We're still here

I promise. I haven't abandoned All About Tahmoh Penikett. The news has been a bit slow and summer has been a bit busy so I've not posted in a while. I'm hoping to grab some screen caps from The Killing in the next couple weeks. Keep your fingers crossed - we may even have a few surprises to share. For now...

Links originally posted at the Facebook site (follow us there if you're on FB).

Nerdist Podcast from C2E2
Video Interview with The Electric Playground
Tahmoh and Aleks Paunovic talk about their memorable convention moments with CNN

Netflix Subscribers can stream many of Tahmoh's earlier movies and television series, including the following (I'll update the list as I find more or they become available):

• Cold Squad
• Battlestar Galactica
• Dollhouse
• Trapped Ashes
  
• Trick r Treat
  
• Riverworld

Just because I can, I'm reposting the flickr link to screen caps Justine took of Tahmoh as Elias Noth in Whistler, which is my all-time favorite Tahmoh role. I don't know any place you can still legally watch Whistler, so these pictures are all I can share until (if?) it becomes available.

Writing, Literature, and More Personal Pics

Tahmoh sent the great photos decorating this post. Many thanks to him for sharing these personal pics from the Dollhouse set and a convention appearance with Joss Whedon and Eliza Dushku.

Tahmoh will be attending Chicago's C2E2 Convention this weekend, March 18 to March 20. He's scheduled to appear Saturday, March 19, from 2:15 to 3:13 pm in a panel with Dollhouse co-star Eliza Dushku. Check out the C2E2 website for additional information about Tahmoh's schedule, autographs, and more.

Tahmoh answered some recent reader questions on writing, literature, and sources of information about First Nations.

Have you ever considered writing?

My father is a writer, and I have a lot of friends who are writers. I'm a big fan of books, and I'm fascinated by writers who have their own style. Especially when you're a fan of theirs over their years and see their art improve and grow. I haven't really tried my hand at it yet, at least not diligently which I hear is the first rule. I have a lot of ideas in my head for scripts, and I'm slowly putting some to paper.

Are you a fan of Ernest Hemingway's writing? Or Jeff Lindsay? If so, which works are your favorites?

I remember reading some Hemingway when I was in college, especially some of his short stories. I loved Old Man and The Sea. Is Jeff Lindsay the same one who wrote the original Dexter novels?! I'm not familiar with his work other than the show which I'm definitely a fan of.

Do you have any recommendations on websites, books, or other sources to learn more about the history and experiences of First Nations?

Not really but it's amazing what you can learn from the internet. I'm always a fan of Wikipedia. I was curious about what kind of information it had on my nation in Alaska and the Yukon and found that it was probably quite accurate in how many people it said were left that spoke fluent Upper Tanana. The number was really low, and although I was somewhat aware of that, it was disheartening to read. I think when my grandmother's generation passed on, so many customs, traditions and especially language and stories went with them. I think this is the case with many First Nations in North America and especially ones that were affected by the residential school system. There's a number of great First Nation writers out there, you should check them out. If you haven't, read Three Day Road by my friend Joseph Boyden. It's an incredible book about a couple of young Cree snipers in the First World War.

Tahmoh Quotes and Darius

Trying something a bit new. Reader Jena Marie is looking for good Tahmoh quotes, preferably something "inspirational and heroic. Anything that sounds cool," she says. We thought we'd ask you, his fans! Quotes can be from Tahmoh or any of his characters. Put your quotes in the comments below so everyone can enjoy!

