Supernatural

Haley Joel Osment isn’t the only person seeing dead people these days. With the new Syfy series “Ghost Wars” set to kick off tomorrow, the entire population of a remote Alaskan town is about to be spooked on a massive scale. With a cast that includes Vincent D’Onofrio and Meat Loaf, as well as a trailer that would make Vincent Price’s iconic voice crack, Major League Baseball isn’t the only fall classic set to wow people this week.

We recently sat down with series star Jesse Moss to discuss the impressive “Ghost Wars” creative team, where the real horror lies, and why people are continuously drawn to the idea of being scared.

TrunkSpace: The “Ghost Wars” concept is great. The producers are powerhouses. The cast is stacked. And there’s a side of Meat Loaf! From a project perspective, this is a dream gig. What were your initial thoughts when you booked the job and what are your expectations going into the upcoming premiere?
Moss: This was one of those times when it took awhile from the initial audition to actually book it. To be honest, I had just assumed they had gone another way, so when my agent told me I had the job I was quite surprised. I was really excited to work with Simon Barry and Dennis Heaton again. Like you said, they are creative powerhouses and the shows they make are always amazing. Then I heard who else was cast in the show and my head exploded. Between the writing, the cast, and the people putting it all together, I think this show is really going to excite a lot of people.

TrunkSpace: A lot of ghost-related series take a more comedic approach tonally, but this looks pretty damn frightening. Would you say the series as a whole is strictly horror, or does it have other genre elements blended in?
Moss: This show will definitely scare you, but it’s more than just a horror. It’s really about the relationships of the people in the town and how they deal with the events that are happening. Some believe that these ghosts are punishment for past sins, so there is a religious point of view, but there is also a science fiction aspect where some believe science can explain the afterlife. There are actually a lot of funny moments in the show as well. With all the darkness it’s important to have those moments of light.

TrunkSpace: In watching the trailer, the show gives off an us (the living) versus them (the dead) type of vibe, but is it more complicated than that? Do the people eventually turn on each other?
Moss: There is definitely an us versus them theme in the show, but the politics in the town were already divisive before the dead show up. As things become more intense, that divide only grows.

TrunkSpace: Where does your character Deputy Norm Waters fall into things, and without giving too much away, is it safe to say he’s in for a couple of rough days on the job?
Moss: He has a couple of rough days on the job to say the least. Particularly because it’s a job he doesn’t even want. At the start of the show, Norm is not especially heroic or courageous. Being a cop is just a job to him, and it being such a small town, a job he thought would be easy. When events force him into a position of responsibility, Norm has to overcome his fears and learn things about himself he never knew.

TrunkSpace: From a performance standpoint, did taking on Deputy Norm allow you to go to places that you have yet to visit on-screen with other characters? What was it about him that drew you to the character?
Moss: Without giving away any spoilers, I definitely go places I’ve never been or ever expected to go. Things get pretty crazy. I think the best part about playing Norm Waters was the arc of who he was to who he becomes. It’s a pretty epic journey with a lot of highs and lows.

TrunkSpace: In recent years you have done a number of Hallmark films, which tonally couldn’t be any further from “Ghost Wars.” As an actor do you purposely set out to create an environment for yourself where genre and character diversity is at the core of what you’re doing and the choices you’re making?
Moss: It’s always nice to have diversity in your career. I think one would get bored playing the same character over and over again. I wouldn’t say, however, that I purposely go after it. I go where the work takes me.

TrunkSpace: “Ghost Wars” has the feeling of a show that could very easily amass an impressive fandom, something that Syfy shows are known to do. From the perspective of someone who knows the project better than most, are the ingredients there to build a fan base that will make it the next, let’s say, “Supernatural,” a series you actually appeared in a few seasons ago?
Moss: I think the show is solid from top to bottom. From the script to the cast to the way it looks, I don’t feel like there’s a weak link. People are gonna love it. One can only hope that the show reaches a “Supernatural” level of fandom, and this show has as good a shot as any.

TrunkSpace: We’re suckers for some “Supernatural” here, a show that is brilliant in the fact that if you know it, you love it, and if you don’t, you’re not even sure if it is still on the air. In a lot of ways, it feels like a secret club. As someone who has appeared on the show, did it give off that vibe to you as well… in that now that you’re a part of the universe, you’re a part of the fandom?
Moss: “Supernatural” fans are some of the best fans in the world. They really love the show and know everything about it. When you are a part of the show, you feel like you’re a part of a family. They really welcome you with open arms.

TrunkSpace: In doing research for this interview, our fingers literally locked up scrolling through your extremely impressive film and television credits. It is packed with projects. As you look back over your career, what roles stand out to you in terms of those that not only meant the most to your career, but at the same time, to you personally?
Moss: The TV series “Whistler” was a big one for me because it was my first real lead on a series. I learned a lot on that show and I think I really grew as an actor. I not only learned what to do, I learned what not to do. “Dear Mr. Gacy” also stands out as a role that really allowed me to stretch as an actor. It challenged me and pushed me to places I didn’t know I could go.

TrunkSpace: We’re about to hit our stride for our month-long Trunktober event, which is basically our celebration of all things horror. Outside of “Ghost Wars,” you have also appeared in a number of memorable genre films, including “Final Destination 3,” and of course, “Tucker and Dale vs Evil.” As “It” has proven, people continue to love horror. In your opinion, what is that keeps people going to the movies looking to be scared?
Moss: I think people are fascinated with death. Watching a horror movie allows you to experience aspects of death from the comfort of your own home. Getting your adrenaline pumping and experiencing that thrill while knowing that you’re safe is very appealing to people. It’s the same reason people ride roller coasters. Although that didn’t work out so well in “Final Destination 3.”

“Ghost Wars” premieres Thursday on Syfy.

Featured image by: Kristine Cofsky

Fans of “Fear the Walking Dead” know Danay Garcia as Luciana, one of the few survivors of the zombie apocalypse. Eagle-eyed SPN Family members may also recognize her from season 8 of “Supernatural” where she guested in a memorable episode called “Trial and Error.” Now the Cuban-born actress is adding another fandom notch to her belt as she’s set to star in the latest installment of the Sniper franchise, “Sniper: Ultimate Kill,” available today on digital, Blu-ray, and DVD.

Garcia, who says she grew up surrounded by pink and trained as a ballet dancer throughout her early years, found it both humorous and exhilarating that she was running around in military fatigues with gun in hand, hunting down bad guys. And while the exciting action scenes were one of the elements that initially drew her to the role of Kate Estrada, a DEA agent tasked with bringing down a Columbian drug trafficker, it was the strength she discovered in the character that she bonded to most.

We recently sat down with Garcia to discuss honoring strong women on screen, how she likes to add her slice to the overall performance pie, and why she didn’t have time to consider the enormity of her “Fear the Walking Dead” role when first cast.

TrunkSpace: Outside of the action, what drew you to Kate from a performance standpoint?
Garcia: I really loved working and developing her as a woman that is in charge and in control of herself mentally and physically. She’s a woman who uses her physical strength and her mind strength to survive. She’s very in control of her emotions, but she’s not afraid to let go either. She knows herself – physically and mentally, because she’s a leader and she’s a fighter too. I really had a great time discovering that balance in her. She can grab a gun and shoot, order around the place, and then the next day we can see her crying in an elevator.

I’m very grateful to have one of the best directors that I’ve worked with in Claudio Fäh. He just gave me so much with the role, and not just to perform, but to create ahead of time with him. We would Skype and go down page-by-page, beat-by-beat, and it really helped me so much to have the freedom to let myself go and be confident.

TrunkSpace: And she is a character that could have easily gone in a more predictable direction.
Garcia: It could be this predictable character – a kind of cartoonish character, which we avoided at all times. It could have been like, “Oh this is Wonder Woman and she doesn’t feel anything.” I just think this is a very specific time in history, in life, for women, every time we portray a character, we have to be very honest about it and honor that, because whatever is out there will be out there forever. The flaws. The good and the bad. And the things that are great about a woman in power – a woman in charge.

