Nestor Carbonell had a role in a little horror movie called Killer Film that's coming out on DVD. He was available for interviews, and wouldn't you know it, he's also on some TV show that people are all buzzing about. In Killer Movie, Carbonell plays a reality TV producer who sends clients to a shoot where a real killer starts eliminating them. He was happy to segue into Lost stuff, as recent episodes have revealed lots about the island and his character, Richard Alpert.
Crave Online: Are you calling from Hawaii?
Nestor Carbonell: No, no, I'm actually here in the mainland right now but I'm sure I'll be going back there shortly.
Crave Online: So you have the first line of dialogue in Killer Movie. How cool is that?
Nestor Carbonell: It was pretty funny. It was cool. I got to work with Jeff Fisher who I met years ago. He cast me in a short film that he did. He's a great guy and he wrote a very funny spoof on something he's been working on for years, on reality shows. It became a hybrid sort of satire of slasher movies and also reality TV.
Crave Online: Since you play the Hollywood producer, was it nice you didn't have to go get messy and dirty with the bloody stuff?
Nestor Carbonell: Well, I like the messy stuff. I love the bloody and getting out in the jungle and doing all that stuff. It's the kid in me. But yeah, it's also nice to be able to wear a suit and show up, sit in a restaurant and have a conversation. That's always nice too, but I like to mix it up. I like both.
Crave Online: What is it about those smooth talking guys in suits that you're so good at?
Nestor Carbonell: [Laughs] Well, thank you, I think. I don't know. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that we've both met enough of those guys in this town. You come across them over time. I've been here a number of years now and you meet those guys who are very smooth and quick with their tongue and they know what they want. Generally speaking, it boils down to a paycheck. But with a character like that, you hope, and I don't know if it comes across like that, you hope to find a few dimensions with it so that it doesn't become too much of a caricature, even though this really is a spoof. This is very much a satire. I think being in this town and keeping your eyes open, just picking up on how people operate. Obviously, not everybody, but there are those characters out there.
Crave Online: Is this one based on anyone in particular you knew?
Nestor Carbonell: Oh, yes.
Crave Online: Will that person recognize himself?
Nestor Carbonell: Yeah, probably.
Crave Online: In a good way or might he be angry?
Nestor Carbonell: No, that person definitely has a sense of humor about himself so he'll be okay about it I'm sure.
Crave Online: As a dramatic actor in scripted work, how do you feel about your character's pro-reality TV perspective?
Nestor Carbonell: That's interesting. I have to confess, and I probably shouldn't, but my wife and I, there's a couple shows that we watch that we're devoted to. One of them's Amazing Race. We're big fans of that show. These are our guilty pleasures, and we also got into Top Chef. Between the food and the incredible chefs, it's pretty compelling TV. So we are very guilty, and I certainly am, of viewing a couple reality shows but I have to say, and my character says this, I know I'm making fun of it, but there is some truth to it. There is something really compelling about watching an honest moment within a scripted sort of environment, or within a manufactured environment. Obviously, those are a lot of contrived circumstances in reality shows, but there is something to, as an actor, and I know audiences, to watching honest reactions, honest moments. So yes, I'm guilty as charged.
Crave Online: Were all those on-camera portions done in one day?
Nestor Carbonell: The on camera stuff was done in two days, two separate days. One day we shot and then we did a few reshoots. That's the beauty of shooting this film. We were able to do on camera stuff after we saw a cut of the film and said, "Okay, maybe we could use…" Jeff asked me to take a look at the film and say, "What could be in there? Maybe a couple interviews here and there." So we were able to use confessionals to sort of break up the acts and narrate the story.
Crave Online: Does it give away that you're safe from the killer if you're appearing in an interview?
Nestor Carbonell: I don't know. Does everybody interviewed live? I can't remember. I suppose it does. I suppose it does give it away. They are all alive. No one's speaking from the depths of hell or heaven. But again, I think this movie's less about the thrill or the horror and it's much more about the satire element.
Crave Online: How do you choose roles?
Nestor Carbonell: Well, the first thing I look at is: is there dimension to the role? Or if there's something different or interesting that perhaps I haven't played, there's a twist on the character. But before I look at the role, I look at the story. What's interesting about the story and is it compelling, how is it compelling? Then I look at the dimension of the role and see what can I bring to it? Can I add some more humor to it? Can I make it darker? Can I make him more mysterious? Is there something that I can add to it or is there something on the page that jumps out at me and says, "Oh yeah, this could be an interesting character." But it really is all about trying to find more than one level in the role.
