Two More New Interviews With Alex O'Loughlin

Pic credit Los Angeles Times 2010

The treats keep coming this week as there are even more new interviews with Alex. Of course, the meat of each of the interviews in the same, but there does seem to be something a little different in all of them.

The latest are from ET/ET Canada and Entertainment Weekly.

In both, the majority of the interview is about the milestone Hawaii Five 0 150th episode, which we certainly do not mind, as it is the reason we are getting all the new interviews.

He also speaks about his injuries again including the one that has finally done him in and what he is most proud about in his life.

Here are some excerpts from both.

ET/ET Canada

ET: You’ve been with this character, Steve McGarrett, for seven seasons. Are you able to step back and appreciate the breadth of work you’ve been able to do on “Hawaii Five-0?”

Alex O’Loughlin: One thing that I’ve never got to explore as an actor is just that, staying in the skin of a character year after year after year. When I talk about character work, I don’t really feel like i do much as an actor when I look at other great actors who win big awards for doing incredible transformations. I look at this character and go, “Well, what did he do really?” One of the things I have experienced, subjectively, is an ease and relaxation on a level that I’ve never experienced before so that when the cameras are rolling, the choices that come in are much more natural. There’s a subtlety to that that is disarming for me and enjoyable. It’s a highlight for me, those tiny moments that you don’t see but I feel.

You touched on the physical toll that “Hawaii Five-0” has taken on you over the years. Do you foresee an end date for you in the near future?

I have an end date. I signed two more years, seasons seven and eight, and then I’m done. (“Hawaii Five-0” has not been renewed for an eighth season yet.) I got too many injuries to contend with. This show is really important to me and I’m pretty sure the world can see that with what I bring. I really care about these characters, I’ve never phoned in my performances. Every single day, no matter how tired I am, I give it everything I can to make it as good as it can be but that takes a toll. I think if I’d have been an actor who didn’t care, I’d have less gray hair and I’d be a lot less tired. But I’m really tired. I do a lot of heavy lifting on the show, I have a harder schedule than anyone else but that’s just the way it is for number one. That’s cool, but it has to end.

This may be difficult for you to answer since you’re still in the thick of things, but at the end of the day, what do you think will be the lasting thing that you’ll be proudest of?

As consuming a schedule and as the expectations on me continue on something like this, the husband and father that I’ve been able to maintain and continue to be is what I’m most proud of. The relationships I’ve had with my wife and children are what mean the most to me. It’s hard to maintain that when you’re doing a job like this. It’d be a lot easier if I was selfish and didn’t think about anyone in the hours that I have off. On the same side of that coin, having my wife and kids fills me and fuels me and gives me what I need to get out of bed the next day.

What are some of the injuries you’ve sustained?

My body’s pretty broken up. I got through most of them — the last surgery I had on my elbow I came to work the next day at 5:30 a.m., I just had them bandage my elbow. I’ve pushed through all of them but I’ve got a back injury now and this one’s really sort of slowed me down. It’s also forced me to look at my future and what I’ve realized is I want to be able to throw a football with my grandkids. I want to be moving my life — a TV show is not worth that.

For the rest of this one go here.

Entertainment Weekly

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What does it mean to you to make it to 150 episodes?

ALEX O’LOUGHLIN: It’s kind of surreal. It’s crazy. I can’t believe it, on one hand. On the other hand, I feel like it’s been torture, too. It’s a lot of television, there’s been a lot of injury, there’s been a lot of water under the bridge, etc. But at the end of the day, what it really means is it’s a great testament to everybody who works on the show. It’s hard, man. It’s hard to make a show. It’s hard to make one episode, to make a pilot. It’s a big deal.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How do you think this episode honors the show?

ALEX O’LOUGHLIN: It’s classic Five-0 espionage, wild action. We bring the unrealistic into reality. There’s teamwork. Pardon the pun, but there’s a MacGyver-y aspect to it. There’s a lot of black ops aspects to it. There’s a lot of knife work and a lot of explosions, airplanes, gunfire. It’s Five-0 at its best as far as the action goes. Plus: There’s a whole bunch of character threads through the story that are getting dealt with. It’s good. I think it’s going to be satisfying for the fans.

For the rest of this one, go here