Tahmoh talks about tonight’s Battlestar episode

Paul Florez from Wizard Entertainment spoke with Tahmoh recently about tonight's BSG ep, "The Woman, King," in which Helo plays a prominent role. Tahmoh also discusses his roles in the upcoming films, The Green Chain (which also stars Tricia Helfer) and Trick 'r Treat.

WIZARD: So this upcoming episode is going to center around Helo, correct? What can you tell us about it?

PENIKETT: It’s a great episode. It’s the best to have a Helo-centric episode after three years. I’m put in charge of the very difficult job of trying to organize all the refugees. We lost so many of the ships during the Exodus. So basically, Helo is trying to organize this whole refugee camp down in the hangar bay of Galactica with these hundreds and hundreds of refugees with specifically this one group of people, the Sagitarrons, who are despised by many for their specific religious beliefs.

Read the full interview. (includes spoilers)

ETA: Full text of the interview.

---

TV Q&A: BATTLESTAR GALACTICA—TAHMOH PENIKETT
As Helo on the hit Sci Fi Channel show, the actor finally gets his day in the sun
By Paul Florez, posted February 9, 2007 6:20 PM

“Battlestar Galactica” actor Tahmoh Penikett has much to celebrate. His character on the critically acclaimed Sci Fi series, Helo Agathon, is finally stepping into the spotlight with the first-ever Helo-centric episode, “The Woman King,” airing at 10 p.m. this Sunday. On top of that, he just wrapped up two flicks, “Trick ’r Treat” and “The Green Chain,” the latter of which also stars fellow “Galactica” actor Tricia Helfer (Number Six).

The 31-year-old actor graciously took time from his hectic schedule to talk with Wizard about Sunday’s episode and his upcoming movies.

WIZARD: So this upcoming episode is going to center around Helo, correct? What can you tell us about it?

PENIKETT: It’s a great episode. It’s the best to have a Helo-centric episode after three years. I’m put in charge of the very difficult job of trying to organize all the refugees. We lost so many of the ships during the Exodus. So basically, Helo is trying to organize this whole refugee camp down in the hangar bay of Galactica with these hundreds and hundreds of refugees with specifically this one group of people, the Sagitarrons, who are despised by many for their specific religious beliefs.

Besides religious ideology, why are the Sagitarrons despised?

PENIKETT: Well, they are quite extreme with their views. They don’t believe in modern medicines, they brew and drink very potent-smelling tea, which drives people nuts. They also don’t believe in outsiders, and can be quite difficult and negative toward anyone who tries to help them; to anybody who is not a Sagitarron, they are very untrusting. They start to get a lot of animosity and anger pointed toward them on the ship, and especially because we get this disease that starts to spread amongst them, pretty much an epidemic. This disease is spreading fast amongst them and part of the reason is because they’re refusing the vaccine.

Wow, sounds like hell down there.

PENIKETT: I’ll give you a little tidbit from the episode. My fellow pilots start to nickname me “The Mayor of Dogsville,” calling the area Dogsville because it’s really bad. I’m in charge of it, so it’s a very difficult job. So yeah, I’ve been given that title. Of course, there are things that happen in this episode. Some distrust and some almost very violent confrontations I have to come in between.

We’ve seen themes of genocide this season and now discrimination. Does the show seem to be getting darker to you?

PENIKETT: I don’t know if I would agree with that. We aren’t a light, fluffy show, and that’s not to say we’re negative all the time. But we deal with some heavy issues, and a lot of it is a reflection of what’s going on in the world today. I feel a lot of it is quite relevant, and it’s important that we touch on these issues.

One thing I always find in our series is the constant theme of no matter what everybody goes through, it’s that the human spirit is always strong. We pick up and move on and hopefully we learn from those things. And this episode can have some dark things about it, but at the same time it’s a great little mystery. It’s a neat episode, and I think it will be different and a unique change of pace, compared to all the episodes this season.

What was it like to work with guest star Bruce Davison?

