Interview [IGN]

Interview: Terry O'Quinn
Locke lets us in on a few Lost secrets.
by Todd Gilchrist
August 25, 2006 - As Locke on the hit series Lost, Terry O'Quinn is certainly one of the cast's venerated elders, dispensing common sense and philosophy in almost equal measures. But off screen, the actor is equally experienced - and after more than 25 years as an actor, he should be. His previous roles include turns in such films as Heaven's Gate, Silver Bullet, Young Guns, and The Stepfather, where he played the malevolent paterfamilias not once but twice.



Today, however, O'Quinn has found a relatively secure gig on Lost - not the least of which because he is one of the show's most-loved characters; even his fellow cast members pick Locke as their favorite. IGN recently spoke to O'Quinn during the launch party for the Lost Season Two DVD; in addition to offering insights about who is his favorite character, O'Quinn talks at length about his experience playing Locke, being a button-pusher, and properly enjoying his forthcoming action figure.




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IGN DVD: What is the one thing you wish you could have found in the hatch besides the tires for your car?

Terry O'Quinn: Obviously Locke wished he could have found the meaning of his life in the hatch. That's what he was looking for - his job, his destiny, his task, his meaning, and it turned out to be pushing a button and he found that very disappointing.

IGN: Have you ever been a button pusher in real life?

O'Quinn: A button-pusher? No. Never. I've been doing this since I was in college and before that I did nothing. The button pushing was a whole new experience for me and I found it very dissatisfying and I was unhappy for Locke. Locke was unhappy and I was very sympathetic.

IGN: Do you think Locke was frustrated because of his isolation of just pressing a button all the time?

O'Quinn: I think he was frustrated because he thought getting into the hatch and finding [what was in it] was going to give him some definition and was going to maybe be the answer to his life's work. It was kind of like the old man and the mountain: if he got up there he was going to get the answer and he was going to find some peace of mind and some meaning - something that would drive him forward. But it didn't.

IGN: Do you think he does next season?

O'Quinn: I don't know if he finds it, but I think he continues to seek it. I think he has to. I think he's driven and often to his detriment to hurt himself and hurt others simply to find 'why are we here?' only on a personal level. You know - he's asking that question: why am I here?

IGN: It seems everyone on the island is guilty of something and maybe that's why they're there. What is Locke guilty of?

O'Quinn: I don't know. Of a specific crime, I don't know. He's guilty of being a sucker, being too easy and wearing his heart on his sleeve. Of falling for anybody who comes along and anything. He's guilty of being too trusting, but on the other hand, it makes him innocent of everything because he wants to believe, he wants there to be magic, he wants things to be good.



IGN: Overall, how would you characterize your experience of working on Season Two compared to Season One?

O'Quinn: Season Two seemed to go by much more quickly in a way because the experience wasn't as varied. Season One was discovering this character and discovering all these little things - he knew so much and he was willing to relate things to people. And Season Two, he went down this hole and started pushing this button, and the magic seemed to go away. So Season Two seems to me like one long episode. In Season One were very specific talks and talking with people; I remember scenes, I remember talking with Jack about his leadership, talking to Sawyer about my sister, talking to Charlie about the drugs. I remember all of that very clearly. Season Two was all about pushing the button, I'm frustrated, I'm mad at this and I'm mad at Jack, Henry Gale is twisting my arm. It was the hatch, basically.

IGN: How much do you feel you've had some influence or inspiration to the writers in terms in contributing some of your own personality or some of your frustrations with what you would interpret into playing that character?

O'Quinn: I think plenty. I think the writers respond to what they see in the cast big time, not necessarily in terms of story points but certainly in terms of performance points and where they take the character. If they're going from point A to point B, they might let the character decide what B and C are, I mean the actor, to a certain extent, but they know they're going to get to D. So I think that the writers are influenced a good bit by the actors.

IGN: How do you feel about being an action figure?

O'Quinn: Well I haven't seen it. That was never one of dreams to be an action figure so I don't know. Somebody asked me if I hoped the action figure had props and I said yeah, a little gun to shoot himself (laugh). Or if you get one, buy him and release him in the garden with a little knife where he can hunt mice.

IGN: We've asked everyone so far who their favorite character is on the show and they've all said Locke. Who is your favorite character?

O'Quinn: Well I'd have to agree with all of them (laughs). I bow down to their superior intelligence. My favorite character to look at is Kate. I mean I love working with Sawyer, I love working with Dominic Monaghan, I love working with Matthew, I like working with Ian. It's a bunch of good actors. My favorite person to greet when I get to work that would have to be Evangeline. She's a great hugger.

Source : IGN