Sean Maher Interview on Brilliant But Cancelled

POSTED BY: silversurfer
UPDATED: Sunday, October 1, 2006 19:34
VIEWED: 8538
PAGE 1 of 2

SILVERSURFER

Friday, September 29, 2006 1:44 AM

Sorry if this has been posted before. It probably has but I haven't didn't see it anywhere else.

http://blogs.brilliantbutcancelled.com/insider_outsider/2006/09/firefl
ys_demise_an_interview_with_sean_maher.shtml

NOTIFY: Y  | REPLY  | REPLY WITH QUOTE  | PERMALINK  | TOP  | HOME

VERSEEXPLORER

Friday, September 29, 2006 3:43 AM

It was posted before, but it's great. Sean is such a sweetie!




_______________________________
Mal: Saffron, you're pleasing, you're all kinds of pleasing, and uhh...it's been awhile, a long damn while, since anybody but me took a hold of my plow.

NOTIFY: Y  | REPLY  | REPLY WITH QUOTE  | PERMALINK  | TOP  | HOME

CERES

Friday, September 29, 2006 11:26 AM

I can't get access through the link. Anyone want to copy what it says?

..........................

You can question the meaning of life on a floaty
island of your own for a while.

NOTIFY: Y  | REPLY  | REPLY WITH QUOTE  | PERMALINK  | TOP  | HOME

BROWNCOAT1

Friday, September 29, 2006 11:48 AM

Quote:

---

Originally posted by ceres:
I can't get access through the link. Anyone want to copy what it says?

---

Quote:

---

Firefly's Demise: An Interview with Sean Maher

September 07, 2006

Since we launched brilliantbutcancelled.com, our Comment Boards have been on fire about Joss Whedon’s absolutely brilliant and shamefully cancelled “Firefly.” We told some of your concerns to Sean Maher, who played Dr. Simon Tam on the ill-fated “space western.” Here’s what he had to say.

What is that experience of having a show cancelled?

"Firefly" is my fourth cancelled show, and my fourth cancelled show with Fox, to be specific.

Really? Can you walk us through those real quick?

First there was "Ryan Caulfield." I think it only aired two shows. He was a teen cop. I think there were 7 or 8 episodes shot, and I don’t think I’ve even seen them. Then I went to "Party of Five" and they cancelled that. I was Julia’s (Neve Campbell) boyfriend. Then I went to "The $treet," and that was cancelled. Then I went to "Firefly."

So, you were prepared.

Actually, with "Firefly," we all took it really hard. It was a big blow, it was awful. And then to have the fans, the Browncoats across the world, you know, they kept it going, and we kept feeling the support. It was flattering to say the least, also humbling. It was just really special to know that what we felt so strongly about was resonating.

How did you get involved in Firefly?

I was initially a little turned off by the idea of a sci fi until I met Joss Whedon. I remember I took this meeting and there was no script yet. He was taking meetings with a bunch of actors, there was a sort of breakdown, a kind of synopsis, and the show sounded incredibly interesting. It didn’t sound like a sci-fi show to me. And meeting him sealed the deal. You’re struck by his brilliance right when you meet him and you know you want to work with him. So I auditioned and then the script came in the interim, and I tested and got the part.

The writing is so clear and specific. That must be a relief to play.

Really, again, it goes back to Joss. It’s a relief to have him be the ring leader, because not only does he write this fantastic script, but he steps onto set and knows exactly what he wants. You’re really just being guided along with this incredible energy that feels so right and then you get this finished product, and it’s “Wow!” He directed the pilot obviously, and he directed the “Objects in Space” episode -- he’s this full package.

He also handpicked the crew, so a lot of them came from Buffy, and a lot of them came from Angel, and so they had this relationship and had known each other for years and to step into that was an incredible environment to work in. It’s sad to say, but I didn’t realize how lucky we had it until the show was cancelled and you end up in other work situations. Not that they’re miserable, but they don’t stand up to kind of the set that Joss ran. So, working on a production of his was a gift.

Are you still friends with the rest of the cast?

Yeah, it’s funny because I think people, not that they don’t believe it, but we clicked in a very easy manner, and Joss always says that, too. That’s the way he cast the show, by the person. He saw tons of brilliant actors, but unless he connected well with the person, he didn’t want to cast them. We gelled together and we’ve stayed friends. Some of them are like family. Morena (Baccarin, who played Inara) and I always look at each other and say that we just didn’t realize how good we had it until you look back and say, “that whole situation was incredible.”

It’s such a large mythology and the sad part of it’s cancellation is that we didn’t get to see how far that the story could have gone. Were you all aware of where you were headed?

It could have gone on for seasons and seasons and seasons. I don’t think I really knew where ultimately it would lead. I mean, Joss would run set and let us know where t

NOTIFY: Y  | REPLY  | REPLY WITH QUOTE  | PERMALINK  | TOP  | HOME