Collider: How did you come to be a part of the show this season? GILES MATTHEY: I had just gone to the Globes with my girlfriend, which I was lucky enough to be invited to by her. I was on my way back to New York when my agent said, “Please try to get to this audition.” So, I went to the audition and I knew of the show before I went to the audition, but I had no idea who anyone was, which was probably a really good thing. I probably would have been slightly more nervous, had I known the creator of True Blood and the writer of American Beauty (Alan Ball) was staring down at me. That added to an advantage for me, and I felt quite relaxed. It was obviously a little bit bigger than usual because there were more people in the room.
I had my bags packed and ready to go to the airport, and I had about 15 layers on because I couldn’t fit anything else into my bag, with these massive snow boots that were given to me. I was going to New York and it was really cold in January, so I just put them on. I don’t know what they must have seen in front of them. It probably looked like I was high on something because I was relaxed but sweating, and I looked so ridiculous. And all the other actors looked so sharp and pristine. I thought, “Oh, god, this isn’t going well already. I look like an absolute freak! This is going to be fantastic! I’ll just do the audition, and then go to the airport.” So, that’s what I did. And then, my agent called me and said, “You can’t get on that plane. You got the role. You’re in wardrobe tomorrow, and you’re shooting the next day.” It was a huge, huge moment for me, and a real honor that they liked me and cast me.
Since this is a show that is very secretive, did they tell you anything about the character?
MATTHEY: No, it was absolutely secretive. I had no idea who this person was, which actually makes it quite hard when you try to audition. But what you try to do, as an actor, is just make it work somehow. The sides were sensitive and the character name was sensitive, and rightly so because otherwise it will just give away stuff to fans and ruin it for the audience, before they’ve even seen it, so I understand it. So, they were very secretive. I didn’t know what the character’s name was. I didn’t know what part he really was playing [in the story]. I just saw dialogue, in the audition, and had no backstory. I was like, “I’m just going to be myself because I have no idea who this is or where he’s coming from.” The typical questions that actors have to ask themselves were very hard. I had to imagine, a little bit, and just made it work.
Did you decide to catch up on previous episodes, once you’d been cast?
MATTHEY: Yes! I was a bit of a freak like that. And then, I turned into a really big fan. It’s gotten to the point now where it’s so lame to say this, but I feel really proud whenever I see any posters. I just have this feeling of pride. When I see Anna Paquin’s poster, I’m like, “Yes, Anna, there you are and good for you!” It’s pretty lame, but I’ve now turned into such a fan. But also, I obviously have a personal connection with a lot of these people, so the pride comes from a personal sense of friendship as well. So, yes, I caught up a lot. I caught up on all four seasons. There were times when I would only focus on the fairies and what they were like, how they were portrayed, what they were doing, and the actions that they performed on the show, just to get a feel of them. I first started with only watching the fairy stuff, for research. And then, I started realizing, “Hang on, this is quite a good show. Let’s just go back to Season 1, Episode 1.” From then on, I just went from one episode to another. The popcorn came out and a soda, and then it was game over, really. It got its hooks in me. It really did.
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