TrunkSpace: Sniper is an established franchise and you came into the universe after many of the actors had already solidified themselves within the world. What were your thoughts about coming into an established film franchise that had already built up a fan base?
Garcia: You know, it came out of surprise. I remembered “Sniper” and when I was little, like a teenager, I remember watching them. We all love action movies. They’re going to live forever. You need them. They’re entertaining. When I auditioned, I just really loved the character. I never focus on the potential of the entire monster because I just feel like we’re a team. I focus on adding a little piece of the pie. This one is my piece and I just want to give you the best piece of the entire pie. If it tastes bad, it will not be my piece. (Laughter)

TrunkSpace: You also star in “Fear the Walking Dead,” which is known for its body count. The Sniper films also have their share of on-screen deaths. Does “Sniper: Ultimate Kill” live up to the body count of “Fear the Walking Dead?”
Garcia: I mean, they’re different, but the one thing that they have in common is the action and the surprise and the mystery of it all. You can’t really compare the two, but the ride is a similar ride. It’s like, “Oh my God, what’s gonna happen?” You just feel that inside of you.

TrunkSpace: With “Sniper: Ultimate Kill” you know where your character Kate is going start to finish. In something like “Fear the Walking Dead,” you not only don’t know where her story will end, but you don’t know when it will end either. From a performance standpoint, do you make different choices for a character when you can see their arc laid out in front of you?
Garcia: That’s a good question. When it comes to specifically “Fear the Walking Dead,” I think the only difference between one and the other in terms of the journey is that in Fear, you’re never relaxed. You’re constantly in an apocalypse. You’re constantly in danger. Anybody can kill you at any time. So, I always feel like there’s this speed in the way I talk and the way I walk. I’m always aware of my surroundings. I’m very focused, ready for a fight or ready for anything. You would never see Luciana or any character smelling the roses. It’s impossible. It’s not right.

But in the movie, I feel like there’s a space for the character within the storyline to really have a second to think and then to act. There’s a time to think, readjust, and attack. I feel like that art is more defined in a movie than in a television show. Obviously when it comes to Fear, it’s more in your face because we’re talking about an apocalypse. You can’t afford to relax.

TrunkSpace: We talked about coming into the Sniper franchise after it was already up and running, but what was that experience like when you came into “Fear the Walking Dead,” a franchise that is easily the biggest television has seen in over a decade?
Garcia: When I started there I didn’t think about, “Oh my God, this has a huge following.” First of all, I never had time to think about that. I auditioned on a Wednesday, I knew I got the job on a Friday – meaning I was traveling to Mexico on a Friday – and on Monday I was on set. I couldn’t think of anything. (Laughter)

I was just more focused on this character and this situation and how I could understand her more because I had no information, at all, whatsoever, other than that she knows how to kill zombies and she has this guy. Other than that, I had no idea. And I was pretty focused the entire season to do my absolute best job to create this woman and give her lot of layers of life and to make her real to that specific time in an apocalyptic world.

So that was my goal. I couldn’t think of about it being a franchise or about Comicon or, you know, action figures. I was more like, “How can I get my day done well to the best of my abilities.” (Laughter)

TrunkSpace: Obviously “Fear the Walking Dead” has a huge following. The Sniper franchise continues to build its fan base. And then if we look a little further back in your career we’ll find a show that you guested on that really has a massive fan following in “Supernatural.” It has become a show where so many young actors have gotten their start, and from what we’ve been told by others, it is a set that welcomes newcomers with open arms.
Garcia: Yeah. It’s a show that, the moment you get to set – literally the moment you get to set – the one thing you do is you meet Jensen and Jared. And the moment you meet those two guys together, you understand why the show has been on for so many years, and why the show has been so successful for so many years. You understand it because those two, they are like brothers. They really are. They’re both Texans, they both started together in “Supernatural,” and they both get it. And they’re so humble. It’s this beautiful connection of brotherhood and friendship and, it just makes you want to stay, you know? It’s weird. It makes you want to stay. It makes you support them. It makes you give your best to the show.

“Sniper: Ultimate Kill” is available today on digital, Blu-ray, and DVD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

“Fear the Walking Dead” airs Sundays on AMC.

Even though digital correspondence is the preferred method of communication these days, we all still love to open the mailbox and find a handwritten letter waiting for us. There’s something nostalgic about peeling back the seal of a freshly delivered envelope and discovering what is waiting for us inside. That’s why the concept of the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ ongoing franchise, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” is so ingenious, because it strikes a chord before you ever get past the opening credits.

“A group of postal detectives work to solve the mysteries behind undeliverable letters and packages from the past, delivering them when they are needed most.”

As far as pitches go, it doesn’t get much better than that, and for the countless fans of the series who have followed along with it since it first began airing in 2014, the individual stories that make up each standalone movie back up the overall premise.

The latest installment, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Home Again,” premieres Sunday, September 24 at 9 pm ET/PT on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. We recently sat down with series star Geoff Gustafson to discuss the passionate fanbase, why the series has continued to find success, and the experience of having a television icon play his grandmother.

TrunkSpace: We were amazed by how passionate the “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” fanbase is. In many ways, it almost seems like the kind of fandom associated with science fiction shows. Have you been surprised by the level of interest and amount of passion coming from the fanbase?
Gustafson: Oh yeah, absolutely. The POstables, as they are called, are rabid. They are really into it and have created a really solid foundation with some core members that promote the show and promote different viewing nights during the course of the year to watch previously aired episodes and the movies.

TrunkSpace: What do you think the key has been to building that audience? What has pulled the POstables in?
Gustafson: Well, I think it starts with Martha Williamson, the show’s creator. She had a memorable stint with “Touched by an Angel,” so she is familiar with that demographic. And I think people are looking for less violent, more family-oriented shows that they don’t have to worry about. They can relax and watch a family show. I think that’s really what they’re attracted to, that no-fear TV feeling.

TrunkSpace: It does feel like perhaps people are looking for a balance. They can have their dark and gritty programming, but at the same time, they still want to feel good sometimes.
Gustafson: Absolutely. And it is… feel-good show sounds a bit cliché, but I think at its core, it is essentially that, it’s a feel-good show. You don’t worry about betrayal amongst the core four, the POstables themselves. You know they’re going to do their best and come from the most positive place that they can muster. There’s no real fear of them traveling down a dark path, it’s just, how are they going to manage the obstacles that they face?

TrunkSpace: What has been the biggest surprise for you in your “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” journey so far?
Gustafson: You know, the show continuing to tell an ongoing story has been a bit of a surprise. I thought it would be easier to do it week to week with an hour-long episode, but the truth is that I think with the new format, the two hour MOW (movie of the week) format, we’re still telling an ongoing story. In fact, I think that the two hour format gives us a bit more time to expand on every letter mystery. We have a bit more time to flesh that out and find it’s relevance to the POstables and their immediate families in some cases, or just their immediate surroundings.

TrunkSpace: And in terms of a personal character journey, is it enjoyable to see Norman’s arc play out in a single movie as opposed to over the course of a handful of episodes?
Gustafson: Yeah, I think so. I think sometimes in the hour-long episodes, there’s the tendency to rush some development. And I think you are able to expand on the same growth over a two hour period and then oftentimes between the MOWs, a significant period of time has passed, so it can be a couple of months or three weeks, or six months even. The growth feels more organic I think, oftentimes in the trials and tribulations of the POstables. It doesn’t feel as rushed.

TrunkSpace: We talked about surprises, but when it comes to joys, we would imagine learning that Carol Burnett would be playing your grandmother in the series was right up there?
Gustafson: Yeah, it honestly doesn’t get better than that. I wouldn’t say it was on my bucket list, because that would never even occur to me that it could happen, but yeah, growing up, my dad was a huge “Carol Burnett Show” fan. I remember sitting and watching it with him and laughing hysterically at her, Harvey Korman, and the guy who plays Dorf. So when they told me that she was going to play my grandmother, I was over the moon. It was awesome. And sure enough, even just working with her was beyond what I could have hoped for. She was hilarious and gracious, and professional, and sharp as a tack, and just so kind and reassuring. If I could choose a grandmother, I would pick Carol Burnett. (Laughter)

TrunkSpace: You’ve been playing Norman now since 2014. Were there any performance choices that you made in the early days of discovering who Norman was that you feel paid off later in ways that you never intended?
Gustafson: Yeah, I think so. The truth is, Martha Williamson is really open to hashing out our ideas with her, and managing to incorporate them into the story. So the idea of Norman being a foster child that gets adopted, and his struggles to feel like a part of a family – that was all set up from the beginning. Probably where it pays off the most is in my relationship with Rita, Crystal Lowe’s character. Crystal and I have known each other for years. We grew up in the same town, we were on another show together, we lived across the street from each other, so we’re pretty close outside of work.

