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Exclusive Interview: 'LEVERAGE' DIRECTOR JONATHAN FRAKES REUNITES WITH 'STAR TREK' ALUM BRENT SPINER FOR THE 'JUROR #6 JOB'
Also appearing in the episode (which airs tonight at 10:00 p.m. on TNT) is STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE'S Armin Shimmerman
By A.C. FERRANTE, Editor in Chief
Published 2/8/2009
A mini-STAR TREK reunion took place last fall on the set of TNT’s action series LEVERAGE as director Jonathan Frakes brought aboard fellow STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION star Brent Spiner to appear in “The Juror #6 Job.” Also appearing in the episode (which airs tonight at 10:00 p.m. on TNT) is DEEP SPACE NINE alum (and long time friend) Armin Shimmerman as well as his wife Kitty Swink.
In this latest episode, Nate Ford (Timothy Hutton) along with his ragtag group of Robin Hood-esque thieves (Aldis Hodge, Christian Kane, Beth Riesgraf, Gina Bellman) attempt to take down a rigged jury.
http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/te
Number One Guy: Jonathan Frakes Helms Leverage, Talks Star Trek
by Zach Oat February 9, 2009 4:25 PM
After almost 20 years playing Commander Riker on Star Trek: The Next Generation and its assorted spin-offs, Jonathan Frakes got used to being called "Number One." But it was while still on TNG that he took that nickname a step further, taking the helm as the director of several episodes and parlaying that into a successful directing career. With several Trek series, two Trek movies and two Librarian TV-movies under his belt, he recently took on two episodes of the new TNT series Leverage, and this week's episode guest-stars three of his old buddies from the Trek set. We talked to Commander Frakes about J.J. Abrams' new time-warping take on Trek, his mission to Mexico City to direct a Lost-esque series for Fox, and why he wants to be promoted to Captain... America.
TWOP: An episode of Leverage can get pretty complex, with all of the characters and relationships and costumes and scams -- does that make it harder to direct than your average TV show?
Jonathan Frakes: Not if you plan well. There are a lot of scenes in these episodes, and a lot of pieces to the scams. But if you've got a script ahead of time, you can pretty much plan what you want to do, and hopefully get it done in the little amount of time you have to do it. But I think that's one of the show's charms -- that it is so complex, and it does look like a little mini-movie every week.
Were you the one who reached out to fellow Star Trek alumni Brent Spiner, Armin Shimerman and Kitty Swink when casting this episode?
Yes I was. I've obviously worked so much with Brent, and this seemed like a great opportunity to use him in a way that was not Data. So I asked [executive producer] Dean [Devlin], who is also a fan, because Dean had used him in Independence Day, and he said "Sure, I'll offer that to Brent." And then, when casting the other parts, I said, "How about Armin Shimerman" -- who I also knew from other places; I'd worked with him in New York, as well as on Star Trek -- I said, "How about him for this corrupt juror?" And then, "His wife Kitty would be great as the judge, so why don't we bring her in?" And it was serendipitous, in that it made the set a pleasure, it made my job easier to have three actors who knew what the hell they were doing in those parts, and now we have the opportunity to promote it as a Star Trek reunion. So it's been a win-win.
This is your second episode of the show -- will you be directing any more?
Yes, the show has just been picked up, and Dean has asked me to come back and direct a few next season, so I'm really looking forward to maintaining my place in the family.
What's the next project you're working on?
I'm going down to Mexico to do a second episode of a new television series for Fox called Persons Unknown, which is Christopher McQuarrie's pilot, who wrote The Usual Suspects and Valkyrie, and it's run by a writer named Remi Aubuchon. It's a psychological drama in which people have been kidnapped and brought into an abandoned 1950s town, and they're trying to figure out why, and what they're doing there. It's loosely based on the English show The Prisoner, and feels a little bit like Lost, actually. It's a great show, and we shoot in Mexico City, so I'm going down there on Wednesday to do a second one of those.
What are you impressions of the new Star Trek movie?
I'm looking forward to it. I'm a big J.J. Abrams fan, and I think he had the franchise at heart when he made this one. If the trailers are any indication, it's gonna look great. I think hopefully it'll reinvent the franchise for all of us, so I'm very optimistic about it.
Is it true that you dressed as Captain America for Marvel Comics for a while?
[Laughs.] You've been reading some deep old bios! That is more than true. As a matter of fact, I just got a call while I was doing these interviews from my buddy who played Spider-Man, Charlie Davis, and his phone number comes up as "Spidey." It's funny that you should bring it up today.
You know they're working on a Captain America movie, right?
They've been working on a Captain America movie for 20 years!
Well, apparently it's happening this time.
I hope it's a huge hit. I wish I was doing it.
