Forbes March: 4/02 Visimag's Cult Times interview, on Unofficial Forbes

Rock Solid
Cult Times Special #21 April 2002
By Steven Eramo

He can be impenetrable or he can be intangible, and there was one point where it seemed he'd be splitting into three. Enter the world of Mutant X mutation Jesse Kilmartin, aka Forbes March.

As fair-haired superhero Jesse Kilmartin in Mutant X he's a natural, but when it comes to being an actor, Forbes March admits that wasn't first on his wish list of careers. "Acting was for those artsy-fartsy types, which, of course, I'm not one of," he jokes while on break in between takes on the shows Toronto set. "No, seriously, I wanted to play professional football, which I knew deep down wasn't likely. I also thought about becoming a professional track athlete. However, I don't think such a thing exists. My parents would have been thrilled if I became a doctor, but that wasn't in the cards either.

"I remember once when my school was putting on a play. I stood outside the auditorium doors watching all the other kids who were auditioning. I had this incredible urge to go in there and audition too, but naturally, I though I was too cool. Oddly enough, when I got older I ended up getting a job that required me to take an acting class. The first exercise the teacher gave us was this very famous one where we had to find a 'pin' that he placed in a brick wall. It didn't take us long to figure out that the pin was, in actuality, and imaginary one. However, when I stepped up to the wall I was able to convince myself that there was one there and I tried looking for it. It was such a buzz to play with my mind like that. I hope that's not being to artsy-fartsy," laughs March, "but it was such an exhilarating moment. It was then I realized I'd found my calling, which was acting."

On Mutant X, March's character of Jesse Kilmartin has the ability to alter his body density at will. One minute he can turn rock solid and the next minute walk through a stone wall. As a member of Mutant X, Jesse's mission is to fight crime as well as help others like himself learn how to control and use their powers. He and Shalimar Fox (Victoria Pratt), a feral beauty with both animal and human DNA, where the first to be recruited by the groups enigmatic leader Adam (John Shea). While growing up, Jesse's unique abilities made him feel like an outcast. All that changed, though, after he joined Mutant X.

"For the first time in his life Jesse feels like part of a family," says the actor, "When he abandoned his real father it was Adam that took him under his wing. He gave Jesse a sense of self-worth and something worth fighting for. My character shares a close brother/sister-type bond with Shalimar, and is developing strong relationships with new teammates Brennan (Victor Webster) and Emma (Lauren Lee Smith). As Mutant X continues to gel as a group, it's helping Jesse grow more confident as a person. He's never had a 'support system' like this and it means a lot to him."

Like most TV shows, Mutant X went through a number of changes from the time of its conception to the filming of its pilot episode. For example, in the original character breakdowns, each of the four lead mutants had codenames. In Jesse's case, his was 'Synergy'. This idea, however, was quickly dropped. Also, when the character of Jesse was created he was given a mutant ability different than the one he has now. The original breakdown stated, 'he can literally split his body into three triplicates, each representing a different aspect of his personality. He is also able to take on the physical appearance of anyone around him.' While these might be useful powers to have, they didn't exactly help endear the character to March.

"Playing three versions of the same character works just fine when it comes to the actual filming of it," he explains. "They point the cameras at you and you take on the personality of version one. You act out the scene while someone else feeds you the other two characters lines. The director yells, 'Cut,' you take a break, the crew guys change the lights, and you get into the mindset of version number 2 or three as the case may be. Then you go back in front of the camera and do the scene again, this time from either of their perspectives. I hope that makes sense.

"Now, imagine doing the same thing in an audition room," continues the actor. "There you are standing in front of the video camera with a casting director who's reading the other character's lines as professionally as he or she can. However, they're in a bit of a rush because they have another 100 actors to see. Needless to say, you're not the best of inspirations and can you blame them? However, you still have to try and convince them you're three different incarnations of the same person. Talk about mission: impossible.

"So to make a long story short, when I read the first version of the Jesse character I decided to pass. It was in the middle of pilot season and I had three or four other auditions on that same day. I didn't want to waste my energy trying out for a role I didn't think I had a chance of getting. However, when I told my acting coach that I passed on the part he convinced me to reconsider and then helped me figure out a way to approach it. They must have liked something I did during the first audition because I was subsequently flown down to Los Angeles to read four more times. It was there, much to my surprise, I got the job."

Is March pleased that the producers decided to change his character's powers? "Yes and no," he muses. "Despite the fact that I didn't want to audition at first, it probably would have been a wonderful acting challenge as well as fun to play a threesome. In terms of overall show, though, I think with the mutant ability he now has, Jesse is able to contribute more to the story. I mean, you have Lauren's character of Emma, who's an empath and a telepath. She has the whole 'mind thing' covered, so it wouldn't have made sense to also bring in a character that could split into three. Even more importantly, since Jesse can change his body density he gets to be an action guy, and I just love that, he says smiling.

Jesse has seen plenty of action since he and Shalimar burst onto the scene in the opening teaser of the first Mutant X episode The Shock of the New. In it, they save Emma from falling into the evil clutches of their arch-enemy Mason Eckhart (Tom McCamus), security chief at the biotech firm of Genomex. "We had a blast doing that scene," notes March. "In fact, it was enormous fun filming the entire pilot [which included the second episode I Scream the Body Electric]. We were creating an entirely new world belonging to Mutant X. Because the genre is comic book Science Fiction, the rules are very different. Some make sense, others you have to take liberties with. In the end though, there still has to be some sort of continuity to it. We actually shot our third episode [Russian Roulette] first and then the pilot. This gave us the chance to find our footing and get into the groove of things and I think it really paid off.