But it’s been fun watching Rita and Norman grow into this really, really innocent partnership. And that probably is the biggest surprise. Not because I don’t get along with Crystal, I get along with her great, but rather, to somehow manage to have maintained this innocence throughout all of these years to a place where now they’re engaged, and they’re gonna get married, and the idea, I imagine, would be that they would continue and have a family, etc.

I think it’s maybe my choice to develop an aspect of Norman where he loves so freely, and sees the value in loving an infinite number of people, and yet really struggles with what there is to love in himself, and then having Rita play what she loves about him so sincerely and directly. I think that would probably be the biggest surprise, and how that’s managed to help formulate their partnership.

TrunkSpace: What do you think the fanbase is going to love most about the latest installment, “Home Again?”
Gustafson: We get to see more of the personal lives of the POstables in this one, particularly on Rita’s side, which I think is really exciting. In a lot of ways, Rita’s character is a bit of a mystery. We don’t really know that much about who she is and where she’s from. We’ve explored Shane, we’ve explored Norman, we’ve explored Oliver, and I think Rita’s character is the character that benefits the most from the exploration in this. I think it’s hilarious, and it’s so lovely, and it makes so much sense as to why Rita is the way she is, so that will be something that the POstables and the other fans will be excited by.

TrunkSpace: We’re all nutty for the show “Supernatural” here, and you actually appeared in an episode during its infancy. When you worked on the show, did it have the feeling of a series that would be around for 13 years?
Gustafson: Holy smokes. Yeah, I was in an episode in the very first season. You know what, thinking back, at the time I was pretty green, and I remember feeling very comfortable on set. The two lead gentlemen, Jensen and Jared, they were both so welcoming and professional. They’d put together a real A Team for “Supernatural,” so I’m not surprised. I just remember at the time being like, “Whoa, this feels like a real TV show,” as opposed to something that was maybe a bit soft and thrown together.

Even though digital correspondence is the preferred method of communication these days, we all still love to open the mailbox and find a handwritten letter waiting for us. There’s something nostalgic about peeling back the seal of a freshly delivered envelope and discovering what is waiting for us inside. That’s why the concept of the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ ongoing franchise, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” is so ingenious, because it strikes a chord before you ever get past the opening credits.

“A group of postal detectives work to solve the mysteries behind undeliverable letters and packages from the past, delivering them when they are needed most.”

As far as pitches go, it doesn’t get much better than that, and for the countless fans of the series who have followed along with it since it first began airing in 2014, the individual stories that make up each standalone movie back up the overall premise.

The latest installment, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Home Again,” premieres Sunday, September 24 at 9 pm ET/PT on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. We recently sat down with series star Kristin Booth to discuss how the franchise has affected her life, how she is continuously surprised by the fan reaction, and what those fans will enjoy most about the latest installment.

TrunkSpace: We spoke with Crystal Lowe recently and one of the things that we discussed is how important you have become in her life. In terms of the journey, getting to work on a project that you not only connect with creatively, but to then also forge these types of lasting relationships, we would imagine that has to be the best care scenario?
Booth: You know, it really is. I have to say, despite loving the content and the writing of what we’re doing on “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” it’s the relationships that have really made it a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Crystal and I are basically like sisters now. Martha Williamson and I are very close. It’s just really nice to be able to be a part of something where you actually love the people that you’re doing it with.

TrunkSpace: Does that off-camera chemistry translate to on-screen chemistry?
Booth: I think it definitely does. We really work as a team. We’re very collaborative. Martha’s words are very rarely changed because she’s so brilliant. If there was something that didn’t make sense for one of us or if we had an idea, what’s so great about working on “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” is everyone’s really open to other people’s visions and their ideas. If it’s not what they wanted, we’re all cool and we just say, “Okay, it’s not gonna work.” It’s a nice working environment where you can express yourself artistically and feel safe to do so. That’s a really nice feeling. I think that only comes with the trust and the love that we all share with one another.

TrunkSpace: When the franchise originally transitioned from the episodic format to the film format, was that a concern or was it something you welcomed?
Booth: Well, it definitely concerned me at first because we didn’t know we were picked up as a movie series when we were told that the series wasn’t going to continue. There was a lot of unknowns at the time. Although the idea of the movie series was presented, it wasn’t set in stone. It wasn’t solid yet. That part of it made me very nervous, so I was obviously concerned.

However, the idea of going back to the two hour format excited me because I think the type of topics and the type of themes that Martha tackles in these movies or in the series as well, they deserve that two hour time rather than the one hour episode. I believe we’re able to do so much more and make the stories more rich with the time we have.

TrunkSpace: From a fan interaction standpoint, it seems like doing them as movies also makes them events when they do air.
Booth: 100 percent it does. Often Crystal and I will live tweet and Eric (Mabius) has live tweeted with our fans. The anticipation for each movie – it’s amazing to me. I love communicating back and forth via social media with the fans, the POstables, because I get super excited for them to see it because I know they’ve been waiting for so long. I’ll often get little message here and there saying, “We haven’t heard when the next one’s coming out. When is it coming out because I need my fix of SSD?” It’s just really rewarding for a performer to know that people enjoy it as much as they do.

TrunkSpace: What’s fascinating about the fanbase is that the level of interest and passion in the franchise is the kind you usually see associated with genre shows.
Booth: Right. I think you’re correct completely. “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” delivers… pardon the pun… it delivers a message, a feeling of hope and of faith in a time in our lives, in society and the world, where things are very uncertain and a little bit scary. What “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” provides for our audience is a safe place to come for two hours. People that they trust, the characters, they know that they are going to be inspired or they’re going to be touched or moved in some way.

What’s incredible to me is how many people, how many of the fans, have reached out and said just how much the show has affected their lives. They’re able to draw comparisons to either what our four POstables are going through or perhaps the B storyline of each movie. I think that’s what keeps bringing people back and drawing new fans each time we have another movie.

TrunkSpace: “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” first aired in 2014. A lot can change in four years, both over the course of a franchise and in the lives of those who inhabit the world. Do you feel like you’ve grown and changed along with your character Shane in that timeframe?
Booth: Oh, tremendously! 100 percent! I think you can’t avoid that if you’re a committed actor and you’re really giving your all to what’s happening in the character’s life. It’s bound to influence you personally. It’s bound to affect you emotionally. Hopefully, you grow as a person as your character grows throughout the series.

TrunkSpace: Is there a moment over the course of your time with your character where you felt like you really got to stretch as an actor and said to yourself, “Wow, I never thought I’d get to go here with Shane. I never thought we’d travel this path together.”
Booth: Well actually, there’s been several, to be honest. (Laughter) Martha is genius at always surprising me at what she brings to the table with her scripts. It’s so interesting too, because often upon the first read, I’ll get an impression, but it isn’t until I’m actually on set and I’m in the scene where I will have these amazing epiphany moments. She’ll often write something in it, descriptive-wise, like “Shane cries at this moment,” or whatever. As an actor, I’m like, “Oh, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to cry at that moment. Maybe it’ll come at another point or maybe it won’t come at all.” But with Martha’s writing, I’ve never experienced anything quite like what her writing does for me as an actor because she’s so in tune with the characters and it’s so right, that whenever I get into the scene, I start discovering all of this incredible stuff that I may have not thought about when I was reading it or working on the lines because I’m reacting to what Oliver’s giving me or what Rita or Norman’s giving me, or whoever I’m working with.

I’m always shocked and amazed and thrilled because there just have been so many times where I’ve thought in my head beforehand, “Oh, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to make this work or connect to it emotionally.” Then I’m in the scene, I’m saying the words, and tears are just flowing. (Laughter) It’s so interesting. I feel extremely blessed that I get to work with that type of material that is able to do that for me as an actor.

