Tahmoh Penikett talks BSG and Dollhouse

[Spooky]

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/arts_life/story.html?id=0ed04345-639e-4356-b3a6-496eecd20610

Another door opens for actor

Ben Carrozza
Canwest News Service

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Like many fans out there, Battlestar Galactica actor Tahmoh Penikett isn't entirely ready to say goodbye to the critically acclaimed show, but he understands why this season has to be the last.

"It's about integrity and never losing it," he says, taking a break from filming an episode of the fourth season's second half. "(Show creator) Ron (Moore) and the writers have always said that Battlestar has a beginning, a middle and an end -- and if they say this is where the story should end, then I completely trust them."

He insists it becomes easier to accept as time goes by. "When I first heard, it was upsetting but we've all had time to accept it and have grasped the idea. There are so many incredible things happening already this season that I think the audience will accept it, too.

"But I'm excited about this season," Penikett adds. "I'm included a lot more and I've been able to act more with different members of the cast, which has been amazing."

Born in Whitehorse, Penikett is the son of former Yukon premier Tony Penikett and has appeared in a number of film and television roles, including parts on Smallville, The L Word and Cold Squad. On Galactica, Penikett plays the highly principled Lieutenant Karl "Helo" Agathon, a human soldier who falls in love and eventually has a child with Number Eight (Grace Park), a Cylon, one of the show's synthetic foils/villains.

Often used as the voice of reason and humanity when those around him forget theirs, Helo has been forced to go against his commanders to protect his principles and family.

"The character has such a deeply rooted moral core and such integrity and dignity, it's easy to find his voice in the lines," Penikett says. "There have been disagreements with the writers, not often, about where they want to take Helo and it's my responsibility as an actor to step in and make sure we stay true to him, to never lose that integrity of his."

Considering the role Helo has played on the show, it's amazing to consider that Penikett was only supposed to appear in the original 2003 Sci-Fi channel mini-series and not in the ongoing show. The producers reconsidered after taking into account the huge outpouring of fan interest and the strength of Penikett's performance, choosing to write him into the series.

"It's a huge compliment," says Penikett. "I'm so fortunate to have been given that chance. The writers really enjoyed it, too. Ron saw it as a way to take us off the Battlestar and see things from another perspective."

Landing a role as a major character on Battlestar can be stressful, given the writers' tendency to surprise its audience with the deaths of major characters.

"I was a lot more nervous about that in the first season. I'd leaf through the scripts just to my parts to find out if I'd been offed," he laughs. "Now there's a comfort zone for a lot of us and I read the scripts more as a fan of the show, excited to find out what happens next."

With the end in sight, so too are new beginnings for Penikett, including a role on Dollhouse, the highly anticipated new Fox series from Buffy, Angel and Firefly creator Joss Whedon. The show, starring Buffy alum Eliza Dushku, follows an organization that employs mind-wiped agents known as "dolls" who are implanted with false memories and skills for various missions and tasks. Needless to say, the whole operation is highly illegal.

"I play an FBI agent who's on the trail of the 'dolls'," he says. "I'm honoured to be a part of this. I mean, Joss is the biggest there is, one of the brightest and most creative. I'm looking forward to working with Eliza, too. I'm really excited to start work on it."

Growing up in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Penikett, 32, is something of a science fiction fan himself. "Star Wars started it all for me, like anyone from that time," he says. "But I love to read science fiction, authors like Phillip K. Dick. William Gibson is one of my favourites.

"I remember going to see Blade Runner as a kid and out of all the great actors in that, guess who had me asking my dad: 'Who is that?' Edward James Olmos," he laughs. "Coming on set for Battlestar the first time, I didn't know who was starring in the show and I showed up, saw Edward and Mary (McDonnell) and was like, 'Why are they here?' and a friend said, 'They're the leads,' and I couldn't believe it. It's funny."