"Insofar as the actor sequences, they continue to get better and better. There was one episode that ended up being five minutes short, so the produces decided to expand on a fight scene between Jesse and Brennan and the bad guys. It came out looking great. In another story [In the Presence of Mine Enemies], my character is in love with woman who may or may not have betrayed Mutant X. She's captured by Genomex and Jesse wants to rush in and save her, but Adam says no. So the two of them go at it. It's a great pleasure to work with John Shea and the two of us had fun 'battling' things out.

"Our fight coordinator, Paul Rapoviski, is a world champion Filipino stick fighter, so a lot of our fights you'll see us using pipes, broomsticks, you name it. Paul and out stunt coordinator, Marco Bianco, spend a great deal of time with this show's cast and have taught us some pretty amazing stuff. I've never had to hit anybody in my life so far. However, these guys make me look like I can really kick ass, at least on TV," he chuckles.

Although he enjoys the physical challenges of Mutant X, the actor wants his character to be more than just a lean, mean fighting machine. "I can't wait to start work on our next story [Blood Ties] which explores Jesse's relationship with his real father [played by Art Hindle]," enthuses the actor. "Up to now, a lot of episodes have been about establishing the Mutant X team and have centered around the its new members, Brennan and Emma. Not very much has been revealed to audiences about Jesse and who he is. He's been there to kind of feed the story along. With this episode, though, we start to delve into his background. I've read the script and I couldn't be more pleased. Believe me, I'm looking forward to taking Jesse as far as the producers and writers are willing to let me."

In his early days as an actor, March - who was born in Briston, England and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia - also worked as a model. He graced runways, billboards, and print ads for such high fashion names as Tommy Hilfiger, Giorgio Armani, Nautica and Marlboro Clothing. "I used to tell people that being a model had no impact on my acting. I realized later I was talking garbage," he says. "Of course it did. If you spend eight hours a day in front of a camera with people staring at you in your underwear, then you're bound to gain more confidence in yourself. My modeling experience also helped later on with auditions. A model goes on hundreds of job interviews and is scrutinized in the most critical of ways. You may not like it, but you get used to it. The same is true of an actor."

March laughs when asked about his very first acting job. "In hindsight, it was so embarrassing. Luckily, I didn't know enough about acting to understand how truly awful I was. After that, things could only get better." He went on to play the much-loved Scott Chandler on the ABC Soap Opera All My Children. On the big screen, March has appeared in Way Off Broadway and can be seen later this year in Campfire Stories. Of all the roles he has played so far, his favorite is that of being a father to his baby daughter. "Having the love of something so small and pure gives you a new sense of responsibility," he says.

He may not have always wanted to be an actor, but nowadays there's nothing else March would rather be doing. "It's such a cool thing to be able to work in this business, especially on a regular basis," he says. "I'm so grateful, and if I ever get big-headed about it I hope someone I know has the common sense to kick my butt right back down to Earth."

© Visimag's Cult Times

Forbes March: Canoe JAM! TV 10/19/01

Superman minus the tights: Halifax actor transforms from soap star to 'mutant'
By PAT LEE

Women in the viewing audience might be somewhat disapppointed, but Forbes March is not a super hero who wears tights and sports a cape. Instead, as a genetic-experiment-gone-wonderfully awry in the new sci-fi series Mutant X. He gets to zip around town in flashy cars wearing what seem to be regular-guy pants, albeit with spiffy leather jackets.

"You got me to a T. I really wanted to stand in front of the world in tight biker pants and show my assets to the world," the Halifax-born actor says, laughing. "We're trying to get some scenes in there where we're all working out in biker shorts."

A girl can dream, can't she?

The hunky March - who has worked as a model and used his good looks as a regular on the soap All My Children - is one of four comely "mutants" in the new series, debuting Saturday at 8 p.m. on Global.

The catch is that the four genetically designed young adults each have a special power. Jessie Kilmartin, played by March, for example, is able to change the density of his body, while others have animal strength or electrical power.

John Shea is the fugitive leader of the team - and the one who headed the experiment that created them. His job is to keep the government from destroying his creations, while they seek out more of their kind. The group's main enemy is an Andy Warhol-like dude named Mason Eckhart (Tom McManus), who has a real hate-on for the mutants and their ilk.

Are you with me so far?

March thinks it's the everyman - or woman - aspect of the high-tech show that will appeal to viewers.

"I liked the idea that this was going to be a super hero show but where the characters aren't necessarily super heroes. It's not sort of a Spandex kind of deal. It's ordinary people who wake up and discover they have super-hero powers. I thought that was really appealing," he said.

His fellow Canadian actor mutant heros include Lauren Lee Smith as Emma deLauro, a telepath who's new to the group; Victoria Pratt as Shalimar Fox (yep, that's right), a "feral beauty" with both animal and human DNA; and Victor Webster as Brennan Mulwray, a street-wise rebel.

March said the F/X-heavy series, being filmed on a sound stage in north Toronto, was a tad complicated to work on in the beginning since none of the actors could visualize how their "powers" would be realized on the screen.

"I had no idea where I was supposed to be acting. I mean what does it look like when a person becomes very dense?," he said earlier this week in an interview from Toronto, which is now home for the Halifax-raised actor.

"I don't know. Is it heavy or just hard? And does my character know this? It's called imagination da-hhling."

March, 28, almost didn't even get that far into the production because he was initially reluctant to audition for the role.

"The character was originally supposed to split into three different people and the audition piece was these three different people having a conversation between themselves," he said.

"But in an audition sitting in a white empty office on a collapsible metal chair, having a conversation between three people by yourself was a little daunting."

