Interview with Actor William Mapother of “The Burrowers”
Written by Elaine Lamkin
William Mapother is becoming a genre favorite, after his role in The Grudge and his recurring role as Ethan Rom in ABC’s hit, Lost. Now fans can add The Burrowers (review) to his genre credentials. A stunning Western/horror hybrid set in 1879, Mapother plays Will Parcher, a former Indian hunter, who, along with Clancy Brown (Carnivale), Doug Hutchison (The X Files), Karl Geary (Mimic: Sentinel) and Sean Patrick Thomas (Halloween: Resurrection), sets out to find settlers who have been violently kidnapped by Indians. Or so they think. Directed by JT Petty (Soft for Digging), the film, unfortunately, received only very limited release before going straight to DVD, but the buzz about it possibly being the best horror film of 2009 is already starting.
Mapother graciously took time to answer questions for Fatally-Yours.com, divulging his secret for how he plays “insane” so believably as well as what his favorite cake is. A true Southern gentleman.
Elaine Lamkin: Thank you so much for taking time to speak with Fatally-Yours about your new film, The Burrowers. How about a brief rundown of the William Mapother Story and then, how did you come to be involved in this project?
William Mapother: My story is a common one: I was born shoeless, in a deep hollow in Louisville, KY. Cut to: me auditioning for The Burrowers in May of 2006. I was told I got it, but it kept getting pushed back. Sure, I thought. But to my shock and awe, we shot it 14 months later…
EL: Were you familiar with JT’s other films, the creepy Soft for Digging or Mimic: Sentinel prior to being cast in The Burrowers? And have you seen the prequel to The Burrowers – Blood Red Earth?
WM: I hadn’t seen them at the time, though I have since. Blood Red Earth is still unknown to me at this time.
EL: You all shot The Burrowers from July to August of 2007. Did you attend the “cowboy camp” prior to filming? I heard Clancy Brown just showed up on set, ready to ride.
WM: Clancy was there for a couple of days, I think. I knew how to ride, being from Kentucky, thank you very much, but I wouldn’t have missed the camp for the world. Being paid to ride? My dream job.
EL: There have been several reviewers who have pointed out that three of you are alums of Lost - you as Ethan Rom, Doug Hutchison as Horace Goodbody and Clancy as Kelvin Inman. Coincidence? And I seem to recall that earlier this season on Lost, in the 1977 setting, your character was born to Horace and his wife. Did you know that was coming so you could call Doug “dad” while shooting The Burrowers?
WM: Between JT and JJ (Abrams), nothing is a coincidence. Actually, my Lost character was born to a man in Horace’s camp, so had I known, which I didn’t, I could have called Doug “Creepy dude who stands too close to the new mother”.
EL: What was your reaction to JT’s script when you first read it and how would you describe your character, Will Parcher?
WM: I loved the script. I’ve always wanted to do a Western, and I really liked how JT combined and played with the genres while keeping the world and the characters straight.
Parcher is a former Indian fighter and current wealthy rancher who missed the excitement he and Clancy’s character had back in the day.
EL: As I asked JT, this film is not your typical horror film and might not appeal to the average horror fan who wants blood and guts in the first scene. What would you tell someone who wasn’t sure what this film was about? And as someone who has appeared in other horror films, what is your opinion on the PG-13/CGI overload/20-something “actors” who seem to be overtaking the genre?
WM: I tell those interested to adjust their expectations. If they watch it with a fresh eye, I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised. Horror isn’t always red. The genre of horror has always been used for exploitation and young audiences, and I’m not convinced that today’s wasting of its opportunities are any worse than those before. That doesn’t change the fact, of course, that it’s a hangin’ offense.
EL: In the commentary JT and Karl “Coffey” Geary did, JT mentions the picnic scene you have with Laura Leighton and Galen Hutchison and that coconut cake just happens to be your favorite. True?
WM: It is. That’s when I knew we’d get along just fine.
