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A Conversation with Eric Etebari
(Ian Nottingham)
Q: You've been asked this question many times before: Who is Nottingham? How does he relate to Sara?
A: Who is Nottingham? Nottingham, like I've mentioned before, is this child trapped in a man's body. He's a servant, an assassin, a henchman that's been underdeveloped emotionally, socially, and relies only on his skills as an assassin. So his relationship to Sara, it's kind of like a warrior, like a comrade, like a mentor. . . . His relationship with Sara is yet to be determined.
Q: At the beginning of the first season, he was totally devoted to Kenneth Irons, and then we saw his allegiance change. What changed it and how will that evolve in Season 2?
A: I think Nottingham, being underdeveloped emotionally, started to become drawn to Sara in kind of like a motherly type way. She started to bring out his sensitivity and vulnerability, so I thought his relationship to her was more human. He started to feel human for the first time.
Q: And is he going to become more human?
A: I think he's going to evolve more. I think he's going to go through transitions. I think he could get rebellious. I think he could; it really depends on where they take the scripts. But I see him constantly evolving, from 10 to 16, 16 to 25, 25 to 30. Each one of those stages will allow for a different relationship with Irons, with Sara. So that I get this broad spectrum of choices, nuances, and character traits and experiences. Stuff like that.
Q: At some point he won't have Irons anymore. Who will Nottingham be without Irons?
A: His own man. I think this is the opportunity for Nottingham to find out who he is. I think it'll really allow Nottingham to find out who he is, what he stands for, what he believes. Good, real, understanding of what he has, hasn't been subjected to, so he'll be able to learn new things, try new things, see new things, feel new things -- just kind of grow out from underneath the hand.
Q: How do you see his relationship with Gabriel Bowman?
A: I think it can be an interesting relationship, like two kids. Kind of these child-like qualities. I think Gabriel is a person of information and I think he could be someone that Nottingham could eventually seek to find answers about himself that he's unable to find. Maybe learn a little bit about how the world works outside of his small little cage that he's been in. I think that there could be like a brotherly quality that could possibly exist. Or just two friends, like two kids playing in the park, you know?
Q: Season One was hugely popular. What do you think drove that popularity?
A: I think the uniqueness of the show. I think the cast surrounding Sara Pezzini -- David Chokachi, Will Yun Lee, John Hensley, Anthony Cistaro, myself -- and that's quite an eclectic crew of men surrounding a woman, if you think about it. So I think that the originality of the show, Yancy Butler for one, but all the elements that surround her, make it really interesting. Especially this many men around one woman.
Q: Are they all vying for her attention?
A: Some of it's attention, some of it's companionship, some of it's probably her strength, her power. I think in a sense, every character has their own reasons for their attraction and draw to Sara Pezzini.
Q: Do you think Nottingham is going to covet the Witchblade as much as Iron's did?
A: I don't think so. I really think he's going to revert and focus back on himself. I think the Witchblade might assist him in answers and stuff, but I really see it not necessarily being like, okay, Irons is gone, now it's Nottingham's opportunity to control the Witchblade. I'm really, at least I'm attempting to, revert it all back to okay, this is an opportunity for me to work on who I am, dig deep within myself, find out what makes me tick. What are my dark angels? What are Nottingham's nightmares? What are Nottingham's fears, joys, you know? What turns him on; what turns him off?
Q: What do you think your biggest challenge for this season will be?
A: I think the biggest challenge for me over the season is to find my place on the show (LAUGHS). If I don't necessarily want the Witchblade, and I don't want to wield it, and I'm not sure I want to control it, where do I fit on this show? Do I want to be in a relationship with Pezzini? Do I just always want to assist her? Am I just a parrot on a perch? My challenge, really, is where's my niche on this show. How long can I survive as the nemesis -- if I'm even considered a nemesis at this point.
Q: How much of a hand do you have in developing this character?
A: Each season it becomes more. I think the writers, I think the producers, I think the directors, they have more confidence in your ideas. Your choices as an actor have a tendency to guide or influence maybe some of the writing and some of the story line. I think it grows. Just like anything, the better you get, the more trust they give you, the more you're able to work together. I'd say I've had more freedom on this show than any other I've every worked on. We've got network after network after network (LAUGHS), you know -- we've got a lot of hands in the pot here, but they've been really open and free.
Q: What's the biggest difference between working on a series like WITCHBLADE and making a movie?
A: It's time. On a movie you have more time for character development. Television, you have to come in, you got to know what you're supposed to do and move on. You know, two takes, three takes, boom, move on. Most of your information's just story. There's no character development. There's not very much room to emote, too much room to be creative. I think it's time, it's speed, it's the amount of speed in which you have to get it done. I mean, you really have to come in, know what you're gonna do, and deliver, regardless of who's in front of you, whether they're giving you something to feed off of or not. It's time. It goes fast.
Q: How do you get in the mood to be Nottingham on a typical day?
