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https://parade.com/27457/parade/interview-with-losts-henry-ian-cusick/

Lost‘s Henry Ian Cusick: Desmond “Totally Driven by Love”

By Natalie Abrams@natalieabrams Apr 7, 2010 6:59 PM EDT

All Desmond needs is love. That seems to be the takeaway message of Tuesday’s episode of Lost, which is cheekily titled “Happily Ever After,” in which Des, Charlie and Daniel all pined for women they barely knew. Our beloved Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick) and Penny (Sonya Walger) do finally reunite — again — but that’s only the beginning. Cusick tells TVGuide.com who else he’ll be consulting, what Mrs. Hawking’s role is in the chaos, and the answer behind Lost — well, what he thinks it is anyway. 

TVGuide.com: How does it feel knowing that Desmond is the key to everything?
Cusick: Desmond certainly is a part, but is he the key? There’s not one character that is the key. There are many characters that will have to step up and do things before this is resolved. Desmond has a part to play, a significant part, but there are many others that will step up.

TVGuide.com: “Happily Ever After” was very similar to “The Constant.”
Cusick: It was an interesting episode. Compared to the other Desmond-centric episodes, it wasn’t so high-stakes and angsty, with Desmond running through the jungle and shouting for Penny. This was a bit slower, I thought. The Desmond in the sideways was very different from the Desmond on the island.

TVGuide.com: Would you say that Desmond is everyone’s constant?
Cusick: No, I don’t think that’s right. In the flash-sideways, the characters are all slightly different from the characters on the island. They’re all slightly hypnotized or haven’t seen the truth. Like Desmond, he’s slightly dead in this life. He’s just a hollow corporate guy until Charlie [Dominic Monaghan] comes along. Desmond also recognizes that everyone in that sideways world — there are clues when you look in the mirror — when they look at their reflections, they go, “Hang on, what is reality?” They’re aware something is not quite right, but they can’t put a finger on it. Desmond now knows he’s alive again and knows his purpose.

TVGuide.com: And now he wants to find everyone on Oceanic 815 to show them that truth.
Cusick: Yeah, at the end [of the episode], Desmond says “Where’s the manifest? I need to show them something and it’s going to be beautiful.” When they get to see this other world, that’s when their hearts will open and know what they have to do; they’ll know the truth.

TVGuide.com: Based on what Desmond, Faraday (Jeremy Davies) and Charlie saw, their flashes seem to be based in love. Would you say that’s a strong theme of the series?
Cusick: Yes, you’re absolutely right in a sense that the driving force of Lost is love. Desmond is totally driven by love. What’s interesting is how they see this other world. Charlie and Desmond both had near-death experiences and they recognized their loves. It’s sort of spiritual, the thing they have to get to at the end of this, what Desmond has to do.

TVGuide.com: Since it appears that one has to almost die to see the alternate universe, does that mean everyone in the sideways universe has to die to fuse the two timelines?
Cusick: We don’t know which is the real universe at the moment. We don’t know which universe the show will end up in. Desmond is going to show them a glimpse of the other world and we’ll see how and if they collide, and what will happen when they do.

TVGuide.com: Desmond changed his fate in the sideways universe by meeting Penny. Does the fact that he suddenly then woke up mean their fates are determined by their upcoming choices?
Cusick: Desmond says to Charlie that there’s always a choice. He’s only out for a very short time when he’s given that electromagnetic charge, but when he comes back to the island, he is enlightened and knows exactly what his mission is. He embraces that and now knows what he has to do, so he follows Sayid [Naveen Andrews] because that is a way for him to further his mission. He’s not struggling with anyone; he knows what has to be done. It’s a very odd moment with Sayid, but this is the way for him to fulfill his mission.

