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Victor Webster: 4/03 Zap 2 It
The Next Action Hero (Thursday, April 03 10:00 PM)
By Kate O'Hare
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Victor Webster doesn't look that big sitting on a stool at his favorite Hollywood diner -- but then, he stands up. Many actors are shorter than they appear on screen, but the darkly handsome, 6'3" Webster isn't one of them.
Asked if his height has ever lost him roles, Webster says, " I've lost quite a few. The problem is, because of my height and the way I look, I'm in direct conflict with people that I'm reading for. I just read for a movie with Ben Affleck. I'm not going to be in a scene playing with Ben Affleck. It's a conflict of interest. You know what I'm saying? I can't do that."
Webster's physical appearance did get him a screen test for Warner Bros.' new film version of " Superman," a role which has scared off Hollywood stars from Ashton Kutcher to Josh Hartnett (the film, scripted by " Alias" creator J.J. Abrams, also recently lost its director, Brett Ratner).
For the moment, Webster is concentrating on returning to work on the third season of his syndicated science-fiction series " Mutant X," which should start production in Toronto around the end of May (he also has a role in the comedy " Bringing Down the House," with Steve Martin and Queen Latifah).
In " Mutant X," Webster plays Brennan Mulwray, one of several so-called " new mutants" who use their powers for good, under the leadership of Adam (John Shea), one of the scientists who helped create them.
Playing the other new mutants are Forbes March as Jesse Kilmartin, who can alter the density of his body; Victoria Pratt as Shalimar Fox, who contains human and animal DNA; and Lauren Lee Smith as Emma deLauro, a telepath who can receive and transmit feelings.
Mulwray's particular skill is harnessing electricity, but he's pretty handy in a fight as well, which makes use of Webster's martial-arts skills. While he likes the action, Webster would appreciate more of an opportunity to show what else he can do.
" There's not a lot of character stuff," he says. " I'm not crying on the show. I'd like to explore some emotional depths, and this is an action show. You're going to have a lot of exposition and a lot of running round, chasing the bad guys. You're not going to have a character piece."
" They're worked a lot more in it this year, which is good. I understand the nature of the beast that I'm involved with, but it doesn't keep my creative side from craving more. That's why I'm in this business, so I can do this and then do something else and something else. I just can't do them all at once sometimes, but that's fine with me."
Asked what he'd like to see in the new season, Webster says, " I hope to explore different sides of everyone's personality and explore differences. You've got to think about it -- Emma's got to be totally screwed in the head, knowing everything that everybody's thinking. You want her to go a little more insane. You want Shalimar to go a little more feral, a little more animal, more distant. You want to see the differences."
" I think sometimes [the show is] too much into the story and not about the characters. It's too much servicing the story, and that's not what it's about. If you can service the story, deliver the exposition like they do on 'Alias.' I'm watching that show, and their exposition is 'boom, boom, boom,' right to the point, then they do character stuff."
" Our exposition is three pages long, while we're sitting there looking at computer screens."
Webster, though, doesn't want to see less action in the show -- if anything, he wants more, just done in a different way. " Forget all the wire stuff, let's just do some more fighting, some more action. You don't need to do all the wirework, the flying. We can do more stuff on the mini-trampoline."
While he's at it, Webster has more wishes on his list. " I want to direct next year. I think it's going to happen. I've shadowed a bunch of directors. I've sat with the editors. I watch the dailies every single day. I've gone to playbacks. I've done the work to do it."
" I'll start with some second-unit directing at the beginning of the year and finish with some episodes toward the end. I have no problem with that."
With " Mutant X" under his belt, and having been given at shot at " Superman," Webster has definite opinions about the future of movie action stars.
" Who's out there right now? Vin Diesel is a big, meathead guy, but he can't act. He's fun to watch. The Rock? He's an action star, and that's it. Why not get somebody out there who can act, who looks good, and who can cross over?"
" You have to have somebody who'll give these people a chance, because they're out there. I'm one of them, and there's a lot more people like me out there. Somebody just needs to give them a chance."
" This business is so messed up, because they're giving these opportunities to people who aren't really respected, just because they're in the Enquirer all the time, and they're doing movies back-to-back."
" They figure it's a sure bet, so they go with those people. Nobody's willing to take a chance anymore."
Asked who's currently doing what he'd like to be doing, if given that chance, Webster answers without hesitation: " A cross between Billy Crudup and Brad Pitt."
CYBERSPATIAL ANOMALIES: " The First Unofficial Victor Webster Page" at www.angelfire.com/ca3/VICTORWEBSTER/ offers lots of information about the " Mutant X" star, including links to his fan-produced newsletter, transcripts and articles, and his " Playgirl" photo spread. For all the news that's fit to post on " Mutant X," visit the series' official site at www.mutantx.net. On the unofficial side, hop the pond to Britain for " UK Mutant X," at www.uk-mutantx.fsnet.co.uk/."
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