'The James Wilson Interview'

5th August 2002

JC: is Jackie Clark

JW: is James Wilson

Part Two: Questions 8-20

'A close shave!'

8. JC: Do you believe that the TP's special powers are possible or may be possible in the future?

JW: Ah! I'm not… I dunno…yeah I guess so. I'm quite an optimist on things like this so why not? I strongly believe that at some time, whether it be in our lifetime or not, that we will travel by teleportation. Whether you call it jaunting or teleportation, I think it will happen. I think we're pushing everything. As humans we constantly push and push and push. The fact that we've actually conceived it almost says it is possible!

JC: They have already managed to teleport a photon of light. What they are doing is to destroying it and recreating it as opposed to transmitting it. You've got this issue in Star Trek are they de-compiling the person's body into it's parts then making a copy?

JW: As soon as you destroy something it's gone! That sounds a bit scary doesn't it? I do believe that if we can conceive something then it can happen. I don't believe that there are any boundaries any more. Whenever boundaries are there, then within decades they are quashed or surpassed. I certainly believe in telepathy. I think that evolution will make that happen. When you know someone really well you almost are telepathic aren't you? Like when you're out all you have to do is to look at someone and you can more or less tell what he or she's thinking. I believe that it is primitive telepathy. Whether we'll be able to sit here and telepath this whole interview? I don't know. But it may be possible.

9. JC: If you had to choose one talent from TK, telepathy, jaunting etc. What would it be and why?

JW: I think it would be jaunting actually, just because I hate traveling. Living in London… if I could jaunt past the tube that would be great. It would be brilliant… I could… The amount of time I could have saved. The number of auditions I could have been on time for!

10. JC: What do you think of Paul as a character?

JW: I think he's great, actually. I really do. This is the biggest job I've ever done, in as much as; it's the most development of a character that I have ever done. If you do TV, effectively you're that character for maybe a couple of weeks. With this… they haven't actually put a time span on it but he's obviously grown up quite clearly from the first one where he's 'all right mate… how'ya doing?' Where as now he's a man… He's getting all the best lines, which is great. There is a real likable side to him. It's great to play.

JC: What age do you see him as?

JW: I think he started off quite young. Probably 16-17. Eighteen at a push. But now, they don't really say we're two years on from there but I would probably put him as maybe 20 now… Certainly out of college days now. I hope I'm not still in college in any of them? He's definitely matured. Just from the pressure and the fact that he's a Tomorrow Person has matured him as well. When he started off he quite clearly thought 'oh yeah this'll be great.' Then when he thought about it and actually realised. There's a line where he says 'I didn't realise it would be like this!'

JC: You lost your arm in one of the stories.

JW: Yeah! And that kinda matures anyone. Having to deal with that. Obviously I chat to the writers. We all chat to the writers. One of them asked me. 'What would you most like? If you could have any storyline?' I said 'I'd like my arm back!' and he said… 'You've lost your arm? Oh I didn't know!' So that's why it's kinds been left. I lost it in Ghost of Mendez and it wasn't mentioned in the next one or the latest one. I must admit I enjoyed playing that, what I had I embellished and I liked it. I would have liked more… It was kinda major thing and it would have been nice to have had more scenes where I was angry and that. By then Paul was trying to be really cool but actually saying that this sort of thing was really serious.

11. JC: Do you get much input into the character you play or the lines?

JW: We get a bit. I think, on the whole, and I'm very appreciative of it as an actor. We are left to our own devices, especially now that we're on CD six. I'd like to think that we all know where we're going with the character. Now it's as much up to us as to anybody else.

Originally we all sat down and discussed what sort of character he was. In the audition, that's when you get the most feedback about it. Input into what and who he is, where he's coming from and that.

12. JC: How do you see Paul's developing as a character in the upcoming stories?

JW: I see him…it would be really good if we, Nick- John, and myself almost had a sort of falling out or power struggle. I think that Paul is really into being a TP and really loves it. And yet, the struggle for power… if you put it into perspective with modern times. We all hear about the young upstarts that are going into businesses and taking over from the old executives. I would quite like that to happen. Whether it will or not, I don't know… John and Paul have a great relationship at the moment where they sort of tussle for power occasionally. But it's always very much John is in command. I think it would be cool if Paul had a conflict. It would be good to act and interesting.

