerned for their faith in me being able to pull it off.
HMF: What has the fan reaction been like to your character?
SM: I think they hate Old Man Heart, which is perfect! He is supposed to be this wonderful antagonist, making the lives of the characters we love so dearly, especially Julian Slink, an absolute nightmare.  It means that I’ve done my job as an actor, which is truly gratifying.  I’ve been so fortunate over the years to have built up a fanbase of loyal supporters who have thoroughly enjoyed the hideous villains I’ve portrayed in shows like 24 (as UN worker, Charles Solenz), Black Sails (as Richard Guthrie) and Shooter (as Russian FSB agent Grigory Krukov). These are all despicable TV characters and as audiences, I believe there’s nothing more exciting than having a charming baddie to get our blood boiling.
HMF: Your character brings a level of reserved rage to the screen I haven’t seen in a very long time. I literally looked away for a moment during a scene and at first you were cool and calm, the next thing I see is someone else at the table having a very bad headache. What do you do to tap into that?
SM: It’s all on the page. The writing is excellent and quite specific, while we were fortunate to work with some of the top directors in the business, including Roel Reiné, Lin Oeding, Gregg Simon, David Straiton and James Roday. My job as an actor really is to focus on what energy I need to bring to each scene, whether it be that reserved rage or completely losing my shit – and if I can surprise an audience in the process, that’s an added bonus. The unpredictability of the character is what makes OMH so dangerous.
HMF: Finally, what can we expect from Mr. Heart later on in the show and what else can we expect from you after Blood Drive?
SM: Throughout the series Mr. Heart is in his boardroom, but when he finally leaves the building, well, that’s when things get really exciting.
I have a couple of action feature films and a new TV series in the pipeline filming in the UK and the States, so that’s something to look forward to. Watch this space.
HMF: Thank you again so much for taking the time. I’ve had a blast doing these interviews and each of you have been the consummate professional. It has been truly enjoyable.
SM: It was my pleasure and thank you for your support.  Fans can follow my daily ramblings on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @seancmichael
You can also find Sean online here…
Twitter/Instagram/Facebook @seancmichael
Be sure to keep tuning in to see more of this cast of characters and how they develop in this insane world that is the home of the Blood Drive!
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