Q&A With LOST’s Michael Emerson

Lost is positively the most epic show to ever grace the small screen, and its characters are some of the most complex and interesting in television history. Maybe one of the most, if not the most compelling characters on the show was Michael Emerson’s character Ben Linus. So read on to find out what Michael thinks about the show, his cast mates, and the challenges he faced while playing one of the most important characters on television.

Are you satisfied with Ben’s overall character arc throughout the course of the series? Is there anything you wish Damon and Carlton did differently with the character of Ben Linus?

Michael Emerson: Yes, I loved the entire arc and was especially delighted with Ben’s end in the finale. It was finer and more satisfying than anything I could have imagined.

Have you ever been really fascinated by a book or TV or film series in the way that many people seem to be about Lost?

Michael Emerson: Yes, all of the above. I was obsessed with the miniseries made from John LeCarre’s books “Tinker Tailor” and “Smiley’s People.” Also, JRR Martin’s fantasy series and the TV show “The Wire.”

What’ are some of your favorite scenes during the final season?

Michael Emerson: I especially liked shooting the scenes where I was “teacher” Ben – because it gave me a chance to play a new character in a different key.

Benjamin Linus has an amazing character arc. He started out as the obvious villain, yet as time went on the line between good and bad got really blurry. Do you see him leaning more to one side then the other?

Michael Emerson: I think what’s perfect about the Ben storyline is that we are never certain where he falls on the scale of good and evil. It’s a tribute to the skill of the writers that the audience could never be certain about Ben, even to the very end.

What were you thinking when you joined Lost in season two? Did you think it was going to become as big as it did?

Michael Emerson: I thought of it as a work assignment, one of many guest spots I’ve done on shows over the years. Glad I had no idea what it would turn into or I would have been very nervous.

If you could have played any other role on Lost, major or minor, who would it be and why?

Michael Emerson: I couldn’t have played it, but I was always fascinated by the character of Mr. Eko. There was a gravity and mystery about the character that captured my imagination.

In your opinion, will Ben ever join the other characters in the afterlife?

Michael Emerson: I think Ben, like all humans, is eligible for the afterlife – it may just take him more time to get there.

In the bonus feature “Letting Go” the location had an impact on the cast. What did you take away from Hawaii as an actor and a person?

Michael Emerson: Well there’s nothing like working on a location that so perfectly mirrors the setting of the show. You don’t have to imagine you’re in a rainforest – you’re really there. I’ll never forget working in the mountain jungles.

Without a doubt, Ben is one of the most complex characters on the series. What was the most difficult thing or moment about playing Ben in all the series?

Michael Emerson: Ben was very good at being chilly or dispassionate. What were more difficult were scenes of emotion – so Alex’s death was challenging.

Which are your next projects?

Michael Emerson: I really don’t have anything lined up – I’m lying low for a while and looking for a stage project.

Were you pleased to be able to answer some more of the fan’s questions with ‘The New Man In Charge’?

Michael Emerson: Yes, I think the chapter is a nice addition to the Lost narrative – nice to have some of the more particular or practical questions answered since the finale took a more spiritual tone.

Do you still stay in contact with the cast?

Michael Emerson: I’m always in touch with Terry and Jorge is staying in our house in LA even as we speak. I’m looking forward to seeing more of my LOST family at the Emmys.

Any shows you’d particularly like to guest star on? True Blood? Would you like to work with your wife on the show?

Michael Emerson: The time is soon approaching when I will need work whether I like it or not. HA. It would be a real pleasure to play a part on “True Blood” no matter how small. I am an admirer of Alan Ball and I could share a dressing room with my wife!

Is Lost something you’d watch now? Do you mind watching yourself?

Michael Emerson: I intend to watch the entire series again soon. At first, I was uncomfortable watching myself, but I’m somewhat more at peace with it now. I think of Ben as a character disconnected from myself.

Have you heard anything or is there talk of a Lost movie in the works?

Michael Emerson: Probably impossible.

Do you have a favorite episode?

Michael Emerson: I have a number of favorite episodes in different categories, but an episode that captures much of what it was like to shoot LOST in Hawaii was the one where Ben and Sawyer stand on a cliff looking at an island in the distance and trade quotes from Steinbeck.

What will you remember most about the entire “Lost” experience?

Michael Emerson: Landscape, camaraderie, rainbows and taking some beatings.