TVGuide.com: Is Desmond claimed like Sayid and Claire (Emilie de Ravin) are?
Cusick: No, absolutely not. He’s not claimed at all. It’s the polar opposite. Sayid and Claire have been claimed by the Man in Black. Desmond, on the other hand, has had an epiphany. He’s enlightened. He has no fear of the Man in Black.

TVGuide.com: Eloise (Fionnula Flanagan) seems like she knows what’s going on in the sideways universe and even tells Desmond that he’s not ready. How is it that she’s conscious of this?
Cusick: She is a law unto herself. She’s working on a different timeline. She always seems to know more than everyone else. She’s like the oracle. If I was a fan watching it, how she seems to know wouldn’t bother me just now, but hopefully these things will be addressed. She’s opposed to the idea of Desmond trying to bring everyone together. She’s trying to cover everyone’s eyes.

TVGuide.com: What’s the mission that Charles Widmore (Alan Dale) wants Des to complete?
Cusick: Widmore and Desmond are on the same mission. Basically, Widmore says if Desmond doesn’t survive the electromagnetic blast, we’re all going to die, so Desmond is there to help make sure that people don’t die, along with a lot of others. There will be more explosions.

(Disclosure: TV Guide is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of ViacomCBS.)

More Questions and Answers With Henry Ian Cusick

Jen Chaney washingtonpost.com Staff Writer
Sunday, April 13, 2008; 12:00 AM

Here are a few more of the secrets shared during a recent phone interview with Henry Ian Cusick, the man who plays Desmond on TV’s “Lost” and the winner of washingtonpost.com’s Lost” Madness contest. Note to “Lost” freaks: He drops a couple of hints about the rest of this season, so pay close attention.

When you received the script for the episode “The Constant,” did you fully understand all the time travel stuff, or did you have to read it a few times?

I didn’t find it difficult to comprehend or follow. My initial reaction was, how do I play that? I think anyone being in one time all of a sudden and then in another time, and not knowing who people are, that would put you in a mental ward. It would put me in a mental ward. So it was a fine line [for Desmond] to go bananas and not go bananas That was the challenge: To make it believable and not go over the top.

In the recent episodes of “Lost,” Desmond and Michael came into contact with each other. Was this the first time they met?

That’s an interesting question. Have they or haven’t they? In my mind, when Desmond came back to the island and Michael was still on the island, Desmond was pretty drunk and out of it. Whether they met or not is ambiguous but if they had met, Desmond was too out of it [to remember]. Sayid has probably filled him in on what happened.

I know you don’t like spoilers, but can you say anything about what we can expect for Desmond in the upcoming new episodes?

Desmond stays on the freighter. And you’ll see more shenanigans on the freighter.

Will we see Penny again this season?

That I honestly don’t know.

What do you think will ultimately happen to Desmond?

Since he’s not one of the Oceanic Six., my thinking is he’s on the island. I am guessing there are some survivors and if they have the Oceanic Six that wants to go back, I am guessing some people are alive on the island and maybe Desmond is part of it. Or maybe not. Does he find Penny? I don’t know.

Do you think Desmond will die on the show?

I am guessing he does die.

Why do you say that?

I just have a feeling.

Transcript

Talking With Henry Ian Cusick

Desmond of TV’s “Lost” Friday, April 25, 2008; 1:30 PM

Fans know him as Desmond Hume. But his real name is Henry Ian Cusick, the actor who brings Desmond to life each week on ABC’s hit series, “Lost.”

Cusick joined the cast as a regular during the drama’s third season. Since then, he has been nominated for an Emmy Award and has seen his character, a Scotsman with a penchant for time travel, develop a solid fan following. (Yes, it was Desmond who won washingtonpost.com’s “Lost” Madness competition.) In addition to “Lost,” Cusick has appeared on Fox’s “24,” in the movie “Hitman,” and in numerous plays in the UK.

Cusick wase online Friday, April 25 at 1:30 p.m. ET to answer questions about “Lost” and his career.

A transcript follows.