PENIKETT: I had a little experience when I was doing one of the opening scenes of the episode and I’m sitting there with Bruce, Michael Hogan [Colonel Tigh] and Edward James Olmos [Commander Adama], and I’m looking at these guys and thinking, “Okay, each of these guys has been in the business for 40 years. I’m sitting here with about 120 years of acting experience.” I’ve had some great scenes over the years, but this episode very much was an amazing opportunity to work with the likes of Bruce, who happens to be an Academy Award nominee. [ EDITOR’S NOTE: Bruce earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role in 1990’s “Longtime Companion.”]

Does the title of the episode, “The Woman King,” have anything to do with your character?

PENIKETT: It’s the name of a woman I encounter, one of the Sagitarrons, who is affected by the sickness.

Speaking of being sick, how is Helo and Sharon’s baby, Hera, doing? Is Dr. Cottel reluctant to help Sharon and the baby out?

PENIKETT: Maybe Sharon is the one who is very suspicious of Cottel, considering everything we’ve gone through with him. I mean, Cottel was involved with the president in hiding the fact that our baby didn’t die.

Is the fleet outraged that the Cylon-human hybrid is alive?

PENIKETT: I think it’s safe to say that anything on this fleet, especially on this ship, spreads like wildfire. Regardless of what has happened recently, I think people respect Helo and Sharon now to know they are competent, able and committed in their way. When it comes to family, they’re just going to leave them alone. Like I said, I think one hard lesson the entire fleet has to learn constantly is that we have to move on.

You know, Helo has really changed this season. He used to be a pretty passive and compliant officer.

PENIKETT: Well, it’s interesting that you use the word “passive.” I’ve never really felt Helo has been passive. If he is, I think part of the reason he has been is because he realizes in many ways the adversity, the animosity, the prejudice, the distrust he’s going to be facing. He realizes he’s really a minority, it’s him and his lady. So he’s got to be cautious in his step.

I don’t think we ever doubt Helo’s loyalty to the fleet, to human beings and his survival. Over these three years, everyone has faced so much hardship and death. Helo is on the fast track of growing up really quick, and he’s on a mad survival course. He is the type of guy who only needs to learn the lesson once, and he’s willing to go to any lengths to protect his family.

Is it hard to play a character who, for lack of a better term, has dual loyalties? To humans and his Cylon family?

PENIKETT: It’s definitely difficult. Every once in a while, they’ll give me a line that really throws it off. Sometimes, as an actor, they’ll write something for you that I don’t truly believe, and I don’t think Helo believes.

When [President] Roslin and I had the confrontation over whether it was justifiable to use a biological weapon to wipe out the Cylons completely, I have a line in there where I say, “Well, they tried to live with us on the planet.” Helo didn’t believe that when he said it. I know they didn’t try to live with us. He’s grasping, and he’s trying to come up with something on the spot, because literally they just said, “Okay, we’re going to annihilate your wife’s race.” Imagine trying to fathom that idea.

We’re a bit confused with your XO status. Now that Col. Saul Tigh is back as XO, has Helo been demoted?

My rank is still captain. I’m not XO. You can be any rank for XO. But yeah, Saul is definitely XO again.

You just finished shooting “Trick ’r Treat,” which contains four different stories all occurring on Halloween. What can you tell us about that?

I can’t tell you much. My character’s name is Henry. I play the loving husband to my wife, who is played by Leslie Bibb [“Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby”]. Basically, Henry is a big kid, he loves Halloween, the spirit of it, he knows the history. He is very much into dressing up and having a good time, and I can’t tell you much more than that.

You’ve also worked with fellow cast member Tricia Helfer on another project, correct?

Yeah, a movie called “The Green Chain.” It’s a very PC story about the forest industry, all aspects of it. They touch on the old-lady conservationist, they touch on the tree-hugger who lives in the tree. I play a firefighter, and Tricia plays the movie star who lends her name to try and preserve the trees. Tricia and I didn’t share any scenes at all, though.

Have you had any scenes with her recently?

Nothing since the beautiful woman kissed me [in Season One].

One last thing: Does Helo trust Sharon? Should he?

He wouldn’t have taken their relationship to this point if he didn’t. I think definitely in the second season there was always doubt, and I think there will always be a doubt like anybody in any relationship has, but I think he very much trusts her.