His portrayal of Leland Palmer inTwin Peaksalone has earned a special place in genre fandom.
Wise and Bates had worked together previously onExcision.
I havent seen the movie yet since the premiere is only this evening.
So I dont know much about your role inSuburban Gothicyet.
Tell me more about it.
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I play Donald, the father of Matthew Gray Gublers Character.
Im an ex-jock, an ex-athlete, who now teaches in high school and who coaches high school football.
Im a very physical, very manly, jockish person, and I have a son who isnt.
I think my son is kind of a sissy, a namby-pamby, and a mommas boy.
What attracted you to the role?
I had worked with Ricky in a movie calledExcision.
It was out a couple of years ago and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
And I really like Ricky.
I like him as a filmmaker.
We have a very good working relationship.
He sent me this script, and I thought it was very funny.
Its a beautiful blend of horror and humour.
It has just the right mix, just the right tone, I think.
It was a very enjoyable film to do.
It was a very relaxed set.
The cast worked together very well.
We were very happy making the film, and hes the kind of director who allows you to improvise.
He gives you your head, and he lets you do what you feel is right.
Then, if he wants to tweak it a bit here and there, he will.
I think its a great film, and that he did a great job directing it.
DoesSuburbanfit in that category?
Its in that vein, but I think even more so.
I think there is an even bigger mix of humour along with the supernatural aspect.
There is more humour and its very well done.
Its done very subtly.
I think it seems totally real, and yet very funny.
Its a hilarious yet very tense moment, and a teenagers worse nightmare.
As an actor, how can you say something so funny and still keep such a straight face?
-Well, thats why they pay me the big bucks [laughter].
Im able to do that.
Its difficult, because when funny things happen, you want to laugh along with everybody else.
Sometimes you just cant do that.
You have to maintain that concentration.
Its more difficult sometimes, but you have to do it.
Do you see movies like this one becoming a trend?
Yes, I think were on to something.
Mr Bates and I will collaborate in the future on a couple of other projects.
Yes, Ive done them all [laughter].
You were also the Devil on the CWsReaper.
So you have a lot of genre experience.
Tell me about your experience with genre television and cinema.
Is it something you prefer over doing other types of projects?
Yes, those stories interest me more.
I find them more fascinating.
Im the bad guy in town, causing trouble for everybody.
Im playing another really good evil character.
I come in and I make everything turn dark [laughter].
Its fun to play those characters.
They always have the best lines.
They are writing great lines for me onThe Young And The Restlessand even in films, great lines.
And its 25 years later.
Twenty-five years later, youre dead, but we could work around that.
Because hes David Lynch…
Thats right.
Hed find a way to bring me back [laughter].
It would be wonderful.
I wish that would happen.
It would set the world on fire to have a third season ofTwin Peaks.
And there are other political things involved, of course.
If it had been on ABC or CBS, it would still be on the air.
Id still be on the air, playing the Devil.
I thought that the CW since its a smaller market would still be happy with one million viewers.
Look atSupernatural; its been hanging in there for ten years with only about two million viewers.
And thats because the people in charge felt that we were not their demographics.
We didnt have enough Gossip Girls on our show.
Any more genre work in your future?
Ricky and I will do at least one more, coming up shortly.
And I have a couple more coming out.
I just finished shooting a movie in Portland Maine.
Its calledNight Of The Living Deb.Its [the story of] a girl named Debra who becomes a zombie.
Who is the director?
His name is Kyle Rankin.
It used to be a custom.
What kind of story treatment is it?
Its very well done historically.
Its a story about a photographer who also makes people dead…
So that he can then takes their photograph.
So Ill probably be back here [at Fantasia] next year [laughter].
Do people still ask you to do Lelands little song and dance skit fromTwin Peaks?
[Laughter] Oh yes!
you could tweet me.
I have a couple of examples of my singing and dancing.
you’re free to look it up.
Its under @therealraywise [on Twitter].
Ray Wise, thank you very much.
Suburban Gothicdoesnt have a UK release date yet, but well pass one along when we have it.