And did you know that "Darius" Tahmoh's character in Need For Speed: Carbon is his most popular character in Brazil? Reader Renata says that when it was announced that Globo TV in Brazil had purchased Dollhouse, the chat boards were buzzing with the news that "Darius" played "Paul Ballard." She also shared a story about watching a Battlestar Galactica episode on her computer while at the technology expo Campus Party Brasil and turning around to find a group of people watching over her shoulder. After some people commented on how good it was, one watcher said, "Take a look at Captain Helo; it´s the Darius from Carbon." Renata also sent a few screen caps, which I'll post back here in the next few days. Finally, Renata gave this little tip: many of the videos of Darius at You Tube are from Brazilian posters:

More Tahmoh Q&A

Here's Part 2 of our most recent Q&A with Tahmoh. Part 1 is included in this post. Look for Part 3 in the next few days. With thanks again to Bertha for her help prepping this post.

If you were not able to act, what other profession would you pursue and why?

If I was not able to act I think I’d still be in the business in some capacity. I'd probably pursue directing, as I’m interested in doing that in the near future.

There was a time when I wanted to be a fighter; the acting took precedent though. I'm still a passionate fan of Martial Arts and I hope to be able to train for many years to come.

What expensive or frivolous purchase did you make with your first large paycheck from acting?

I bought myself a Movado watch. Even with that first guest star paycheck I still really couldn't afford it, but I had to have it. I saw that watch in a store window once when I was 22 and regularly checked up on it planning on the day that I was going to buy it. It was the first thing I did and owned and I loved that watch for a good ten years before it was unfortunately stolen in LA.

Out takes, Behind the Scenes and Other Extras from Dollhouse S2 DVDs

The Dollhouse Season 2 DVDs will be released tomorrow, October 11, not October 12 as we originally posted. Check out the clip at Hey U Guys which features Tahmoh prominently.

Tahmoh Discusses his Dollhouse Experience

Tahmoh recently provided really thoughtful answers to readers' questions about his work on Dollhouse. Thanks Tahmoh!

How did the acting process differ from BSG to Dollhouse, and how did you approach the differences?

Interesting question. The biggest difference between the two was the tone, for lack of a better word. Each project, especially a potentially long episodic, has a specific tone or music. Joss [Whedon]'s style on Dollhouse was different than Ron Moore's on BSG. Each very unique and intelligent, yet different. Sometimes it takes a while for an actor to find that tone. Often it takes longer when there are some creative differences in the beginning of series and the direction it's taken. You have to roll with it as an actor, though, and do your part--which is to show up and do the work. That means doing extra back story or whatever else you may need for it to resonate more with you.

Was Paul an easy character for you to play, or a difficult one?

Paul was by no means easy. I was really excited to play him and had a good time on the original pilot and felt good about the work. When we started off the first season and I realized that we were going to block shoot 4 eps and cannibalize the original pilot I was thrown off a little. It honestly took me awhile to find Paul's music or tone as I put it before. I'm not sure after some major creative changes made early on that the direction or order with how they were going to develop his plot line was that clear either. There were times that were very easy and magical and others where it was somewhat difficult to connect. That's almost always the case though with a series.

Who were your favorite actors to work with on Dollhouse?

All in all, it was a great experience, and I'm so blessed to have worked with the talent that I did. Joss is brilliant and I'm honored that he chose me for the role.

Everyone in the cast was a blast to work with. Eliza [Dushku] is a true professional and worked her ass off. I was always a fan of Olivia [Williams] and Harry [Lennix]. They are excellent actors and working with that talent is always a learning experience. Fran [Kranz] is hilarious; that guy cracked me up often and was easy to work with. Enver [Gjokaj] is a gifted actor and a great guy. Dichen [Lachman] is an angel and I think has a great career ahead of her. I absolutely love Miracle [Laurie]; we had too much fun on set and always laughed together. Had some really magical scenes with her, she's quite the actor.

Check Out "The Hostage" Website

The Hostage, starring Tahmoh and Alecs Paunovic, now has its own website. You can check out Tahmoh's bio on the site by clicking on the image below.

The Hostage wrap party and private screening took place in Vancouver on July 8. We'll be share to share pictures and other info when they become available.

Click to enlarge the image.

Stay tuned for information about future screenings of The Hostage. We'll let you know as soon as we get the word.