____________________

Woodbridge, Va.: First of all – You are awesome brotha! And dead sexy, too, but now for my serious question, which you may not be able to answer. Did you know when you started on “Lost” that your gig was going to last this long and you were going to become such an important character? Or did your role just develop along the way? You’ve certainly come a long way from pushing buttons in the hatch.

Henry Ian Cusick: Thank you. Nope I didn’t have a clue, but delighted the way it turned out!

_______________________

Chicago, Ill.: Firstly, I just want to say that you have done an amazing job with the role of Desmond. The emotions and the hardships he has gone through, and yet the calm acceptance with which he handles all of his obstacles makes him such a strong character which we all can’t wait to see more of!

The “Lost” fan community was (and still is) buzzing about the wonderful performances by yourself and Sonya in “The Constant,” and the uniquely true romance between the characters. With the latest episode’s reveal of Ben’s personal vendetta, what do you think will become of Desmond and Penny?

Henry Ian Cusick: I just read the season finale…and I am totally clueless how next season will pan out.

_______________________

Ian’s Band – from various cities: Ok, a silly one from all of us to make you laugh:

“Soooo, Ian, exactly how many more

buttons on that blue shirt does Des expect to lose during all these adventures?” :D

Henry Ian Cusick: Definitely one…but will try for all. Keep a sharp look-out!

_______________________

Team Desmond!: Did you see our t-shirts? We were with ya, brotha! Congrats on the “Lost Madness” win!

Will you take me to the Emmys next year?

Henry Ian Cusick: Absolutely!

_______________________

Los Angeles, Calif.: Aloha Ian! This isn’t really a question but I hope they’ll share it with you anyway. I’ve read recently that you’ve been thinking Desmond will not make it … he’ll die … before the series ends. I just wanted to let you know that this will never happen! You have fans all over the world that believe strongly that Desmond is a major point in the whole story and he and Penny cannot die! And D&C adore Des and Penny. So, brotha. Take your buddy Desmond’s advice and “life it up!” :D Jxx (Jane)

Henry Ian Cusick: Hi Jane

Glad to hear it as I’m loving Hawaii!

_______________________

Mahopac, N.Y.: Are you married?

Henry Ian Cusick: Yes i am, thanks for asking

_______________________

Omaha, Nebraska: Ian,

In previous interviews, you’ve said that you were close to leaving acting around the time you landed the role of Desmond. Curious…what line of work you would have undertook?

Mianne

Henry Ian Cusick: Mianne,

I don’t actually know. I think I would have had to go and get training… kids soccer coaching is something I’ve always been interested in…

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Hi there,As I am sure is true with a lot of people, me and my group of “Lost”-fan-friends have believed for some time that Pen and Des are the keys to the story line. That thought was further cemented by the incredibly touching telephone scene that played out between the two. I guess I just wanted to ask you how filming that episode, and that scene felt to you? I am guessing the technical aspects of it left some of emotion out that we were all carrying while watching the episode. But if I may say, it was incredibly compelling, beautifully acted, and a favorite moment of the show so far, for me and many others as a result.

Henry Ian Cusick: Thank you. Yes it was technical, i had Diane the script supervisor reading the Penny lines, and we were rushing for time, but I’m pleased it turned out ok.

_______________________

Davidson, NC: We’ve had the Royal Shakespeare Company in residence here at Davidson College three times now. I know you did some work with RSC; any chance you were with them several years ago when they traveled to North Carolina?

Henry Ian Cusick: No i wasn’t lucky enough…I did go to Brooklyn with them. Seemed to be lots of Irish bars there…

_______________________

Karen – Chicago, Ill.: Hey there! The Desmond-Penny love story is so brilliant and moving, and, as MANY have said, epic. Looking toward the last moments of the last season (waaaaaaaaaaaaay in the future, brotha, WAY in the future!), as an actor, would you like to play an estatically happy ending (that, granted, we all would all love and hope to see!) or a more tragic end? (Which, granted, would be a dream challenge, right?)

