Comincio Lunedì

It’s 40° C on the terrace of the Bayerische Hof Hotel in Munich. And I’m not exaggerating. It’s so hot the hostess keeps bringing wet towels to prevent us, poor, swollen feeted journalists from all over Europe, from passing out out. Our pain is rewarded, though: we get to meet the hunky Josh Holloway, Sawyer from Lost, the most charming scoundrel on television (it’s a tie with doctor Gregory House, I must say). With long hair and two days’ stubble required for his castaway role, wearing jeans and an unbuttoned white shirt, Holloway sits under a parasol, fresh and relaxed, waiting for each woman in line to sit in front of him. It looks like a celebrity version of the “speed dating”: 15 minutes with the actor – who stars in the new Davidoff Cool Water commercial – for each one of us. That’s how it works these days, so it’s better not to waste any time and get straight to the point.

How do you feel playing the role of a jerk?
«Ah, I like your frankness. That’s true, during the whole first season Sawyer was really behaving like a jerk, but he has improved and this is a good thing, because he risked becoming a one-dimensional character. I’m pleased with where they’re taking him, but I don’t want him to get too good. The uncaring side of his personality is part of his charm, right? The credit for the growth of the character goes to the writers by the way: they study us, know us, and according to each actor’s characteristics, they change and improve the script.»

Do you think there is some Sawyer in you?
«There is a bit of Sawyer in all of us, if we’d only let it come out.»

Excuse me, but what part are we talking about here?
«The part that doesn’t care about what other people think. The part which isn’t politically correct, which says what’s on our minds and faces the consequences of our actions. The character is loved precisely because of that: we aren’t allowed to say and do what we want in our society. Sawyer is certainly not the kind of person society wants us to be. I assure you, going to work every day and having a chance to act like a totally free person is wonderful.»

Can you tell us what’s in store for Sawyer or, at least, what you hope for for your character?
«I hope he’ll keep growing, fluctuating between a bastard and a generous person. At the end, only at the very end, I would like to see him die. I don’t think I want him to survive and leave the island.»

And how should he die?
«Doing something really unexpected, something that would redeem him once and for all from all his bad actions. For instance, he could save a frog.»

I’m sorry?
«Yeah, rescue a frog and then die. A ridiculous and weird act that would redeem him though. Let’s hope so.»

Don’t you want to see him in love with Kate [the Lost character played by Evangeline Lilly], maybe have a relationship?
«Well, he’s already a bit in love, although I can’t picture Sawyer in a stable relationship, I don’t think he will be able to make it work.»

Is it true that you had many other jobs before you became an actor?
«Sixteen or seventeen since I moved from Georgia to California. I used to get bored very easily and that’s why I changed so many jobs. Thankfully, I don’t have the same problem anymore».

You also worked as a real estate agent, right?
«I had received my license as a real estate agent three days before I signed on Lost. I never got to practice it, but studying was fun. I had been away from school for so long that it felt very nice when I proved to myself that I could still pass an exam».

Did you dream of becoming famous when you were a kid?
«No, absolutely not».

That’s what every actor says…
«Is that so? Well, you know what? You should try it. Being able to act is great but being famous is really tiresome».

I could use that statement as the title…
«The fact is that becoming famous forces you to make adjustments in your life. I’m an open, sociable person, but I’m also very private. I had to learn how to stay true to myself while being in the public eye and also not let my self-confidence depend on what other people might think about me. I’m handling these things much better now. I’ve been able to enjoy only the positive aspects of fame and not allow the negative ones affect me».

Your marriage also had to adapt to this new situation?
«Certainly. My wife and I have a very strong relationship. She’s very sure of herself and the fact that I’ve become famous brought us even closer together as a couple. Obviously, there are some tough moments…».

Like when you’re speed-dating 15 different women in one day?
«Ah, that’s a good one. No, she doesn’t care. On the contrary, days like this remind her why she’s still with me. When she saw me ruffled haired in the Davidoff Cool Water ad the other day she said she’d fallen in love with me all over again.»

I read that you’re very careful about spending your money. Is it because success hasn’t come easy for you or because, as they say, Sawyer could get killed off at any moment and you’d be jobless again?
«It’s both. I grew up in a beautiful place, on 33 acres of land, with eight dogs, in a house my father built with his own hands and thanks to his hard work. I was taught to value every single dollar. That’s another thing that ties me with my wife. She’s the one in charge of economy in our house, and she’s very good at it.»

What’s the most expensive thing you’ve ever bought?
«My fishing boat. Actually I wanted to buy a cheaper one but my wife told me: “If you must go out in the ocean, I want you to be as safe as possible”».

(trovato qui)