Firstly, we caught up with him earlier in the year when the shoot came to Wales.
And then, we met him again at the UK press launch, just a couple of weeks ago.
There are a lot of problems that are going to stem from that.
And thats what Jack, and the rest of the team, have to look at.
So, hes potentially in completely the opposite place to where were used to seeing him?
I think Ive phrased that right!
You have phrased that absolutely correctly, and Im just going to say that you might be right!
Wherever I am, I will embrace the life and the lifestyle.
Ive lived in Hollywood before, and weve moved into the old neighbourhood in West Hollywood.
And its finally happening!
So, a dream has come true for me.
Whats your typical day onTorchwood?
It depends if youre filming.
I probably have to get up at five in the morning, and we drive ourselves to work.
Unlike the UK, when we get cars, we have to drive ourselves, and I love that.
So, we might do sixteen hours.
And to be honest, Ive always had a packed schedule of things that I do.
But although its fast-paced, its not any faster than all the stuff Ive done in the UK.
So, its not a big flip-change for me.
And were there to work anyway.
Were not there to play.
Does itfeela lot bigger?
Its got a bigger budget.
I dont know what the budget is.
But with the collaboration with BBC One, BBC Worldwide and Starz…
Do you notice the bigger budget?
We were on Roscilly Beach in Wales, being chased by black stealth helicopters.
It was just brilliant!
Before, wed have to CGI the gun flashes.
Here, we were shooting bullets.
Blanks, not real ones!
It was just incredible.
Yes, theres more scope for special effects and explosions, and things like that.
But, bring it on!
I was speaking on a personal level.
So, I didnt have any worry or qualms here.
Im one who will always speak my mind, and say what I feel!
Do you have a stuntman for all the new action sequences?
I do have a stuntman.
I normally would do my own stunt driving, my own fight sequences, my own smaller stunts.
In Wales, Id do them myself.
They wont allow me anymore.
I have a lot of restrictions on what I can and cant do.
Ive got two stuntmen doubling for me at the moment.
But I also have it written into my contract that I cant do certain things in my own life.
I cant go mountain bike riding, I cant go scuba diving, I cant snowboard, horseback ride.
I cant play football.
I cant play soccer.
I cant water ski.
Literally, I cant do a lot of things that would cause physical harm.
I think Ill have to take up golf!
WithChildren Of Earth, there was the government having to do terrible things, and Jack doing terrible things.
Is it similar this time?
If it was the same as the last series, that wouldnt be a draw.
Like any drama, we have to change things.
Thats why characters die, and thats why things happen.
Torchwood, were running from the government.
So, yes, the government will be involved on both sides of the Atlantic.
And were more of a secretive organisation now!
What are your longer term hopes for Captain Jack?
MoreTorchwood, more movies, a return toDoctor Who?
Oh, my God.
Lets just get this series up and running!
Those are my dreams!
He said itd be fantastic.
Steven helped create Captain Jack.
He wrote the episode that Jack appeared in to begin with.
So, you never know!
We caught up with John Barrowman again at the press launch for Torchwood: Miracle Day in the UK.
We dont, though.
Jack has disappeared, and whats happened in the past has happened.
Thats up to Russell and the team of writers.
But at the moment, we just pick up.
Its happened, hes gone away, hes dealt with it.
Theres still an underlying tone.
The similarities between Oswald and Jack, though, that plays as part of it.
But thats all I want to tell you!
Theres always been a darkness to Jack, even beforeChildren Of Earth.
Jack is dark, yes.
You have to do bad things to make it become a hero.
You have to make sacrifices.
This is how I see it, as the guy who plays the character.
I see that what Jack does, nothing is wrong.
But a lot of people do.
I have people come up to me in the street, saying, Oh, my God.
You killed your grandson.
I hate you for that, but I still love you.
And thats a dilemma.
Yeah, thats correct.
Youd let humanity die.
Television programmes wouldnt usually do it, either.
Theyd find a way out, and I loved thatChildren Of Earthdidnt do that.
Torchwood, thats why were so different from all the other sci-fi shows out there.
Were not all about spaceships and aliens.
Do you know what I mean?
And when we say global, about episode nine, youll understand why we call it global!
I like to think that I like to make people feel comfortable when they come on board.
I like to make them feel part of a family, and I know Eve feels the same way.
I like to think of myself as a good leader.
I like them to know that we have no attitude on our set.
And theres no diva behaviour, and everyone comes on board with that.
Hes the president of the United States!
I said that to him one day on the set.
I said, Im standing here with Bill Pullman.
I bet hes never heard this before!
I bet he hasnt either!
And when I do it, he goes like that.
So, youre dealing with an enormity of mid-story every time you play him?
That theres a degree of the endgame for him thats already known?
You know, I have to be totally honest with you.
Im not that bang out of actor who thinks about that much.
I kind of take what Im given on the page, and do that, at any given time.
Therefore, playing the inbetween is actually not as difficult as you would think it is.
And I do that because, for the core fans, itll give them what I call a fangasm!
I know it, they know it, but everybody doesnt need to know it.
So, yes, its really interesting.
And it makes it a lot of fun.
I dont dwell on it, though.
How do you know Im not indestructible in this?
You told me at a round table interview four months ago.
[Laughs]
Thats the interesting bit, isnt it?
You have to convince people that youre still vulnerable.
And youve got the plot machine this time which helps you.
Your vulnerability can come from other aspects without being harmed.
It can come from emotion.
It can come from things that have happened in your past that are affecting you.
And I think thats where it works with Jack.
And I think thats why the audience grasps hold of it.
They can see the pain in him.
They can see the emotion, the happiness, the love, the respect.
I dont play him as a character.
I put a lot of myself into him, so theres a lot of my own personality in him.
And I think thats what works.
Theres not a yes or no, or a right or wrong answer.
But thats how it works for me.
Youve said in the past that this is the one youd do forever?
Jack has changed my life.
The show has changed my life.
I appreciate the fans, where I am, because of people who support the show.
Therefore, I enjoy playing Jack.
And I love what Russell and the team do.
I love what they do with the character.
But sometimes its nice to take that weight and put it on somebody else.
I would have it no other way.
I would go nuts if I had to do the one thing.
So, when they say, What are you doing after this?
and I tell them, they go, What?!
And I tell them this is a fraction of what I do.
Its a big impacted fraction, but I love all the other stuff too.
Then Ive got pantomime.
And if all goes well, after this, going back to do anotherTorchwood!
John Barrowman, thank you very much!
Read more about Torchwood: Miracle Day here.
