BSGTR - Which of the 11 episodes you had a role impressed you most?

Samuel W. - Fragged was the biggest challenge. The log-line was "Crashtone goes CRAZY!" I wanted to make sure it didn't come off like that.
My idea was to make this a very rational journey that led to a dead end, pardon the pun. Everything Crashdown does makes sense. The chief is telling him, "No! We can't do THAT", yet Chief offers no alternative. It was a bad situation that ended badly, but I loved the dramatic implications. The situations the Colonials were in were very very bad situations and sometimes people died.

BSGTR - Were you expecting to part ways with the show so soon, or was it a total surprise?

Samuel W. - I asked to leave. You can hear David Eick, Ron Moore, and Michael Rymer talk about it in the commentary for 33 on the Blu Ray set. Maybe the DVD too. I loved the show, I was a series regular, but my character wasn't given a chance to establish himself with 12 other regulars. And with good reason! Those other 12 characters were established in the wonderful miniseries and Ron and the writers had a responsibility to them before they had a responsibility to establish a new character.

My main aim with Battlestar was to contribute. I saw the mini series, I loved it, and I told my agent to contact their casting director about getting on the show. I thought I might guest star once or twice at best. I didn't expect a series regular. I couldn't say no, so I moved to Vancouver. It was very hard for me to be on a show that I loved dearly, but without the chance to contribute. I expressed this to David Eick and he was sympathetic. We came up with the idea of killing Crashdown off in a way that got some millage out of the character. At the end of the day, they wrote me great stuff leading up to that, the adventure on Kobol, and wrote me a wonderful and challenging death. At the end, I got to contribute and I left very very happy.

BSGTR - Even though you had a brief time at the show, can we learn your feelings and thoughts about BSG? How does it feel to be an actor in such a great and accomplished production?

Samuel W. - Battlestar was a top production. I don't say that lightly. I took away a lot from it. For one, it helped me book a part in the Frank Darabont production of The Mist. But larger than that, it taught me to be a very opinionated, adlibbing actor. Battlestar was run in a very a-typical manner. David Eick said to me on one of my first days, "Ok. Here's the rule. Get one take as written, then just do or say whatever you want."
 

That is unheard of. Especially on a science fiction show with special effects and such. He basically said, "We want you to adlib. We want you to make this your own. Take risks". I did, and was rewarded for it on the show. Many of Crashdown's early lines were mine. When Crashdown and Boomer find water in "Water", Crashdown cheers and yells, then says to Galactica, "Time to break out the swim trunks cuz we found water." The original, as scripted lines were, "We did it. Good call Boomer." No cheering. No swim trunks.

Having creative input like that is addicting and it's allowed me to take risks and assert myself (where appropriate) in subsequent projects. I have battlestar to thank for much of the way I work.


BSGTR - You acted not only in BSG but also many shows. Who is your role model? You had many successful secondary roles in many shows. Shall we see you playing the starring role one day?

Samuel W. - I don't know that I have a role model. I look up to many actors. I have much to learn. As for roles, I just did a couple starring roles in a couple films... one of them starring opposite David Strathairn, a rolemodel-ish type actor. I admire him greatly and I'm proud to call him my friend. I've recently been blown away by Armand Asante and Talia Shire in a film I just shot called, "The Return of Joe Rich." It's reassuring to discover that some of the most admired talents that you grew up watching are also the most professional.

BSGTR - Would you accept any offers for a BSG sequel or a spin-off like Caprica?

Samuel W. - Certainly. Would love to do it.

BSGTR - You also have a music career. If you were to choose one of them; acting or music, which would you choose?

Samuel W. - Oh, now that's very tough. Music is my personal thing... it's the thing I can do all by myself and I don't need permission to do it. Acting, I need to go, audition, and win a role. ... and it pays better. One feeds the other so I suppose I cannot choose. Starving musician or mercenary actor... I think I choose both! I cheated!

BSGTR - What does The Crashstones and your music try to tell us?

Samuel W. - Wow. I dunno if I've ever been asked that in quite that way. I thiiiiink it's trying to say, "Hey. Don't be a dick. Don't be a part of the problem."

BSGTR - Is there any possibility the character "Starkiller" in "SW: The Secret Apprentice" which you played, would be a movie character one day?

Samuel W. - That's up to uncle George. But BOY do I love playing him. I didn't see Force Unleashed 2 coming. And I'm a gamer too, so that suits me just fine.

BSGTR - Would you like to say anything to your fans in Turkey?

Samuel W. - Hey!!!  You guys rule! Thanks for your interest! I hope I said something worthy of it.