Rmcmurrer: Did you like the movies and the first Highlander series?Paul Johansson: I particularly enjoyed the very first movie, very much. I think the concept was fascinating. I wasn't familiar with the series until after I was cast in the spin off and then I tried to educate myself. But not too much, I wanted to discover this world, like my character. It became a kind of tool for me Discovering the mortal world...
GlobeHost: I loved the first movie too
Paul Johansson: I'm a big fan and a friend of the producers of all the Highlander creations. I am happy to be involved in the concept. I played her long lost ex lover.
Zippy: Who did you play on Dharma and Greg? Is Jenna Elfman as wacky as people say she is?
Paul Johansson: And I discover Buddhism and moved to India in order to pursue spirituality and then returned and befriended her again to the angst of her new husband, who is played by Thomas Gibson - Who incidentally is in "Eyes Wide Shut" and does a great job. And Jenna greets you every morning on the set with a big hug, She is great. And great to work with.
DUCKSTER4: What's it like to play Nick Wolfe on Highlander "The Raven"?
Paul Johansson: It was great for me because I got to represent the point of view of the mortal world as opposed to the immortal ongoing theme. So, for the first time in this series creation, we could see how mortals react to the knowledge that there are people among us who live for infinity. And you can see the every day effect, the effect with somebody like me who was a cop and fell in love with someone who will never die. So it was new and very exciting.
DEBORAH35: Are you anything like your character on Highlander? What are the similarities?
Paul Johansson: I think every actor is closer to their characters then they like to admit, because you draw on things you know. Because you react in the moment truthfully. My similarities to Nick start with his quick reactions to situations. I am VERY reactionary, VERY emotional, sometimes illogical before I get the full picture. Which I think is a good character to play, sometimes I have to fail to discover truths.
EyesWideO: What do you do for fun and where do you live?
Paul Johansson: I live in Hollywood for 1/2 the year and New York as much as I can. L.A. you have to seek out the good parts of the city, I don't fall into the trap of L.A. dissing, because where ever you live you can make a good life. My career is my fun. I take great satisfaction in writing and taking opportunities instead of waiting for life to offer me something. My writing, acting and directing is my fun and I am very much obsessed by it and it brings me great happiness.
IHateMTV: What is your favorite musical Group?
Paul Johansson: (Laugh) I love Dead Can Dance. They're offbeat but I really dig them. Throw me back to the old stuff, the Stones, or old, old David Bowie stuff.
Lullaby20: Did you like working with all those great Actors on the show? Who's your favorite?
Paul Johansson: I had several favorites. I love the character who played Burt Meyers, his name is Hannas. Another character Liam, played by Robert Cavanaugh. They were my two favorites. There were some interesting actors on the show that were easy to dislike (they're characters were) But everyone on the set was real easy to work with. Valentine who played Korda was a terrific actor, but his character was unbelievably vicious.
Raven44: Are you married or single? What kind of woman are you looking for?
Paul Johansson: Not married. I met a girl in Italy who is Romanian who I've been dating. And she has been traveling the world and I am rondevuezing with her in several ports of call. This has been going on for the last year. That is part of the romance and charm, we're star crossed lovers.
GlobeHost: That sounds Killer!
Paul Johansson: What am I looking for? That's an immitable question that has to answer itself, you can never lay something out, you just know when you know. You loose out when you set up parameters.
stabet: What is the hardest part about acting on a weekly show?
Paul Johansson: The lack of time to prepare the material. Really time constrants and the long hours. You have to find ways to keep yourself fresh and challenged. And if you find out the material isn't up to the standards you want them to be, you have to rework it until it is. I am a bit of perfectionist, so I was at times at odds with my costar, I thought we needed more rehearsal. But we respect each other and worked out compromises.
XTC44: What do you think of the huge fanbase that sci-fi shows have? Do you like your audience? Were you into sci-fi before you joined the cast?
Paul Johansson: I have been a huge Sci-fi reader from Asimov to Philip K. Dick and Huxley, I loved these utopion idealist types of books. Bladerunner and Dune are my favorite movies. Film Noir meets science fiction on LSD. I like to be challenged on the things we think we know. I wish we had gone further on the series, but you can't you have to limit yourself, you only have 44 minutes to tell a story every week.
rich1865: What are you doing now that The Raven is off the air?
Paul Johansson: I am looking at perspective jobs. I am not going to take an acting job just to work. That can sound pretentious, but I really want to be involved with things that excite me and that will help me figure out what the hell I am doing in this business. It can't just be about making the rent. I finished another script and am shopping it around. And the film I directed is out there going around the world. I am being proactive. "Conversations in Limbo" Is the title of my movie, you can look it up under Geocities (Wrong Paul. Check the links page for correct URL).
HouseOnFire: If you were too travel to any part of the world, where would it be and what would you most look for?
Paul Johansson: Wow. Well, I've spent the last year in Europe, then went to Africa for a month were I was in the hospital for pnemonia for 3 weeks! Next is going with my friend who lives in Hong Kong and go to the Indonesian islands., Do a walk about and have some fun.
