Q&A with Lynda
Mason Green, CAO's Actorz
Discussion Board Moderator:
Orpheus: How did you land your War of the World's role of Suzanne
McCullough?
LMG: I auditioned several times, five I think, over three months for
both Suzanne McCullough and the other female part in the pilot. I was finally asked to read with a
potential male lead, an American I did not know who was being flown in. After that audition they
asked me what I thought about him, even though he'd auditioned almost as he'd walked off the plane.
I suggested they let him read when he was rested. I was told I was hired after we had read the next
day. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Orpheus: Do you have any amusing anecdotes from behind the scenes of
WOTW?
LMG: Because it was so stiflingly hot in the summer, we all had hand-held
fans, which were equipped with suction cups at the bottom for placing securely on tables and such.
On a particularly gruellingly hot day in the un-air-conditioned studio our director for that
episode, who was bald, placed one of the fans on his head as a joke. Unfortunately, the sweat on his
pate created an astonishingly stubborn seal. He could not get it off for the life of him. Shooting
stopped while we tried to get this propeller-ed thing off his head. It took three people. And it was
hurting him. When they finally got the thing off, it left a huge red welt-like circle on his head
for days. Every time we saw it, we completely fell apart laughing. We could barely get a shot in the
can 'til we got him a hat.
Orpheus: Who did you enjoy working with most on the show and why?
LMG: I always enjoyed working with Phil Akin. He's a very down to earth
guy. Unpretentious, a solid actor. He would look me in the eye when we worked together. I think we
had a good rapport. We didn't get to work enough scenes together.
Orpheus: Do you still keep in contact with anyone from the series?
LMG: Phil moved out of the area, but we run into each other now and
then. The others went home to wherever they lived. That's very common among actors. The job is the
job.
Orpheus: During the show's run, did you have any particular ideas where
the producers could've taken your character?
LMG: Sure. But you have to remember that it is very rare for women to
have a strong character presence in a show that is dominated by a male point of view. It's difficult
not to write a female character from the outside, if you are not a female writer. There are
certainly exceptions. I think I should have fought for Susanne a little more. I was very trusting. I
would do it differently now perhaps. I learned a lot. Nothing is wasted if you learn from it.
Orpheus: What led to the format change in season two?
LMG: We had a change of producers. The new producers always want to put
their own creative stamp on a show. I quite liked the change in tone. It was edgier, more dangerous.
Clearer as to it's own attitude and style. It certainly gave me a little more scope.
Orpheus: How did you react when you heard that Philip Akin and Richard
Chaves were leaving the show?
LMG: I was surprised. A little confused. I suppose I was anxious about
how it would affect the show and what a new team member would bring to the mix.
Orpheus: What was your favourite WOTW scene or your favourite scene with
Suzanne on the show?
LMG: Gee, I could not begin to recall one now... perhaps the scenes from
the episode that was set underground when the alien pyramid glowed and affected our behaviour.
Suzanne got just a tad 'frisky'. I think it was called 'The Second Seal'. That was fun.
Orpheus: And finally, what do you have planned in the future? Any new
books, segments or documentaries?
LMG: I continue to act when the opportunity presents. I also founded a
professional actors group called the Actors Co-o, now in its fourth year. I am working on a couple
of documentaries, a multi-media project, and web site project, CanadianActor Online, which has been
extremely successful. I especially enjoy helping young actors who are starting out in the business
get their feet on solid ground. My book 'Standing Naked in the Wings: Anecdotes from Canadian Actors
(Oxford University Press) has done well and is distributed in Canada, the United States and Britain.
As well, I have a very happy and healthy family; a husband, a beautiful 11-year old daughter, a
Giant Schnauzer puppy and a cat. Life is pretty good from where I sit.
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