TrunkSpace: What do you think the fans are going to be most drawn to with the latest installment, “Home Again?”
Booth: Well, I think the POstables are going to be really excited. “Home Again” is the first time that we see Norman and Rita as a couple and Shane and Oliver as a couple. It’s been a long journey for both of them. It’s exciting to have those characters in a position now where they’re trying to navigate actually being together as a couple and admitting it to each other. (Laughter) I think the audience is going to love seeing that dynamic. Norman and Rita are at a certain stage in their relationship, but especially Oliver and Shane. This is the first time we actually see them as a couple. They’re still trying to figure it out. They have no idea what they’re doing. (Laughter)

TrunkSpace: You guested in a memorable episode of a show that we all love here, “Supernatural.” That series is going into its 13^th season, which is an incredible feat. If “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” was to go on a similar journey, would you welcome playing Shane for such an extended period of time?
Booth: Definitely. It comes with a whole set of challenges that you don’t encounter when you’re doing something as a one-off or for a year or something like that. I mean, to be about to sustain the freshness, the lure as an actor of a character you’ve been playing that long, is a challenge in and of itself. It’d be very different if I wasn’t continually blown away and challenged by Martha’s words and scripts and stories and themes. But I am, and so I would welcome that for sure because I’m constantly surprised and wowed by the things that go on and the things that I discover about Shane even still.

Some people just look like movie stars. They have that “it” factor, and we’re not talking about the kind brought to horrifying life by Stephen King. It’s indefinable, but you know it’s there, mostly because you can’t turn away when they’re on screen.

The bartender who served you your pumpkin beer with a cinnamon sugar rim this weekend may have it. The yoga instructor whose downward dog defies human flexibility may have it too. Many people have the look, but not necessarily the talent. In fact, finding the full package is a rarity.

Enter the solar eclipse of actors, Keenan Tracey, whose previous work includes “Bates Motel,” “The Returned,” and a memorable guest spot on “Supernatural.” Not only does he have the look, but he has the acting chops to back up the on-screen presence you can’t look away from. And with the direction his career is heading, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to not look away.

We recently sat down with Tracey to discuss the internal struggles of his “Supernatural” character, his upcoming horror movie “Polaroid,” and why music has so many parallels with acting.

TrunkSpace: You appeared on “Supernatural.” We have an unhealthy obsession with that show. We were hoping we could start there?
Tracey: Sounds good. (Laughter)

TrunkSpace: Your role as Christoph in the episode “The One You’ve Been Waiting For” seemed like it had a lot of meat on the bone. What was it like tackling such an interesting role, which was basically a son torn between his own feelings of what he felt was right and wrong and the beliefs of his father’s, who was working to bring Hitler back from the dead?
Tracey: I thought it was really current and also really personal. He’s dealing with huge issues, basically historically related, but also on more of a personal level he’s dealing with just appeasing his father, which I think most men kind of would relate to, at least on some level. So yeah, on top of it just being a global issue, it was more personal as well. It was like, “Do you go with your father and do what he wants you to do and let him screw over the world, or do you screw over your dad to save the world?”

TrunkSpace: You’ve done a bunch of television over the years, but was it at all intimidating coming into “Supernatural” knowing that it had been on the air for well over a decade and already had an established tone and feeling on set?
Tracey: No, I was encouraged. It was almost more comforting because they ran a tight ship already. That’s the kind of set you go onto and you just figure out how to fit into it because it’s already happening. The tone is already established, it’s already a show with or without you, so it kind of helps to have something that’s had seasons that have aired already and you can plug in. You can delve into the shows, you can do your homework, and you can really pick up on the tone and really know what you’re going to do. You can see how your character’s going to fit into it a lot better.

TrunkSpace: What’s really interesting is that your dad actually appeared on the series as well, the same season no less.
Tracey: Yeah. We were only an episode or two apart. It’s kind of a coincidence I suppose.

TrunkSpace: From a show called “Supernatural” to a movie about the supernatural, you’re set to appear in the upcoming film “Polaroid.” Can you walk us through what we can expect from the film and where your character falls into things?
Tracey: I guess the undertone would be about how vanity corrupts. Anyone taken by the camera, gets taken by it literally.

TrunkSpace: Which in a way, is a bit of an old theme because some cultures used to believe that a photograph would steal your soul.
Tracey: Yeah, and then you’re trapped eternally.

With my character, there’s a couple of scenes in the movie that allude to him being the one that’s skeptical about it, the one who questions the humanity around him and the vanity of the people around him.

TrunkSpace: The film was due out this summer, but recently got bumped to a December release date. As an actor, does it ever get frustrating when you’re anticipating something being released and using it to move your career forward in other areas, only to have the plans change on you in a way that is out of your control?
Tracey: Oh for sure. That being said, that’s a very natural part of the industry. At this point it’s kind of something you’ve come to accept. At a certain point, when you work on a job, you go there, you put the work in, and then you’ve kind of got to just let it go. Luckily the rewards don’t just come from it releasing. There are also rewards that come from shooting it, from getting it in the first place, from meeting the people you work with on set, and for getting the experience there. That’s satisfying enough that by the time you’ve done that, you almost forget that one, you’re getting paid for it, and two, that they’re releasing it and everyone else will get to see it someday.

So, I think working on it, and completing it, and feeling like you put the work in and did the part justice is what makes the job worth it in the first place. The cherry on top is that it gets released eventually.

TrunkSpace: And what is great about the current pop culture climate that we’re living in is, because of all of the various streaming platforms, projects have longer shelf lives once they do get released.
Tracey: The beauty of the internet is it has even further eternalized film, and TV especially. I mean, TV used to be so much more fleeting. You would have to catch it when it was airing, if it was still airing, and the only way to see it after that would be to have recorded it yourself and then play it later. Now everything releases and if you remember the title of it, and you have an internet connection, you can find it whenever you like on some sort of platform. So, I think that’s a really good thing for the entire industry, to be honest.

TrunkSpace: From a performance standpoint, it really adds an extra layer of oomph to guest spots for TV, because an actor’s role, even if it’s for one episode, lives on through the fandom and ongoing streams.
Tracey: I agree. And that’s something I’ve noticed change in the industry, even over the last half a decade. I mean, five years ago you could tell what was airing that you had been in, in what country, at what time based off of your Twitter traffic, or whatever. You could tell where things were happening based off of who was responding or writing what from where, but now it’s kind of all over the place at any time from anywhere really. Anybody can watch anything anywhere, so I’ve definitely found that the feedback online is definitely more diverse when it comes to the project.

TrunkSpace: You have worked on some great television shows like “Bates Motel” and “The Returned.” Does the experience working on a television series differ from something like “Polaroid,” just in terms of how you prepare and what you do day to day performance wise?
Tracey: Typically a film shoot will be considerably longer than one episode of something, so it kind of depends how much of a season you’re in when it comes to TV, or how much of the movie you’re in. A movie will typically take place over four to eight weeks, depending on the project and the budget. You usually have a longer amount of time with the script for film because it will usually have been written farther in advance. Pre-production will start sooner and you’ll just have more time with it, which I always love. I mean, the more time the better. It just gives you that much more to do with it and you get more time to prep it, and I think that’s everything. I think 90 percent of it is the work you put in before. You should craft your performance and figure out 90 percent of the stuff you’re going to do and leave 10 percent for a little surprise on the day, but basically hone in what you’re going to do before you even get to set. So, having that extra time is always nice when it’s a movie.

That being said, sometimes it is also nice to just get a script a week or 10 days before and not have too much time to also overthink it and just sort of go with the flow. Sometimes you’re coming onto a show like “Supernatural” that’s already been going for 12 years, so there’s just an established tone. You don’t want to have to make as many decisions on your character or make as many guesses about how the movie is going to go, or how the show’s going to go and how your character choices are going to fit into it. Or if you’re going to have to alter them on the day, which you’ve always got to be open to doing anyways. When it’s a show and there’s already an established tone, it’s easier to see how your character is going to fit into it without having to guess as much.