In Dollhouse news, Season 2 will be released on October 12, 2010 in Region 1. Amazon is accepting pre-orders for DVD and Blu-Ray. Wikipedia reports that Region 2 DVDs will be released on September 6, 2010, but I haven't been able to confirm this yet.

In site news, as many readers know, Lisa (me) has been slowly taking over more management of the site. I'm in the process of learning how to update the calendar and other parts of this website. I hope to make some updates over the next few days.

As always, if you see Tahmoh news that we've missed here, don't hesitate to send us an email!

Signed 'Epitaph One' Script for Habitat for Humanity

Tahmoh, along with Dollhouse co-stars Eliza Dushku and Enver Gjokai, has signed a copy of the script for 'Epitaph One'. It is currently being auctioned at eBay with 100% of the final sale price benefiting Habitat for Humanity. Hurry and place your bids. The auction ends on January 31.

New Riverworld Trailer and Pictures for the Holidays!

RHI Entertainment - the people behind Riverworld - have released a new and improved trailer for the movie, to be shown on SyFy on a yet-to-be-determined date in 2010.

Fans of Dollhouse organized an appreciation party for the cast and crew of the show. Bobw1o attended the appreciation party and had this to say about Tahmoh.

Know that Tahmoh, along with the rest of the cast, was super friendly. He introduced himself to me and was very gracious about the fans doing this. When I brought up having the binder signed by the cast for the person who organized it, he was one of the first to agree it was a great idea and to grab the marker.

Here are a few of Bobw1o's pics of Tahmoh.

You can see all of his pictures on his flickr page as well as the binder and more at the official website Thank You For Dollhouse.

Dollhouse writer Maurissa Tancharoen posted some pics from the wrap party on her Twitter Page, including this one of Tahmoh and Dichen Lachman.


You can see more pics at Mo's TwitPic page.

rebelliousrose at the Tahmoh Penikett and Grace Park fansite Across the Salt and meshel at the LiveJournal community Battlestar_Blog pulled together pictures of Tahmoh, Katee Sackhoff, and Tricia Helfer at "Fur Ball at the Skirball" a fundraiser for Kitten Rescue, a charity Tricia works with regularly. Links to additional pics can be found here and here.

Looking ahead to the New Year, Fox has released promo pics of Dollhouse episodes 2.11 "Getting Closer" and 2.12 "Hollow Men". Tahmoh appears in a few of the pics for "Hollow Men", but beware of spoilers.

Back to Back Dollhouse Tomorrow and Tahmoh Answers More Fan Questions

Dollhouse returns tomorrow for back to back episodes beginning at 8:00 pm Eastern. Maureen Ryan at the Chicago Tribune has posted the transcript of her recent interview with Joss Whedon. She included some preview clips for tomorrow night's episodes, the second of which features Tahmoh as Paul Ballard.

Tahmoh has once again taken the time to respond to some of the questions readers have posted for him. This time he tells us more about SyFy's Riverworld, hitting the slopes in Whistler, BC, what music he listens to while on set, and his goals for the future.

Thanks to rebelliousrose for the screen cap.

Do you know when next year Riverworld will premiere? Can you tell
us anything about filming? What was most exciting about the role?

"I'm not sure when it's going to air but I'm hoping it's early in the new year. Shooting Riverworld was such a great experience. I was really hoping to book something in Vancouver as I'd been shooting for most of the year in LA, and Vancouver is so beautiful in the spring. We shot for about two months, starting in early April 2009. The locations were in and around Vancouver in some of the most stunning, picturesque areas. The director, cast and I hit it off, and it was obvious early on that everyone was really invested in doing their part in making this project the best it could be.