One last question: what are you rocking these days? Goatee, full beard, or clean-shaven?
I got the goatee wraparound. The goatee-mustache connector, no sideburns, and a little bit of the soul dot under the lip. But I gotta say -- entirely white.
"The Juror #6 Job" is written by Rebecca Kirsch who was thrilled to be working with all three STAR TREK pros on this episode.
“It was a great experience to have them all on set together and have such a wonderful history with each other and an excellent rapport that brings a very relaxed atmosphere to the set,” she says. “It’s a dream come true and something I’ve always wanted and worked toward for years. I couldn’t be more excited to have this exciting opportunity.”
For Spiner, who plays a potentially shady “herbal supplement” CEO, he loved working with his old friend Frakes again, and executive producer Dean Devlin who wrote and produced INDEPENDENCE DAY which Spiner also appeared in.
“Doing this episode was like swimming in a rainbow with thousands of beautiful naked babies,” says Spiner joking around.
iF Magazine was on the set to get the scoop on the episode from Frakes, who also directed the movie THE LIBRARIAN: CURSE OF THE JUDAS CHALICE for Devlin which hits DVD on February 24.
iF MAGAZINE: How did this quasi-STAR TREK reunion happen?
JONATHAN FRAKES: I suggested it and Dean approved it. We’ve been trying to get Brent on the show and finally convinced him to join us for this one.
iF: So it was old home week?
FRAKES: It makes the shorthand more valuable. I think you can work faster and more fascicle with the actors because you have the experience of how they work. All three actors I knew would show up prepared. Some times you cast an actor, you’ve seen the audition, but you don’t know what you’re going to get on set. You’ve worked with people you’ve worked before, you can breathe a little easier.
iF: What is the episode about?
FRAKES: All the themes of all the episodes are like Robin Hood stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. This one, the team take over a jury and courtroom.
iF: What do you think sets LEVERAGE apart from other shows?
FRAKES: The chemistry of the cast is great. There are five distinct energies with the actors. [Creators] John Rogers and Chris Downey have done a brilliant job with the writing. It has an edge, it’s dark, it has a great tone, it has a wonderful sense of humor. Dean and I like to make the same kind of shows. That’s why we work so well together on the LIBRARIAN films -- with this adventure comedy sleuth genre. We like things to move along. We have very similar tastes in that regard. I’m really glad to be part of a new project that clearly is going to have some legs.”
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Exclusive Interview: 'LEVERAGE' DIRECTOR JONATHAN FRAKES REUNITES WITH 'STAR TREK' ALUM BRENT SPINER FOR THE 'JUROR #6 JOB'
Also appearing in the episode (which airs tonight at 10:00 p.m. on TNT) is STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE'S Armin Shimmerman
By A.C. FERRANTE, Editor in Chief
Published 2/8/2009
A mini-STAR TREK reunion took place last fall on the set of TNT’s action series LEVERAGE as director Jonathan Frakes brought aboard fellow STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION star Brent Spiner to appear in “The Juror #6 Job.” Also appearing in the episode (which airs tonight at 10:00 p.m. on TNT) is DEEP SPACE NINE alum (and long time friend) Armin Shimmerman as well as his wife Kitty Swink.
In this latest episode, Nate Ford (Timothy Hutton) along with his ragtag group of Robin Hood-esque thieves (Aldis Hodge, Christian Kane, Beth Riesgraf, Gina Bellman) attempt to take down a rigged jury.
http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/te
Number One Guy: Jonathan Frakes Helms Leverage, Talks Star Trek
by Zach Oat February 9, 2009 4:25 PM
After almost 20 years playing Commander Riker on Star Trek: The Next Generation and its assorted spin-offs, Jonathan Frakes got used to being called "Number One." But it was while still on TNG that he took that nickname a step further, taking the helm as the director of several episodes and parlaying that into a successful directing career. With several Trek series, two Trek movies and two Librarian TV-movies under his belt, he recently took on two episodes of the new TNT series Leverage, and this week's episode guest-stars three of his old buddies from the Trek set. We talked to Commander Frakes about J.J. Abrams' new time-warping take on Trek, his mission to Mexico City to direct a Lost-esque series for Fox, and why he wants to be promoted to Captain... America.
TWOP: An episode of Leverage can get pretty complex, with all of the characters and relationships and costumes and scams -- does that make it harder to direct than your average TV show?
Jonathan Frakes: Not if you plan well. There are a lot of scenes in these episodes, and a lot of pieces to the scams. But if you've got a script ahead of time, you can pretty much plan what you want to do, and hopefully get it done in the little amount of time you have to do it. But I think that's one of the show's charms -- that it is so complex, and it does look like a little mini-movie every week.
