SDCC 2013 – Michael Ealy, Karl Urban talk Almost HumanPosted by Wilson Morales
August 1, 2013
The 2-Night Series Premiere air SUN NOV 17 & MON NOV 18 at 8/7c on FOX
Very recently at San Diego Comic Con 2013, Blackfilm.com had the opportunity to speak with both Michael Ealy(“Sleeper Cell,” “Common Law”) and Karl Urban(“Star Trek”) on their upcoming TV series, “Almost Human,” which will be shown on FOX TV this fall.
The new series is an action-packed police drama set 35 years in the future, when police officers are partnered with highly evolved human-like androids.
The year is 2048. Meet JOHN KENNEX (Urban), a cop who survived one of the most catastrophic attacks ever made against the police department. After waking up from a 17-month coma, he can’t remember much – except that his partner was killed; his girlfriend, ANNA MOORE (guest star Mekia Cox), left him after the attack; and he lost one of his legs and is now outfitted with a highly sophisticated synthetic appendage.
Suffering from depression, mental atrophy, trauma-onset OCD, PTSD and the “psychological rejection of his synthetic body part,” John returns to work at the behest of longtime ally Captain SANDRA MALDONADO (Emmy Award nominee Lili Taylor, ” Six Feet Under,” “Ransom”). By mandate, every cop must partner with a robot. And despite his passionate aversion to androids, John is paired up with a battle-ready MX-43. But he abruptly terminates his partnership after the robot discovers incriminating information about him. So technician RUDY LOM (Mackenzie Crook) introduces John to DORIAN (Ealy), a discontinued android with unexpected emotional responses. Although such responses were deemed flaws, it is in these “flaws” that John relates to Dorian most. After all, John is part-machine now, and Dorian is part-human. John and Dorian’s understanding of each other not only complements them, it connects them.
As he adjusts to working with his new partner, John also must learn to get along with his new colleagues, including the eager and somewhat starstruck Detective VALERIE STAHL (Minka Kelly) and the distrustful Detective RICHARD PAUL (Michael Irby), who does not welcome John back with open arms.
ALMOST HUMAN will follow the week-to-week missions of John and Dorian, as they fight crime across this futuristic landscape, while the mysteries surrounding his attack and the larger mythology of this new world unfold.
What was the attraction to doing a TV series?
Karl Urban: One of the elements that attracted me to ‘Almost Human’ apart from J. J. Abrams and Joel “J. H.” Wyman and this amazing cast was the character of John Kennex and his story. I found it intriguing that this character wakes up after two years and finds himself in an unfamiliar world. He’s like a dinosaur and he has to learn how to operate in this society and not only function and protect and serve in the city but also deal with the baggage of his past, which includes this apprehensive feeling that he has towards anything robotic. He feels it’s responsible for the loss of his buddies and to wake up to be saddled bio-mechanical leg is putting salt to his wound. He’s a bit torment soul in that regard.
Is this your first time doing sci-fi?
Michael Ealy: No. My first time was with the film ‘Underworld,’ but it feels like the first time because I don’t feel like a rookie. At the same time, it’s fascinating. As I mentioned to someone, I really didn’t care about the future until now. This show is set 40 years in the future, which is right around the corner. It’s the near and the fact that our kids could be living in a world like this has created a stringer interest in the future for me personally.
Can you talk about your character Dorian changes Kennex’s perspective of things and how John feels about that?
ME: I think in the pilot there is a glimpse of how Dorian is able to show Kennex that there’s possibly another way. That maybe we’re not all the say. I think we’re going to spend most of the first season trying to create some sort of relationship between these two guys that goes beyond a working relationship. For Dorian, who’s eager to prove himself, especially with this being his second chance, I think it’s going to be compelling to watch, whether or not it works.
KU: In the beginning with the pilot, the character John Kennex is in a shell. He’s beaten up and been through a tough time. He has a lot of anger, bitterness, resentment, pain, and has a sick version of technology and androids. In the course of working with Dorian, that engineers a paradigm shift and to me, that’s really interesting. That’s just the beginning of the story and a crack of light begins to appear.
Is it challenging trying to play a robot?
ME: Yes. My approach was playing a human with robot tendencies. I found that that worked out better for me as opposed to robot first. (Creator) Joel “J. H.” Wyman was clear with me from the beginning that Dorian is more human than certain humans and that makes it all the more fun to play.
How human will he be? Will he be able to fall in love?
ME: It’s funny that you say that. One of the reasons I almost didn’t take the role was because when I read the script, I remember talking to my manager, and saying that “he’s never going to have a love interest” and I stopped myself in the middle of that statement, and though that whether it happens or not, we don’t know, but I think it’s interesting to not know right now and see how it all evolves. I try to make it clear as an actor that Dorian’s desire to be human is very strong. In certain situations, it can be perceived to be possibly annoying and over eager, but I also think there’s a certain amount of beauty because I like to refer to him as a reflection of the humanity that we all take for granted.
How working with Michael? In the pilot, it seems that the two of you have a good chemistry?
KU: He’s fantastic and I feel so blessed to be working with him. It’s a testament to the great guy he is, but J.J. Abrams. That’s what he does so well. He puts together really wonderful ensembles. He did with “Friends,” “Lost,” “Alias,” and “Star Trek.” I feel truly blessed to be a part of this. These cast become like a second family to you. We’ve only done the pilot, but I’m looking forward to seeing more of Minka Kelly, Michael Irby, and Mackenzie Crook.
How is Dorian different from those later models of robots?
ME: The MX-43s? Because he was designed from Synthetic Souls programs and because he has free will, he’s able to everything that the MXs are able to do and more. The question is whether or not that more, which was responsible for his decommission, hurt or help Dorian’s case in this particular climate? That’s what we are going to find out.
On a different note, what changes do we expect from your character in ‘Think Like a Man Too’?
ME: I’m still in love with Lauren (played by Taraji P. Henson) but they are confronted with a more mature relationship crisis.
Is he making any money?
ME: Yes. He’s doing much better financially. He got rid of that car.
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