When I first read the script, I knew that playing the character of Matt Ellman would be challenging, but I was really excited about it. Matt Ellman is a war correspondent who lives life on the edge, and when he meets the girl he loves he wasted no time in asking her to marry him. Unfortunately they're the victims of a suicide bombing right after he asks her. I saw so much opportunity for his back story, and I spent hours writing about it. I shared a lot of my ideas with Stuart Gillard, the director, and he and I were on the same page. One thing I've never appreciated is when you see the lead character in a story who shouldn't have any weapons or fighting experience suddenly turn into Jackie Chan. I expressed this concern to Stuart as there's a number a epic fight scenes in Riverworld and that we should explain Matt's proficiency at fighting by writing in a scene where I was shadow boxing early on so it's obvious he knows what he's doing. In my back story Matt's father had served in Vietnam and, while on leave, spent some time in Thailand and fell in love with Muay Thai. When Matt was old enough [his father] passed this passion on to Matt, and he studied it from a young age.

The pace of the shoot was awesome and there was little time to rest. Shooting outdoors with the incredible clean air and stunning views helped a lot, and many of us were often speechless at how beautiful the locations were. I absolutely loved the cast and really connected with many of them. The fight scenes were so much fun but also challenging as I had a some serious pain plaguing me from a shoulder injury. All in all though, my Riverworld experience was one a tremendous one."

Given that the Olympics are just around the corner and so is ski
season, a question about Whistler, but this time about snowboarding! I
visited Whistler-Blackcomb first time last year and loved it. What are
your favorite runs and any recommendations on things to try for my
next visit? Many thanks.

"I'm a huge fan of Whistler and how can you not be. There's so many incredible runs but, to name a few, definitely the back side of Peak Chair, Harmony and Symphony bowls especially when there's been a big powder dump. Khybers is amazing for clean lines through the trees, but also for people who really know what they're doing and know the mountain. You could easily get lost there though which would be very dangerous situation to be in. I highly suggest reading up on the mountain, and you'll get a good sense of where and what you should be hitting for your level. Fact is, it's a huge mountain, and now with the Peak to Peak chair you can go between Blackcomb and Whistler within minutes. Best advice is to get up early for fresh tracks and get some untouched clean lines first thing in the morning."

What songs are on your iPod? Do you have a favorite kind of music
to listen to while on set?

"I love so many different types of music. I'm a big fan of electronica,as a lot of very good friends of mine are exceptional producers in this genre. Music like that is high energy for me and something I usually listen to when I'm working out or driving, depending on my mood. I often use music when preparing for a scene, and it's amazing how quickly a song can bring about a strong emotional feeling. I listen to the appropriate type of music to prepare me for a scene. Whether that be classical, hip hop, rock or alternative. I'm really enjoying the latest Jay Z album and also Cage the Elephant's new album."

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Also, what is your biggest
personal goal?

"That's a tough one to answer. Career wise, I hope that I'm still working on projects that I'm excited and challenged by. That I'm still working with extremely talented and good people. I also hope by then that I've had the opportunity to direct and produce some of my own projects."

Tahmoh at Tricia Helfer's Maxim Cover Party

Tahmoh joined James Callis at Tricia Helfer's Maxim Cover Party to celebrate the November 2009 issue featuring their Battlestar cast members Tricia and Grace Park. Michelle at Battlestar_Blog posted lots of pictures of the event, including some potentially NSFW views of the cover.


Driven Magazine interviewed Tahmoh and other BSG cast members about The Plan and the end of BSG.

Driven Magazine: How did the end feel for you?

“It was emotional, man. It was emotional but it was good. It was amazing. I’m truly blessed to have been in an incredible show like that for five years. It was a life-changing experience but it was kind of funny because we had this romantic idea that the end was going to be so epic but the fact is, we were trying to cram in so much to get it done in the end. So we shot it really out of order, we’d gone longer days than we should but it ended. It’s done now. I’m just happy to have had that experience.

As most readers know by now Dollhouse has been cancelled (see Maureen Ryan's story). But we hear that the final episodes are going to be awesome! We're all looking forward to what's in store for Agent Ballard in these last few eps...

