AfterElton.com Interview to Josh Dallas

This is a lovely interview to lovable Josh Dallas (yes, I have a thing for this guy, so?) posted on AfterElton.com on Dec. 2nd.

Now that we’re heading into winter, the winners and losers of the fall TV season are apparent and one freshman series on the winning side of the ratings game is ABC’s Once Upon A Time. For those who have yet to check it out, the series, which comes from the creative forces that kept Lostafloat for six seasons, focuses on the town of Storybrooke, Maine and the group of fairy tale characters that have been banished there under a memory-erasing spell. So, for example, Snow White (Big Love alum Ginnifer Goodwin) doesn’t know she’s Snow White but thinks she’s sweet schoolteacher Mary Margaret

Besides garnering strong enough ratings to warrant a full season of episodes, Once also is the one prime time series that has a legitimate Prince Charming. As portrayed by Josh Dallas, the Prince also has had his memory erased and lives as recent amnesiac David Nolan, who clearly is destined to be with Mary Margaret but also happens to have a loving, devoted wife (Anastasia Griffith).

This Sunday’s episode is centered around the backstory of Prince Charming as well as the Storybrooke thread of whether David will stick with his wife or declare his love for Mary Margaret. To find out what viewers can expect in this week’s episode as well as down the line, AfterElton.comrang up Dallas who gave us some good tease about all things Charming and also about working with uber-hunky Chris Hemsworth in the Thor films.

AfterElton.com: So we’re finally going to learn a bit more about Prince Charming in this next episode. What can you tell me?
Josh Dallas: It’s titled “The Shepherd” so we’re going to dig deeper into the origins of Prince Charming and we’re going to find out more about his backstory and where he comes from and he faces an event that will alter his path and his life certainly forever. Then in Storybrooke we’re with David and he’s choosing between his duty and his emotions.

AE: One of the reasons why I think people are connecting with the show is that we’re getting original takes on classic characters. Safe to assume that that’s what we’ll get with this episode?
JD: Yeah and that’s what’s so exciting about me being an actor on the show. We are inventing, in a sense, all these classic characters that we all know and love and we’re inventing their backstories and their origins and their lives. One, it’s a huge honor, and two, it’s real exciting for us as actors to see what makes these people tick.

AE: Does that take the pressure off a bit because in some ways we’re seeing sides of these characters that we’ve never seen before.
JD: I’m not feeling pressure in that way. I think what’s interesting is that we’re creating something real. We’re making these iconic characters more relatable in a way and giving them real feelings and real emotions and real stories. That’s really exciting.

AE: The show is off to a good start but before it premiered were you on pins and needles wondering if it would click?
JD: Of course! I think with anything no matter what the show is and no matter what the stories are and who’s attached to it, you never know if it’s going to work or not, you just don’t know. Even more with our show because it’s something that is so different and so out of the box and it’s never been done before and there’s nothing else on TV quite like it. We’re all really passionate about it and excited about coming to work everyday and we’re excited to get the next scripts and see what’s coming up but you don’t know if people are going to tune in and even if they’re going to tune in you don’t know if they’re going to stick with us but they have! It’s amazing they’ve stuck with us every week. They’re the reason why we have gotten a full season. I have a Twitter account and all these messages about how much the fans love the show and how interested they are in the characters and how much they’re enjoying it. It’s great!

AE: With Twitter being so immediate, as soon as the premiere was airing did you start hearing from people.
JD: Immediately! It’s kinda crazy. I’m kinda new to the whole Twitter thing but it’s amazing to hear that instant feedback from people even while the show is on and while they’re watching it they’re tweeting and saying how much they’re enjoying it. We love our viewers!

AE: When you put on that Prince Charming suit, do you draw on some of your Shakespeare training? [Josh worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company in London]. You’ve also mentioned channeling Errol Flynn for your Thor character. Is all that coming together?
JD: I think so. One informs the other, for sure. It’s hot and gets a little toasty sometimes. Right now I find it as a Godsend because it’s so cold up here [in Vancouver] that I’m asking if I can put the leather on! But, yeah, I think all of that informs the other, for sure.

AE: You’ve been riding horses on the show. How is that going for you?
JD: I’ve done a lot and I love it so much and now I want to buy a horse! It’s an amazing thing to do and it’s a really great stretch for me, horse riding. I mean, come on, this is quite literally a boy’s dream!

AE: One thing I’ve noticed is that the men of Storybrooke are all in very good shape. Where is the Crunch gym in that town?
JD: [laughs] I don’t know but I’m sure Mr. Gold (the evil character played by Robert Carlyle) runs it!

AE: Do you know if there is a gay-centric element that might come into the show?
JD: It’s not that I know of but I wouldn’t discount it all, ever. That’s the thing about Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz is that they’re genius storytellers and if it fits within their storyline or what they’re doing then I’m sure they’ll put it in. The boys are geniuses so they can come up with some pretty amazing things so who knows. It’s definitely going to enter the story at some point. I don’t know when but, yeah, I think there’s room for everything.

AE: I think the show is one of those for hopeless romantics but what do you think about people that are more cynical about romance? Can they turn over a new leaf?
JD: I think they will be swayed by it! Look, the show has got both things. It’s got love, it’s got epic love, unrequited love…I think both sides of that are told particularly with the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla). Love has turned her and destroyed her. That’s the thing about love. It’s so, so powerful and it will destroy worlds and it will destroy worlds for it. I think if there are cynics of love they can always take the Evil Queen’s side.

AE: Are you a sappy romantic?
JD: I think I am a sappy romantic! I certainly believe in love and believe in romance. Yeah, why not! I think it would be pretty awful not to!

AE: When do you start shooting the Thor sequel?
JD: I think we’re starting around in April, which is perfect because that’s when we’ll wrap up the season of Once. What the story will entail, I’m not sure. I don’t know what adventures Thor and his comrades are going to be on. I’m sure [screenwriter] Don Payne is locked away in some room and working diligently on the new script. It’s sad that Ken (Branagh) is not coming back to direct it because he did such a great job on the first one in creating that whole world and the language and the dynamics of Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Odin (Sir Anthony Hopkins), which is so core to the origins of Thor. It’s a shame he’s not coming back but he’ll be around as a producer. But we have a great director in Patty Jenkins, who I know Marvel is really excited about. I’m looking forward to it. I can’t wait to don the moustache and beard again.

AE: Watching Chris Hemsworth in the first film it’s tough not to say to yourself, ‘Oh my God, I have to get to the gym more.’ How is it being in the same room as him?
JD: He is humongous and the great thing about it is that there are no ‘roids involved. That is all pure determination, hard work and strength. He works really hard for it and, come on, he is Thor so he’s definitely the biggest guy on the set!

Original HERE