HONOLULU - Henry Gale wasn't supposed to live this long.
The cunning, bug-eyed character on ABC's castaway drama "Lost,"played by Michael Emerson, was hired for three episodes midwaythrough Season 2. But once producers saw Emerson in action, he wasmade into a key character and is now leading The Others in the highlyanticipated third season.
"The reason The Others seem so frightening is like everything inthe real world - it's frightening when it's unknown," Emerson toldThe Associated Press. "Their agenda is unknown to us; therefore wefill it up with terrible imaginings."
The former Broadway actor is best known to TV audiences for hisEmmy-winning performance as a serial killer in "The Practice." DamonLindelof, co-creator and executive producer of "Lost" (seasonpremiere Wednesday at 9 p.m.), said the original plan was to haveHenry escape after the three episodes. But Season 2 ended with Henryand his armed cadre on a dock, holding plane crash survivors Jack,Kate and Sawyer captive.
"Who are you people?" asked Michael, who had betrayed his fellowcastaways in exchange for his son.
"We're the good guys," Henry replies.
"I think he means it," Emerson said of his character (actors aretypically kept in the dark about future plot developments). "We maynot agree with him, but I think he believes it."
Season 3 opens with Jack (Matthew Fox), Kate (Evangeline Lily) andSawyer (Josh Holloway) in captivity. This season will explore whythey were targeted; whether Sun's baby is really Jin's; Charlietrying to gain Claire's trust, a new woman catching Jack's attention;Locke and Sayid leading a group to rescue the three captives; andDesmond's wealthy lover trying to locate the island.
"In Season 3, the show moves geographically and spiritually toanother place," Emerson said. "We will be with The Others more. Theywill become more three-dimensional."
He said viewers might even come to sympathize with The Others, whowere on the island long before the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815.
"Who's really the intruder? Who's the bad guys? Who's upsettingwho? Who has the right to be there?" Emerson said.
Despite most of his scenes occurring in a small cell, Henry Galehas become one of the most compelling figures on "Lost." With apiercing stare, he transitions from victim to villain, keepingviewers guessing whether they should be sympathetic or scared.
And while Locke was pushing buttons to save the world, Henry wasbusy pushing Locke's buttons. Could Henry be a psychologist, or justwell-read?
"He seems to have a strong background in psychology, I would say,"Emerson said. "He's beyond well-read. He's really well-read. Thatpsychology stuff? That sounds good to me. He's not playing aroundwhen it comes to behavior."
Like his character, Emerson is articulate and intelligent. UnlikeHenry, Emerson is personable and warm.
While honing his skills on stage, he held several odd jobs as alandscaper, teacher, carpenter and illustrator.
"You know those Social Security statements that tell you what youmade every year? I look back on that and think, 'This is insanelylittle money,'" Emerson said. "But I don't remember feeling verydesperate about it. ... Despite my poverty, I was always sort ofdoing what I wanted to do."
Emerson, 52, grew up in the small farming town of Toledo, Iowa,where he spent a lot of his unstructured childhood reading, drawingand daydreaming. He majored in theater at Drake University andquickly became known as the small guy with a big voice.
He moved to New York City.
"I thought Des Moines [Iowa] was this crazy big town. New Yorkjust knocked the wind out of me," he said. "I was looking for a bigchallenge, and I found it."
The name "Henry Gale" is as puzzling as Emerson's character.
It's not even the character's real name. He at first presentshimself as a rich businessman who crashed onto the island on a hot-air balloon with his wife, who allegedly died.
Henry Gale was Dorothy Gale's uncle in the film "The Wizard ofOz." In the 1938 classic, a hot-air balloon was the mode oftransportation for the Wizard and supposed to return Dorothy home toKansas.
"What does all that mean? Is it just fun or is it a clue?" Emersonasked. "Dorothy is sort of shipwrecked in a strange place far fromhome, but hers was a fantasy. It wasn't real.
"It was a place where the moral order was sort of turned upsidedown or seen from a different perspective. On some level, it was atest of her as a person."
The real Henry Gale on "Lost" is a dead black man who is buriednear the damaged balloon.
That leaves even Emerson perplexed about who his character is.
"I'm not sure how that's going to work out," he said. "It seemseverybody kind of knows him as Henry now, but sooner or later, we'regoing to have to put a real name on him, aren't we?"