A: Well, I get to the set early. I don't go through hair, make-up. That gives me free time. I kind of avoid people, sneak around. I hang around the set. I try to get an idea of what they're gonna do in the space that they've chosen before we actually do it, so I have a chance to kind of work it out in my head. So by the time they come and they're ready to film, I already have a concept and I kind of work my ideas around their ideas. I think that's probably been my biggest challenge working on a television show is where do you find the opportunity to concentrate, you know? How do you focus? You have so many people in your face, taking Polaroids, flashing the camera, doing this, doing that. They want you to check in with this department, check in with that department. You got so many people. Then all of a sudden it's action. Then it's, all right, we're movin' on. Whoa, wait minute. But I just try to avoid people, and get there early enough to take care of that stuff so I have ample amount of time to get into my head and figure out, okay, what is it I'm supposed to do here.
Q: So you're telling me this isn't a glamorous job?
A: Well, there's glamour to it, yeah. I think there are ups and downs. I could be sitting here waiting to be interviewed for like six hours, or (LAUGHS) I could have it like this. It really depends. There're high points and low points in everything but pretty much I'm one of those optimistic people. I find the good in all of it. Like you said, there's some times that the hours are grueling. But most of the time it's been pretty easy for myself. I think for someone like Yancy Butler it's probably less glamorous, a little more grueling. If I work two days out of the week, you know, I got a lot of time off. Too much time.
Q: How long does a typical day last?
A: I think for each individual it varies. I'd say for myself, I could have a 15-hour day to a two-hour day. It really depends on the material for that day and how much they have to cover. But I would say on the average of the crew, they're putting in 12, 13, 14 and getting into some double, triple overtime hours. But they work a lot harder than I do.
Q: Describe the camaraderie on the set.
A: Unlike any other set I've ever been on. This group of actors, everybody's kind of gone through something and there are no green actors. Everyone's experienced. It's interesting; I really think that the men of WITCHBLADE really have this common bond. We all live in the same area. We all kind of hang out. We all rib each other over what we have to do in each other's scenes. It's fun. It's great. And it all centers around Yancy. But just around her, there's a solid nucleus of men -- guys who like to hang out with each other, guys who enjoy each other, guys who are able to work with each other, make suggestions for each other, support each other, really be there for each other. I think that probably makes it easy for Yancy to be the one in the middle 'cause we all just are kind of taking care of ourselves around her.
Q: You guys ever just get together and, for lack of better term, shoot the bull about the show?
A: Every day. (LAUGHS) Every day, I call: 'Do you see what you gotta do?' 'Yeah, I'm knocking you out today.' And then I call Dave (Chokachi): 'Yeah, I'm beating you up today.' Oh I rib 'em all a lot. Yeah, we do. We get together. We watch movies. We go over our scenes. We eat. We go to dinner. We hang out. We do a lot of stuff. It's been enjoyable. It keeps the days you're not working filled. Yeah.
Q: Last year we saw your character do some very physical things. Will that progress this year? Will he be more physical?
A: I don't know. I think there'll probably be an episode where I'll really be able to exercise my athleticism. But it's really like having two superheroes on the show. Yancy's the superhero and she's got a job. I'm a superhero and I'm kind of unemployed. So I don't know how far they'll be able to take that character, but we're finding certain things -- opportunities for me to use my athleticism and my physical capabilities to either enhance the story or fight the demons.
Q: How much of your own stunt work you do? The scene I'm thinking of is the scene in the football field, where you and Dave Chokachi are going at it. Did you do the jumps?
A: Yeah, I did the jumps. It's an interesting relationship I have with the stuntmen. We have a tendency to get together and we talk about it, and I try to do everything. This is what I like to do. But it's really just finding out what's safe, what's not safe. Pretty much there's only been one or two things that have been out of my range, that we've had the stunt man come in and do. But most of the time, you know, they've allowed me to find at least a creative way to do it myself rather than have somebody else do it. I think the audience enjoys it more. I think I have a certain body language that's identifiable. So I try to allow myself to do these things because I really believe that the fans would be able to look at someone and go, that's not Nottingham, or Eric Etebari playing Nottingham. They can tell. So I try to stay true to doing most the stuff myself. But there's nothing by myself. Everything is a group effort with the stunt guys. They're training you, they're creating the opportunities for you to do it and make it safe. It's not like I just show up and say hey, I want to do this stunt myself and they've got run me through it. They make sure everything's legit. They make sure it looks right for camera. So basically, nothing's really on my own. Maybe some of the physicality, I'm the one doing it, but it seems to be a complete stunt effort.
Q: How do you psych yourself up for a stunt like that?
