"I need a frickin’ apple box for this interview. You are the tallest interviewer ever and the cameraman is even taller!"
This is my introduction to Adam Baldwin at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo this past May, and at 6’4, Baldwin isn’t short himself. With an outgoing personality and youthful energy, it is easy to like the ruggedly handsome Baldwin, no relation to the "Baldwin brothers". Having appeared in or been heard in over 100 TV shows, movies, and video games, Adam Baldwin has built a huge career and following since he debuted in the 1980 film My Bodyguard. Whether it is as Animal Mother in Full Metal Jacket or more recently as John Casey in Chuck he has certainly stood out.
What many fans remember him for is as mercenary Jayne Cobb in Firefly, and as bad guy Marcus Hamilton in Angel. That fans still connect so closely to the characters and worlds that Joss Whedon created means a lot to Baldwin.
"I have been overwhelmed by the response. We had a great panel yesterday. Anytime the outpouring of love comes to any of us from FireFly and Joss’ world we really appreciate it. We’ve been welcomed into the Sci-fi world since 2002 so ten years now. We were just a little TV show that could, got turned into a movie and here we are 10 years later. I don’t know if there is any other story in Hollywood of a TV show that got canceled, resurrected as a movie and had 10 years of life. Star Trek had a longer run than we did. It is a testament to Joss and Nathan Fillion and the rest of the cast."
Baldwin explained his coping process when Firefly was canceled.
"Lots of Vodka pal! In Appletini form. It was heartbreaking, we were devastated. We weren’t surprised, we were stuck on Friday nights at 8:00 and our ratings never really got out of the gate. We were on the bubble from the get-go so when it finally happened we weren’t surprised but we were heartbroken because it was such a close knit family."
With another cult favorite Arrested Development returning on Netflix, fans of the Whedon universe wonder if the same could happen with Firefly.
"I don’t know man that would be cool. It would be up to Joss if he could set it up and wants to do it. He is busy with The Avengers now but he loved Serenity and described it as being like losing a limb."
Baldwin rebounded with appearances on shows like CSI:NY and Bones before joining the show Chuck in 2007 as agent John Casey. His character shared a "non-romantic" kiss with Chuck.
"It was not quite a same sex kiss as a life saving kiss of life, an antidote if you will. Sucking face with Zachary Levi is one of the highlights of my career. I don’t know if it was his but it was mine."
Baldwin has done a lot in his career, but one thing he hasn’t done yet is drag.
"I haven’t done drag, unlike Nathan Filion who did drag in an episode.. I am getting a little old for that now I don’t want to be Dame Edna. I would be a pretty tall queen. Should I wax or shave the legs? These are questions the gay community ponders. We should do drag together, what a drag that would be. Could you imagine, we would be a train wreck!"
And in his epic drag performance, what song would he do?
"French Mistake from the end of Blazing Saddles," he replied, giving us a little sample.
Related Articles
Contributor
Jason Clevett |
Locale
Calgary |
Person
Adam Baldwin |
Topic
Calgary Expo |
Celebrity Interview |
Chuck |
Comic Expo |
Firefly |