Crave Online: What has Lost done for your profile?
Nestor Carbonell: Oh, working on that show has been a blessing. Initially it was just a one guest shot thing and it is a tremendous show, so well written, incredible cast and it's been amazing. In terms of the industry, I know it's a show that the industry really watches and it has an enormous following obviously around the world. So it's really opened up doors in a wonderful way and it's always great to hear how people talk about the show. I get excited when I first get the script. I'm always thrilled to open it and see what's coming up.
Crave Online: How many might we see you on this year?
Nestor Carbonell: Well, I've shot so far five and I'm slated to do a few more as we wrap up the season. The second one is episode three. There are so many twists to the plot, you just don't know what's going to materialize. That's part of the adventure. I remember getting the same feeling when I used to watch The Sopranos. You just don't know who's going to get killed. You don't know which way it's going to go and this, to me, has the same level of not knowing what's going to happen, what's coming around the corner.
Crave Online: Has the time travel element confused you?
Nestor Carbonell: Definitely the first couple of episodes I had to sort of wrap my mind around, okay, this is not linear time. We're in, I guess, circular time or parallel universes. Once you sort of go with it, it's a lot of fun.
Crave Online: How about this idea of not aging?
Nestor Carbonell: Yeah, that's crazy, isn't it? I don't have any answers. I wish I did, but even if I did, I'm sorry I wouldn't be able to tell you.
Crave Online: But is that challenging to play?
Nestor Carbonell: No, not per se. I certainly don't play him older, at least physically. So we'll see if that mystery is ever revealed. I can't say yet but we'll hopefully find out soon enough.
Crave Online: Are there any questions you're waiting to be answered on Alpert?
Nestor Carbonell: Here's the thing. I definitely want to find out more about his backstory about his past but part of me at the same time doesn't want to reveal too much. I think you definitely want answers to the big questions, perhaps why he doesn't age. Yet there's other mysteries I think you want to sort of keep to yourself so that you'd let the audience enjoy whatever mystery that is. So yeah, I would absolutely love to know why he doesn't age.
Crave Online: Does it surprise and/or amuse you that people think you're wearing makeup because you're so damn handsome?
Nestor Carbonell: [Laughs] No, this is an issue. It's pretty funny though. This is an issue I've been dealing with my whole life in terms of my eyelashes. I'm of Cuban descent and I just happened to have a lot of eyelashes and they're pretty dark. So even up close, I kind of see it. It's hysterical. What did you think? Did you think I was wearing eyeliner?
Crave Online: I didn't think of it, but it was funny.
Nestor Carbonell: Yeah, I thought it was very funny and I got a big kick out of it. It's very funny. I think one of these days I'm going to have to go out and do a talk show and personally put it to rest by doing some kind of experiment on air, just to prove that there is no eyeliner there.
Crave Online: What if you added eyeliner and became a monster?
Nestor Carbonell: Oh God, no. [Laughs] Oh, no. But anyway, I thought it was very funny.
Crave Online: You got to be in The Dark Knight. How involved have you remained with that team as it sweeps the awards circuit?
Nestor Carbonell: Well, again, another great project that I'm lucky to be a part of. It was great to work with Christopher Nolan. He's such an incredible talent. What a writer, what a director. So just being a part of the production was phenomenal. I saw them all at the premiere and as we did the press tour. I haven't touched base with any of them yet since the nominations but it's extremely exciting. It really is. It's very exciting and really well deserved. I think Christopher Nolan, obviously Heath Ledger and the whole crew. The producers did such an amazing job and really lifted the film from its genre to I think a film that just stands alone as a great movie, not just a great action/superhero movie.
Crave Online: Do they have you on contract in case they want to use you for a third?
Nestor Carbonell: No, I'm not under contract for that. I don't even know, I haven't heard anything whether or not definitively there is a third one yet, unless you've heard something.
Crave Online: Nolan even says he might not want to.
Nestor Carbonell: That's the thing about someone like Christopher Nolan. He's such a talent and I can imagine he wouldn’t want to do one just to do one. He'd only want to do one if there's a great story to tell, and a different way to tell it. Just judging from the kinds of movies he's done, I can't imagine that he would do one for the sake of making a movie.
