| |
| |
|
««Articles Index
From Cinescape Magazine, May 2002 Issue.
Transcribed by Megan. Thanks to Gertie for the scans!
Written by Melissa J. Perenson
Actor Robert Patrick carried the mantle of finding "the truth" during The X-Files' last two seasons as skeptical Agent John Doggett
Fresh off a hike with his three Labrador retrievers near his Hollywood Hills home, Robert Patrick sounds full of energy. And no wonder: "I've got the whole day off," he reveals.
Time off is at a premium for Patrick since he joined the cast of The X-Files as Agent John Doggett at the start of season 8. This February afternoon is a rare exception.
"Last season, I never got any time off," he says. "My wife and my two kids have kind of participated in trying to let daddy sleep weird hours. But this season, I'm getting a few more days off here and there, and I'm enjoying that."
The rapid-fire pace of series television may be exhausting, but that isn't stopping Patrick from thoroughly enjoying his tenure on The X-Files. And he's discovered, with the proper mental preparation, he can more than keep up with the pace.
"I knew I was a pretty quick study, but now I'm a hell of a lot faster than I was," the veteran film actor says. "You realize that your brain is a muscle, and that you've just been using it to memorize things. Once you do that, then you can just trust in the fact that the lines are there, and that you know what you're supposed to say."
When Patrick, best known for his work in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, came on board, he wasn't billed as a replacement for David Duchovny's missing-in-action Mulder. Instead, he was portrayed as a complement to the existing cast - new lifeblood for a series that had for so long (arguably, too long) relied on just two leads.
A New York cop-turned-FBI investigator, Doggett started out spearheading the search for Mulder before joining the X-Files as Scully's new partner. With his genuine, down-to-earth nature and dedication to the truth, Doggett fit into The X-Files' expanded tapestry with surprising ease.
"Last year, when I got this role and I started, I said my obligation to everybody - including myself - is to go in and do the best work I can," remembers Patrick. "I thought, 'I'm going to make it about the work, and I'm really not going to focus on anything else.'"
From the onset, Patrick felt like he understood intrinsically who John Doggett was. As season 8 progressed, "every episode was an evolution for this guy," Patrick observes, "He has his own code that he lives by, one that I think is really rock-solid. He's got a high standard that he holds for himself, and I think that's what makes him a strong character."
In spite of feeling as if Doggett fit him like a glove, Patrick admits to having a few moments of insecurity in the middle of last season, where "I kind of felt like I was lost. I wondered, 'Wait a second, am I doing the right thing?'"
Patrick quickly shook that feeling, through, finding a strong footing in episodes like "Via Negativa," which he cites as a favourite from last season (where Doggett thinks he's losing his mind) for precisely the reason you might now expect.
"As much as I'm into playing Doggett, and as much as I'm into the day-to-day existence of this guy, for him to go through something that really shakes up his world and rattles him is interesting to me. It allows me to show some vulnerability to what would otherwise appear to be a guy who is unshakable."
Patrick has no regrets about signing on to his two-year tour of duty with The X-Files, but he is sorry to see the experience end so soon.
"The main reason I'm doing The X-Files is the character," he states unequivocally. "I love playing John Doggett. I love the character. It's one of the best characters I've ever gotten to play. And I wish that I had more seasons out of it to try to explore the guy and really go for it."
As for whether he'd be willing to reprise Doggett in an X-Files feature, Patrick will cross that bridge if, and when, he comes to it.
"It's not something that I'm thinking about right now," he says.
|
|
"The X-Files" TM and © (or copyright) Fox and its related entities. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, duplication or distribution of these materials in any form is expressly prohibited.; This web site, its operators and any content on this site relating to "The X-Files" are not authorized by Fox.
Original content and design © xfmegan 2000-2007
|
|
