BOBW Interview: Conducted at the BOBW convention in Australia, February 2002
 

You were born and bred in L.A. What memories stand out from you childhood?
I'm glad you put 'bred' in there. We Cunninghams come from a very long and exclusive bloodline. My brother and I were raised on the finest pineapples money can buy and my sister was brushed twice daily. Kind of like Nazi poodles.

But what memories do you have of growing up as a child in Los Angeles?
That's a big question. I remember that all my friends were either Mexican or Jewish which was cool. Growing up in an Irish house is pretty much like being a Mexican Jew anyway. You scream at the people you love, and then you eat.

I remember my neighborhood. Its great boundaries and how I would navigate them. To this day I'm hopeless to remember any street names in L.A. or Vancouver, but I can tell you what sits on the corner.

I remember my first 'no trespassing' sign. (Some people remember their first kiss.) I think I was about seven or eight and just beginning to venture away from my the security of my home. The sign was posted in front of a private apartment complex and I remember it being a big deal for me. It wasn't so much that I wanted to explore the labyrinth of this particular apartment complex, but that fact that there was a sign saying I couldn't really peaked my curiosity. Looking back, it was definitely a cross roads of some kind, that decision as to whether to play by the rules or see what's on the other side of the fence. To this day, words like 'Employees only', 'Do not enter', 'Authorized Personnel Only', 'No Trespassing', and 'Restricted', are nothing but invitations to break from the pack and explore.

If you had to describe yourself to someone, what would you say to describe who you are?
Think of an artichoke.

In 1993 you headed north to Canada to attend the Vancouver Film School. What did the course teach you?
Taught me a lot about working with people. Great experience. Made some great friends. But I'd say the thing I learned the most was about myself and working with others. And it was the one thing I needed to learn the most about. Everything else you can get from a book.

After finishing the course, what goals and/or action plan did you put in place as a follow up to the course?
My only priority at that time was to never return to Los Angeles. I swore I'd never go back, and it was a really hard thing to do. I was living and working illegally, under the table jobs and all that crap. I hated it. But I would rather have put a bullet in my head before I returned to L.A. After that, it was all about finding an agent and seeing if I could make something happen as an actor in Vancouver.

You recently were back for a lecture/talk to (graduating) students, what impression do you think you made on the students?
Impression? God if I know. If they were anything like me when I graduated, they were probably sitting there thinking, "Who the hell is this guy?" You get up there and say something you think they may find interesting, but basically they just want you to shut your hole so they can watch their movies. What do they need me for? That, and if I'm so damn important, why the hell aren't I on a big movie set somewhere, instead of talking to the graduating class at the Vancouver Film School? But I loved it. It's a very cool thing to do, and I was very honored to have been asked.

ZACHARIA FARTED:

What was the hardest thing to do for this project?
For that, I do not even know where to begin. I could go on and on. The money. The people. The f*cking actors union. The basic 'miracles' needed (on a daily basis). Just writing the script was huge. Then it was the two years it took to complete. But I suppose if I had to pick the hardest part, it would be twofold, to begin and to finish.

The easiest?
The only thing 'easy' about making a movie is quitting.

Dangerously easy.
Dangerously logical.
Dangerously sensible.

Did the 'story' or direction/essence of the film change from its original concept to its final screen cut?
Some scenes were cut from the original script, but in terms of the over all picture, story, essence? Not a single inch

How did you judge the success of the film?
Judge? Hmm. Not sure, but the success it received had always been hoped for from the very beginning. As any filmmaker would, it's always nice to be recognized, acknowledged. I really like the film and it's really nice to see others watch it and get something from it. Sometimes the reaction is profound, other times it's not so great. But rarely is it, "eh... whatever." My goal from the beginning was to simply finish it. Honestly, that was it. Finish it. Of course you try and make it the best you can, but ultimately I would have been happy for someone to walk out of the theatre and talk about it like they would any other film, 'Liked it.' 'Hated it.' 'Piece of shit.' etc. But it would still be a movie.

With Stargate SG-1 you have a recurring role in a very high profile TV series.
Yes, that's correct. You're bang on there. Nicely done.

What are the pro's and con's of working on the show?
Pro's? Steady work on an excellent show with great people and quality story lines. Con's....? Yes. I think there are a few on the crew who have actually done some 'hard time', but they've paid their debt to society and so, we try not to make an issue out of it. But if you're talking about the 'down side' to Stargate. The only 'con' I can think of is that I don't get the opportunity to do more.

Two other high profile roles are/were on the comedy shows BIG SOUND and BEGGARS AND CHOOSERS. What types of characters do you play on these two shows?
I play agents in both. Big Sound (music agent). Beggars (talent agent).

Do you choose to play roles on particular shows or do you go for whatever you can get?
Mostly whatever I can get. Granted, I have a choice in what auditions I go out for, and sometimes I do turn them down, but for the most part I'm happy to be a working actor and I can only pray for opportunities where the material has integrity and is attached to a quality producer or company

When did you first discover that you had people following your career? (ie. fans).
When I first found Kim McGreal under my bed. No. I suppose it was when I got an e-mail from both Lisa Cohen and Kim McGreal asking about an 'Official Major Davis Club'. It was then that I thought that there may be a few more people out there following my career than I'd originally thought. Before that it was the usual, "Where do I know you from?" or "Nice work." or "You owe me money." in Cafe's and the like.

What impressions did you first discover that you have of fans after meeting some of them face to face at Gatecon 2001 & BOBW 14?
At Gate Con, I truly was surprised that anyone really knew anything about Major Davis (the part's NOT that big). And granted, although I was bombarded with people taking photographs, I still thought to myself, "Well, don't let it go to your head. You're the first one here and so, who the hell else are they going to take pictures of?" But it was still a trip. As for BOBW. That was truly unique. I got time to really meet the people running the con, the fans, everyone. It was really special. That atmosphere was really intimate and you didn't have bodyguards running a gauntlet for you, keeping people away every two seconds. The Aussie fans were so incredibly cool, after a while, you just wanted to hang out with them. They didn't treat you like you were some kind of God. Just that they appreciated you and what you did for a living and it was all about having fun.

Do you still have the same motivations as an actor now that you had when you first started in the business?
Yes, but they've become fuzzier over the years. You get older. It's harder to stay focused on the 'one true' thing. After a while your philosophies become polluted with other people’s truths. You can become lazy if you're not careful. Success comes with it's own pit falls that you need to watch out for. To Quote Richard Burton: "I was better when I was hungry."

What challenges or projects are left for you to go up against?
The challenge of everyday living I suppose. Retaining your integrity while attempting to better yourself. As far as personal projects go? I'm going to Direct another music video for Country Music Artist Sean Hogan and then begin production on my next feature length film. Then, take over the worlddddddddddd!!

Interview Copyright © 2002 - Arthur Bragianos and BOBW