March obviously got over the fear and landed the role, which was altered to become someone who can make their body as hard as a wall or pliable as water, which comes in handy if someone wants to, say, drive a car through you.

The syndicated series has the green light for two seasons, which equals 44 episodes, to be seen here and throughout the U.S. There was an initial legal challenge to the title of the series with Fox, owners of the X-Men franchise, suing over use of the similar-sounding name. A court subsequently denied Fox's petition to ban the use of the Mutant X title, although all press material makes it clear that the two are in no way related.

March, who left All My Children about a year ago after being on the series for about a year and a half, said the daytime soap job was demanding but educational.

"It was fantastic. It was also very difficult, but overall fantastic. It gets more fantastic the further away I get from it. It's a tough medium," he said. "You go to school for year and work your tush off and you realize that no matter how much you studied you can only learn about 10 per cent of what there is to learn before you step on a set."

As for Mutant X, the actor thinks it's got everything in place to be a successful series, including stylish sets by the designer of La Femme Nikita and fight sequences taught by a colleague of Jackie Chan.

"They've really put a really complete package together. I think the fact that they already had 44 episodes sold gave them a chance to really invest in the show, without having to say, 'Oh let's see what happens with it first.' "

© Canoe Jam!Tv

Mutant X Official Site: Forbes March

Q & A with Forbes March

Forbes March as Jesse Kilmartin

You know and love him as Jesse Kilmartin, Mutant X's resident computer genius. Now Forbes March takes time out from filming to answer a few questions from the loyal fans of Mutant X!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q: What has been your greatest experience or favorite moment working on Mutant X? - From Maggie, Jason R., Meme, Summer, Jesse B., Galena V., Robert W.

Forbes: Probably my favorite moment was the shooting of the teaser for the first episode. The team all fights a battle in an alley way and we all had great stunts to perform. We'd all just completed our intensive wire training camp and it was exciting and new and fun. I thought it was a really great way to introduce the show.

Q: Plenty of your fans have always thought of Jesse as the "young Adam", or Adam-in-the-making". Adam's mysterious disappearance may have caused the team the lack of direction, but has pushed the character of Jesse to the front, and we've noticed a sense of maturity in Jesse this season. Are you playing up to this maturity? How are Jesse and Adam alike, and how are they different from each other? - From Villanelle

Forbes: Well, I think at this point in the story, nobody really knows who Adam is or what he stands for, but Jesse definitely thought that what Adam seemed to stand for resonated. Jesse found a father figure and hero in Adam and tried hard to emulate him. I think Jesse felt a strong responsibility to step-up and try to fill Adam's place when Adam disappeared and then when Jesse realized that Adam may have misrepresented himself, I think the anger and resentment only fired his drive to fight the cause he felt strongly about to begin with.

Q: We all know that your character Jesse likes to eat everything and anything. In real life are you the same? - From Lee

Forbes: Yes, but only when I'm not working. When I work, I will go days without eating. I just forget. I'm a little obsessive some times. There's a really great fellow who works on set and his job is to make sure I don't wander off between scenes and to make sure I don't stray off on my way back to set. He noticed once that I hadn't eaten in a few days and now he keeps on top of reminding me to eat. He's a great guy and I give him a hard time! Note to self--send Brian a year-end gift!

Q: How much of yourself do you put into your characters, and how do you make them seem real? - From ClearKiss, Melissa, Nancy L., Angela

Forbes: Your question suggests that I have been successful in making them real... THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU... oh yeah... TTHHAANNK YYOU! Ok, I'm back to pretending I'm confident and cool again... right.

Well, it's a bit of the chicken and the egg. Although I studied with some pretty hard-core "method actor" teachers, I don't have any hard and fast rule as to how I approach a character. Sometimes I imagine I'm talking to someone from my past, imagine a past experience or even imagine a smell that means something to me. Sometimes I drive my fellow cast mates nuts by trying to create the same relationship with them off camera that I need to have on camera. Sometimes I just feed off them. And often I have no idea how I "FOOLED THEM AGAIN"!

Q: Will Jesse's kiss ever stop killing the woman he loves? Or is he destined to be Mr. Kiss of Death? - From frickangel

Forbes: Hey, I take that one personally! They die because there's nothing left to live for once they've kissed Jesse. Kissing Jesse is as good as it gets. Game over.

Alright, seriously, you're right! The writers really get a kick out of hurting Jesse's feelings. Or body for that matter (have you noticed how often Jesse gets hurt this year?). Must have something to do with that "every-man" thing Jesse has goin' on.

Q: Do you do all your own stunts? - From Rachael, Ellie MutantX_1fan

Forbes: I do as many as I am legally allowed and can reasonably accomplish. I'm proud to do my own stunts and I think the audience believes the story more when they see the actors in the action, but at the same time I have to keep my ego in check and step aside sometimes. If I got hurt on set, it could cost production alot... 'Ya know, that responsibility thing!

Q: What is your favorite episode? Why? - From Victoria, Apricot, Kaisha500, Becca, Veronica, Apricot_kay, Cheyenne Rickers, Christina

Forbes: I really had a great time shooting Wasteland. Alot of Jesse's personality and back story was revealed and the actress playing my girlfriend was very talented. I had alot of fun and it was very rewarding. It's fun to be in the spotlight and really have to carry the story. I was very proud that they gave [me/Jesse] a chance to do that.

Q: What was the craziest thing you ever did as a kid? And why? - From Laura

Forbes: I climbed out of my fourth-grade class window, shimmied down the wall and ran away. I hate structure, find authority difficult and didn't like school. I got in alot of trouble for that, but I remember seeing a sense of understanding in my parents eyes' I think that understanding helped me get through those difficult years.

