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Patrick Bauchau: Lycos Chat

From Lycos Chat -- October 21, 1999 (continued from Page 1)

Ice Lerrin: Patrick, I'm either misled or misleading myself...are there three people in the Triumvirate?

SPEAKER_PatrickBauchau: That's a very good question.... In an episode that we just finished, the head of the presumed Triumvirate has been terminated. So it brings up the question about whether the Triumvirate really exists, or whether it was just created by Mr. Parker...Miss Parker's father, who is played by Harve Presnell, who is a wonderful actor from Montana. He lives on a ranch there, so we don't see him very often, but sometimes he comes and brings me horse dung from his ranch for my rose bushes. So he plays Mr. Parker, who is the head of the Centre...we don't know.... The Triumvirate is a big question mark in everyone's head, maybe even the writers' head!

pretenderangel17: Are you planning to do any movies this year?

SPEAKER_PatrickBauchau: Yes, I have just done a film with Jennifer Lopez called The Cell, and I am about to start a film called The BeatNicks. It's about two Nicks. One of them is called Nick Beat, and I play a character called Hank. We are having a bit of trouble with scheduling the shoot because The Pretender, since it is a series, requires a lot of attention.

NASH_Canuck: We'll be waiting...

SPEAKER_PatrickBauchau: There is currently Twin Falls Idaho, which is a very small, but very beautiful film which is playing in the US right now. I highly recommend it! Jon Gries is in it, and he introduced me to the writers/director of the film, the Polish brothers...and they are extremely talented young men. If that film is anything to go by, we can expect a very interesting new Millenium. Both Jon and I are involved in their next film project, but that won't be shot 'til next Spring.

northernlea: Will we see an expanded role for Jon Gries, rather Broots, this season now that he has gotten overdue credits in the lineup?

SPEAKER_PatrickBauchau: I think Broots plays a very decisive part, and the way he is doing it at the moment is very much under the sign of fantasy. I think we have some surprises coming. He's becoming very close to Miss Parker, and who knows where that may lead! LOL!

TheEaterofWorlds: Do you see many members of the cast off of The Pretender set?

SPEAKER_PatrickBauchau: Well, we work as a family, so inevitably we see each other very regularly, either for dinner, or something. We work together, and we try to influence Jon Gries to work on film projects together, he and I, but it's not easy to find the time because Jon also has a musical career that he spends a lot of time on.

We see each other unusally frequently I would say. It is a pretty tight little family group, and it is my first experience of that nature! We hit it lucky because we all like each other tremendously! The same applies to the villains, Mr. Lyle, and Angelo, who occasionally shows up. I would say it is an unusually tight group.

catherine h: On the show, Miss P. always pushes you aside. How is your real-life relationship with her? How about Jon? P.S. Come to Hawaii!

SPEAKER_PatrickBauchau: LOL! Yes! I want to go to Hawaii!

Miss Parker has to remind people that she is the boss of that situation. She is the head of the quest for Jarod. Although she is always pushing us aside, she always listens, even though she pretends not to.

She is something of a disciple of Sydney as well as Jarod. They were both brought up in the unholy atmosphere of the Centre, and both have learned to listen to Sydney, but in real life she is one of the family!

sjames_centre: Have the producers been frustrated by the high number of preemptions due to baseball playoffs?

prodigy1244: The viewers have.

pretenderangel17: So true.

SPEAKER_PatrickBauchau: Ooooh, there's a rub, YES! But it has happened every year since we started. We have had to learn to deal with it, as I'm sure the spectators have, and we are all very sorry that the network policy has been so inattentive. But I guess those are the rules of the game. We have learned to put up with it.

In Europe it isn't like that. There are no preemptions there! The show is the top foreign show in France. Saturday is the biggest TV night there. France, Australia and Germany are three very big markets for the show. In France it is called Le cameleon, which as you can see means The Chameleon. Nobody would venture, in Australia or France, to preempt a show like that for one, two or three weeks, sports or no sports, because the show is extremely popular in those countries. I was a little surprised when it happened here actually.

I remember an anecdote: I was having dinner with some friends in Paris, and there was someone that I didn't really know there as well, and suddenly this person got up, kissed everyone goodbye and started to leave. He apologized and said that he had to go home and see The Pretender. He said dining with Syd was one thing, but that he still wanted to go see the episode!

Langerfritz: What's your favorite episode, Patrick?

SPEAKER_PatrickBauchau: My favorite episode is actually the one we just finished. It's the one that draws a little on The Wizard of Oz. Everyone was like, "Oh, wow!" I don't remember right now what the episode is titled...oh yes, it's called "Road Trip".

ImDandy2: Thank you for taking time out of your schedule to be here with us. I just love your portrayal of Sydney. Question: have you received any feedback on the new opening used for the show?

SPEAKER_PatrickBauchau: It seems to have been very well received. Certainly the first episode was. I haven't heard anything much for the second yet. My own personal feeling is that we are on the right track. We have a great season in the making with the 7 or 8 episodes that we have already filmed.

When you do a series...in the case of Steve and Craig, who are our writers...it was their first season that was a bit of insecurity, so it stayed relatively tame. They had to fight some battles with the network and the studio. They felt that their measure of liberty was a little curtailed by both the studio and the network, and I think this season they feel more at ease to take liberties, and to take the show where it wants to go.

Goodnight everyone!

MODERATOR: Thanks for coming! This has been an interesting chat. Tonight we have been chatting with actor Patrick Bauchau from the NBC series The Pretender. Thanks for chatting with us, Patrick!

TheEaterofWorlds: You seem like a really nice person, Mr. B. Thanks for talking to us.

PBphile: Thanks, P...catch you later! ;-)

SPEAKER_PatrickBauchau: Thank you all for submitting your questions. It was great being here. Goodbye! (wave)

catherine h: thank you!!!!!!! and come to hawaii!!! <g>.

larile: Goodnight Everyone, thanks Patrick!