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Patrick Bauchau: 007Forever Chat Pg. 2

From 007Forever -- May 24, 2000
Moderated by Michael "Icebreaker" Kersey (continued from Page 1)

jarod: Have you heard about the web pages launching a Save The Pretender Campaign?

pbauchau: Yes, quite familiar. Our heart leans in the same direction.

icebreaker: Very eloquent, Patrick. What can the fans do to help save the show, or at the very least, bring it back for special movies?

pbauchau: Definitely, get in touch with Fox and TNT and make sure the negotiations lead to a reprieve of the show.

bondfan: You may not be able to answer this, but where were the subway scenes shot for the Pretender finale? I went to college and law school in Washington, and that was certainly not the DC metro.

pbauchau: Not sure. I'll try and find out. :-) The Centre is in Delaware...Blue Cove, Delaware.

icebreaker: Do you believe in real life Pretenders?

pbauchau: LOL! Of course! Don't you?

icebreaker: Eh, I'm not so sure.

pbauchau: They wouldn't necessarily be like Jarod.

jarod: When did you learn The Pretender had been cancelled?

pbauchau: Again for similar reasons to Blood Ties, Fox.... It was a mid season replacement, so it only ran 12 episodes. Again, Fox found it too expensive. The third show in a row they cancelled on me...Blood Ties, the Kindred, and Pretender. Actually excuse me...the Kindred wasn't mid season.... Pardon me. Sorry, the Pretender wasn't and the Kindred was. And this is a very curious aside...the show (Kindred) had as its lead hero a young guy named Mark Frankel, a gifted young actor. But he died just after that in a biking accident...was being groomed by the Bond production to become their next Bond.

icebreaker: Mark has a 007 connection, but I can't remember what it was.

pbauchau: A real pity....

icebreaker: d'oh!

pbauchau: A wonderful player. I did a couple of different shows with him.

vices5: Do you think NBC would allow a wrap-up hour or movie?

pbauchau: That would be great. Hard to tell though which way they will go. If they do a movie it won't be right away. They may wait a few years for it to play on cable to develop more audience. The other way would be for the show to continue, so the writers and producers would have a chance to complete the cycle on TV. That's preferable. Or maybe both...maybe another season or two then a movie.

bondfan: How was it working with Jake Lloyd, particularly with regard to Star Wars?

pbauchau: Wow. I think he is potentially brilliant. We'll have to see what happens....

bauchaudotcom: Patrick, have you ever thought of doing any writing?

pbauchau: Well, I have a father who is a writer, so in the family I have decided to take a side track. I am developing some film projects....

icebreaker: Speaking of film projects....

delilahtina: Patrick - you were wonderful in the film Twin Falls Idaho. Where the character Penny asks Miles if he's her psychiatrist now - was that in the original script, or was that added later as a reference to your role in The Pretender?

pbauchau: The director/writers of TFI...the brothers are friends of mine. They are quite aware of my everyday life.

icebreaker: Patrick will be seen this August opposite Jennifer Lopez in The Cell. Patrick, what can you tell us about this film and your role in it?

pbauchau: I don't feel I can speak about it yet since I haven't seen it. Not sure what it will be like from reading the script. In the case of Twin Falls, the film was incredibly fascinating. They are really gifted filmmakers...most gifted brother team in filmmaking.

icebreaker: I mentioned in my article on Patrick that there was some interest...possible interest in having you do Star Trek. Can you tell us what might happen?

pbauchau: Yes, there has been recurring interest between the two of us on working together. It's another franchise I would be interested in working on. That and possibly X-Files. I've worked with David in The Rapture.

icebreaker: Has Chris Carter contacted you?

pbauchau: No, we haven't spoken.

bondfan: What is your favorite Pretender episode?

pbauchau: I liked the...the one best possibly has been the Season 2 finale. But I think the season 5 finale was just fantastic. Waiting for the happy day when we can film it and let the public see it. Season 5 finale comes as my number one favorite...then season 2 finale. And the pilot comes as number 3 favorite.

icebreaker: The fans might be interested to know that some stars don't view the work they do. Is it important for you to see your work, or is acting in it enough?

pbauchau: Tricky question.... Often viewing a film can generate more aggravation than anything else...at some of the choices that were made...in being as effective as you could have been in a certain scene...depends on what you look at. You can concentrate on enjoying the memories of what it was like to shoot on certain days, and concentrate on other actors. So it's a mixed bag. True, I don't always see the film that I worked on. Not always there when it opens. Missing a certain number of the films that I made, I'll see them in Heaven where Sydney is bound.

icebreaker: Next question. Did you have a particularly favorite scene to shoot in A View to a Kill? Christopher Walken looked very comfortable and happy firing that submachine gun.

pbauchau: LOL! Yes Scarpine was enjoying himself at that moment too. Also a side note...I recall one of the balloon scenes where in a Zorin close up something caught the eye of Christopher Walken. He said, "I see a geometrical pattern on somebody who I don't think is part of this set. I find this person distracting." This clicked in my head it could only be a friend I brought in -- a British film critic, who indeed was wearing a op-art style tie. At the third request...when Walken gets into his foul moods you have to indulge him. LOL! So at the third request, I had to point out to my friend that his tie was having an adverse effect on the close up of Mister Zorin. LOL! This is just a little story. I do appreciate Chris Walken and my friend. :-)

icebreaker: Someone wanted to know if you'd accept the role of Gandalf in Lord of The Rings. Have you heard of these books? (Note: That question had been submitted by mahakali.)

pbauchau: That would be great. I would love that. One of my favorite books.

vices5: How long do you wait before taking a new role elsewhere, in case The Pretender is picked up?

pbauchau: Sneaky question...no answer. LOL...No comment. LOL!

icebreaker: We have a few minutes left, so we will take just a few more questions for Patrick.

icebreaker: What was your work with Salvador Dali?

pbauchau: For Dali I did a soft form. These are cushions in the form of animals...like a dragon, and teems of turtles and snakes and various other animals you could sit on. He used in his office...house...and when I came up with the invoice, he said, "I'm too old to pay. You can go ask my friends. If they love me they can pay for me." He gave me addresses of friends to send the invoice to. Very strange character.

mahakali: If you could have any book you have read made into a film, which book would you chose, which director, and what part would you play?

pbauchau: Whew...LOL! I cannot answer that right away...have to give it serious thinking...and that falls under wishes...and we know wishes come true. So have to be careful of our wishes. ;-)

icebreaker: One last question. Do you still keep in touch with the cast of A View to a Kill, and will you do so with the cast of Pretender?

pbauchau: Well, in the case of A View to A Kill, I can't say I've seen anyone involved with it recently, but I regret it. But somehow life has scattered us on different corners of the planet. And in the case of The Pretender, I certainly see members of both cast and crew on an almost daily basis, and I trust in the future as well since we are all in this one main city.

icebreaker: Okay everyone, that is our time for the night. I'd like to thank...

pbauchau: Thanks to Michael....

icebreaker: ...everyone for showing up, and many, many thanks to Patrick for spending some time with us. We all wish you well on your future projects, and much success. Thanks again, Patrick!