Q: What do you think of your character's development over the course of the last three seasons? What would you like to see happen to him? - From Raebball8, Tanyashaye, Petitecat, Julian, Charles, Amanda, Neena, Natasha, tigereyes320, G.S.H, JohnS, Kristin H., Chris, Orange_Pekoe, Mia, vega, Stephen C., K.L., Shannon S., Daisy

Forbes: Jesse has really changed alot from season one through season three. He started off as a very naïve, young boy. He grew into a responsible, caring and more serious man. I'd like the writers to continue along the path they have been following with him. I think the whole every-man with a strong back-bone is right for him. I also think that the whole, slightly self-righteous thing he has going on is a good set up. I mean it would be very easy for Jesse to go in the wrong direction because he's so "in his head". I'd like Jesse to sway to "the dark side" for an episode or two.

Q: What drew you to the part, and what keeps you coming back? - From Lynn

Forbes: Jesse offered me a real challenge. He is the sweat, naïve, good-natured fellow, ie. Boring. To make him interesting and charming and three dimensional posed a fun challenge. I love the edict that one must never bore the audience and I've enjoyed trying to find nuances in Jesse that might keep the viewers interested in him. That is what drew me to him and it is what keeps me going. It would be very easy to just slur off the techno-bable that Jesse gets handed, pick-up my paycheck and go home. I refuse.

Q: Does your wife get jealous when you have to kiss other women on the show or have to do sexy scenes with them, like in the episode Wasteland where Jesse reconnects with his ex- fiancé? - From wildlightning

Forbes: My wife answered this one for you..."Depends how sexy the actress is."

My wife is very understanding of what I do. She knows it's not only how I pay the bills, but also a very important part of who I am. I love to entertain and her learning to live with love scenes comes with the territory of living with an actor.

Q: My favorite episode is Nothing to Fear because it deals with fear and I have a panic disorder; you're acting in it was very realistic. How did you approach this episode in terms of acting? - From Victorbrat

Forbes: Fear is an easy thing for me to act. I can imagine being afraid of anything... let me rephrase that: I can easily imagine being afraid of any given thing.

Q: Is it my imagination or, since the disappearance of Adam, you guys have become colder in face of your foes death? - From MARC

Forbes: When people get hurt, they build up defenses. I think we've gotten colder on the outside but more sensitive on the inside. It's all a part of growing-up.

Q: What music do you like? - From Jasmine tea

Forbes: Classic, classic-rock, older country and jazz... pretty white bread, eh?

Q: A question from my middle school drama students: how do you get yourself into your character before a scene? - From songspinner9

Forbes: [FM also used this answer in a previous question] Your question suggests that I have been successful in making them real... THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU... oh yeah... TTHHAANNK YYOU! Ok, I'm back to pretending I'm confident and cool again... right.

Well, it's a bit of the chicken and the egg. Although I studied with some pretty hard-core "method actor" teachers, I don't have any hard and fast rule as to how I approach a character. Sometimes I imagine I'm talking to someone from my past, imagine a past experience or even imagine a smell that means something to me. Sometimes I drive my fellow cast mates nuts by trying to create the same relationship with them off camera that I need to have on camera, sometimes I just feed of them, and often I have no idea how I "FOOLED THEM AGAIN"!

Q: Do you hang out with the other cast members when Mutant X is not in production? How good of friends are you with the other cast members? - From Kelly, Shalimar_fox2, Grace, Alana, Shalgal, Jenny

Forbes: The other cast members aren't friends at all - they are family. I know more about them than I do about perhaps anyone else outside of my real family. I don't really hang out with them because I see enough of them, but not because I don't like them. But I keep in touch with all of them, certainly as much as I keep in touch with my own father.

Q: What do you like to do when you are not on the set filming Mutant X? - From Donna S.

Forbes: One of the things that is really great about working on a TV show is the long holidays we get between seasons. I do all my own work on my house (a family tradition and point of pride), I'm an avid gardener, and I'm very attached to my family. So mostly I step out of my "Actor" mode and try hard to regain my normalcy. On the other hand, the holidays can be a bit too long, and since I really love the [tv] business, I inevitably end up doing some studying, and now I'm starting to do some coaching of other actors. It keeps the wheels turning and stops me from going too stir-crazy.

Q: Would you like to live in a world with mutants, and would you like to be a mutant yourself?
- From Isabelle

Forbes: Isn't the point that we all feel like mutants all the time?

Q: What's your favorite kind of cookie? - From Jessalyn

Forbes: The peak-freen cookies that my Grandmother used to have every Sunday for me, with the red jelly in the middle.

Q: What sports did you play in school? - From Jim

Forbes: I played football, rugby, track & field, wrestled and dabbled in some martial arts.

Q: With all the hours and times you put into each episode, this must be taxing on you and your family. How do you manage to juggle Mutant X life and your family life? - From Kathleen

Forbes: I get long stretches off between seasons and I try to make these times really count. It is hard on them, they aren't from Canada and they give up alot to support me in all this.

Q: Hi Forbes, I met you at ComicCon San Diego 2003, and you gave me advice about playing the piano, and keeping to it. I never really got to thank you for that, so I wanted to thank you very much. My question is: If you could take only one item to a place where you were all alone, what would it be and why? - From Jenny

Forbes: I'm so glad you took heed of my advice! I'm building a music study in my house right now and I've promised myself I'm going to re-learn the piano. Well done, and keep it up. You'll really appreciate it in the long run.

Let's see, deserted island... what would I bring... I guess my wood-tools. I could stay a very long time alone and be completely amused if I could just build things. Churchill used to say that, "Building walls keeps the Black Dogs at bay." I believe he was talking about depression and loneliness.