TrunkSpace: You’re also a musician. How do you compartmentalize the two creative worlds? Is acting completely separate from your band in terms of the focus?
Tracey: I’m pretty good at dividing the two. They are very parallel and I kind of use them to learn more about the other one because of how parallel they are, especially in steps. I just finished my first studio record, a full LP, and it was interesting to see how parallel the steps were and it really helped me understand the other one. Being my first record, I would constantly compare it to film. I would say, “Oh, this is the part that’s like that step in film.” You go through all the same steps really. You go through pre-production, you go through production, and then post-production and editing, and each minor step along the way would directly relate to something I could at least find a parallel to in film, so that was really interesting.

As for time management, luckily music is the kind of thing I can do at home, alone in my apartment with a guitar, and not have to get hired to do it. You just wake up in the morning and feel like it and do it, and I guess it yields that satisfaction immediately without having to learn lines, drive to a place, read it for somebody, hope they like it, hope they bring me back, do it again, maybe a third time, wait, do the part, and wait for it to get released. I would say music is an easier thing to satisfy yourself with personally when you’re alone, but there’s time for both.

The good thing about film is you’ll work intensely for weeks, or a month, or a couple of months, and then the project is over and then you’ll have time off. I don’t really like wasting time at all. I think it should always be utilized. And I’m not saying to work too hard, but to find work that brings you joy so that it’s also fun and then the work is the play and you can just be doing both of them all of the time and not wasting any of it.

“Polaroid” is set to arrive in theaters December 1.

If you were to print Spencer Garrett’s filmography, you would need an entire ream of paper. With dozens upon dozens of interesting and brilliantly-performed roles under his belt, he consistently elevates every project he is a part of. Whereas many character actors help to round out the world in which they inhabit, Garrett becomes the world, blending into the cracks and crevices of the storytelling like performance putty.

Currently starring in the latest season of HBO’s “Insecure” while also prepping for the role of famed investigative journalist Bob Woodward in the upcoming film “The Front Runner,” the Los Angeles native, who has been acting professionally for nearly 30 years, feels like he is just now getting into his groove.

We recently sat down with the Garrett to discuss an abundance of political roles, the part that changed everything, and why he had to walk around on set with half of a Christmas tree sticking out of his stomach.

TrunkSpace: You’ve taken on so many roles in so many projects, which has us wondering, have you ever sat down and figured out just how many characters you’ve played over the course of your career?
Garrett: You know, I never have. I should probably sit down one day and do an algorithm. Jake Tapper, the wonderful CNN news anchor, is an old pal and I was with him not too long ago and he said, “How many people have you played in political films over the years?” And I did a count and I think it was something like 25, which is kind of a lot.

TrunkSpace: Wow. Yeah, that is impressive.
Garrett: I’m doing Jason Reitman’s new movie playing Bob Woodward, so we’re up to 26. (Laughter) I think I’m gonna bail out of political films at 30.

TrunkSpace: And like you said, that is only the political roles. Seeing all of them together is even more impressive.
Garrett: I haven’t really counted, but it’s been a helluva lot of fun, I can tell you that. And I feel like I’m kind of just getting my groove.

TrunkSpace: What is so fascinating is that you’re able in inhabit multiple characters within multiple projects across a relatively short period of time. Is that a sign of the times with there being so much content now… that there’s just more available to actors to be able to spread their talents across multiple projects?
Garrett: I don’t know… I still chase the same gigs that my colleagues do. I went in and read for something last week and saw 12 pals in the room that I’ve known for 25 years. We’re all kind of going after the same part sometimes and sometimes you get lucky and sometimes somebody else gets the long straw. I’ve just been fortunate. Sometimes there’s a little bit of overlap and I get two, three, four gigs that happen to go all at the same times. I haven’t run into the problem yet of being on so many things at once that I say the lines from one show in another show. Although…

One time I did. I was doing a movie called “Casino Jack” with the great Kevin Spacey that I was shooting in Toronto and then a little, kind of passion project thing that I produced called “Below the Beltway,” another political film. They were both political films, oddly enough, and I was shooting them at the same time, jumping back and forth from Toronto to DC. In one I was playing a Congressman, the other playing a Senator, both kind of morally questionable guys in expensive suits. And I did say the lines of Congressman Tom DeLay once in the other movie that I was in. And the director said, “Hang on, hang on. What are you doing?” And I said, “Oh sorry, that’s from the other movie.” That’s what you call champagne problems, I guess. (Laughter) But that’s the only time it’s ever happened.

TrunkSpace: You’ve done all of these fictional political roles, but these days, political truths really are stranger than fiction!
Garrett: Sadly, that’s true. It has become a little bit of a political theater, as it used to be called, and is now truly political theater. I feel like sometimes we’re living in a reality show that I don’t want to be a part of.

TrunkSpace: And your friend Jake can probably attest to this, but the anchors and news people are becoming pop culture icons now.
Garrett: They’re becoming pop culture icons and still maintaining their journalistic integrity and doing their job as best they can while getting epithets hurled at you and being called “fake news” and all that. They have to keep their hands on the rudder and do a good job. It’s tough, it’s a tough time to be a journalist and a really challenging time. So my hat’s off to all of those guys that are doing the work that they were trained to do.

TrunkSpace: There is so much amazing content being produced these days and almost all of it is so character-driven. Have you noticed a difference in the types of roles you’ve been taking in recent years as opposed to when you started your career?
Garrett: Definitely. I’ve gotten to play roles and characters that really wouldn’t have been thought of 10 years ago. People are seeing me in a different light as I’m getting older in my career and more established, I guess. People are allowing me to take more chances and push the envelope a little bit, which is thrilling for an actor. So when I get a chance to work on a show like “Insecure” on HBO, which is not something that I would have thought I would have been a part of, it’s an actor’s dream. You get to play in a different sandbox every week and work with really, really talented people.

TrunkSpace: And they’re so diverse. From “Insecure” to “Aquarius” to “Bosch,” the projects truly are different sandboxes.
Garrett: Absolutely. “Bosch” was a real treat. I’ve been a fan of Michael Connelly’s books for a long, long time. And Titus Welliver, who is a buddy of mine for 30 years, I love him as a guy and a pal, but as an actor I’ve always held him in very high esteem. And he’s a character guy. He’s a journeyman character guy who’s gone from one project to the next for years and years. And so as a journeyman character guy myself, it’s always such a buzz when you see somebody get to be the number one on the call sheet slot and get to be THE guy. And he fills that role so beautifully and is so great.

So getting to be a part of “Bosch” last year, I was so jazzed to be a part of that thing because I was a huge fan of season 1 and season 2. Every time I’d see Titus, we’d go out for a beer or whatever, and I’d kind of give him a little elbow like, “Hey man, I’m kind of free. I’ll be available.” (Laughter) It came right off of the heels of a really extraordinary experience with “Aquarius,” which is a great show that didn’t really catch fire the way we thought it would but I had such a great role on that. I thought, “I’ll never get a chance to have a role as juicy as that” and then a couple months later “Bosch” came along. So it was quite a gift.

TrunkSpace: Are there any characters that you wished you had more time to spend with?
Garrett: I wish I hadn’t gotten shot on page 42 of “Public Enemies.” (Laughter) That was a bummer. It was an extraordinary film to be a part of and it kind of changed my life in a lot of regards, but yeah, I would have liked to have seen a little more Tommy Carroll throughout the two hours of that movie. It was an experience playing that particular guy. I hope I’m talking to the seven people that saw the movie. (Laughter)

When I auditioned for that role for Michael Mann, it was my first experience with Michael and there have been now several, but going to read for that role, I said to the casting director, “I’m never going to get cast as this kind of gangster, thuggy guy. Can I come in and read for the FBI guy or the lawyer or guys that were more in my comfort zone?” And the casting director, to her great credit and vision, she said, “Spencer, I’ve followed your career for 20 years. I know what you can do and I’ve seen you play 8,000 lawyers. I want to see you do something different.” So she had me come back the next day and read for this other role and I got it and it kind of changed everything, which was really extraordinary.

I was playing a lot of pricks in suits, kind of one right after the other and getting pigeonholed and working consistently, but not feeling challenged. And I kind of got put in this box. And I said, “All right, maybe I’m not gonna take as many of these kinds of roles and try to find other things to do. Try to find other avenues, other characters.” And then after a while, because you’re in this for the long haul, I thought, “What am I complaining about? If this is how they see me, I’m gonna take every role I can get.” To a certain extent it’s difficult being pigeonholed and feeling like you’re put in a box, but at the end of the day, we want to work and we want to keep going. And right around that time, that’s when I got “Public Enemies” and it gave a sort of a Vitamin B-12 shot to the film opportunities that I was being given and it sort of changed everything.