A: I'm so psyched up already, I don't need any. I'm just ready to go. I'm one hundred percent, go go go. I feel like I'm a workaholic. They can't give me enough to do. There was an incident when we were on the football field and there was a shot when I jump off the trampoline and I'm kinda going through the air, and they thought it was too dangerous and they weren't gonna let me do it. So at lunchtime I went out there and I told the director, I yelled, "Hey, Mr. Whitmore! Take a look at this!" And I started jumping off the trampoline, saying, "Hey, look, I can do this. I can do this!" 'Course after lunch he said, "Hey, this kid's fine. He can do it. Let's do the stunt." So I find little sneaky ways to sometimes show that I could actually do it without getting hurt. God knows though if I did fall and get hurt, that would be it.
Q: TNT shows this show, NYPD Blue and Law and Order on the network. Three shows, all about cops, based in New York. What is it about New York that provides the perfect backdrop for a cop show?
A: It's gritty. It's gritty I think like any city that's kind of a melting pot, that has so many different nationalities and different types of people and immigrants and wealthy and poor. And there's such a variety in mix of people it lends for good storytelling, because you can always run into something new and unusual. You're not in some typical state where everyone's similar. And New York is pretty diverse in the personality of people and in the variation. I think that that always makes for good drama, all those different variables. It's a fast city, so I think that helps with pace. It's gritty. It's a strong city.
Q: You're a pretty politically conscious person. What are some of the issues that you guys are planning to tackle this season, or hope to?
A: I don't know. It's such a touchy subject, you know? The world is so full of violence. We're doing a show where we're trying to put the bad guys away, but it's a fine line in exploiting violence and actually reducing it, so I don't know. I just know that I try to make a conscious effort to put sincerity and value in anything I do, so that I have the opportunity to play the consequences. I think that a lot of things, that violence, kids with guns -- they don't understand the consequences. So if I have to do something that I, as the actor, don't necessarily want to do, I try to really put in the consequences of it, the reluctance of it, rather than just relishing the fact that I can kill someone or I'm beating somebody up. But to play the pain of it inside so that maybe it gives them the opportunity to really think about what they're doing before they do it. I try to show the thought process.
Q: It was a conscious decision to make all the episodes this year standalone. What do you think are some of the advantages?
A: I think one of the advantages of the show is that people can just tune in at any time they want, (LAUGHS) and not necessarily fall too far behind. I do think for our show, even though they're self-contained episodes now, you need a little bit of history to really get a grasp. Okay, who is this dark guy roaming around? Who's Jake? Who's Danny Woo? Who's Gabriel? I don't think you could really figure it out in one show. You can probably follow the story. But yeah, it might allow viewers to tap in a little more frequently and feel part of it, rather than, 'oh, I missed from the beginning. Forget it. I'll never understand it.'
Q: What are some of the ways you've been able to run with the character of Nottingham?
A: I just think for the mere fact that I've been able to play a non-typical bad guy, someone who's got vulnerabilities, sensitivity, compassion. I think just the physical elements, how I'm able to be creative physically, with stunts, the emotional arc to the character. All those elements and every department imaginable from make up, hair, to wardrobe. It's really, really been open for the artist and I think that it's maintained itself through the seasons and it's what draws me to want to come back and continue working on this show. I know I'm going to have a place to really exercise my ideas and my thoughts and my own vision.
Q: How do you feel about this huge fan base that you have? There're tons of people out there who are a hundred percent behind Nottingham.
A:I think it's great. I think that there is a part of me that enjoys performing to the fans. I don't necessarily think that I am as reclusive. I enjoy the fan response. I think I feed off it in a way. I think it gives me ideas, that it's real inspiring to know that there are fans out there that get and understand what you're trying to say. That they understand those messages, that they can tell the inflection of your voice and the meaning of a word. It might mean A, but you're saying it like B. And that recognition that they understand that, it's pretty fulfilling as an artist. It's like putting up a painting and someone looking at the painting and understanding what each color meant. And having the feelings that those colors were supposed to make you feel. And that since I enjoy it, it's rewarding. It's like any actor -- it's receiving that applause. So in that part, I like it. The fan sense. Not so much the celebrityness, you know, but the fact that I have someone out there hearing what I say. There are two types of actors, like my acting coach used to say. There are actors that want to sit on a pedestal, and then there are actors who stand behind a podium and have something to say. So I'm always working on standing behind a podium. So when I'm standing behind a podium and I have a fans respond that are there to listen and believe what I have to say, I think I'm achieving what I'm trying to do. It feels good.
Q: What would you say to fans when they find out Irons is going to be gone?
A: Don't count your chickens 'till they hatch. You never know. This is WITCHBLADE. Anything could happen. Beware.
Q: Anything else that fans should be looking for this season?
A: I think the fans should just be ready to see Nottingham go through transitions. They're going see a child growing to an adolescent. And an adolescent growing into an adult. And I think that they're going be surprised at some of those transitions. I hope to surprise 'em. I hope to keep 'em guessing. I hope to shock 'em. I hope to embrace 'em. I've got some surprises, a few tricks up my sleeve for these guys, so we'll see.
Q: Thank you so much.
A: Thank you.
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