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This year with “Heroes” it’s all about being bad. Villains take over the spotlight and revel in the uproar they are causing. Noah Bennet made a cool intro to the Level 5 villains, and we saw them on a destructive spree at the end of episode 3.02 last week. But we still don’t know much about this new gang of anti-heroes. So I set my scopes on the villains and got one of them to ‘fess up. Ken Lally aka The German.
As The German.
Last episode, we saw this 6-foot escapee beat someone like it was a doll. Then he flicked his hands and the car doors opened. Could you tell me a little bit more about the German?
Ken Lally: Cool. I don’t know if it was based on me or they cast me because I was like him, but my character was developed in the graphic novel. The German was a bank robber, a super villain who could manipulate metal. Company people went to go and tracked him down, and ultimately they caught him and stuck in Level Five.
I want to ask you what his background is, what type of person he is.
Ken: Actually, it’s good to have ambiguity on the show because the writers can do anything they want. Some of the characters even have names in the script that are like HRG and the Haitian. Some have ambiguous backgrounds and no names so the writers can take them in any direction they want as per fans interest. That’s pretty cool.
I read a “Company dossier” on your MySpace page that the German has highly sociopath instincts. Were you able to explore that part of the character yet?
Ken: Oh yeah! It’s a great part of the character because obviously you can manipulate metal. People are comparing me to Magneto, but the thing that I think separates me from Magneto is that I love just kicking ass. (Laughter) I mean I can do these powers and I have this ability, but I’m kind of an ultra-violent guy and really enjoy an old fashion beat down as you saw on the first season premier. I mean while Flint, played by Blake Shield, was using his power to express himself as it were. (Laughter) I wasn’t using my power to express myself. I was just throwing somebody a good beating because I’m brutal, sociopathic and also violent.
And on Monday we are going to rob a bank, as I was told online.
That’s one of the descriptions and so The German is an integral part of that. But there is also a larger story line that my character is a part of that I can’t tell you about, but if the writers choose to pursue it then you’ll be seeing a lot more of me.
Are you going to be that violent when you rob the bank?
Ken: Oh, it’s on. (Laughter)
I imagine you’re going to throw the vault open. You know, have all the metal come to you and then just everything’s open for the taking.
Ken: Well, I can’t comment on that. But you can definitely see what happens on Monday.
As a Villain.
So, how is it working with the other villains? You are all new to the show.
Ken: Oh it’s great. Actually Blake Shield and I have become fast friends and we are actually traveling together. I believe he’s still coming. We are going to the London MCM comic con in late October and we’re going to sign autographs and meet the fans. We are trying to get Jamie Hector who plays Knox to come along. We’ve been texting seriously back and forth trying to get Jamie to come. I was going to go to San Jose for the Comic Con on the 4th and 5th but now I’m not going to be able to go. Yeah, but we are good friends, Blake and I, and Jamie’s a great pal and we have a good time hanging out, Jamie’s a martial artist like I am and Blake’s just a smartass like me. (Laughter) So, we all get along pretty well.
The writers are brilliant and they’re really cool, too. The whole set is just a big family.
How far along is “Heroes” now?
Ken: I’m not sure. One of my things to do today is call production and find out how far along. I am not sure; I’d have to find that out. I know up to at least episode six, but they bounce around a lot because there are so many stars of the show that it’s tough to juggle everyone’s schedule so that they can work on episode two and the next day, they’ll work on episode, like, ten. In episode 302, we shot elements and parts a month apart. We shot the bulk of it I think in June and then more scenes in other pickups about a month later. It’s spread out pretty well.
Now, I hate to ask this but you know in “Heroes” people end up dead. Do we see any deaths among the villains in the near future?
Ken: Yeah I can’t comment on that, but I can tell you, as you know on the show, just because you die don’t always necessarily mean you are gone.
On the set it was funny because they were joking about how they have a wall of death and they take pictures of everyone who dies on the show and apparently half the people on the wall of death are alive again. (Laughter) The writers are very smart and they are really crafty at engineering something when necessary.
As the fighter.
Your background in stunts has often come in handy. You must get to use your martial arts a lot in “Heroes”.
