Doug Jones Talks Falling Skies And Hellboy 3

While talking to the press about the new season of Falling Skies, actor Doug Jones talked to collider about the series, his career and desire to make Hellboy 3.

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When you’re approached about playing a creature, what is your thought process, in deciding whether it’s something you can make different from what you’ve done before?

JONES:  Any otherworldly creature that I take on, I do want to make different from the last one I’ve played.  What informs that difference is the script and the writers, especially in television.  It is a writers’ medium, and the writers of this show have created a character that’s multi-dimensional.  I had a lot to play with, to be Cochise.  Physically speaking, when I saw what heady dialogue he has, and how much of it – he orates like a college professor, all the time – my hands always want to float up and express, to help the words come out of my mouth.  That’s a Doug Jones thing.  That’s something that I do, in real life.  So, with all of that intelligent dialogue, the first time my hands floated up to help me, the only note that I got about my acting, the entire season, was, “Put your frickin’ hands down!”  The reason for that was that he’s a strong warrior.  He’s not a hand-waving professor.  He is smart and he does have that kind of intellect, but he’s also got a strong warriors background.  He stands with a strength, and without the need to flap his hands around while he talks.  He doesn’t need to impress anybody, and he doesn’t need to try that hard.  For me, that was a throttle back.  I did have to take on a more subtle approach with my physicality, this time.

How long does it take you to get into this character?

JONES:  With this, it’s mercifully short.  With Hellboy, that was a five-hour make-up.  Pan’s Labyrinth was five-hour make-up.  With this, we got it down to about two hours, from head to toe, which is very forgivable.  When you do it week after week and month after month, I was glad they got it down to two hours.  My call times would be ridiculously early, if they hadn’t.

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At what point, in your career, did you realize that you had this brilliant ability to manipulate and control your body in a way that most people can’t?

JONES:  It’s funny, I’ve never broken it down or even thought about it that much.  I started as a mime, many years ago, in college.  That woke up my body to realizing that movement, gesturing, postures and body language are every bit as communicative as verbal dialogue is.  That background is what I brought into my acting career with me.  Even when I’m playing human beings, I take on that character from head to toe, as any actor really should do.  Add rubber to that, and add masks and heavy costumes, and that physicality becomes even more important.  I do need to push through some layers, so that those moments, feelings and intentions are all being seen, as well as heard.

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Do you have a creature that you’re most proud of? 

JONES:  I think Abe Sapien, from the Hellboy movies is the one I’m most proud of.  He’s near and dear to my heart.  After doing two feature films and two animated features and a video game, he and I have gotten very close, over the years.  And hopefully, we can do a Hellboy 3, one day.  But right now, Cochise is my first love. 

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