TrunkSpace: One of our favorite things that you ever done was the sort of 1950s-inspired sitcom dad from the “Supernatural” episode, “A Very Supernatural Christmas.”
Garrett: Yes! I love that guy! That was a blast. Not so much walking around for half of the day with half of a Christmas tree stuck out of my stomach. (Laughter) They had this kind of tree branch that was sort of nailed to a board and then the board was strapped to the top half of my body and I was walking around with that all day. And that’s when I thought, “Man, they don’t teach you this at Juilliard. They don’t teach you this at the Neighborhood Playhouse.” Laughter)

I went to my first “Star Trek” convention a couple weeks ago… the 30th anniversary of “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” I always wanted to go and meet the fans. I brought some pictures from the “Supernatural” episode and it was staggering to see how many people were coming up and saying that was their favorite “Supernatural” episode. When I did the episode, I had no idea what a massive show that is. And those two guys, they’re in season 13 or something now, and they go all over the world to these conventions and the fans just adore them and they’re great to the fans. It’s a cool thing to be a part of when somebody comes up to me at an airport and says, “Hey you’re the crazy guy with the pipe who was killing babies in the basement with your wife.”

“That’s me!”

Follow Spencer Garrett on Twitter (@1spencergarrett) and on Instagram (@spencergarrett1)!

Before the summer draws to a close, we’re going to be taking some time to visit the shores… “Chesapeake Shores.” The Hallmark Channel original series recently returned for season 2 and with it, even more critical acclaim.

We sat down with O’Brien family member Meghan Ory to discuss what drew her to the series, the post-hiatus rowdiness on set, and why Jensen Ackles hit her in the head with a two-by-four.

TrunkSpace: As far as your character Abby is concerned, did you spend time with Sherryl Woods’ books or did you want there to be separation between the television world and the literary world that already existed?
Ory: Yes, unfortunately I chose not to read the books, although I can’t wait to do so at some point. I was told when we started filming that the series wouldn’t follow the books exactly and I wanted to be able to look at the series scripts with fresh eyes. Sherryl is lovely though and has been very encouraging and supportive; which is so important as I want to do this world and character she created justice.

TrunkSpace: Usually it is the genre shows that attract the rabid, die hard fans, but from what we have seen, “Chesapeake Shores” has that as well. What is it about the series that has turned people into diehards as opposed to casual viewers?
Ory: Well, that is a million dollar question! I wish I knew. We spend our time filming in this little bubble and have no idea how what we are doing will be received. It is very exciting that people are enjoying the stories we are telling and the O’Brien family as much as we enjoy making it.

TrunkSpace: Most television is high concept these days. Everything has a spin to it. What’s nice about “Chesapeake Shores” is that it feels like a bit of a throwback… a family drama ABOUT the family. From an acting standpoint, does that allow you to focus more on character and performance than something that is steeped in a high concept world?
Ory: Yes, that is something that drew me to “Chesapeake Shores” in the beginning. In the same vein as shows like “Parenthood” and “This Is Us,” it is really nice to be able to delve into the details of these characters. I think it allows us as the actors and the audience to become intimate with these characters and spend time with people you enjoy.

TrunkSpace: In a series about family, what was it like returning to your on-set family after the hiatus between season 1 and season 2? Is it a bit like going back to school after a summer vacation?
Ory: (Laughter) Yes, it definitely is. It is certainly quite loud and rowdy on set for the first few weeks back. It’s hard to get our work done!

TrunkSpace: There’s something else that connects a lot of your castmates other than being on-screen O’Briens. Many of you have also guested on “Supernatural.” You grew up in Canada and started your career there. Is it a bit of a rite of passage to appear on that series with it having been on the air so long now?
Ory: “Supernatural” has definitely made its way through the Canadian actor pool. My episode of “Supernatural” was quite funny actually. I worked with Jensen years before on “Dark Angel” and our characters were in love, then when I appeared on “Supernatural,” I was evil and he had to hit me in the head with a two-by-four. It was quite the reunion. I think the fans got a kick out of that one.

TrunkSpace: In the episode you appeared, “Adventures in Babysitting,” you played a vetala. In a world where everything has been done and done again in film and television, it has to be pretty cool to have played one of the only vetalas to ever appear on screen… and quite possibly… that ever will appear? That’s Trivial Pursuit question territory!
Ory: I’ve never thought about that, very true though! It was definitely a fun character to play. I always enjoy playing a good villain!

TrunkSpace: We talked previously about passionate fanbases. You spent multiple seasons on the series “Once Upon a Time.” Do you think that series/character will stay with you forever? Will people always remember you as Ruby?
Ory: I loved that show from the first time I read a script for it. You could just tell it was a very unique and special world. It was a great opportunity to get to play the same character in different scenarios of life, so it was always interesting and exciting. Once will always have a special place in my heart and as I have said, you never know when Red might pop up again!

TrunkSpace: When you tap into a passionate fanbase, those fans then want to know everything they can about you. Is it getting increasingly more difficult to maintain a private life as a public figure due to the social media/instant gratification age? How do you strike a balance between the two worlds?
Ory: There are pros and cons to everything. It is so nice to be able to connect and communicate with fans and hear how they are liking what we are creating. For me, I feel like limiting the amount of social media I have makes a difference. I had to get off Twitter years ago, but really enjoy Instagram. I think it’s good to maintain a bit of mystery!

TrunkSpace: You have been acting professionally for some time now, but what aspect of the process still excites you the most and feels as fresh as it did on your very first acting gig?
Ory: It may sound cheesy, but anytime I am on set and the director says, “Action,” I am as excited as the first time I heard it. I feel very fortunate to have a job that I enjoy going to every day.

TrunkSpace: You have played so many interesting characters over the years. Are there any that you wish you could have spent more time with and could have seen developed out further, and if so, why?
Ory: That’s a great question. I always feel a little sad every time I finish a show and have to say goodbye to that character. They become a part of your life. I would have enjoyed seeing what a second season of “Intelligence” would have looked like. I loved playing that character.

And I will always be interested to see where else Adam (Horowitz) and Eddie (Kitsis) take Ruby on Once, if they chose to. Lana (Parrilla) and I used to joke that the evil queen needed a pet wolf!

TrunkSpace: With the new season of “Chesapeake Shores” now reaching viewers, what do you hope fans will walk away with when the season finishes up?
Ory: I don’t want to give anything away but the finale of season 2 is going to shock a lot of people, I think. I hope viewers finish the season feeling satisfied and hungry for a season 3!

“Chesapeake Shores” airs Sundays on Hallmark Channel.

Before the summer draws to a close, we’re going to be taking some time to visit the shores… “Chesapeake Shores.” The Hallmark Channel original series recently returned for season 2 and with it, even more critical acclaim.

We sat down with O’Brien family member Brendan Penny to discuss the pressures of creative praise, the scene that stretched him the most as an actor, and how he knew “Supernatural” was destined for greatness when he guested on it in season 1.

TrunkSpace: As far as your character Kevin is concerned, did you spend time with Sherryl Woods’ books or did you want there to be separation between the television world and the literary world that already existed?
Penny: Honestly, I didn’t have much time before accepting the role and shooting to read the books. Also, I knew that the character and the storyline were going to be slightly different, so I thought it best to work with the material that I was being provided for the show.

TrunkSpace: Where is Kevin’s personal journey taking him in season 2 and what part will he play in the overall storyline?
Penny: Kevin’s personal journey takes him to a point of reflection. He really finds out who he is and what he wants to accomplish.

TrunkSpace: You’re working alongside some incredible actors within the series, many of whom have had long, storied careers. What have you taken from them, either from personal advice or through osmosis, that you’ll carry with you throughout your career?
Penny: You know, whether it’s been people with long careers, or not, we all respect each other and trust in each other’s abilities. Everyone on the show has been at it for a good amount of time. I’ve been working for 15 years, and been very fortunate for that.

