BuzzFocus recently spoke with David Lawrence, who plays the Eric Doyle, the Puppet Master, on Heroes. The Puppet Master is one of the most dynamic characters in Heroes. He has flown under the radar as a “villain” since his introduction in Heroes Season 3. Now, with his new life ahead of him, couresty of Claire, Doyle will expose some of the many facets of his character in his own web series: “Heroes: Nowhere Man.”
In this interview, Lawrence discusses work on Heroes, the new web series “Nowhere Man” and his life compared to Eric Doyle.
After one season of Heroes, how does it feel to now be the focal character of your own web series?
David Lawrence: I am just shocked and surprised and delighted by everything that has happened to me this season. This was supposed to be a nice little one episode top of show guest star role and it turned into eight episodes, two graphic novels, a webisode series and a video game. I just don’t get it. I’m really just happy and surprised, and I deserve every single ounce of it [joint laughter].
You definitely do. [joint laughter]
What’s it like playing a character like the Puppet Master? There’s so much that you bring to the character. He’s not just evil, but there’s this sadistic humor he has.
David Lawrence: There are a couple of facets to him that I really like. First of all, there’s this sadistic humor as you put it, but I think that is born of a frustration. He is also a great big loveable teddy bear when he’s not being taken advantage of or perturbed or upset. Some people react badly. I’m a pretty even keeled person, you can do an awful lot and I won’t get mad. But, I know people who will fly off the handle at a moment’s notice. Eric Doyle is one of these guys, or now Jason Tyminski, that have a short fuse and instead of getting “Errrr!” angry he starts to use this power to equalize things. But, when he’s not that way, he’s got this side to him that in another life - without a power or with a different power - wouldn’t be as destructive to his well being.
Make sense?
Yeah, totally.
David Lawrence: Even in the very first scene we see him in with Meredith – he’s in love with her. And, this is his chance to get the hot chick in high school that he didn’t get. To me, he’s one of these characters that have all these depths that can be plumed. He’s certainly not a one trick pony - which I love. I love to be able to explore all the different sides to him. To create the voice for him. To do the manipulation. I just put myself where I was in high school: which was drama geek, mathlete and academic challenge captain. I was the guy who was never gonna get the hot chick - even though all the hot chicks would flirt with me so that I would help them with their Trig homework.
[joint laughter]
What was the audition like since this was supposed to be a one episode character and then they saw everything in you that you could bring to this role?
David Lawrence: I walked in and I had some very clear choices that I had made about what I think this character was like. To be fair it’s not hard when you have great writing. If you’d seen the original lines for the audition sides they were very similar to what ended up on screen - but different.
I remember I auditioned, and I was told – I believe by Greg Beeman – he was the one that stood up and said, “Ok I love what you’re doing. I love love love what you’re doing.” Which is what he always used to say on the set as well, “love it love it love it.”
“But I don’t think the camera is picking up all the nuances of what you’re doing. Do me a favor and move the chair four feet closer to the camera.” They were video taping it. “And, go right to the camera instead of us.”
So, I did it and that must have nailed it. As I was finishing, a woman, who I later found out was in casting at NBC, was just sitting off camera to the right. I saw her shudder as I finished my last line. I thought, “Wow, either I really creeped her out or I just screwed this up.” [laughter] It turns out I creeped her out, which is what they were looking for. Which was great.
I love the opportunity to play a character like this. Let’s face it. I’m never going to play the romantic lead, but in the webisode, I kind of am the romantic lead. I have a love interest, who digs me. I’m always surprised when good looking women take me for me. It’s always either from the radio or I’m on this television show. I never quite know exactly what it is. It’s very hard sometimes. She likes me because I’m nice and I’m a good guy. At his very base, Eric Doyle is a good guy in a bad situation. He struggles mightily to keep that bad situation from taking over his life. As we’ll find out in the webisode, [his] powers can be used for good.
That’s interesting that you say that. Your love interest has a boyfriend who is a douche bag.
David Lawrence: [laughs]
How will that relationship play out?
David Lawrence: I think people are going to be rooting for me. I’m going out on a limb here [laughs]. But, I think given the choice between me and Kyle Dilman, who everybody remembers from “Company Man,” the first episode of season 2 who everybody says is one of the best eps in the series. Brian Fuller wrote that or was on the team who wrote that. It’s really nice when given the choice between two uncertain characters - I’m the one who comes out on top. In any other situation that ain’t the case. In this case it is.
Let’s jump back a minute to talk about your relationship with Claire. You’ve always called her Barbie. Who pushed that idea along, was it the writers? Was it you?
David Lawrence: It was the writers. In fact it was in the audition sides. It was making fun of the fact that she was blond haired, a cheerleader, [with a] sort of a perky attitude. A lot of people latched on to that. They’re surprised that they let me keep calling her Barbie. They write it in. I had fun with it. In fact Hayden came up with a line for after she knocks me out with the chair leg. I don’t know why they didn’t use it or [why] she didn’t use it. It might have been a thing with Mattel. Who knows? It was a great bookend. She knocks me out with the chair leg, stands over me and says, “Show’s over KEN!”