Q: In your life, who has been the person that you could say has been your inspiration and that has helped you get to where you are today? - From Luis J.

Forbes: I would have to give a very long list of people if I was to be fair, but I would say my father is the one who really taught me to swim against the current and gave me my self-confidence. Self-confidence is the only thing that has gotten me through life; my arrogance has gotten in the way... that's also his fault!

Q: What is your belief or motto in life? - From heartbroken23

Forbes: Try to get your hands on a poem by Kipling called "IF". That poem is my motto. I found a really cool print of it, written in gold leaf and framed in an antique frame. I take it with me to all my jobs. I try to memorize a line a week, and look for times when that line offers guidance.

© The Official Mutant X Site

Forbes March S2 DVD Extras

Forbes March: Jesse comes from a wealthy background, but I think he’s rejected that. I used to compare him with these kids from middle-class families that go off and join the Peace Corps kind of deal. I think he’s looking for something a little more in his life than what that had to offer. And I think he’s rejected the values that he came from, and I think he’s trying to make amends for certain things. And I think he’s trying to do that through Mutant X. And I think he’s also looking for a sense of family, and I think he finds that here. I think that gives him a certain inner conflict in any moment because there’s who he is and who he wants to be. And that’s a lot of fun to play. I guess Adam is a father figure in the way that teenagers try to find father figures because they resented their daddy, and try to replace him with the man they would like to be. I think Adam represents a bit of that, although Jesse is now begun to rebel against Adam as well. I think he’s very protective of Emma. He’s quick to defend Emma. I think Brennan is that new alpha male on the scene, you know? It was all Jesse’s game until Brennan turned up. But at the same time, I think he likes Brennan a lot, and he’d like to be a bit more like Brennan. But there’s that rivalry there. And Shalimar is kind of that really hot auntie, you know, that you just, oh, if she was just the auntie on the other side, you know, or the uncle’s girlfriend, maybe you could get in there, but you can’t.

The original piece for Jesse called for Jesse to split into three different characters. And initially I passed on the audition, never mind the job. And I had 4 other auditions the same day and it was mayhem in the middle of casting season. The season when every new pilot season, when every new pilot is looking for their actors, and there’s just a plethora of auditions every day. And this was, basically, it was three auditions in one, but you had to play all three parts at the same time. The character’s sitting in a chair, and splits into three and I’d have to have a conversation between myself: How are you? I’m fine. Are you sure? I’m okay. Yah-dah-di-di-di-dah. One was effeminate, one was bitter, one was happy, it was just this whole mess. Meh. But my coach yelled at me, and I went to it anyway. And got called back in LA, went and auditioned in LA. Victor and I had been out a few times previous weeks, and we played that up. And here we are.
I think they’ve toned it down, at least for me, a bit this year. I got pretty beat up last year. I was all gung ho at the start of the season until my back, neck, knee, ankle, elbow went out. But it’s been a lot of fun. Our stunt coordinator, Paul Ropovski, is very good. He’s the world champion stunt guy, and we’re always goofing around. The wirework is just, you know, it’s like flying. It’s fantastic when you get the chance to get onto some of that stuff. But it’s good, I didn’t expect it. I mean, I gave up sports. I was in arts as a kid, and then I went into sports when girls came into the scene, and then out of sports and went back into arts. I never expected all of that to come back, but I did some martial arts when I was a kid. I played football in university and du-du-du-du-du, so I guess it’s had it’s play after all. But it’s a lot of fun. Shakes things up. It’s nice. Drama, drama, drama, drama, drama, it gets a little heavy after a while, so it’s fun to come in and have a good day of just busting balls for a day. It’s fun.

I really like the direction they’ve gone with him. I would like to see the father come back. I would like to see all the characters become more human. I think last year was very plot driven, and I think this year they’ve realized that it’s important to develop the characters a little more. I’d like to see more of Jesse’s conflict come out, the whole rich guy rejecting the rich guy bit. I’d like to see them explore the father thing more, and I think they’re going to. And I’d like to see his relationship with Brennan developed more. There’re a lot of hints at it; a lot of it is just stuff that Victor and I had put in there, little jabs and little one-liners we throw at each other. And it played well, so hopefully they’ll continue that route.

Usually when you’re working on a show, you find somebody who you get along well with. And you guys go off and do your thing. And it quickly separates into teams and it becomes very rivalry, and all this kind of politics crap. And everybody says, “Oh, we all get along,” and they’re full of crap. But we go out a lot since day one. Lauren and I took an acting class together when we were first starting off ten years ago, and Victor and I have been out partying before. And Vicky’s just fun. John’s MAD! He has this very competitive salt thing, you know, very THEATER. I’M FROM NEW YORK THEATER is that and the other thing on camera. And you take him out, he’s a ARGHH!

The girl who sent me my first piece of fanmail, I still write back and forth to. When I was on a soap, I had on my wall in my dressing room all the photos of everybody who asked for a photo. I’d say, “All right, but you’ve got to send me a photo.” I had this whole wall of them, it was great. ‘Cause it’s easy when you’re in this to forget why you’re doing it. You even forget that it’s on tv. You’re just kind of going in, punching in, punching out, going home. And the fanmail really helps you to remember why you go into it and why you’re here and who it’s for. Keeps you excited about it to know that people are getting a smile out of it.

