Interview with Actor Karl Geary of “The Burrowers”
Written by Elaine Lamkin
Dublin-born actor Karl Geary had worked with director JT Petty (interview) prior to being cast as Fergus Coffey in Petty’s The Burrowers (review), but one wonders if he really knew what he was getting himself into with this film. Sure, he was in Mimic: Sentinel where he had to battle giant bugs as well as a sinister Lance Henriksen and he was simply IN a film alongside Christopher Walken which is just plain creepy. But in The Burrowers, Geary is dealing with a whole new slew of nightmares: the burrowers themselves, 19th century racism and Doug Hutchison (interview) and his handle-bar mustache. Fatally-Yours.com recently spoke to the very funny and enthusiastic actor while he was waiting for a flight from LAX to New York and discovered the “joys” of riding bitch with a pack horse, the humor of an Irishman speaking French to Ute Indians and his reaction to Doug Hutchison’s “Who fed my Indian?” scene.
Elaine Lamkin: Thank you so much for taking time to speak with Fatally-Yours.com about your new film, the amazing The Burrowers. First though, how about a little of the Karl Geary Story?
Karl Geary: I am originally from Dublin, the youngest of eight (four older brothers and three older sisters). I knew I wanted to be an actor from being in school plays as well as idolizing actors like Albert Finney and Peter O’Toole, but, of course, my family didn’t know what to think about that – my dad worked in construction. When I was 16, I came to the States on my own with a three month student visa and just never went back. I did train in New York with several coaches but I never took a degree. I learned much better just working with great actors and directors. On-the-job training, I suppose (laughs).
EL: You worked with JT Petty before, on the film Mimic: Sentinel. Did you have to audition for the role of Fergus Coffey? And having worked with JT before, you knew his style of directing – what is it like?
KG: No, I never auditioned for The Burrowers. JT is an amazing guy – he is great with the cast, the crew AND the camera! He has this ability to explain why he wrote something and it’s like he has this whole road map for the film in his head.
EL: What was the week-long “cowboy camp” that you attended to prepare for The Burrowers like?
KG: It was a lot of fun, learning how to ride and all. But, when it came time to shoot, my character gets stuck with the pack horse, lazy bastard. That was a nightmare! I think I said something in the commentary about it being like trying to drive with two steering wheels.
Clancy [Brown] already knew how to ride so he just showed up, ready to go. Ride off into the sunset or something (laughs).
EL: You worked with an amazing cast: William Mapother (interview), Clancy Brown (interview), Doug Hutchison (interview), Sean Patrick Thomas, Laura Leighton. What were these guys like?
KG: Everyone was great and everyone had each other’s back. I had never met most of the cast before but knew their work so it was a bit of a surprise when I met Clancy and Doug. Both total sweethearts! And speaking of Doug, I have to comment on one scene he had that was amazing. The “Who fed my Indian?” scene. We had been having a meal prior to shooting that and everyone was laughing, cutting up and then we do this scene where Doug’s character, Henry Victor, goes from being a raving lunatic, or almost, to being a spoilt little baby, about to cry because his “authority was being undermined.” Just brilliant acting from him.
EL: How much research did you do prior to shooting?
KG: I tried to do some. I was surprised to find out just how awful it was to be a cowboy. It was like the worst job in the world and the only people who DID become cowboys did so because they couldn’t manage back East. Add in being Irish and you were the lowest of the low.
EL: Do you have any anecdotes from shooting that you would like to share?
KG: Well, we had to grow our own grass to make New Mexico look like the Dakotas. That took about 6 months. The film was not shot linear – I think the first scene shot (and ended up being cut) was when Coffey returns to Gertrude Spack’s to give her the crucifix. And there is actually quite a lot of humor in the film – I love the scene where Fergus is speaking French to the Ute Indians and Callaghan (Sean Patrick Thomas) gives me this LOOK!! And no, I did not know any French prior to that scene (laughs).
EL: How would you describe The Burrowers?
KG: It’s a very intelligent film and unfortunately, the studio had no idea how to market it. Is it horror? Is it a Western? Well, it’s both! I am sorry there was next to no theatrical release but hopefully the film will find its audience.
EL: While doing some prep for your interview, I noticed that you have worked with some other amazing actors: Christopher Walken (1998′s Trance), Lance Henriksen (2003′s Mimic: Sentinel), genre favorite Larry Fessenden, Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman, Stanley Tucci, the late John Ritter, Kyra Sedgwick and, just to keep the Lost theme going that seems to have “infected” the film, Rebecca Mader. Out of all those fantastic actors, I have to ask, what was like working with Walken?
KG: (laughs) Christopher is like Clancy – a true force of nature. I would like to add that my very first film here in the States was produced by David Lynch. A vampire film called Nadya where I played Renfield and which co-starred Peter Fonda, Martin Donovan, Suzy Amis and David even played a morgue receptionist. What an introduction to working in films!
EL: Are you a horror fan and, if so, what are some of your favorite movies and books?
KG: When I was a kid, my dad and I would watch the old black and white monster movies together. Sort of how we communicated. My mom didn’t like horror movies.
The first film I ever saw in a theater was Jaws. One of my brothers took me – I thought it was going to be a Disney movie (laughs). Obviously not. I like the old Hammer films, the one by that French director [Roman Polanski]…The Fearless Vampire Killers. The Descent was brilliant and I really liked the first Saw movie.
I don’t normally read horror. I’m a scaredy-cat. I have a home in upstate New York. Very isolated. Tried to read a horror novel there once. Not a good idea. But I HAVE read Sarah’s (Langan) books [review]. Get in good with the director if you read his wife’s stuff (laughs).
EL: What is up next for Karl Geary?
KG: Well, as we speak, I’m in LAX, leaving for New York and then I’m off to Europe for a few weeks for a project. I recently completed a thriller called Stag Night. After that, who knows…
EL: What is one thing no one knows about Karl Geary that you think they should.
KG: (silence) Hmmm…well, I’m quite a good carpenter. I’ve renovated several homes over the years.
EL: Hey, Harrison Ford used to do that too and look at him!
KG: (laughs) That’s right!
EL: I know your flight is leaving soon so thank you so much for your time, Karl.
KG: You are very welcome, Elaine. It’s been a pleasure.
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