EL: I got the impression from both the commentary and the behind-the-scenes that everyone had a wonderful time making The Burrowers. It IS every little boy’s fantasy to play “cowboy”. Any anecdotes from the shoot you would like to share?
WM: I had an absolute blast making the movie. One of my favorite moments of shooting occurred when we reach the trading post. I’m far into “unwell” at that point and in a couple of takes, I let myself dismount like milk poured from a pitcher. It was cut, as I suspected it disrupted Herr Director’s precious tone, but regardless, letting go to that degree is always fun. And it’s to JT’s credit that he let me do it a few times and himself found it pretty funny.
EL: JT says on the commentary that you asked him why you always get cast as someone who goes insane and JT replied that you do it so well. You DID do an excellent and uber-creepy job in The Burrowers. How does one prepare for playing a character who has such an arc from sanity to insanity?
WM: One studies politicians.
EL: You learned to speak Lakota for this film. How hard was that and who was your coach?
WM: David Midthunder (who plays Dull Knife) recorded my dialogue for me and then I wrote it out phonetically. Needless to say, immediately after the last scene, I suffered a Men in Black memory wipe and couldn’t recall a syllable.
EL: What was it like working with Clancy Brown, Doug Hutchison, Karl Geary, Sean Patrick Thomas and Galen Hutchison? You must have some humorous stories you could share?
WM: We got along just fine. No funny stories. We were all deep in character, and men back then didn’t laugh.
EL: You underwent the most extensive SFX makeup of any of the other cast members. What was that experience like and how was it, working with Rob Hall and the Almost Human folks? And what did you think when you first saw the creatures? Was their appearance kept from the cast until the last minute so as to get a genuine horrified reaction as was done in The Descent?
WM: Rob Hall had abused me a couple of years earlier, when I played an 800 lb cannibal (that’s one for true dark comedy-horror fans) in the Fox series, The Inside, so I had an inkling of what to expect. His team did fantastic work, and we had fun during the hours I spent in the make-up chair. The only pain was the contact lens. One kept getting grit under it, making me want to scratch out my own eyes. That’s always a bonus when you’re playing insane.
I’d seen the creatures before, but they took on a whole new awfulness at 2 am shooting when I’m in a crazy-ass mindset.
EL: Did you do any of your own research about the period prior to the beginning of the shoot?
WM: Yes, I ate lots of beans.
EL: The Burrowers has played at the Toronto Film Festival, Fantastic Fest in Austin, the Screamfest Film Festival and Lyon L’Étrange Festival. This is a film which begs to be shown on a big screen. Do you know if there will be any future festival showings?
WM: Yes, thank you for asking! This film looks fantastic on a big screen. It’s showing at the first-ever Flyover Film Festival, June 12-14, in Louisville, KY. (http://www.louisvillefilm.org/)
EL: What is next for you? I assume we will be seeing more of Ethan on Lost?
WM: Well, I can’t make any promises, but yes, I suspect Ethan will return…(Bwaahaahaaahaaa)
EL: I have noticed recently that there are several Louisville natives besides yourself who are making their mark in the horror genre: Jennifer Carpenter in The Exorcism of Emily Rose and Quarantine as well as Jess Weixler in Teeth. Is there something in the water in Louisville?
WM: It’s the limestone. Good for horses and mausoleums.
EL: As a genre veteran, what are some of your favorite horror movies and horror fiction?
WM: I love the oldies, eg The Thing. I also like horror-comedies, like Bride of Frankenstein.
Horror fiction terrifies me. I swore off Stephen King after one too many sleepless nights.
EL: Where else can people get information about you?
WM: My blog is at http://www.williammapother.blogspot.com/
EL: My infamous question everyone gets hit with: What is one thing no one knows about William Mapother that you think they should?
WM: I have no idea. William out-sourced the answers for this interview.
EL: Again, thank you so much for taking time to do this interview, William.
WM: You’re welcome. My name’s Tim, by the way.
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