TrunkSpace: “Chesapeake Shores” was met with both critical acclaim and viewer acclaim upon its premiere in 2016. Does that put pressure on everyone involved to deliver on expectations in season 2?
Penny: I think it puts more pressure on the writers and the producers. (Laughter) As actors, we can only work with the material given, and I believe we have a very talented cast.

TrunkSpace: Does working on a series with such great things said about it make the job itself easier? In that we mean, does the recognition of great content/material make for a happy set?
Penny: When the content is good, it makes everything easier. People are excited to show up and play.

TrunkSpace: As you look over the first two seasons of “Chesapeake Shores,” what is the one scene or episode where you felt you really got to stretch as an actor and why?
Penny: The scene between Mick (Treat Williams) and Kevin in episode 8 of season 2. It’s where Kevin finally lets go and shares what he’s been through and where he is presently.

TrunkSpace: Where are you hardest on yourself as an actor?
Penny: I’m not. There’s enough people out there to be hard on you, so why do it to yourself?

TrunkSpace: As you look over your career, what job did you learn the most from in terms of how the industry works and how to navigate it moving forward?
Penny: A show called “Whistler.” It was my first series regular role, and I had many mentors on the show. It was still the best experience I’ve had, and will most likely remain that way. It was very special.

TrunkSpace: We’re suckers for the series “Supernatural” here. You appeared in the very first season. Having been involved with it at that time, could you have ever imagined that a show where you got stalked by a killer scarecrow would still be going strong in its 13^th season?
Penny: I could. Jared and Jensen were so kind and knew they had something special on their hands. They were smart about how to keep it going and turn it into the success it has become.

TrunkSpace: That show has one of the most rabid fanbases. Do you still get recognized for playing a small part in that very expansive universe?
Penny: Unfortunately… no. The odd time, but I should get recognized for it. It was such a small part, so long ago.

TrunkSpace: With the new season of “Chesapeake Shores” now reaching viewers, what do you hope fans will walk away with when the season finishes up?
Penny: A closer relationship to the family, and a closer relationship to theirs.

“Chesapeake Shores” airs Sundays on Hallmark Channel.

As “Supernatural” prepares to enter its 13^th season, it makes sense that a number of actors have been relied upon to play young Dean Winchester. Whether due to flashbacks or evil, age-altering spells, the writers of the long-running series have never been afraid to delve deeper into the “road so far” in order to give fans a glimpse at how the Winchester boys came to be. And while many have played the pie-loving eldest brother over the years, there has been only one actor capable of completely capturing what Jensen Ackles created in Dean Winchester and that actor is Dylan Everett.

We recently sat down with Everett to discuss how he became a lean, mean, Dean machine, why he enjoyed playing in both the comedy and drama worlds that the show is known for, and what we can expect from his new Starz series “Insomnia.”

TrunkSpace: You’ve done a ton of film and television roles over the course of your career, but to “Supernatural” fans, you’re the quintessential young Dean Winchester because you play the character so well. Did you have a chance to sit down with Jensen and pick his brain to get a handle on the Dean delivery and mindset?
Everett: Actually, believe it or not, I didn’t get to meet Jensen until, I think, it was the last day of the first episode that we shot. Basically everything I went off of was what I could find online or from the several seasons of the show that I watched before. Even after that, I don’t think I ever actually got to sit down with him and discuss the character, which was unfortunate, because given the nature of the role, we weren’t exactly in the same place at the same time.

TrunkSpace: And yet you absolutely nailed what Jensen had created in Dean.
Everett: Jared helped me out big time. I’ve mentioned before, in previous interviews, but he totally had my back on set, which was big for me. Knowing that someone’s been doing that role for so long, you want to make sure you do it as well as you can and that everyone’s happy with it, including and especially Jensen and the fans.

TrunkSpace: The fans are so rabid for the show. The people who watch it adore it and yet the people who don’t watch the show aren’t even sure if it’s on the air anymore, which is kind of cool. It’s become a bit like a secret club.
Everett: Yep. It totally is. It’s a really well-kept secret. But, it’s been on for almost 15 years, so they’re doing something right. And again, the fans, they keep coming back for more.

TrunkSpace: You did three episodes as young Dean Winchester. Have you felt the reach of the fanbase since doing them and have you seen your own fanbase grow because of it?
Everett: Oh, big time. Yeah. It’s a really high-profile show, and again, the fan base is so committed and devoted to the show that any time a new actor steps into the show, they just go nuts for them. I got lucky. I get to be a younger version of one of the lead characters, so, it was amplified even more for that reason.

TrunkSpace: You grew up in Canada. It seems like a bit of a rite of passage for Canadian actors to appear on the show seeing it has been on for so long and because it shoots up in Vancouver.
Everett: Absolutely. I’ve experienced it. I experienced that similarly with “Degrassi,” where it was, as you said, sort of a rite of passage where everybody and their dog has been on the show. But it’s so great because it’s such a fantastic show. It’s so much fun to do and it was a really exciting experience to get to do that.

TrunkSpace: “Supernatural” writers have always been masterful about blending comedy and drama together and one of the episodes you did in particular, “About a Boy,” did just that. From a performance standpoint, what was it like to get to play in both of those worlds within the same show?
Everett: As you just pointed out, they do it so well, between comedy and drama, they balance it quite perfectly. There was a bit of everything to be had there in the episodes that I got to do. It was really juicy and it was a challenge, as an actor, to sort of push me in a different direction that I hadn’t really explored before. It’s one thing to come up with a character on your own as an actor, but to kind of break habits and really shed your own personality to adopt another one… it was a really cool experience.

TrunkSpace: You also played Mark-Paul Gosselaar playing Zack Morris in the “Unauthorized Saved By the Bell Story.” What a crazy role to take on because you’re actually playing the actor playing the character. So many layers!
Everett: That was exactly it. It was a paradigm on its own. I guess the only difference really was I think I had more parallels with young Mark-Paul Gosselaar than I did with Dean Winchester. It came a little bit more naturally, whereas with the Dean Winchester performance, it had to be a little bit more deliberate on my end. But again, I still had so much fun on both sides.

TrunkSpace: And jumping back to “Supernatural,” in the episode previous to “About a Boy” you were actually playing young Dean Winchester, but in “About a Boy” you were playing old Dean Winchester made young. Mind blown! (Laughter)
Everett: (Laughter) I know. There’s so many angles to it. It’s hard to keep up. I got to experience it on both sides. I had so much fun doing both. It’s challenging because I get to take on Jensen’s character. It’s hard to break your own habits as an actor and adopt somebody else’s.

TrunkSpace: So is it more difficult when you’re playing a character who previously exists or a person who exists in the real world, as opposed to seeing something on the page and creating the character yourself?
Everett: It’s just different. I guess even with the Dean Winchester performances, as with your own characters, there’s a part of yourself that always bleeds through no matter what. But when playing somebody else, especially, like I said, the way that Jensen has played Dean so iconically over the years, you’ve really got to step up and not let it bleed through so much. And that’s tricky.

TrunkSpace: Did you have to play Dean with three different directors giving you feedback as well?
Everett: Yeah. You get direction from the director. You’re getting direction from Jared, who made a very good point to me on set. He said, “I’m going to give you a lot of feedback. I’m going to give you a lot of advice. And it’s not because I’m trying to tell you what to do as an actor, but it’s only because I know Dean. The only person who knows Dean better than me is Jensen. And Jensen’s not here.”

And he’s absolutely right. I took every bit of advice he threw my way and tried to incorporate it as best I could.

TrunkSpace: We watched the trailer for your new Starz series “Insomnia,” which looks not too far from where we’re headed in society right now. (Laughter) Where does your character fall into things?
Everett: I’m not too sure what I’m allowed to talk about. (Laughter) Big ensemble cast. It’s really dark. Really gritty. Really hard hitting show. My character was a total kind of left turn from what I’m used to doing, which was good. You kind of take steps as an actor, and that was the next step for me.

But it’s a really dark, really conflicted character who has a lot of edge to him. Hopefully, when it drops, people get excited and they respond to it.

