Mykelti Williamson 24 Season 8 DVD Interview

Mykelti Williamson 24 Season 8 DVD Interview

Cast: Kiefer Sutherland, Elisha Cuthbert, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Cherry Jones, Annie Wersching, Anil Kapoor, Katee Sackoff, Bob Gunton, Freddie Prinze Jr.
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
Rated: MA

In "24" Season Eight, New York City is the backdrop and Emmy Award® winner Kiefer Sutherland is back as rugged counter-terrorist, Jack Bauer. Just when he thought he was leaving the dangerous life behind to be with his daughter and her family, Jack is once again called on by CTU to uncover a Russian extremist plot to assassinate an Islamic leader during peace negotiations with U.S. President Taylor. Fan favorites Elisha Cuthbert, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Cherry Jones, and Annie Wersching are joined by new faces Anil Kapoor, Katee Sackoff, Bob Gunton and Freddie Prinze Jr. for Jack's final, nail-biting 24 hours protecting America's freedom.

Special Features:
Time may be running out on 24, one of the most innovative and acclaimed dramas on television, but fans can relive every heart-pounding minute of the show's final season with "24" Season Eight on Blu-ray and DVD from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Additionally, fans will also have a chance to experience all 8 days of Jack Bauer when "24" The Complete Series arrives in a collectible DVD Tin box set.

"24" The Complete Series is a must-own collectible Tin box set, that includes Seasons 1-8, and bursting with bonus features including deleted scenes; behind-the-scenes footage; a comprehensive retrospective that looks back at the show's unforgettable eight seasons; an alternate ending for the series finale and much more.

Interview with Mykelti Williamson

Question: What's Kiefer like as a boss, both off screen and on?

Mykelti Williamson: Kiefer is very thoughtful, introspective, and just really quick on his feet. His instincts are always spot on. And I've known Kiefer for years, and I've learned a lot from him, and he's younger than I am. I've learned so much from him. He's like a guy who's got an old man's soul. It's like he's been here before. I'm always fascinated by how he can know so many of the things that he knows at such a young age. But he's a good guy. I likehim. He's one of my dearest friends.


Question: So did the approach to you come from Kiefer directly? Has he been saying for a while you need to do "24"?

Mykelti Williamson: At Season 1, we talked about it. I had a couple features lined up and I just stayed focused on feature films and watched the show and was blown away at how great the show was. This was the first television show that actually fit my big screen, because I bought a big screen years ago -- it probably sounds corny, but I bought a big screen years ago to watch DVD movies and to watch sports. And "24" was the first TV show that actually fit my big screen TV like a feature film that never stopped moving, where the camera would like, invade different parts of his life. It was great. The style of it. It was just beyond my wildestexpectation. And it's been hot ever since. So it makes me nervous because there's so much to live up to this season. I'm being told that I'm doing a really good job, but still, I'm extremely nervous about it because there's so much to live up to.


Question: So did you manage to discuss the part with Kiefer, since he's an executive producer on the show?

Mykelti Williamson: Well, Kiefer told me, "We're going to do some great stuff." And he puts on that little devilish smile. We're shooting episodes 13 and 14 right now. I don't know what the future holds beyond 13 and 14, which for me, is exciting because that's how AlfredHitchcock used to make movies. He would give one actor certain words and scenes and another actor other scenes, and they had no idea what else was going on until he brought them together.


Question: How is the experience of working on television now?

Mykelti Williamson: It's challenging. We shoot two episodes at a time, and it's hard. It's very tough because there are two cameras on you at all times. You don't get the rehearsal that you would like to have. I think a lot of the energy on the show comes from not having as much rehearsal, so you've got to go like, "Now, let's go." I think that's been working for the show because there's so much energy and pressure when you're working on this show. Man, it's a thrill ride. It really is.


Question: So how does it feel to be Jack Bauer's boss?

Mykelti Williamson: Jack Bauer has no boss, to be honest with you.


Question: Does he try at least to be the boss, or has he just given up?

Mykelti Williamson: Well, no, he thinks he's the boss, but he pretends that he's the boss. He carries himself like he's the boss, but deep inside he knows that he is not the man that Jack Bauer is. And I think that's a problem for him. My character has trouble with being honest. I won't say he's a liar, but he has trouble being honest and accepting responsibility for mistakes that he makes.


Question: You mean he works for the government; right?

Mykelti Williamson: Right, absolutely. So he's typical, what you would expect of a government official who's over their head and they need a guy like Jack Bauer, but they're not willing to acknowledge that they need a guy like Jack Bauer. So it's really interesting. Kiefer surprises me every episode. I go on off days to watch him do certain scenes because he'sso surprising. It actually fuels me as an actor and forces me to make more interesting choices than I thought I would have made based on just reading the script. You've absolutely have to watch him. You can't just read the script.


Question: This challenging TV format, is this something you would enjoy for a long time or are you looking forward to the times you go back to movies?

Mykelti Williamson: I like them both. This is far more challenging than making movies, by far. There's a saying "Smart people think faster," even with characters. If I show you a character that speaks really slowly, then I dumb the character down for you, like Bubba in "Forrest Gump." But if he's a fast-talking character, like Brian Hastings at CTU, you realise he's articulate, he's quick, he's fast. There's a heightened level of intelligence there. This process has heightened my intelligence as an actor. And it's also sharpened my skills because now there are things that I would take the time to process longer, and now I can deliver like that (snapping his fingers). And it's thanks to "24."


Question: Are you surprised that "Forrest Gump" is still one of those iconic movies?

Mykelti Williamson: I'm not surprised because when we were making "Forrest Gump," we knew we were making something special. We didn't know how special it would be to others, but we knew that we were making something really special and it translates into all these different languages. The laughter is in the same place. When we opened in Germany, South America, Tokyo, when we opened that movie, the laughter and the tears were all in theexact same place because the human condition translates our language. And it was fascinating to me. I'm so proud of that movie and that performance.


Question: What do you think about "24," because that's very popular all over the world as well? What translates there that everybody -- it doesn't matter what culture they are, that they embrace the show?

Mykelti Williamson: I think everyone realises that their government is doing whatever it takes to keep them safe, that there are men and women who leave their homes and walk into darkness to defend our lives. People like Jack Bauer. And audiences are curious about what a person like that will come up against and how they behave in a certain circumstance. Kiefer just makes it so interesting because he's so passionate about it that you can't take your eyesoff of him. I think that's why the show is successful and translates into every language. It's because there's someone in Japan, there's someone in Belgium, there's someone in Germany, there's someone everywhere keeping their people safe. And that's what they go through.


Question: How much are you at home at CTU personally? I mean, in the computer world, the spy world, all that.

Mykelti Williamson: Very much so. I'm very comfortable there. I like planting seeds that the government you believe in may or may not believe in you. I like toying with that because I think it's interesting. So I'm very comfortable with it. I just hope audiences receive it because the writing is quite substantial.


Question: Are you computer savvy?

Mykelti Williamson: I am. I edit. I do special effects and different things on the computer. I'm a filmmaker, so yeah, a computer is my friend.


Question: Are your friends and family excited about you doing the show?

Mykelti Williamson: They are. And they enjoy the secrecy as much as I enjoy the secrecy, because I'll have fans stop me or people who have heard about me on the show, and they want to know what's going on. "I heard you're on '24.' What's going to happen? Tell me what's going to happen." And they want to know, and I'm like, "I can't say. It's top secret." And they go, "Aaah." But you know they're going to be watching because they're being denied access. I think FOX is really smart that way. I think they're really smart that way, to just saynothing and then let them have it.





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