I think, and I half know, that the relationship between Elle, and myself as I like to call her, will develop. Which again I think will be brilliant.

JC: I do see her as a little older than Paul.

JW: Definitely. If we say that I'm meant to be twenty then I'd put her as late twenties maybe even thirties. I don't see it as impossible.

13. JC: Will we get to see what happens to the information Holos stored in Paul's brain?

JW: I must admit that I'm probably not the best person to ask. Yeah, there was all that information stored. Didn't some of it come out?

JC: In the opening scene of the last CD Elle was saying about Paul needing to relax so she could unpick the lock in his mind.

JW: When they're playing chess year. Hmm… I don't know. I'd like to answer the question but I really don't know. Hopefully, because it will be interesting to see what Paul's brain is full of.

14. JC: Are there any aspects of the show you don't like, be it recording schedules, production details, plots or something else?

JW: I am going to think about it. Just to say no straight away would seem silly but… no! I can't think of anything. Every time I listen to them… every time we go into the studio we record it in a day, sometimes two, and it's just however many of us are in that particular episode. We stand there and act it and that's it! Then a few months later we get this CD and it's like… Amazing! It blows me away every time. I love the actual CDs. I love the running theme with the hand, which is obviously from the original series, so I'm told. I love recording, receiving them through the post, reading through the scripts when they arrive. It sounds really lame to say I love it all but I really do like everything about it!

15. JC: Which is your favourite story so far. Why?

JW: I think probably Sign of Diolyx. I'm not sure that it's the best but it's my favourite for some reason. I've been really lucky as a character. I've had some really good parts. I'm trying to think now… was it in Deadliest Species where I'm on the Sorson ship. Where I get the last line and say 'I'm Paul, don't mess with me. I'm the new Tomorrow Person.'

16. JC: Do you think the stories work better as stand-alone or as episodes in an ongoing saga?

JW: I think, to be honest, it's like a lot of things they all completely work as stand alone. As far as character development they also work as a saga. It's kind of like in Star Wars. You could take any of those films and watch them and say that's an amazing film. But then you put them in a saga and it's even better as you've got development of the characters, which you've also got in the Tomorrow People. Of course Star Wars was written as a saga of six where as this could go on and on… We could continually develop.

17. JC: What is it like working with Phil, Nick and PVC who were in the original series?

JW: Phil and Nick are brilliant. PVC has only been in the Deadliest Species and he was great too. Nick and I get along really well. We chat quite a lot out of work. Because he's an agent I speak to him sometimes for advice and stuff. Phil's great. I'm closer with Nick simply because we have more scenes together and, like I said earlier, I like that relationship like father and son where they shouldn't really battle for power but sometimes they do. I think that as much as Nick-John is the one in control and likes to be very efficient I think he does have quite a lot of affection for Paul as a new TP who is hopefully taking it up from where he left off. Maybe taking over from him.

And it's great, obviously, working with Helen.

18. JC: Why do you think TP has such a lasting appeal to fans worldwide?

JW: Interesting question. I guess that as humans, talking as me now as opposed to Paul, I think we do love sci-fi and sci-fantasy. All that kind of thing. It's something that pushes the boundaries and dares us to think of what we could do as humans or super humans. I think that anything, which is vaguely imaginative with some reality about it as well, will stand the test of time. The fact that there's new things coming out all the time proves how good the old things were. If sci-fi wasn't any good they wouldn't make any new shows or continue in the same vain.

I think it's the ideas and the concept more than anything that makes it last.

19.JC: Do you perceive the TP as a kids show or as an adult action adventure?

JW: Hmm. It's quite hard, as I'd not seen it before. I always see them as an adult thing. I suppose that it could be because it was a kid's show thirty years ago the kids who watched it then are now adults. I have always thought of it as adult but accessible to kids as well. Like with anything… star wars, Buffy etc. I would presume that they all have as many, if not more, adult viewers. Originally they were meant for kids or teenagers.

JC: I get the feeling that the CDs are getting a bit tougher. You all have to fight for survival a bit more often.

JW: I think I swore in one of them. It may be the most recent one. I thought, 'My goodness this is for kids isn't it?' It's not a very TP thing to do!

20. JC: If asked would you be prepared to star in a TV series?

I would absolutely love to! Yeah, definitely. As we said earlier, I do prefer TV. We could age Paul a bit and I'd have to close shave everyday. (Both Laugh)

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