Interview with Carmen Argenziano

We know Carmen Argenziano as "Jacob Carter/Selmak" on Stargate SG-1; now he's involved with a new show called "Ghost Writer" and we're excited that he agreed to take some time off his busy schedule to answer a few questions about this new project.

S-P.de: Mr. Argenziano, what can you tell us about the character you play on the show "Ghost writer"?

CA: Jack’s a bit of a throw back. He’s “Old School”, as they say. But along with dated ideas, & principles, comes old school integrity and character. Jack, fortunately, is open to change and curiosity draws him into Angela’s world of possibility. I like Jack Allen. I identify with him a lot.

S-P.de: What makes this show different from other mystery shows?

CA: There’s a paranormal element, as well as a very human, universal theme regarding life’s purpose, and the after-life and the ultimate mystery of our souls’ journey.

S-P.de: Will episodes be stand-alone stories or will there be story arcs?

CA: Stand alone stories, but each character will have story arcs that span the seasons.

S-P.de: Is the show more character/story driven or special effects driven?

CA: Character driven, story driven, history driven. And then there are some special effects.

S-P.de: What would you expect regarding the development of your character as the episodes continue?

CA: Even at Jack’s age, he has a lot to learn. Fortunately, it leaves him a lot of room to grow. He will show us that we are never too old to evolve. I hope to learn something myself there.

S-P.de: What are the challenges for you as an actor playing this character?

CA: The challenge is learning the publishing business and journalism. It’s a pretty good fit. I studied journalism in school, and had acting not worked out, that would have been my next profession.

S-P.de: Which personal facets/aspects are you going to add to your character?

CA: My grumpiness! I love yelling and screaming, and this character gives me a good excuse. Just kidding. He’s tough, he gets to express his frustrations, which is something I usually keep a lid on in real life.

S-P.de: Do you believe in ghosts and what would you do if you were in the situation of the lead character of the show?

CA: I love ghost stories. I’ve read a lot of ghost stories and have had a lot of fun exploring them. If I were in the situation of the lead character… I would try to understand them and help them if I could.

S-P.de: How's working with Eileen Grubba and Heather Hale?

CA: Wonderful. Eileen Grubba and I have a long history of working together at The Actor’s Studio on stage and in several Independent films. We have a trust and energy between us that is rare among actors. There is no sense of competition. It’s an amazing creative collaboration. All I ever have to do with Eileen is just react to whatever surprises she brings me. I give her space and support to fly. Eileen is a very generous actor and all I have to do is be present and react.

Heather is an amazing “can do” lady. With her Mensa mind and creative resources, she is a born showrunner, if ever there was one. Her script, inspired by Marlene Buffa, was so beautifully written. Then she and Eileen brought their energy and resources together to build an incredible production team. I was quite impressed. Lou Antonio, veteran director, came in to mentor. Joe DeRobbio came on to produce and brought in Brian Dickett and a powerful special effects and post team. Joe Taranto came in and brought Daniel Ainsworth to DP and an entire crew. Julian Moss came in to help produce. It is a wonderful team to work with. There was a great energy on this set. You could feel something very special being created here.

S-P.de: Any upcoming convention appearances? Any chance you would come to Germany for a convention, f.e. FedCon in Bonn, in 2010?

CA: There is one coming in Vancouver next year, possibly Paris, and yes, we’d love to come to Bonn. Maybe we’ll start touring soon for “Ghost Writer”. That could take us all over the world.

S-P.de: Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions and thanks to Austin Edgington for making this interview possible.