Thanks so much!

Karen

Henry Ian Cusick: MMM…it’s one or the other…or is it? I don’t mind as long as the writing is good.

_______________________

Springfield, Va.: Hola Henry,

Desmond’s my favorite character on the show, hands down. Though Desmond hasn’t been with “Lost” from the beginning, his storyline is the most touching and powerful, and it seems like he’s on the greatest personal journey out of all of the show’s characters. I have two questions for you: Do you have any say in the writing process? And how do you as an actor generate the emotional impact that Desmond has on screen? — i.e. Do you feel it’s the result of a great team effort — an amalgamation of the writing, the score, and the performance you deliver on a constant (pun intended) basis?

–Justin

Henry Ian Cusick: No say in the writing, just in the interpretation. Yes a team effort is absolutely spot on

_______________________

Greenbelt, Md.: Dear Mr. Cusick,

As my favorite character on Lost I’ve enjoyed your appearances on the show so far this season. What has been the biggest surprise for you (in terms of what has happened to Desmond) so far in Season 4?

Henry Ian Cusick: It’s in the season finale…and it’s a goodie!!!

_______________________

Reno, Nev.: I know you are filming in Hawaii, would you consider EVER living there?

Henry Ian Cusick: I’m considering it this very second

_______________________

Tustin: Hey there, Mr. Cusick…how much are you (and other actors) allowed/encouraged to ad-lib or take liberties (however small) with the scripts? Thanks.

Henry Ian Cusick: Very little. So many clues in the lines, so it’s pretty tight.

_______________________

L.A., Calif.: Are you ready to do battle against Ben for the fate of the lovely Penny?

Henry Ian Cusick: Bring it on Ben!

_______________________

Anonymous: Hey Ian,

Desmond recently won both WP.com’s ‘Lost Madness’ and GetLostPodcast.com’s ‘Tournament of Babes.’

Who do YOU think is hotter? Desmond or Sayid? Desmond or Sawyer?

We fans say the proof is in the poll results!

Mi

Henry Ian Cusick: Hi Mi

I always say the proof is in the pudding!

_______________________

Another Lost Fan: Do you end up having to travel away from Hawaii for some Lost scenes? Or is everything filmed in Hawaii? I’m thinking specifically of the London scenes with Penny…

Henry Ian Cusick: Thats all green screen..cgi. i haven’t had to travel, others have.

_______________________

Colgate, Wisc: I love you Ian!

Question about last night’s episode: Why can’t Ben kill Charles Widmore? I’m assuming that Ben won’t be able to find Penny because she’s on the island with Des. Am I guessing correctly?

Henry Ian Cusick: Thanks…um, i dont know that one, sorry

_______________________

Remember that time?: On Lost? When you said, “See ya in another life, brotha.” I loved that!

Do you yourself often use “brotha” or was that written in the script? If it was written that way in the script, do you find yourself saying that all the time now?

Henry Ian Cusick: It was in the script, although it does sneak into my conversations now. life imitating art…?

_______________________

Kalorama, Washington, D.C.: You play such an infectious character, that after an episode with Desmond, I want to end all of my sentences with “brother.”

My question is, do you and your fellow male actors in Lost compete to see who can become the most buff? I’m sure there’s a positive correlation between an episode’s ratings and how many minutes it features Sawyer, Sayid or Desmond shirtless. Because of course the more muscular your character is, the longer the creators will have to keep your character alive!

Henry Ian Cusick: That’s right it’s all about the buff!!!

_______________________

Washington, D.C. : How far in advance do you find out about plot developments in the show?

Henry Ian Cusick: Scripts arrive 2 days before we shoot. That’s for the actors, other departments have them earlier

_______________________

Marc, Philadelphia, Pa.: What’s the most unsual job you’ve ever held, acting or non-acting?

