His latest film role finished only a week ago, on J.J. Abrams new imagining ofStar Trek.
No, its gained.
Without Max I wouldnt have ended up in America.
In America I have more visibility.
Were you very attracted to theMax Headroomscript when you saw it?
Annabel Jankel and Rocky sat there and they looked at me and they said would you shave your head?
I said for an extra thousand quid Ill go to bed with both of you!
[laughs] no…I was kidding.
I said yeah Ill shave my head for an extra thousand quid.
I believe I actually got an extra thousand quid for shaving my head.
I was going to ask…
Yes I know, but what a role though what a role!
Thats why I got the job.
To play the role of an aging punk, did you do any other research?
I had taken Marks band The Barracudas out on tour they were known then as The TV Personalities.
The only time he said they ever made any money was when I ran it!
I got to America with it, which was great.
I knew a lot of guys who were like that.
It was funny thats the whole point.
Thats what I miss about England.
I miss that humour, which is not always visible here.
Apparently, the Americans had tried to re-cast it with home-grown talent, but they couldnt find anybody.
My career has to a certain extent, been motivated by that.
After that I was so lucky to walk into Gene Roddenberry, the man himself…sweet man.
Thats how I started on Star Trek.
Just before totally leavingMax Headroom.
A lot of people think thatMax Headroomwas too ahead of its time.
Do you think thats a possible reason why it got cancelled so early?
It was because it was biting the hand that fed it…think about it!
You know what they are like out here, they will cut it if they so desire.
Theyre famous for that, because theres always another bus coming round the corner.
We had a spin off series planned dont laugh!
With me in a Chanel suit and brief case.
Well, that was the idea.
It came to naught, of course.
But Steve was great.
Steve Roberts is a funny writer, he really is, and it was a joy to do.
Just nice people, we had a great time.
You have a long and continuing association withStar Trek, even up until recent weeks, you were saying?
Yes, just did the J.J. Abrams one.
Cant say anything about that obviously.
You cant say anything at all?
No I cant, and you damn well know it [laughs]!
But yeah, Im only playing a very small part.
Is it a repeat of any role you have played previously?
No, I will say that much, definitely not.
That ones in July, and they want me to go.
Its a Klingon convention.
Can you believe it?
It seems to be, yes.
But I thought theStar Trekones were apparently coming to an end.
I am in at the tail end of it.
I am coming over to do some, with my son.
I was reading you did another convention with Mark at Indiana.
Is it fun to do that together?
Oh yes, its great fun.
Both Mark and I have got that English thing, we are both very much Brits!
In fact we are both Irish, but you know what I mean.
I was brought up in Ireland.
We hate doing it like that, but its the American way and they expect it and understand it.
And of course, you dont know and he goes THAT guy[laughs].
So Imthatguy, because nobody really knows who I am!
They hear the voice and go Wait a minute…!.
So youve got that kind of respect.
It looks like Mark might be matching your track record with Sci-fi.
Hes going to go far past, way past, bless him.
I really think its a wonderful performance, and a wonderful role.
Have you ever worked with him?
Yes, we did one little movie together, which was on Danish television.
We played the younger and older versions of the same guy.
A hitman sitting in a car, waiting to kill somebody.
One of those very moody sort of Danish movies.
Then Mark directed a thesis he wrote his own thesis picture to get himself going as a director.
He used the lovely Sally May James, who was in Seconds with Rock Hudson, and ME!
He used us in it, and I was directed by him.
He would sit at the back of the class and argue, which was great!
We are very much two alpha males, we really are.
I was very careful what I would say about the business, with him being around it.
He was my dresser when I did a musical down at Shaftesbury Avenue, when he was twelve.
So he was brought up around it.
I went and got him.
He was on the bill with U2 at one point.
I got him out to Hollywood with me, literally living down the road from me.
Hes been here ever since.
Hes done pretty well.
Hes married, so Ive got two lovely grandkids, and its been good.
Hes one hell of a good actor.
I was pleased to see that you write on the IMDB forums and reply to your fans.
You wrote there that you started out as a film buff.
I wanted to be Richard Widmark.
They were my mentors to a certain extent.
OToole was another one one of the best people I have ever met.
I could tell you stories about him…I have got such a respect for that guy.
Then there was watching Lee Marvin and Steve McQueen and realizing…oh!
Thats what movie acting is about.
I see Mr McQueen you bring an intensity to the place and you bring everything to the one spot.
I took up Martial Arts when I was about forty, and that focused my acting.
Acting is very simple really its about cutting and killing.
Its about dealing directly with whats in front of you, no matter what they do.
Not thinking of either victory or defeat, just thinking of the work.
It then got a bit simpler and I think it got better.
I acted with Michael Caine inThe Prestige.
It was three days of absolute joy.
I was nervous, and I blew the first take.
He looked at me and said to me Whats the matter with you?.
I said Im nervous.
How old are you?.
He said You cant afford to be fucking nervous!.
I said I am working withyou, that would make anybody nervous.You still get star struck then?
Youre not totally immune?
Just a little bit.
We had three days just sitting and talking about acting, Michael Caine and I.
A lot of actors dont do that.
And he finally said I always have trouble escaping into roles.
I said no [laughs].
He said You cheeky son of a bitch!
and he was laughing.
Caine said Oh yeah, I see what you mean.
How did you find working with Christopher Nolan?
In a nutshell…magic!
Is he a very hands on director?
No, he leaves you alone.
Hes very firm about what he wants.
You dont feel the fist, you dont feel the hand on your back at all.
Its just there and he does it.Was your part inTransformersvery blue-screen oriented?
It was completely blue screen.
It was supposed to be in Alaska and it was completely cut.
I mean, youve seen it, I am down to literally four lines, thats all thats left.
Which I can quite understand, he wanted to get to crash bang wallop.
That looked like tremendous fun.
Oh yes, shes a great lady.
I love her dearly.
These are all ad-libs.
Does that empower you or hold you back?
It holds you back, really.
Sometimes you might act the wardrobe, or the wardrobe does the acting for you.
Hard work to get any kind of life behind it.
I had fun being a Klingon.
My favourite is Soul Hunter inBabylon 5.
[J. Michael] Straczynski really let me go with that one.
There doesnt seem to be a great many gaps in your career over the last twenty, thirty years?
Oh I mini-cabbed, in South London, round about 1973-4.
It got pretty hairy sometimes, but it was great experience because I could use that stuff.
I know how to play psychopaths [laughs].
William Morgan Sheppard, thank you very much!