Henry Gale takes charge of The Others this season on 'Lost'
HONOLULU - Henry Gale wasn't supposed to live this long.
The cunning, bug-eyed character on ABC's castaway drama "Lost,"played by Michael Emerson, was hired for three episodes midwaythrough Season 2. But once producers saw Emerson in action, he wasmade into a key character and is now leading The Others in the highlyanticipated third season.
"The reason The Others seem so frightening is like everything inthe real world - it's frightening when it's unknown," Emerson toldThe Associated Press. "Their agenda is unknown to us; therefore wefill it up with terrible imaginings."
The former Broadway actor is best known to TV audiences for hisEmmy-winning performance as a serial killer in "The Practice." DamonLindelof, co-creator and executive producer of "Lost" (seasonpremiere Wednesday at 9 p.m.), said the original plan was to haveHenry escape after the three episodes. But Season 2 ended with Henryand his armed cadre on a dock, holding plane crash survivors Jack,Kate and Sawyer captive.
"Who are you people?" asked Michael, who had betrayed his fellowcastaways in exchange for his son.
"We're the good guys," Henry replies.
"I think he means it," Emerson said of his character (actors aretypically kept in the dark about future plot developments). "We maynot agree with him, but I think he believes it."
Season 3 opens with Jack (Matthew Fox), Kate (Evangeline Lily) andSawyer (Josh Holloway) in captivity. This season will explore whythey were targeted; whether Sun's baby is really Jin's; Charlietrying to gain Claire's trust, a new woman catching Jack's attention;Locke and Sayid leading a group to rescue the three captives; andDesmond's wealthy lover trying to locate the island.
"In Season 3, the show moves geographically and spiritually toanother place," Emerson said. "We will be with The Others more. Theywill become more three-dimensional."
He said viewers might even come to sympathize with The Others, whowere on the island long before the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815.
"Who's really the intruder? Who's the bad guys? Who's upsettingwho? Who has the right to be there?" Emerson said.
Despite most of his scenes occurring in a small cell, Henry Galehas become one of the most compelling figures on "Lost." With apiercing stare, he transitions from victim to villain, keepingviewers guessing whether they should be sympathetic or scared.
And while Locke was pushing buttons to save the world, Henry wasbusy pushing Locke's buttons. Could Henry be a psychologist, or justwell-read?
"He seems to have a strong background in psychology, I would say,"Emerson said. "He's beyond well-read. He's really well-read. Thatpsychology stuff? That sounds good to me. He's not playing aroundwhen it comes to behavior."
Like his character, Emerson is articulate and intelligent. UnlikeHenry, Emerson is personable and warm.
While honing his skills on stage, he held several odd jobs as alandscaper, teacher, carpenter and illustrator.
"You know those Social Security statements that tell you what youmade every year? I look back on that and think, 'This is insanelylittle money,'" Emerson said. "But I don't remember feeling verydesperate about it. ... Despite my poverty, I was always sort ofdoing what I wanted to do."
Emerson, 52, grew up in the small farming town of Toledo, Iowa,where he spent a lot of his unstructured childhood reading, drawingand daydreaming. He majored in theater at Drake University andquickly became known as the small guy with a big voice.
He moved to New York City.
"I thought Des Moines [Iowa] was this crazy big town. New Yorkjust knocked the wind out of me," he said. "I was looking for a bigchallenge, and I found it."
The name "Henry Gale" is as puzzling as Emerson's character.
It's not even the character's real name. He at first presentshimself as a rich businessman who crashed onto the island on a hot-air balloon with his wife, who allegedly died.
Henry Gale was Dorothy Gale's uncle in the film "The Wizard ofOz." In the 1938 classic, a hot-air balloon was the mode oftransportation for the Wizard and supposed to return Dorothy home toKansas.
"What does all that mean? Is it just fun or is it a clue?" Emersonasked. "Dorothy is sort of shipwrecked in a strange place far fromhome, but hers was a fantasy. It wasn't real.
"It was a place where the moral order was sort of turned upsidedown or seen from a different perspective. On some level, it was atest of her as a person."
The real Henry Gale on "Lost" is a dead black man who is buriednear the damaged balloon.
That leaves even Emerson perplexed about who his character is.
"I'm not sure how that's going to work out," he said. "It seemseverybody kind of knows him as Henry now, but sooner or later, we'regoing to have to put a real name on him, aren't we?"