Henry Ian Cusick: I used to deliver water. That was the most stressful as i was always getting lost

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Will you be working on other projects while “Lost” is on hiatus?

Please say yes!!!

Henry Ian Cusick: Yes!!…well …I Hope!!

_______________________

Colgate, WI: Hi Ian! Love your answer about the shirt buttons! What did you do to celebrate your birthday?

Erika

Henry Ian Cusick: Hi Erika

Stayed at home and had a great dinner with the family!!..

_______________________

Washington, D.C. : Henry, I am in love. Basically. I’m so glad Lost and Desmond have become such a hit.

Lost has such a huge ensemble cast with a lot of actors coming and going as they’re written in and out of the script. Often with the plotline characters are divided into manageable groups for episodes at a time. Are there any actors you haven’t had a chance to work with who you wish you could’ve spent more time with?

Henry Ian Cusick: Michael Emerson and Terry O’Quinn

_______________________

Alameda, Calif.: I don’t recall when Des and Ben met. Have they yet?

Henry Ian Cusick: You are absolutely right…i hope they do

_______________________

Budapest, Hungary: Hi Ian!

So nice talking to you!

You made Desmond so real for us,perhaps you noticed how his popularity rises constantly… Do you feel the character close to your personality? If so, how? What do you have in common with the Royal Scot?

Thanks for taking the time and answer our silly questions.

Kisses

Lea & panarea

Henry Ian Cusick: Hi Lea and Panarea

Love the art work. I love the character, the writing is great and the rest is just luck i guess

_______________________

McLean, Va.: Given your stage background, do you find it jarring or difficult to get only two days or so with the script before shooting, instead of having weeks of rehearsal?

Along those lines, how would you compare knowing and learning the entire plot at once (as when doing a play) as opposed to learning only bits and pieces as you go along? How does this affect your approach to your performance, character interpretation, etc.?

Henry Ian Cusick: Great question. Trust. I trust the writers and directors and editors and just play everything line by line, scene by scene. It’s a great learning curve for me and although i am not in the writers room, we are working together…

_______________________

Glenpool, OK: Hi, Ian! I see Erika took my question about your birthday–glad you had a great one! Just wanted to let you know–I have felt very blessed to be a part of your HIC Yahoo Group–you have great fangirls there! We are all proud of your great talent and all you’ve accomplished. Can’t wait for more!! Many blessings to you Ian! Janet from the HIC Group

Henry Ian Cusick: Hi Janet,

That erika!!!! thank you for those kind words and a big thank you to the HIC group!

_______________________

Stamford, CT: Hi Henry!

I’m going to Scotland for the first time this summer – anywhere I absolutely MUST visit?

Thanks and keep up the rocking work as Desmond!

Amy

Henry Ian Cusick: Glen Coe, Glasgow Citizens theatre and catch a Dundee United game

_______________________

Georgetown, Washington, DC: So, your long hair. Do you like it that long or are you waiting for the day the director will let you cut it?

Henry Ian Cusick: I had it long before and couldn’t wait to cut it, which i did. Then i missed it SO much..I felt nekkid!

_______________________

Henry Ian Cusick: Ok sorry about this I have to rush out now, i wish I could stay and answer all of your questions. this was a lot of fun and i hope to do it again.

Thanks to Jen for setting it up and a big thanks to Mi and Jane and all the HIC group!

Mahalo

Ianx

Scots actor Henry Ian Cusick tells why he had to move stateside for work because of lack of opportunities at home

IAN, 46, who is a familiar face on American TV is desperate to do more work at home and is hoping that a Yes vote in the independence referendum could lead to a revolution in Scottish film making.

ByCraig McQueen

  • 08:48, 7 FEB 2014
Ian grew up in Paisley but had to wait until his 40s to win first movie role
Ian grew up in Paisley but had to wait until his 40s to win first movie role (Image: Phil Dye)

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SCOTS actor Henry Ian Cusick might have set up home in Hawaii after starring in US drama Lost but that hasn’t stopped him keeping an eye on things back home.

