STARLOG #252 JULY 1998
SLIDING THROUGH
When Jerry O'Connell started out on Sliders, he was just an actor.
But as of season four-the first for Sliders on the Sci-Fi Channel beginning
this month-he's acting, producing and directing. And one need only look
at his tired eyes and listen to his rambling, caffeine-piqued speech
to know that O'Connell is finding the going tougher than he expected.
"It's a lot tougher," says O'Connell, pulling up a chair
during a break from an early evening round of shooting on the Universal
Studios lot. "I thought it was going to be about chicks and a cell
phone and making my own hours. But this is all crazy work. I know now
that I may have bitten off more than I can chew. I'm on a real course
for burnout. But I guess that's why they invented coffee.
As if to justify his mania, O'Connell temporarily excuses himself as
the director of this week's episode, Sliders' new executive producer
David (Beauty and the Beast) Peckinpah, calls him back to the set. O'Connell,
as de facto Sliders Leader Quinn Mallory, finds himself in a screaming
and oushing match with a military type while Cleavant Derricks and Karu
Wuhrer try to separate them. The argument continues until Peckinpah,
finely satisfied with the action, calls "Cut!" O'Connell steps
through conversations with the director, director of photography, his
fellow actors and , as he reaches the periphery of the set, a cell phone
call. From the look on his face, the person on the other end is not
the hoped-for "chick". More likely it's somebody interested
in discussing budget, script changes or O'Connell's directing of next
week's episode, the third of four he will helm this season.
O'Connell once again collapses into his chair and, in his trademark
tongue-in-cheek manner, bemoans his lot in life. "As you can see,
I now have a grownup job," he laughs, "I don't get to stay
out all night anymore, and I have to be on my best behavior."
Super Slider
The popular actor (previously profiled in Starlog #215 and 229) claims
that he was "thrown the production bone" midway through the
third season. His knowledge of Sliders and the fact that he was one
of only two creative people present from the series's inception made
him an ideal choice. But he freely admits that producing, to a large
extent, is omsething he has learned by doing.
"Sure, I knew the show, but I didn't know much about things like
budgeta and the importance of keeping to shooting schedules. So I went
to alot of meetings, met with a lot of bosses and learned about money
and numbers and how to make it all fit. It was a great deal of on-the-job
training. Producing was definitely a nie bonus, but it was something
I was really serious about and pursued."
O'Connell's transition to hyphenated performer couldn't have come at
a more precarious time. Sliders, forever on shaky ratings ground, was
nearing the end of a third season marked by discontent. Creator tracy
Torme, after numerous arguments with FOX excutives about the show's
direction, had finally washed his hands of Sliders and was present only
in name. Jhn Rhys-Davies, equally unhappy, exited (discussing his departure
in Starlog #240). Newcomer Wuhrer came in near mid-season's end to balnce
the genders, alongside Sabrina Lloyd, who would ultimately depart after
the thrid season. And finally, adding insult to injury, FOX cancelled
Sliders.
"Being on FOX was kind of a double-edged sword," concedes
O'Connell. "Yes, they kept us on, which was nice. But, because
we were on what was considered the family hour, we really couldn't do
anything too wacky. When they finally cancelled us after the third season,
I thought Sliders was pretty much over. But then I've felt this show
was over after every season, and we just kept sliding right back.
"When we knew FOX was definitely not going to pick us up, a few
of us got together and went looking for a new home for the show. We
deliberately went after a more specialized network-not one that had
to appeal to the masses, but one that could get away with appealing
to only a science fiction audience. At that point, we heard the Sci-Fi
Channel wanted to do more original programming, so we approached them
and struck a deal.
The deal, for 22 new eps, came at a slight discount, with an estimated
30% of the previous per-ep budget reduced. But O'Connell, 12 eps into
the new season, claims that it has been a small price to pay and ahas,
in fact, resulted in Sliders returning to basics.
We're going back to what the show originally was," he offers.
" Now, it's about what direction out society could have gone in
if certain things did or did not happen. We're still sliding into parallel
Earth dimensions, but, due to the budget constraints and the fact that
we are on the Sci-Fi Channel, we can tell more intelligent and complicated
stories that reflect on society, make statements about society and don't
always have to rely on special FX and the monster of the week.
While there will definitely be action and FX sequences in the new Sliders,
O'Connell reports that there won't be the "unwarranted gimmicks"
that characterized season three. "I felt that last year, we were
basing many of our scripts around big explosions and action stunts.
It was like, "Oh, we've just purchased this big truck that we can
blow up, so lets write a script around that." Much of what we were
doing last year wasn't very cerebral and didn't have much to do with
science fiction. This year, we're biuling a lot around character amd
story, much the way Rod Serling did the The Twilight Zone. it's being
done more with the words and the set up rather than with the special
FX. And yes, because we're doing it that way, we're having to work harder,
but we're all happy that we have more of this kind of work to do.
Slider Stories
O'Connell, not surprisingly, doesn't want to spoil the surprise of
this new season by giving away too many of the plot particulars, but
he does offer up some titbits of what is to come. "There's more
of a resistance to the Sliders from the Crom-Mags (**they spelt it wrong**),
who will play a much bigger riole this season, emerging as more of a
threat to the parallel universes than to the Sliders. The Sliders and
the Cro-Mags will be butting heads quite a lot this season. It will
also be more of a goal this season for the Sliders to try and return
to their home Earth. But what they'll find once they get there is a
totally unexpected twist that I can't give away."
He can give away some insights into his character Mallory's evolution.