Tahmoh gave Kristina Lopez of Fancast a few hints of what we can expect for Paul Ballard in upcoming episodes of Dollhouse. Note that some of the information is a bit spoilery, and that the interview precedes the Dollhouse's cancellation .

Tahmoh also told Lopez that he was thinking of going as a muppet for Halloween... Any guesses on which one it was?

“I haven’t decided on my costume yet but it’s a big, big holiday. It’s one of my favorite holidays,” says ‘Dollhouse’ star Tahmoh Penikett. “I was thinking about going as one of the Muppets. I don’t want to give it away right now, but I’m thinking one of the band members. It’s not Animal. A group of friends who are going to go and everybody’s going to take a character. We’re still working it out.”

Finally, the TV Addict asked Tahmoh a few questions about Dollhouse, BSG, and joining the Whedonverse.

Stay tuned for another for another Q&A with Tahmoh; he answers our questions about SyFy's Riverworld, hitting the slopes in Whistler, BC, what music he listens to while on set, and his goals for the future.

Dollhouse Airs Tonight; New Photos to Celebrate!

It's Dollhouse day, so here are some photos of Tahmoh--some more recent than others. Also an older interview with Miracle Laurie that mentions Tahmoh and Season 2. New Dollhouse Season 2 promo-shot of Paul:

2009 FOX Winter All-Star Party - Arrivals

With Grace Park at a SyFy Comic Con party:

More photos from the Fox Eco Casino Night with Joss & Eliza:

Fox Television Critics Association (TCA) Q&A pics:

A few more Riverworld promo photos:

Trick r Treat Released on DVD October 6th!

Filmed in 2007, Trick 'R Treat is finally being released on DVD and Blu-Ray on October 6th. Tahmoh plays "Henry" and Leslie Bibb his wife in the movie. According to Tahmoh: "Henry is very much into Halloween. He loves it. He loves the tradition of it where as Emma isn't so keen as him." (Source)

Check out the movie's website, including the trailer, in which Tahmoh briefly appears. The movie also stars Brian Cox and Anna Paquin, among others, and was produced, written, and directed by Michael Dougherty. IGN review here.

The trailer has been released for the SyFy miniseries Riverworld in which Tahmoh plays the lead character "Matt Ellman." Watch the trailer and read an official synopsis at IO9. A few weeks ago, RHI Entertainment released some promo pics and a video featuring co-star Alan Cumming.

Thanks to Rebelliousrose for the cap.

Rebelliousrose also sent us a link she found on Youtube. The video features Enver Gjokaj, Dichen Lachman, Joss Whedon and the cast of Glee, but Tahmoh makes a surprise appearance at about the 1:00 mark.


Fox has released some more Dollhouse S2 Promo pics, including a few of Tahmoh.

Tahmoh, Eliza, Enver, and Dichen interview eachother using fan questions at AOL Television. (Video follows a short commercial.)

Steve Eramo at ScifiandTVtalk compiles some information and interviews with Tahmoh here and promises a "detailed interview" about Riverworld later in the year.

Finally, a long article in CinemaSpy about The Green Chain that focuses on Tricia Helfer and Tahmoh.

Dollhouse Season 2 Starts September 25th!

Dollhouse is back, and so are we! It's going to take us a few posts to catch up on all the Tahmoh news. Look for posts focusing on different topics over the next few days. First up, Dollhouse S2!

The cast and crew have been dropping hints about what to expect in S2 now that Paul is working for the Dollhouse. We've kept our comments focused on the general plot, but expect spoilers in any links or embedded video.

Boston Blast Magazine summarizes Joss's Comic Con comments about Paul.

"We had always intended for Paul to find the Dollhouse and for his interaction to change because we didn’t want him to be like the reporter in ‘The Hulk,’ showing up too late every episode,” Whedon said of the Ballard character. “And now they’ve been working on him from the outside with November and his alliance with Echo is going to be really tested, because he’s going to be in there with her partially to protect her but also to find out what’s really going on. You know you can gaze into the abyss or you can actually live in it, it’s going to affect you. So we are going to see"

Read the entire article here.

