CusickGallery.net: Henry Ian Cusick

As Ian heads to Spain in the upcoming new year, we revisit a very special time.

Sistah Elena from Madrid was able to visit Ian on Oahu back in November, 2007 and captured this great interview,

including some of our favourite pics and our most favourite video sound bite:

~Entrevista exclusiva con Henry Ian Cusick~

Much thanks to Sistah Karen, for the English translation:

Elena and Lostzilla’s Exclusive Audio Interview

Will we see you doing theatre again?

No. (Laughs) Maybe. I don’t know. Never say never. But really…I did so much theatre in England that I’m a little burnt out. There’s not much pay and also it’s a lot of work. And you always have the sensation at 6:30 that you don’t feel well…but afterward you feel euphoric. But no, I prefer television or films.

How did you decide to be an actor? Was it since you were a boy?

No, when I was 17 someone came to school with something called the National Youth Theatre and appointed me. And that was it, I became addicted, enchanted, I knew that it was what I wanted to do.

And how did you end up in the Royal Shakespeare Company?

I did an audition. I auditioned one year, they offered me something and I turned it down, because I had been away for a time, and they offered me something again the next year. And to be in the Royal Shakespeare Company was something I had always wanted to do, and so…And is was wonderful, I loved it.

We’ve read, I don’t know if it’s true, that you lived in Spain. Is that so?

Yes it is, I lived in Madrid, when I was very young. When I moved from Peru, when I was little, 2 or 3 months old, and we lived in Spain…Capitan Haya? In Madrid – you’re from Madrid, no? Well I lived there for 3 year and I only spoke Spanish. I didn’t speak any English. I remember I’d say “no English, no English!”, because my father is Scottish, but I couldn’t understand him. And after Spain we moved to Scotland for 6 months, and then to Trinidad for 10 years, and later we returned to Scotland. And so my Spanish isn’t…

And do you plan to return to Spain sometime?

Yes, we would go on vacations, I loved it. Yes I like Spain very much. Unfortunately when we’d go we didn’t have much money, so we’d usually go to I Ibiza, Menorca, Mallorca. But these vacations were great, I loved them. We went to San Antonio, on the other side of Ibiza, Santa Eulalia, do you know it? Not San Antonio, but the other side. It’s very peaceful, a little hippie. It’s beautiful. Because San Antonio was too…

And do you go to Peru sometimes?

I haven’t gone in a long time. The last time I was there I think I was 12 or 13.

How has your life change since you’ve been on Lost?

Well, people ask me for interviews (laughs) and…the life of an actor is always a little precarious, and this has given me financial stability, I’m not always worried about what’s to come because I know I’ll be here for a time. I know they can kill you off but even so…it’s a huge series and now I feel a little more comfortable, because I have a family… And what else has changed? I suppose living in Hawaii, my family has moved here…Coming from Europe to a place like this is a huge change, whatever you do.

For better or for worse?

Oh…(gestures to surroundings, laughs) I suppose that those are the fundamental things.

And if you could play any character in a film, which would you like?

I don’t know, there are so many. I couldn’t tell you. Really I can’t answer that question, because I’m open to everything. For example, I never imagined a role like Desmond in Lost would appear and it’s probably the best role I’ve done. So I don’t know the answer to that question, but I’m always open to all.

And now some questions about Lost. This may sound stupid, but we’re curious because we’ve been here, and in Kauai it’s always raining…what do you do when you’re doing a scene and it starts to rain? Do you stop filming?

When it rains in Lost, it rains a LOT and it’s a machine, but you know that, right? But when, let’s suppose that it shouldn’t be raining, we stop. There’s something called “weather cover”, if it’s raining all day you have a list of shots you have to do, “if it rains all day during this, we’re going to shoot this other scene. And so you roll those scenes, or sometimes we’ve been sitting under the rain for hours, simply waiting for it to let up. And suddenly “Oh, it’s stopped, let’s roll, quick!” That’s what we do.

Do you know spoilers, or do you find out what Desmond will be doing from one day to the next?

No, I just know what’s going to happen up to episode 8 of Season 4.

Nothing you can tell us I suppose.

I’m sure you don’t want to know anything. Eeeeeeh…what can I tell you? You’ve seen up to the third season, right? So you’ve see the finale of season 3. At the beginning of season 4 we’ll see the people from the boat, I suppose that’s obvious. They’re very interesting. They’re very good characters. It’s going to be really entertaining.

And did you like the development of season 4 finale, with the Flash Forwards?

Yes, and that will form part of season 4, more Flash Forwards. And you won’t know if it’s a flashforward or a flashback. It’s going to become confusing.

Have you filmed an episode focusing on Desmond?

Yes, episode 5.

And what do you think of the repercussions of the global level of the series, with the internet? Because I don’t know if you know this, but en Spain we’re very behind in television.

Where are you at?

Season 3 has just started. But people download from the internet, we do subtitles for those who don’t understand…what do you think of this, that people get up at 5am to download the episodes?

It’s great. I think it’s fantastic. I understand that when you into something interesting…I get up on Saturday mornings and run to the computer to see the football scores in England, so I understand that if you have a passion for something you can’t wait for the results of the game, or for what’s going to happen, so I think it’s great. It means the show is doing something good, that people are enjoying it. This is good.

Speaking of football, in episode 8 of season 3 there was a game on the screens, Real Madrid-Barcelona. Real Madrid or Barcelona?

I was brought up by my father, and when we were in Madrid, my father spoke of Real Madrid, so Real Madrid.

Good answer. (laughs) About your Scottish accent, now I see it’s an exaggeration, right?

It’s an exaggeration. Because when I did the audition they said they wanted someone with a Scottish or Irish accent, and I’m half Scottish, so laid it on a little. And when they met me, they said they liked the accent, so…

Just so you know, it’s hell to translate your accent for the subtitles.

Ah, it is? (Laughs) It’s difficult?

Yes, yes. Only just so you know. And did you know that your character would be so important from the beginning, or did it develop that way?

No, it developed that way. When I got the work it was going to be three episodes, and that was it, then I was going to return home. I think it was the same with Michael Emerson’s character, Ben. They like the character and decided to bring him back again. I didn’t even know that it was going to become a recurring character en the show, but so it went, and I believe that Desmond is an important character in the show. And the same with Michael Emerson’s character, and it’s great. And I think it also has a lot to do with the fans, who say that they like the character. It’s interesting because the fans have a lot of say in this show. We like this character, we don’t like this character…

Do you have theories about the show?

When it began, yes, I had some, and you can’t avoid having little theories when you do the show, but I try not to have them, because you have a theory of where your character is going, you say “oh, no, I want him to go here…” and you have to go with the script, you have to follow that.

And had you seen the show before getting your role?

No, never. When I got the job, the show had just begun to be big in England, so when I arrived here I still hadn’t seen it. My wife said “oh, there are posters of the show all over London, it’s going to be big.”

And the last question. If you could play the role of any other characted on the show, which would it be?

It’s a difficult question. Any other character? (Pauses) I wouldn’t want to play another role, mine is the best one! Who would I like to play…? I like Terry O’Quinn’s character a lot. I also really like Sawyer’s character, one of those, I suppose. Those are really enjoyable. And also Michael Emerson’s. One of those three, I think.