Ken: Well, I do. The first night we blocked out a fight and we blocked out a fight two different ways and then Greg Beeman wanted to put a camera in a different spot. So, we had to block out the same fight a third time. So, yeah it’s come in really handy. Having a stunt background and a fight background came in handy my first day of shooting. I know that being able to act action and being able to do stunts and fight has gotten me at least half of the parts I’ve gotten on stage in New York and London and on film and TV. In Shakespeare I’m getting cast as the sword expert or Tybalt in “Romeo and Juliet” or Claudius in “Hamlet” and fighting and playing the bad guy.
I can help block out the scene and really create a dynamic fight scene with other actors who aren’t as skilled as I am. It’s really come in handy. I actually coached one of the actors in an episode. In episode 303, I had to coach one of the actor’s stunt-fighting because he was just too fast.
I’ve done boxing and kick boxing coaching for actors on film and sword fighting and fencing. It’s a really good skill for a Shakespearian actor and a film actor to have because it’s coming around a lot these days.
As a Spy-kid
You mentioned that your dad was a real-life spy?
Yeah he told me. He left a letter for me, a posthumous letter for my brother and I explaining how he worked for the NSA in a division called COMINT which is the highest, apparently the highest level of the NSA, which reports directly to the president.
He was recruited as a teenager in the Cold War, because he had a very high IQ and aptitude for language and technology. I don’t really know when he stopped working for the NSA. I know he worked with the DIA at the Pentagon, because I never really knew this.
I knew he worked for military intelligence, but I never really knew the extent of what he did until after he was dead. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
You must be very proud of him.
Ken: I’m very proud of my father. Unfortunately, I wish there were more details on how he died. But all I know is he died on a bicycling trip in France with a bunch of former East Germans and the BOD wouldn’t allow the French to perform an autopsy and he was cremated. It’s all so sketchy. I don’t know what he was doing or what was going on.
Sounds like a spy movie, huh?
Ken: Yeah, I wrote a script about it actually because you know, he met my mother in Berlin and he worked for China and Berlin. So hopefully one of these when I can get that script made, because it’s a really interesting story.
I’m sure it is. I have never met a spy, but sometimes you think, oh yeah I want to meet one. Well, you actually lived with one!
Ken: You know that’s really funny because growing up, he really kind of helped me. He wanted me to be a Navy Seal. He always brought home weapons manuals from the DIA and he had me reading all these Robert Ludlum books and he couldn’t tell me what he did, but he kind of guided me along a similar path.
One of my aunts says he was instrumental in establishing free trade with the Chinese, but I’ve heard so many stories, I don’t know what to believe. I figure I’ll find out next time I met him.
You’re making your own path too. I’m sure he’s proud of where you are right now.
Ken: Yeah, I hope so. I believe so.
I hope to talk to you again when we have more of the episodes. I guess we’ll see where your character goes and what’s going to happen to him and how awful he is as a German villain.
Ken: (Laughter) Well, tune into G4. The show G4 online has a show called “Attack of the Show” and me and some of the other villains are going to be on there on Monday broadcasting live. I think they’ve given us permission to talk more freely about the show on “Attack of the Show”.
I’m also going to be on “Yo! on E”, which is definitely on Sirius satellite. It’s a radio. Some of the guys and I will talk about tonight’s episode.
Anyone can contact me on my space and I’m pretty active on the web sites and I will be at the Comic Con in London late next month and I will be happy to talk about anything that’s already aired.
Hopefully, I might be in New York in November but just keep your eyes peeled and me and the boys will hopefully be making the round.
It’s your season, the villains.
Ken: Yeah, and you know it’s important for the show and it’s important for us as actors and entertainers to stay in touch with the fans. So, we are really going to try and do that.
Well, thank you Ken, it was really nice talking to you.
Ken: My pleasure.
So that’s it. Ken Lally was very affable in the interview, but wait till we see him as The German and he starts kicking butts! It’s on. It’s heroes versus villains this season, folks. Wanna bet who wins this round?
Tomorrow, it’s “Heroes” episode 3.03 “One of us, one of them“. Get the scoop on the rest of the volume 3 episodes here.
Photo: NBC/Chris Haston