O'Connell initially paints in the broad strokes to "maturity"
and "depth" before adding more detail. "When the show
first started, Quinn was more of a student, becasue he had the Professor
Maximilian Arturo (Rhys-Davies) to play off of. But, with the Prof gone,
more weight was put on Quinn's shoulders to be the leader. I panicked
when John left the show. My character, at that point, had pretty much
been the goofus, the flake. Now, suddenly, I had to magically become
this authoritive character. Fortunately, with John I was able for 3
seasons to learn from one of best on how to play that.
And, despite the arrivals and departures of actors, O'Connell insists
that the chemistry on the set remains good. "There has been no
problems working new actors in. Fortunately, we had Kari for part of
last season, and she picked up on things quickly. And you don't get
any cooler than Cleavant. But this new actor, Charlie O'Connell, is
kind of a putz. I don't know who he thinks he is."
O'Connell is jokingly referring to his own brother, who joins the regular
cast as Quinn's last long-lost brother Colin in episode six. "Charlie
auditioned with 2,000 other actors while in disguise," he teases.
But soon provides the more likely explaination that "his brother
Jerry became a producer, and so Charlie got the job. Although, if you
stop and think about it casting Charlie did make sense. How can you
have a character who's supposed to be my brother not (in reality, closely
resemble) my brother."
Scheduled Slides
Ironically, O'Connell's career appears to be at a cross-roads. Following
good reviews for Jerry Maguire and Scream 2, the actor appears primed
for the big screen and admits that his hiatus from Sliders will be filled
with feature work. "There's a great deal to be said for going on
location on a big-budget movie for three months and working with many
different people. But Sliders has given me the opportunity to act, produce
and direct, things I might not have the opportunity to do away from
television. Besides, it's impossible to get bored with this series.
We're constantly all over the place. So, if you're asking me if I'll
ever consider leaving the show, right now I"d have to say, "I'm
here until there is no more Sliders."
Nor does he foresee leaving the science fiction universe. "I've
based my choices to this point on the opportunity to play different
characters, and SF, fantasy and horror have certainly afforded me those
ooportunities. I'm also not one of those actors who's using the genre
as a stepping stone to other things. This genre is definitely legitimate
and is becoming more so all the time. I have a very strong base in the
genre, and I would be crazy to completely go away from it."
Likewise, two Sliders alumni may slide again. According to O'Connell,
Rhys-Davies has tentatively agreed to return for a few eps. And Lloyd
hasn't ruled out the possibility of re-appearing this season either.
"That's the neat thing about Sliders. Nothing is definite or for
sure. Just because something happened in one universe does not mean
it's that way elsewhere. Anything is possible in this show, and for
me that's really neat," O'Connell explains.
"Jerry! We need Jerry on the set!"
O'Connell sighs at the call of the director to return to action. Next
week, he'll be in the director's seat. but this night he's just an actor-and
the producer. "I'm doing 2000 things," chuckles Jerry O'Connell
as he gets up to leave. "But that's why I'm getting the big bucks."
Sibling Ribaldry
Charlie O'Connell is the new kid on the Sliders block. That's why he's
still in the dark about things. "I'm the newest guy, so I don't
know what it was like before. Yeah, I'm the rookie, but I'm starting
to get it."
"It" is the intracacies of portraying Quinn Mallory's long-lost
and -beginning with the sixth ep of the new Sliders-now-found brother
Colin Mallory, who has slid into a regular role on the series. O'Connell,
during a break in shooting, jokes about the fact that he was choosen
to play the brother of the character played by his real-life brother.
"Yeah, it's a real gas, isn't it?" he laughs. "the fact
that they were looking for a brother, and I just happen to fit the look."
O'Connell readily admits that nepotism was rampant in the casting decision.
Still, he felt a burden joining an established show. "In the beginning,
it was a little scary. There was the pressure of being Jerry's brother
and fitting in with everyone. Obviously, I knew a great deal about the
show, and I was made to feel quite comfortable by the rest of the cast
and crew."
Colin Mallory, according to Sliders mythology, has been living on a
parallel Earth. his rudimentary knowledge of nature and science in waht
O'Connell describes as an "Amish land" has branded him as
both "a genius and a witch."
When he inadvertently slides into the show's present, Colin has some
catching up to do. "I'm not used to technology, and I start out
as an innocent," O'Connell notes. "There's a lot he has to
get used to-like the concept of sliding for openers. In one ep, I discover
what a toilet is, and I'm truely amazed. We've alrready shot an ep in
which I get out of a tough situation when I discover how to use a pocket
knife. I'm the child of the group, but my character is definitely growing.
Besides, considering my size, it would be tough for me to play an innocent
all the time."
O'Connell, born and raised in NY, began his acting career early-appearing
in commercials by age nine. Charlie and Jerry went to different high
schools, but got back together during their college years at NYU where
Charlie, when he wasn't cutting up as a member of the fencing team,
majored in drama.
During his senior year, he began modeling in and around NY under the
banner of the famed Zoli Model Management. He also continued his studies
at the Strasberg Institute and the Atlantic Theater. His earlr acting
credits include the daytime soap opera Guiding Light and the off-Broadway
theater productions dr. Selavy's magic theatre and Opra Opera. O'Connell
came to LA in late 1997 and not long afterwards, landed on Sliders.
O'Connell compares working and living with his brother to going back
to school. "It helps to be around somebody who knows you so well.
It makes the grind of getting up at 5 am and working 14 hr days easier.
I don't even mind when he yells at me to pick my laundry up. It has
been a blast."
The actor is well aware that his brother's star is on the raise, due
to Scream 2 and Jerry Maguire. Nevertheless, " I don't see Jerry
leaving the show anytime soon," Charlie O'Connell says, "But
even if he did, I don't think I would have any problem continuing Sliders.
It's great working with my brother, and I would miss him if he left
the show. But I truely love Sliders. And I would definitely stick around."
Article Obtained from Jessica's
Sliders Page