It was great. I reminded her of it on the set. I think she did it for a couple of takes, but they used the other ones. Who knows, they may bring it back if they ever bring me back on to the show. And, in the episode where I die, finally Barbie is the one that kills me and she goes, “Show’s over Ken,” or “Take that Ken.” Because “take that” is what people say everyday in life… “TAKE THAT YOU EVIL VILLAIN.”
[joint laughter]
What was your most memorable experience on the Heroes set?
David Lawrence: I think getting hit over the head with a chair leg. Greg Beeman kind of talks about it in his blog. It was a bit of an accident, where I got hit. I actually got hit rather than fake hit with a chair leg. Although it was made of balsa wood, it was covered with about nine pounds of shellac. So, for all intents and purposes it’s still a chair leg. I bled a little. I’m a trooper and the show must go on. What you see on screen in episode six is actually me getting hit with the chair leg and my reaction. They had to use it. It was absolutely the most natural. It was a complete shock and surprise to me. That was kind of fun.
Being in the Puppet Theater was amazing because of the way it was dressed - the way it was shot and outfitted. That was fantastic. Filming in Playa del Rey in the park for the final scene when I get my papers. That was incredible. Just everyday when I go on set. I’m still at that point in my life as an actor. I don’t know if this will ever change like for some actors when you work so much that it becomes a job. For me this is still very wide-eyed wonderful. I want to learn everything about the industry. When I drive on the set and it’s my day to shoot - you couldn’t do a thing to me to make me unhappy. I’m really beside myself with pleasure in doing this kind of job. It’s a testament to the crew and the crafts people that work on the show. The writers and the other actors. It is one of the best environments I ever worked on. I’ve worked on some crap environments in radio and this is the polar opposite.
Heroes has a lot of comic book influences. Are you a comic fan and if so what are your favorites?
David Lawrence: I grew up with Justice League of America. We blur the line between graphic novels and live action comics like Star Trek and Heroes. I’m an old school guy. I do like lots of the newer characters. The Watchmen was something I read that I read and didn’t quite get back in the 80s. Over time, you read it again and again and you find all these cool little nuances. It’s such a dense situation as opposed to Superman. You pick up the dime comic on Saturdays at the drug store. It’s basically just one plot line: one big fight and Superman always wins. Except when he doesn’t. I was a fan of comics, but there are people who work on this show who are just wholesale geeks about it. I aspire to be like them. But, I’m not yet.
As far as Heroes goes, a few of the best and most memorable villains have been Sylar, Danko and yourself.
David Lawrence: Wow, thank you. That’s really kind of you. I appreciate that. I would have thought you would have said Arhur Petrelli.
Arthur Petrelli – eh, wasn’t a huge fan [laugh].
David Lawrence: Sorry to hear that, I will let Robert Forster know. He’ll come back to your house with a bunch of goons. [joint laughter]
What would like to see next for yourself as an actor? You’re now almost in this romantic lead, almost a puppy dog like character. We’ve seen you in the stronger role where you take advantage of people. You’re also almost caring for Claire as a character. Where do you see yourself going as an actor and what projects would you like to work on next?
David Lawrence: I’d really like to see Eric Doyle mix it up. I’d like to see him be an antagonist, somebody who really has a problem with someone else. And, goes about dealing with that problem with them, while struggling to deal with it in a way that is not puppy dog like. He needs to take what you see at the end of the webisodes and run with it. The thing about the webisodes is what happens with him after he’s given that chance to be the man that he is. What he needs is some temptation. He’s pushed into things over the last year, but I think he needs to be pulled into something.
This is just the writer in me coming out. He needs a temptation. A woman who manipulates him and he realizes it and overcomes it. Or, is in dire straights money wise or preacher comfort wise. Or a friend of his who is being attacked – maybe Barbie. He needs to fix that. I’d love to see him become sort of an anti-hero or even a hero. Somebody who is constantly drawn to the dark side and has to constantly fight that. That will make his character that more complex. Just like every human being we all have our temptations. To see him struggle with that would be awesome. I would actually just like to come back on the show [laughs]. I hope they keep me in mind for the new season. It would be great if they did. Whatever they have me do is awesome. If I had my wishes - that’s what I would say.
You mentioned that you’re a writer. Do you have any writing projects coming up?
David Lawrence: I don’t have any coming up. I’m really concentrating on being an actor. My biggest writing project, speaking of comics and video games, was Saint’s Row for Xbox 360. I wrote or re-wrote all of the major cut scenes that the major characters play out before and after missions and before and after major plot points. I wrote and produced every piece of audio for the radio stations in the game of which there are twelve or thirteen. That was a great experience. I’ve written tech books and short stories. I’ve done a lot of scriptwriting as well. It’s not my favorite thing. I am far and away an actor. Writing for me is a drawn out and painful process. Acting I can get into it and be ready at a moment’s notice. That’s what I’m concentrating on.
Great. Thanks you so much for your time.
David Lawrence: Sure, Thanks you.
Be sure to check out David Lawrence as the Puppet Master in Heroes: Nowhere Man now!
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