© Tribune Entertainment

TV Guide 12/10/02

Forbes March ex-Scott Chandler, All My Children, Jesse Kilmartin, Mutant X

SHINE ON! Thank goodness that former All My Children star Forbes March (ex-Scott) has a sense of humor. Upon learning that his first interview with TV Guide Online about his syndicated sophomore series, Mutant X, had been accidentally destroyed, he laughs and graciously agrees to give another. It's that carefree attitude that helped March survive an early release from AMC, where he played Scott Chandler, Stuart's adopted son, in 1999. March didn't bat an eyelash when he had to pack up his family and relocate to Toronto, Canada, to star in his popular sci-fi series.

Interviewing March is one crazy ride. He talks in rapid-fire sentences, serves up several funny voices to emphasize a point and brings a punch line to every answer. So sit back, relax and get ready to have a hearty chuckle as March waxes on about his series, his snow days, and his stunts — on and off the set. — Delaina Dixon

It's been about two months since we spoke — what show are you on again?
(Chuckles) I'm on that Mutant show, with lots of bodies running around in tank tops — and we beat people up.

I thought you guys wore tough leather jackets.
Yeah, but they decided it wasn't good for the ratings, so now we're wearing less.

For all the new Mutant X fans you'll have after they read this article, what are your character Jesse's powers, and how did he get them?
He's "get-hard" guy! He can change his body density to be hard or soft. There were a bunch of scientists who messed around with genes while babies were growing in their mothers' wombs, and the mothers didn't know. When the kids hit puberty, they had these genetically altered powers — to be cat people or see into the future. One scientist realized that was wrong, wrong, wrong and immoral. He pulled together some of the mutants to save other mutants because the bad guys want to kill them off to cover their tracks.

What's been happening to Jesse this season?
We're shooting episode 19 [out of 22], and I'm fairly lightened, because it's been a tough season. Jesse's become a bit dry. He's like Chandler [from Friends], he's got that cynicism going on, which is kind of fun to play. It gives him a little bit of humor, which is nice.

That's a good move, because Jesse was kind of clueless last season.
He was kind of clueless! Jesse's been so beaten and battered and had a hard time. His father betrayed him, his girlfriend last year got thrown in the mutant underground, and every girl he kisses winds up dead. He's Dr. Death Kiss.

Since Jesse's taken on this darker side, what have you changed about yourself to make him more cynical?
I've killed my wife, shot my father, and buried my mother alive to dig into my darker side. (Chuckles). No really, I've never worked on a cynical character before, and it's kind of a challenge. If you go too far, it can come across spiteful and hateful.

How has Season Two become even bigger and better that the first?
We've improved in every department: New producers, writers and set design. The show's been completely revamped. Last year, we were a little cold and static. The writing was very self-involved in the scientific explanations of how we became mutants. The rules of the world were set last year, so now we can get on with telling the story.

And what does that entail?
There's a lot more character-driven stuff. Last year, we were too coordinated. This year, we're more raw, more action and more real. We go outside [to shoot] instead of being stuck in the studio all the time. Our sets have been redone, so that the base of the mountain really looks like the base of a mountain. We eat this year, which we didn't do last year. We're just generally more human, which makes the show more approachable.

Your show has a lot of stunts. What has been the coolest?
The coolest was when they drove a car into me, but it was also the scariest because they didn't tell me that they were going to do it. They said the car was going to drive near me. I stood there and this car was coming at me, 90 MPH, when it dawned on me that it wasn't stopping. I could have bailed which would have ruined the shot, and they wold have laughed at me because I'm suppose to be hard guy, solid like a rock. So I stood my ground, and the driver — he's a good driver — slammed on the brakes about six feet from me. The car skidded and swerved towards me, stopping two inches from my kneecaps. That was a very exciting moment.

Have you broken any bones this season?
I've been on various painkillers all year. I'm just trying to decide what to take now because I threw out my back again. But I haven't been too injured this year, and I'm thankful for that.

Michael Easton, who plays Stephen Clay/Caleb on Port Charles, has guest starred on your show. Any chances of him returning for more episodes?
As far as I know, there are no current plans to bring him back. But he was great to work with, and it'd be fun if he did come back.

So how will the season end?
I've been told that everything is going into mayhem. We could all be dead, so obviously we're going into renegotiations, and we'll see who does good. (Chuckles)

Will you be returning for a third season?
I'm on a five-year contract, so I ain't going nowhere, no time soon, honey bunny. But we get four or five months off between seasons. That's a nice time to freshen up and do something else.

What are you planning to do with your break?
I'm going to be doing some directing. There're some people producing some [independent films] that I'm looking at. It's a kind of cliché that every actor wants to direct, but I'm just holding myself back here on set. I very much like people who keep the cameras moving. I'm not very big on paint by numbers: Close up, wide shot, okay next scene. I very much like the Woody Allen style with a camera going through a scene. It's called motion pictures, people, you've got to see things moving on screen.

You were only on All My Children for about a year. Do you ever think of returning to the daytime arena?
Soaps are great opportunities for actors because they're such big blocks of text, and the storylines are fun. I'd love to go back if I wasn't in a situation where I was fighting for the longevity of the job. Bring me back for two weeks, where I could go in and have some fun, and then get out.

The holidays are right around the corner. What are some of the traditions you follow at the holiday time?
We're a fairly new family, and last year was our first Christmas we spent as a family. This is the first year, by choice, we're going to spend it just as a family in our house. We have lots of visitors coming, and we'll have to come up with some traditions of our own. I think lighting the house will be our first.

You're decorating your home?
You know every neighborhood has that tacky person with 3000 lights on their house? That's me. I've only two strings of them up so far, but we have over 1400 hundred bulbs, and I've promised a group of kids we'd put them up over the weekend. Our house is going to glow.

You're going to blow out the city!
I hear our power plant has a shortage [on funds], so being a good citizen, I'm going to give them a reason to raise the rates.