Ian, 46, is a familiar face on American TV having also appeared in hit shows such as Scandal and The Mentalist.

However, he’s desperate to do more work in Scotland. And he’s hoping that a Yes vote in the independence referendum could lead to a revolution in Scottish film making.

“I’m in favour of independence and very excited about it,” he said.

“One of the reasons I left Scotland was because of a lack of opportunities, but it’s a very exciting time. It would be difficult in the short term but in the long term, it would be fantastic for Scotland. What country does not want to be independent?”

Monday sees the DVD release of indie rom com Not Another Happy Ending in which Ian appears alongside former Doctor Who actress Karen Gillan.

And it was only while speaking from his home in Hawaii that Ian realised it was the first time in his career he’d shot a film in Scotland.

“That can’t be good,” he said.

“I remember when films like Braveheart were getting made, they were hard to get into. I did work a lot in Scots theatre but I was never really successful in Scottish film or TV until I went down to London – and I had to go to the US to get my big break.

“I read an article about the great old Scottish stories that don’t get turned into films. I’ve never seen a movie about Robert Burns or about the Highland Clearances. Why is that? Who decides that?

“I’d imagine if there were more Scottish people making Scottish movies about Scotland it would not only be educational but it would instil a sense of pride. I come back to
Scotland once a year to see my mum but if there’s any chance of work in Scotland, I’m on the next plane.”

Ian – who was born in Peru to a Peruvian mum and Scottish father and moved to Paisley as a teenager ? isn’t alone in watching the referendum debate unfold from the other side of the world.

He said: “We’re watching Scotland very closely as it’s a very exciting time with the referendum and the Commonwealth Games.

“Anyone who is fairly well-read will talk to me about it and people have got an eye on it. Being in America, people hear my accent and say, ‘Where are you from?’ And when I answer, they say, ‘I’m Scottish too,’ so they’re very keen to be associated with Scotland as the country has a great reputation around the world.”

Shot largely in Glasgow’s Merchant City, Gillan turned down the chance of a plum role in a US TV series to appear in Not Another Happy Ending.

Ian said: “It’s a romantic comedy set in the world of book publishing and writing.

“There’s a struggling writer played by Karen, and it’s about falling in love, misunderstandings, falling out of love, getting back together and getting away from the guy you’re not supposed to be with, so it’s a fun rom com. It was made for very little money but is visually stunning.

“I only knew Karen from Doctor Who but she was great fun, very professional and charming.”

Ian has a greater appreciation of what goes on behind the camera, having recently directed his own short movie, Dress, alongside his playwright wife Annie Cusick Wood.

The film tells of a father struggling to cope with his two sons following the death of his wife.

Ian and Annie are happy with their family life in Hawaii
Ian and Annie are happy with their family life in Hawaii (Image: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

“It was the first time we worked together and it went very well,” Ian said. “It was just a short film shot in our house and on the beach with friends. It’s on the festival circuit and doing well. We’ve won a few awards.

“It was a very fun thing to do and I think it’s something Annie and I would like to do a lot more.”

But his future ambitions doesn’t mean he’ll be disappearing from TV screens. He’ll next be seen in futuristic sci-fi drama The Hundred, which hits US screens next month.

“It’s a real fun show,” Ian said. “It’s been described as Lord of the Flies in space, which isn’t a bad description, but I think it’s more than that.”

With filming taking place in Vancouver, Ian is a regular on the flight between there and Hawaii.

But not surprisingly, he’s got no plans to relocate with Annie and their sons Eli, 20, Lucas, 16 and Esau, 14.

Having been brought up in Trinidad before moving to Scotland, he was keen on his own family
experiencing a similar upbringing. 138290666475

Ian explained: “Lost was filmed in Hawaii so we stayed there and loved it, so we thought, ‘Why would we leave?’ It is a bit like growing up in a bubble but I don’t think that’s a bad thing as you will eventually get out and see the real world.