GlobeHost: How did you like Africa? Have you been to Australia before?
Paul Johansson: I've never been to Australia. I've heard we have a wonderful following down under. I am a regular Fosters drinker, however. Africa, I have a lot of friends who live in S. Africa, I've been going for about 5 years. I went cave climbing and deep sea fishing and caught my share of tuna! Even with pnemonia.
Dreammm: What would your Spice name be and did you have a mentor
while growing up?Paul Johansson: Wow....thinking
GlobeHost: Boozy Spice
Paul Johansson: My spice name.... I think it would be.... that is really unfair...what's the chemical formula for alcohol....j/k How about polar spice (that's from my Canadian background). Mentor: I was just very much of a reading kid, I read so much, a lot of my mentors were characters in books. I remember "A Farewell to Arms" and "The Sun Also Rises" - I always wanted to be someone other than who I was.
Carramia: What did you think of your time on 90210? Did it meet your expectations that you had going into it? AND Were you pleastantly suprised or suprisingly disappointed based on your expectations going into it?
Paul Johansson: I was at a point ( and I just finished doing "Parker Lewis Can't Lose" ) about to quit the business. I was on my way out of town when Spelling called and asked me to do it. I had a lot of fun. And it re-energized me. And Jason Priestley is one of my best friends, and he is in my movie. He is very good. It was a chance to spend some time with him.
1486: What is the craziest thing you have had to do on the show?
Paul Johansson: I had to jump off of a bridge onto a tour boat, and they had big mats on top of the boat, so if I landed... I was supposed to land on my butt. I was very lucky. If I didn't land right, I would have landed up in the cold Seine.
Macewindu: What is more fun doing a western or doing sci-fi?
Paul Johansson: It all comes down to the character and the writing. I did a guest star on "Earth, Final Conflict" and it was a GREAT character. Westerns are macho and you have to find a way to be approachable. Assessible. It really is in the writing.
Zippy: What was it like playing Romeo to Jennie Garth? Did she give you that tingly feeling like when you climb the rope in gym class?
Paul Johansson: (laughs) Back then, she...Actually I got the tingly feeling on the pole... not the ropes. She was wonderful and had a very jealous boyfriend back then, it was very strange, he was always on the set when we were supposed to do anything.... I think she is terrific, I have a lot of respect for her. Believe me, I've had less chemistry with other actresses.
DUCKSTER4: What got you started in acting?
Paul Johansson: I didn't pursue it, it found me, I was offered jobs....In Vancouver, Canada. Once I decided to do it, I made it a priority. To be good at it. Acting is not my first love, I think it has been given too much importance in our society. Sometimes being a puppet to people's writing is hard... The better you get, the more respect you get the more you have say in regards to the character.
GlobeHost: What is your first love?
Paul Johansson: Writing. Anything that makes me better, that challenges me, a great role as an actor, or something I've written that I am SO proud of. My best days are ahead of me.
Mitsubishi: What advice do you have for someone interested on acting?
Paul Johansson: Make sure that it's not just a crush you have on it, because if you do try and get into it, it is THE most difficult career... But if you're sure, go for it, pull out all the stops....and don't stop. I feel every day when I wake up how fortunate I am. The reason I've been employed for so long is my never say die attitude. Accepting defeat as a road bump instead of a stop sign.
stabet: Can you descripe what a perfect afternoon would be?
Paul Johansson: Sure. There is a beach called Trancas, it's passed Malibu, near the county line. It has GIANT rock formations in the water cut out by the surf and they allow dogs. I take my big great dane Damascus there, 7 years old, we go out romping in the surf and chasing the tennis ball. And we eat at the Real Inn. That's it. (laughs)
Zippy: What is your favorite movie of all time?
Paul Johansson: One of them is "Blade Runner" Another one, believe it or not, "Gallipoli" I found a lot of things in that movie that really worked well. Another odd one "To Live and Die In L.A." Terrific movie! They're offbeat and still people know them I think. And William Peterson, what a great
performance.GlobeHost: When was the last time you behaved badly in public and what did you do??
Paul Johansson: What time is it? (laughs) Oh, I know! In Vancouver, last week, there's an old ancient steam clock, it shoots the time in steam song through pipes. And there are tour busses that drive thru this area. Everyone was waiting for this to happen, and this giant double decker bus was going to stop right in front of it. And I walked out and stood in front of the bus so it couldn't block everybody, and they beeped and I blocked it for about 15 minutes so everyone could see.
GlobeHost: What would you like to do that you have not yet done?
Paul Johansson: Boy, how much time do you have! Where do you start with something like that. Career answers, personal answers, family answers. I want to have a family, be a dad, leave my mark, make sure I didn't waste my time on this big blue globe. Thank you all for tuning in, it's a great opportunity, this is a great show. The answers were terrific. We have an official fan club and "Conversations in Limbo" do too, check it out at Geocities. Thanks again.
Globe Chat
July 28, 1999