© TV Guide

Visimag's Xpose 2/02 Forbes March interview, on Unofficial Forbes

No Tights Please, I'm a Superhero
Xpose #64 - February 2002
Forbes March tells Bryan Cairns why he's glad Mutant X's Jesse Kilmartin gets to ditch the lycra tights.

In this role as Mutant X's Jesse Kilmartin, actor Forbes March has the incredible ability to control his body's molecular structure, allowing him to become super-dense and invulnerable, or intangible and untouchable. But the characters powers almost put him off auditioning for the role. Jesse was originally slated to split into three separate bodies with three distinct personalities, and March was sure how to read for the role. With television gearing up for its pilot season and other potential parts piling up, the 28 year old actor decided to blow the Mutant X audition off. That is, until his acting coach gave him a loud verbal lashing along with some useful tips on how to approach the script.

"In my audition for Jesse, he split into three characters, which is a great idea and a lot of fun to play," explains March. "On camera, that is, when you can shoot one character, change your clothes get into character for another guy, learn your new lines, and then do it again. But in an audition situation, you're sitting in this steel folding chair in the middle of a perfectly white room with some casting director who's looking at you like you're #374 and there's another 57 to come before she gets her next coffee break. And I was supposed to carry on this conversation with myself."

Yet somehow, March pulled it off as he explained on the Mutant X set in Toronto. Dressed in a black t-shirt and khaki paints, the laid-back Canadian is every bit as amicable and humorous as his character, the neglected, unloved son who's turned against his corrupt father by joining the Mutant X group.

"I think he feels a bit of responsibility to come out and do some good," comments March. "He also resents the fact his mutantcy has been this bad thing in the family and he hasn't been accepted, so he wants to stand up for himself. It's a story of redemption, like for most of the characters."

To prepare for their roles, the entire ensemble cast was enrolled in a three week 'boot camp', which included wire work, martial arts, and gymnastics. These skills came in handy, especially in March's case since Jesse can become light enough to fly, allowing him to bounce off walls and do triple ninja flips in the air. At the opposite side of the spectrum, when he's rock solid, Jesse can be dropped from the air with the impact of a human meteorite. Although the lessons left March sore and bruised ("I'm still bleeding right now," he jokes), the physical challenge wasn't his greatest concern. Instead, the thought of tight fitting second skin costumes had his mind reeling and another part of his anatomy cringing.

"Yep, I think we were all worried simultaneously, because apparently we all called the producer on the same day saying 'Are we gonna be wearing spandex?'" chuckles March. "'If so, we might have to negotiate our contracts! How much am I gonna charge you to put me in spandex for the next nine months.' We were really glad that we're not in that because I don't really like walking around with, you know, my 'boys' hanging all over the set. You can just imagine the crew - they'll kill you."

In fact, March adds, those colorfully snug threads turned him off comics as a kid, but fortunately Jesse frequently swaps his costume for some designer black leather pants.

"I think the clothes make it more relatable," he explains. "To me, the whole idea of a superhero is that he's a normal guy. That's what appeals to us - we all see ourselves as heroes. Then comics dress them up with little horns coming out of their heads and those funny wrestling sneakers. That's not me. I was more interested in the military guys."

Superhero actor is undeniably a major part of Mutant X, but perhaps because of his background as a model March is more interested in finding new depths to the drama field, and cites a recent confrontation with Adam as one of his favorite scenes, since it was more of a 'character piece'.

Born and raised in Vancouver, March was selling watches door-to-door for $10 each, earning a meager $1.25 profit for himself, when his big break into modeling came as he stumbled into a talent agency. Intrigued, he gave them a call, signed up for acting classes, and was immediately enthralled. A week later, he starred in his first commercial which "pain and obscene amount of cash for a day". More commercial work led to a stint on the Canadian produced show Northwood, before an agent from Italy discovered him and flew him out to Europe for a campaign where his first experience of a runway shoot proved an interesting assignment. "On my first runway shoot. I though I'd made it, before they gave me this feather boar, a cigarette holder, and stiletto heels," chuckles March. "I was going 'I'm doing this all wrong."

He must have been doing something right, though, as March went on to model for such bigwigs as Armani and Tommy Hilfiger before returning to TV land as the hunky heartthrob Scott Chandler on the soap opera All My Children. The role not only built him a fan base, but delivered a second memorable blooper incident.

"I was doing this love scene on a soap opera and we're supposed to be rolling around a lot in bed, and by accident I flipped her off the bed and into a wall. It was a sound stage wall and it fell over!" recalls March. "We're in our underwear, in this bed with no more sheets and the crew was just dying."

So far, his work on Mutant X has been relatively free of such red-faced moments, but with a two-season run of 44 episodes already ordered there's plenty of time. As the cast and crew settle in for the long haul, Marvel is capitalizing on the show's success by launching a Mutant X comic book penned by the shows head writer Howard Chaykin. However, no everyone is so thrilled, as you might guess from March's earlier comments about comics. For March, becoming a screen superhero is one thing, but being immortalized as a four-color mutant is another.

"It's a really cool thing, but on the other hand, I'm an absolutely normal guy and trying very hard to stay that way under really kick-ass circumstances," he explains. "When I see stuff like that, I get paranoid and fearful people are going to think that's how I see myself, that I deserver to be a comic book superhero. But I just want to go out with old friends from high school and drink beers. I mean, it's the ultimate, but."

So comic book fame isn't what March wants. But given the chance what would he chance about his comic book clone? Better powers? More action? More chicks? After a few seconds of silence, he gets up and gives an answer that would have Boogie Nights' Dirk Diggler grinning.