Were you the one who reached out to fellow Star Trek alumni Brent Spiner, Armin Shimerman and Kitty Swink when casting this episode?
Yes I was. I've obviously worked so much with Brent, and this seemed like a great opportunity to use him in a way that was not Data. So I asked [executive producer] Dean [Devlin], who is also a fan, because Dean had used him in Independence Day, and he said "Sure, I'll offer that to Brent." And then, when casting the other parts, I said, "How about Armin Shimerman" -- who I also knew from other places; I'd worked with him in New York, as well as on Star Trek -- I said, "How about him for this corrupt juror?" And then, "His wife Kitty would be great as the judge, so why don't we bring her in?" And it was serendipitous, in that it made the set a pleasure, it made my job easier to have three actors who knew what the hell they were doing in those parts, and now we have the opportunity to promote it as a Star Trek reunion. So it's been a win-win.
This is your second episode of the show -- will you be directing any more?
Yes, the show has just been picked up, and Dean has asked me to come back and direct a few next season, so I'm really looking forward to maintaining my place in the family.
What's the next project you're working on?
I'm going down to Mexico to do a second episode of a new television series for Fox called Persons Unknown, which is Christopher McQuarrie's pilot, who wrote The Usual Suspects and Valkyrie, and it's run by a writer named Remi Aubuchon. It's a psychological drama in which people have been kidnapped and brought into an abandoned 1950s town, and they're trying to figure out why, and what they're doing there. It's loosely based on the English show The Prisoner, and feels a little bit like Lost, actually. It's a great show, and we shoot in Mexico City, so I'm going down there on Wednesday to do a second one of those.
What are you impressions of the new Star Trek movie?
I'm looking forward to it. I'm a big J.J. Abrams fan, and I think he had the franchise at heart when he made this one. If the trailers are any indication, it's gonna look great. I think hopefully it'll reinvent the franchise for all of us, so I'm very optimistic about it.
Is it true that you dressed as Captain America for Marvel Comics for a while?
[Laughs.] You've been reading some deep old bios! That is more than true. As a matter of fact, I just got a call while I was doing these interviews from my buddy who played Spider-Man, Charlie Davis, and his phone number comes up as "Spidey." It's funny that you should bring it up today.
You know they're working on a Captain America movie, right?
They've been working on a Captain America movie for 20 years!
Well, apparently it's happening this time.
I hope it's a huge hit. I wish I was doing it.
One last question: what are you rocking these days? Goatee, full beard, or clean-shaven?
I got the goatee wraparound. The goatee-mustache connector, no sideburns, and a little bit of the soul dot under the lip. But I gotta say -- entirely white.
"The Juror #6 Job" is written by Rebecca Kirsch who was thrilled to be working with all three STAR TREK pros on this episode.
“It was a great experience to have them all on set together and have such a wonderful history with each other and an excellent rapport that brings a very relaxed atmosphere to the set,” she says. “It’s a dream come true and something I’ve always wanted and worked toward for years. I couldn’t be more excited to have this exciting opportunity.”
For Spiner, who plays a potentially shady “herbal supplement” CEO, he loved working with his old friend Frakes again, and executive producer Dean Devlin who wrote and produced INDEPENDENCE DAY which Spiner also appeared in.
“Doing this episode was like swimming in a rainbow with thousands of beautiful naked babies,” says Spiner joking around.
iF Magazine was on the set to get the scoop on the episode from Frakes, who also directed the movie THE LIBRARIAN: CURSE OF THE JUDAS CHALICE for Devlin which hits DVD on February 24.
iF MAGAZINE: How did this quasi-STAR TREK reunion happen?
JONATHAN FRAKES: I suggested it and Dean approved it. We’ve been trying to get Brent on the show and finally convinced him to join us for this one.
iF: So it was old home week?
FRAKES: It makes the shorthand more valuable. I think you can work faster and more fascicle with the actors because you have the experience of how they work. All three actors I knew would show up prepared. Some times you cast an actor, you’ve seen the audition, but you don’t know what you’re going to get on set. You’ve worked with people you’ve worked before, you can breathe a little easier.
iF: What is the episode about?
FRAKES: All the themes of all the episodes are like Robin Hood stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. This one, the team take over a jury and courtroom.
iF: What do you think sets LEVERAGE apart from other shows?
FRAKES: The chemistry of the cast is great. There are five distinct energies with the actors. [Creators] John Rogers and Chris Downey have done a brilliant job with the writing. It has an edge, it’s dark, it has a great tone, it has a wonderful sense of humor. Dean and I like to make the same kind of shows. That’s why we work so well together on the LIBRARIAN films -- with this adventure comedy sleuth genre. We like things to move along. We have very similar tastes in that regard. I’m really glad to be part of a new project that clearly is going to have some legs.”
- Mood:
loved