Watch with Kristin quotes Eliza and Tahmoh on Paul and Echo's relationship in S2:

Echo and Ballard will grow closer this season. As Eliza says, "Echo doesn't know entirely what's going on yet…[but] as she becomes more and more self-aware, she's recognizing this constant, tall, dark, looming man in the Dollhouse." We would have said handsome in lieu of looming, but her point is taken. As Tahmoh explains it, "They have a connection. It's not a physical attraction, but I hope it's something that we explore a lot more this season. You're not quite sure what it is. There's a past, there's a history, there's an understanding between them that's very different. I think the audience is really going to like it and be really curious about where we're going in the first few episodes."

Eliza and Tahmoh also appeared in TV Guide. For a larger picture and the article, see Athena606's post at Dollhouse_TV.

Access Hollywood interviewed Eliza, Tahmoh, and Joss about S2. Tahmoh appears at about the 2:50 mark.

Battlestar fans were delighted to learn that fellow BSG cast members Jamie Bamber and Michael Hogan will be making guest appearances on Dollhouse. Bamber appears in the first episode of S2 "Vows," and he and Tahmoh reportedly have an explosive scene together.

More pics from the first few episodes, including some with Jamie at the Dollhouse wikia.

Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune provides a whole host of S2 spoilers in this summary post, some involving Paul. She also published videos by cast members talking about S2.

[Admin: Video no longer available]

Be sure to tune in on Friday, September 25th at 9pm EST!

Comic con appearance, EW poll & Dollhouse pic

Tahmoh will be at San Diego Comic Con for Trick 'r Treat on July 23rd.

9:30-12:00 Halloween Comes Early: Trick 'r Treat Screening— Be among the first to see writer/director Michael Dougherty's (Superman Returns, X2) creepy, darkly comic celebration of the scariest night of the year. Trick 'r Treat takes the Creepshow/Tales from the Crypt approach to nefarious new depths with four interwoven tales set on Halloween night: a high school principal who moonlights as a vicious serial killer; a young virgin whose quest for that special someone takes a gruesome turn; a group of teens who carry out a cruel prank with disastrous consequences; and a cantankerous old man who battles a mischievous trick-or-treating demon.

Prior to the screening, Ain't It Cool News mogul Harry Knowles will moderate a panel featuring Michael Dougherty and members of the cast, including Anna Paquin (True Blood, X-Men), Tahmoh Penikett (Battlestar Galactica, Dollhouse), and Brian Cox (The Bourne Identity, X2). A collection of creepy stories that mixes fun with fear, candy with poison, and laughter with screams, the critically acclaimed Trick 'r Treat will be released on Blu-ray Hi-Def and DVD and On Demand by Warner Home Video in October. Ballroom 20

He's been named one of Entertainment Weekly's Sci-fi Hotties of '09.

TAHMOH PENIKETT
Paul Ballard on Dollhouse
Smarts are sexy, and the Battlestar Galactica alum forever securing the devotion of Joss Whedon's fanbase by starring on Fox's Dollhouse is not dumb. Also sexy: his shirtless chest. We've been known to fast-forward through an episode to see if it makes an appearance.

Vote for Tahmoh here.

EW also has a brief chat with Joss Whedon and photos from Dollhouse's unaired thirteenth episode, "Epitaph One," which will be on the Dollhouse S1 DVD sets (available July 28th).

Dollhouse Season 2 will return on FOX on September 25th. The premiere, "Vows" will be written and directed by Whedon.

Here are two photos of Tahmoh at a charity event benefiting Caleb's Hope:

Caleb's Hope presents ART 4 GULU- a benefit 4 the refugee women &
children of the NYARA Project in Northern Uganda.

Wear the Beads - Save A Life - Join the Movement!

Caleb's Art piece by Ron Sombilon Gallery.