"Well, you know." giggles March while motioning towards his private parts, "men all want more down here. They're free to extrapolate. Writers, pad away! They're free to expand all they want in that department. Nahhh, they can do whatever they want. They just have to make us funny and have people laughing."

© Visimag's Xpose

When did Nash realize he really liked Tess? (SOD 8/30/05)
"I think he liked her the moment he saw her. He knows that she's used to getting her way and he likes pushing her buttons a little bit, but that's just his way."


What was your worst first day of school? (SOW 9/20/05)
"Worst first day: In grade five, I tried to kiss this girl at recess and found out she was the most popular guy's girl. All the popular guys beat me up for the whole year. It was terrible: 'Welcome to your new school.' I figured I'd enter with a splash. Instead, I ended up with a black eye."


What does Forbes remember about his audition? (SID 11/22/05)
"I was out in L.A. so I put my stuff on tape. But the very fact that they were willing to see me was a good sign. I had already worked for ABC, so if there were any interest at all, it would be a good interest. They weren't going to waste their time with me if I'd been blackballed."


How do actors unwind after a long day? (SOW 11/29/05)
"I like doing carpentry."


Is Nash the romantic we've seen with Tess, or the tough guy who keeps scrapping with Antonio? (SOD 12/13/05)
"Nash wants to be a little devilish, to be that bad boy. But something about Tess brings out the best side of him."


What's the dumbest thing your character did this year? (SOD 12/27/05)
"Uh, not realizing that the woman he's in love with [Tess] isn't real. Should've figured that one out, don't ya' think?"



© Esprit Libre

FYI
Birthday: Novemeber 12.
Birthplace: Bristol, England.
Meet The Parents: March's mom is a music teacher, while Dad is a well-known columnist and philosopher.
Fall Guy: His MUTANT X role demanded stunt work which once left him injured after he overshot a trampoline crash pad and careened into a cinder block wall!



If you need a guy to liven up your party, One Life to Live's Forbes March (Nash) is definitely your man. Blessed with the energy of a 12-year-old and the kind of boyish good looks that make women swoon, the actor exudes a charm that draws you in from the moment he starts talking. And then there's the smile, which along with his twinkling eyes, serves to let everyone know that this is one fellow who, despite his successes, will never take life -- or himself -- too seriously.


A Shaky Start
Given his good nature and optimism, it's tempting to think that the road for March has been easy. But, as he points out, his first daytime experience was less than idyllic. Brought on to All My Children in 1999 as the fourth actor to play Stuart Chandler's son, Scott, he found himself out of work just a year later. "It wasn't a surprise," he says. "I think that their intentions were good, but they had no real storyline prepared for Scott." While March learned quite a bit from the brief stint, his dismissal left him with a few practical considerations.

"My daughter had just been born, I had just bought a house -- actors have real lives, too," he notes. But despite the financial concerns, he says that in terms of his career, getting the boot turned out to be not such a bad thing. "I learned a lot, even though I didn't get to contribute as much as I'd like to. Professionally, I was kind of relieved to be let off the hook," March says candidly. "I realize that now, in hindsight. You learn what's in your control and what's not. It's kind of freeing."


New Horizons
After spending the holidays with his family, March headed out to L.A. for pilot season and landed a role on a new science-fiction series. As fate would have it, Mutant X took the actor back to his native Canada and allowed his family to settle down. "We had lived in 10 houses in 11 years," he notes. "Or was it 11 houses in 10 years? I can never get it right. For the first time in a very long time, we set roots down. I'd been away from Canada for so long -- it was really nice," he adds with a touch of nostalgia. "At first, it was irritating, because it wasn't as I remembered it. But by the time I left, I realized that it was much better."

Alas, primetime can be as uncertain as soaps, and after a three-year run, the series was cancelled. As March began to look for work, the real-estate market helped him figure out his next move. "I had a house in New Jersey that wouldn't sell, and one in L.A. that would. So, I told my agent, 'Get me a job on the East Coast.'"


Second Time Around
"I really didn't think I would ever come back [to soaps]," March reveals. "The trouble with daytime is, you never have a moment of relaxation."

Despite his initial apprehension, an intriguing role at OLTL convinced him that Nash was a part that was worth returning to the genre for. From the start, he saw Nash as a saucy character, different from the uptight guys he had played in the past. "I really wanted to play something a little more 'wink, wink,' a little more devilish -- I had a good feeling [about him]."

Because of the sale of his California home, the actor wasn't overly concerned about money, and the absence of pressure was refreshing. "For the first time in my life, I could take a job that I didn't need and just have some fun with it. I hope that doesn't come across as unappreciative, but it's nice."

March explains that his new sense of calm has allowed him to make the most of a great opportunity. Having received a warm welcome from folks at OLTL's Fan Club event in August, he is happy that his enjoyment seems to come across to viewers. "It was really neat to see that the fun I was having in some way translated." And now that the character has followed Tess home, he's looking forward to Nash becoming a bigger part of the Llanview scene. So are we! -- Paula Rueger.


...On Working With Jerry VerDorn (Clint): "It's going to be interested to see what happens with Nash and Clint. Jerry is so much fun to work with; we get along really well. He's got a little devil in him."
...On Parental Roles: The father of a 6-year-old, March says that wife Vanessa is the one who makes most of the rules. "You're supposed to be grown-up, and I'm not. I'm more of a party organizer than a disciplinarian."
...On Nash's True Feelings For Tess: "The audience -- and Nash -- are never quite sure if he's fighting for her spirit or for possessive reasons. I think it's a little bit of both."
...On His Former AMC Dad: "David Canary (Adam/Stuart) has the enormous respect of everybody around him without ever demanding it. He's the most dignified man I've ever worked with."


© Esprit Libre