TrunkSpace: In a lot of ways you grew up in the industry. Is it important for you, as you get older, to sort of look toward those darker roles and to break the habits of casting directors in terms of how they view you and your capabilities as an actor?
Everett: Yeah. That’s always the trick for the actor, right? To not fall into that typecast role. I’ve been very lucky as a young actor. I’ve kind of progressed slowly but surely, and I’ve got to experience everything from the kids roles, like “Wingin’ It,” to more adolescent roles like “Degrassi” and “Supernatural,” and then something like this, which is pretty dark.

At the end of the day, as an actor, you’re just happy that you get work. Of course, you’re always looking for certain roles and for different avenues to explore, character-wise, but at the end of the day, work is work. And I’ll always take the jobs.

“Insomnia” is set to premiere later this year on Starz.

Currently, Adam Rose can be seen starring in Amazon’s “Budding Prospects” for the streaming platform’s audience-driven Pilot Program, but it’s his turn as Aaron Bass in the series “Supernatural” that has cemented him into the fold of one of the most passionate television fandoms of all time. And much like all of the other actors we have spoken to who have appeared on the CW mainstay, Rose has nothing but glowing things to say about his “Supernatural” road so far.

We recently sat down with Rose to discuss mistaken identity, the formula for creating a series that breeds a passionate fanbase, and the odds that he will return to “Supernatural” in the future.

TrunkSpace: Before we get started in the meat and taters of the interview, we have to ask… did things get weird for you when the WWE introduced a wrestler named Adam Rose?
Rose: Dude, you have no idea! (Laughter) First of all, this guy’s name was Leo Kruger and that sounds like a wrestler’s name. That makes sense. And then when he changes his name to Adam Rose, I’m thinking… that’s a horrible wrestler’s name. That’s the worst! (Laughter) And his character was so odd and kind of over the top and sort of flamboyant in a way. It was just super odd. And then he kind of blew up. He got famous and then it got really weird when he got arrested for domestic violence.

TrunkSpace: That’s right. That wasn’t that long ago.
Rose: It was not too long ago and you can imagine my surprise when I wake up and I get little Google alerts with my name and it says, “Adam Rose has been arrested for domestic violence.” And then in some of the articles, they used my picture! Not only did they use my picture, but on my IMDB… because it links to articles that you’re mentioned in… it linked to my IMDB! I had to spend that whole afternoon basically just calling these publications and calling IMDB and telling them to remove any association. (Laughter)

It was insane. And then we also had some fake Twitter beef where I said something smarmy about there being a wrestler named Adam Rose and he was like, “Oh, why does there have to be an actor named Adam Rose!” (Laughter) We went back and forth like that, but that was before he got arrested.

TrunkSpace: You would think that in a world of so much information, the editors of those publications would have done their homework and used the correct photos of the correct Adam Rose.
Rose: Yeah. Exactly. But, it’s been weird because he did legitimately get famous as this character and so when you Google “Adam Rose” a lot of his stuff comes up. I end up having to explain that a lot. (Laughter)

TrunkSpace: In terms of “Supernatural,” do you think that there is any other show out there today that an actor can do a guest spot on and ultimately receive the same kind of warm welcome from the fanbase?
Rose: Honestly, I don’t think there is another show on the air that has any sort of effect like that. I honestly think that at this point “Supernatural” has surpassed “Star Trek” when it comes to fan fervor and just the power that the fanbase has. It’s insane. It’s amazing. It’s insanely amazing. (Laughter)

TrunkSpace: And what’s interesting about it is that those who know the show absolutely love it and those who don’t know the show aren’t even necessarily sure what it is or if it’s even still on the air. It allows for this amazing notoriety within the fandom, but a sense of anonymity outside of it.
Rose: That’s right. There is a reason why they call it the Supernatural Family. The SPN Family. And maybe it’s because the two main characters are brothers. I’m not really sure what caused that dynamic, but there really is a sense of that once you’re in the family, you’re in the family. And it is this sort of inside thing. It’s a club that seems to be growing and growing and growing. It is the base that started any sort of following I had on social media and everything has sort of grown from that.

TrunkSpace: Which proves the power of a fanbase to keep a show on the air for what will now be 13 seasons in the case of “Supernatural.”
Rose: Absolutely. It’s completely thanks to them. The amount of success people have garnered as a result of that show… even people that just pass through… it’s because of those fans. It’s because of how loving and welcoming and just into it these fans are.

TrunkSpace: And your character Aaron had something like four years between his first appearance and when he returned, right?
Rose: That’s right.

TrunkSpace: Which for fans is very exciting because it literally creates a universe where any of their favorite characters of the past can return in any given season.
Rose: No doubt about it. And the other thing is, that kind of stuff wouldn’t happen without them. They really get to steer the show in a lot of ways. Granted, there are amazing writers always working on it, but they really do listen to the fans and the fans get to throw in their two cents into what happens in that universe and which characters they embrace. It’s very collaborative.

TrunkSpace: You also appeared on “Veronica Mars,” which was another fan favorite show that became very collaborative with its audience. From your perspective of working on shows with such strong fandoms, what is it that ropes an audience in and takes them from viewer to passionate viewer?
Rose: Man, that is a good question. I think if I had the answer to that question, I’d be a millionaire. If I had to guess, I would say the link between those two shows… and they both do have a really great cult following… I would say there’s an element of, again, family that goes into it. Feeling like you’re a part of the family. And obviously, when people watched “Veronica Mars,” they felt like they were a part of that crew. These characters feel like best friends to them. Or brothers and sisters, if you will. I think it’s that, but it’s also good writing. It’s relatable characters that you really feel like you know. It’s a relationship to pop culture also. “Veronica Mars” was really good about that and that’s just a result of Rob Thomas, the creator of “Veronica Mars,” and how brilliant he is when it comes to creating these universes and creating the way these people speak. When I was doing “Veronica Mars” I was constantly making references to “Babylon 5” and things like that. It’s little things like that that make people feel like they really know these people and that they’re on the inside. As a result, it creates this cult fanbase.

TrunkSpace: You mentioned that family dynamic, but from what we understand, that also goes for the actors themselves because everyone we have spoken to has said that when they arrived on set, they instantly felt like they were a part of the established tone and working environment that is “Supernatural.” Did you experience that same feeling of being welcomed into the fold?
Rose: Absolutely. I think a lot of that has to do with Jared and Jensen because they’ve been doing this for a long time and so they’re pros. They’re not just brilliant at doing their jobs in terms of acting, but they’re also really adept at making people feel comfortable and welcome on their set. It really all starts with them and then it trickles down from there. Because they’re so willing to welcome people with open arms and joke around with them and prank them and stuff like that, I think that just makes people feel comfortable and it makes people drop their guard and as a result they do a better job.

TrunkSpace: You starred in the pilot “Budding Prospects” for Amazon’s Pilot Program. That is a program that is being driven by what will ultimately be new fans of new universes. What has that experience been like for you so far in terms of having an audience ultimately decide if a series lives or dies?
Rose: I think it’s pretty amazing that Amazon does that. I definitely think that it is where things are headed, where audiences get to have a say. We have the technology now to make that possible and I think the days of a handful of people who work at a network or a studio sort of guessing what people might like or not like… if there’s an alternative, I don’t see why people wouldn’t take advantage of it. There’s a certain amount of market research that goes along with that that can only be beneficial. That being said, just to play devil’s advocate, I think some shows need an episode or two or even a whole season to really find their groove. Some of the best shows that have ever been on the air, including things like “Seinfeld,” the first season really didn’t find its audience. And “Seinfeld” didn’t even really find its tone until those four actors started to mesh and they knew each other and grew comfortable with each other. Beyond that, the writing started to fall into place as well and I think by the second season they found their groove and it became the juggernaut that it is. So, there is an up and a down to that system and perhaps there’s some happy medium there.

TrunkSpace: So can fans of “Supernatural” expect to see your character Aaron return?
Rose: There has definitely been discussion. They have talked to me about it. I’m definitely up for doing it and I think it’s just about figuring out how Aaron fits into the story. And then it’s also a logistical thing, seeing if me and the Golem (John DeSantis) are available at the same time to come and do an episode, although he didn’t show up in the second episode that I did. So there are a few factors involved, but I definitely wouldn’t lose hope seeing Aaron again.

TrunkSpace: The Winchesters have so few allies left after this season, they are going to need you.
Rose: That’s the thing, he’s one of the only people still alive! (Laughter)