“But it’s a very safe, comfortable, cosy and fun-filled environment to grow up in.”

* Not Another Happy Ending is released on DVD on Monday.

July 29, 2007, Sunday

HEADLINE: A Lost soul finds his dream island
BYLINE: Jenny Eden

Henry Ian Cusick, a star of the hit American TV series, has
discovered his own little piece of paradise in Hawaii, writes Jenny
Eden

When Henry Ian Cusick looks out of his window each morning, the sky
is so blue he could be living in a digitally enhanced travel
brochure. Opposite his Hawaiian home is a paradise beach with
flawless sand. He rarely goes anywhere without a towel and a pair of
swimming trunks thrown into the back of his car.

It’s a long way from Glasgow – nearly 7,000 miles – and the biggest
career gamble of his life. Two years ago, he had no money, no job, no
auditions and his long-term girlfriend, Annie, had become breadwinner
for the whole family. He was faced with having to give up acting and
find a job that would pay the bills. But he decided to take one more
chance, leave his family behind and go to Los Angeles for 2 months.

“It was a last throw of the dice for me because I was approaching 40
and I thought I couldn’t keep on,” he admits. “I was banging my head
thinking: ‘I can’t even get a bloody audition in this country.’ So
eventually I thought: ‘Either I pack it in now or take one more
chance and go to LA.’ I didn’t have any money and I was crashing on
someone’s couch, but it felt like, despite the bullshit, there was a
sense of real possibility there. And within two weeks I auditioned
for 24, and the same afternoon they phoned back and said they wanted
me for nine episodes.”

In Scotland, when he found work, he had slogged his way through the
obligatory Taggart, Casualty and Midsomer Murders, appeared in Two
Thousand Acres of Sky and The Book Group. It’s the kind of streets-
paved-with-gold story that gets British actors heading hopefully for
Hollywood each year. But while most of them return with only a suntan
to show for their efforts, Cusick is still pinching himself.

After 24, he was offered three episodes in Lost, the cult show about
aircrash survivors on a mysterious island. Cusick had never heard of
it, but as it was set in Hawaii he said yes. So began the rise of one
of Lost’s most compelling characters, Desmond Hume.

Hume – there is speculation he is named after the Scottish
philosopher David Hume – started as the mystery inhabitant of the
island’s underground hatch, where he had spent three years inputting
a number sequence into a computer. We discover that on the one
occasion he failed to do this, the magnetic surge was so great that
Oceanic Flight 815 crashed onto the island.

The Desmond character later joins the survivors and it emerges that
in his previous life he was sailing round the world in a yacht, had
been a soldier with a Scottish regiment, spent time in jail and was
hated by the father of his upper- class English girlfriend.

In a coincidence that could come straight out of a Lost plot line,
Cusick had already met Carlton Cuse, one of the creators of the
series, before he auditioned for the job. He had been staying with
the actor Brian Cox, and Cuse was one of his neighbours.

“Brian said, ‘Oh, there’s my neighbour. He’s got a new car, let’s
check it out.’

It was only when Cuse looked at the address where he was sending the
script that he realised we’d met. It was such a Lost moment.”

As Desmond’s character became more intriguing, Cusick found himself
upped from a few episodes in series two to a regular character by the
third season. This meant moving Annie and their sons, Elias, Lucas
and Esau, to start a new life in Hawaii with him. And for Cusick and
Annie, after 14 years together, it also meant marriage. Visa
restrictions required her to fly back to Britain every three months
unless she was his wife, though Cusick is indignant at the suggestion
that this wasn’t the most romantic reason to tie the knot.

“It was something we had talked about, but things were going along
fine: 14 years into a relationship, marriage didn’t seem that
important. We hadn’t got much money, so instead of a wedding we’d
spend it on going on holiday. We talked about doing it, but more as a
conversation piece.”

In the end, their wedding turned into a joint leaving party for their
friends and neighbours before they moved to Hawaii.

“We did it in Tunbridge Wells register office and had a party back at
our place.

I’m more private, so I would have just liked to have taken Annie away
on our own, just me, her and the kids, and had a very quiet wedding.
I don’t feel I need to have a very public show of affection and
say, ‘Look everyone, see what I’m doing.’

To me, it’s a lot more personal, but Annie had a say.”

He gives a good-natured shrug. His white shirt is unbuttoned to show
a tanned chest and hint of muscle well accustomed to a Hawaiian
beach. He happily admits he is the dreamer in their partnership and
it is Annie, a theatre director, who’s the practical one. They met at
Glasgow’s Citizens Theatre when she was an assistant director and he
was a lowly extra.

Since moving to Hawaii, Annie has taken a break from work and
concentrated on setting up their new home. After the past few years,
he thinks she deserves the time off – and he is obviously happy his
job means he can give it to her.

“Annie has been so supportive – I wouldn’t be where I am now without
her. The good thing is she believes in me, and I think you need
someone who believes in you and can push you along a bit. There’s not
many wives who would say, ‘Go to LA and try and get a job,’ so she
must have thought I could do it.”

The whole family seems to have taken to their new lives effortlessly.
His two youngest sons are already developing American accents. They
have all learnt to surf and, with no television set in the house, the
boys are making the most of their new outdoor world.

It’s the kind of ability to adapt that Cusick himself learnt as a
child. He was born in Peru, where his Scottish father was working as
a minister. The family then moved to Trinidad and Tobago and finally
went home to Scotland when he was 15.

“We arrived in Scotland in 1981 in October and all we had were
shorts, T shirts and flip-flops. We were very dark-skinned, with
bleached-blond hair and very thick Trinny accents. School in Paisley
was very scary. The local kids did not know where Trinidad was – they
thought it was in Africa and we lived in mud huts. The first couple
of years, we had to defend ourselves. We got picked on relentlessly
and it was pretty unpleasant.”

It never occurred to Cusick to become an actor until one Saturday tea
time when he was watching Michael Praed on television as Robin of
Sherwood.

“I thought: ‘Wow, what a great job,'” he laughs. He had never shown
any interest in the theatre, didn’t know any actors, and his friends
and family were incredulous. But he discovered his unemployment card
would get him into the Glasgow Film Theatre for 50p on Friday
afternoons.

He got hooked on French art-house films and fell in love with the
whole idea of becoming an actor: “I’d lose myself and come out
thinking of myself in the film, so I was a total dreamer.”

He tried to turn the dreams into reality by getting accepted at the
Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. But lateness and
selectiveness over which classes he would turn up for got him thrown
out. It’s something he admits he doesn’t regret – there are no doubt
plenty of more assiduous students who wish they had his success now.

Fit, floppy-haired Desmond has turned Cusick into a big favourite
with fans of Lost. He’s up there alongside Josh Holloway and Matthew
Fox as the show’s male eye candy, and viewers are constantly coming
up to shake his hand and say, “See you in another life, brother.”

“When you’re in Hawaii, you get on with your life. It’s only when you
come away from it you notice the attention. As for people calling me
a sex symbol, hopefully my wife has always thought I’m a sex symbol.”

Cusick turned 40 this year, and instead of having a midlife crisis,
he sat back, looked at how his life had changed and counted his
blessings. Although nobody’s future is safe on a show that delights
in killing off its best-loved characters, he knows he is back in
Hawaii to start filming series four. For now, that’s as much as they
are telling him and for him it’s good enough.

“I still wake up in the morning smiling,” he says. “Maybe all that
struggle has made me who I am and got me to the place I am today,
working on a series that is a little piece of television history.”

Lost is on Sky One, August 4, at 8pm