HIFF: Alex O’Loughlin’s Q&A Highlights Part 2

This follow-up to Alex’s HIFF Q&A Highlights Part 1 is possible thanks to Five-0 Undercover, who shared the transcript from An Afternoon with Hawaii Five-0, that took place on October 16.

Mahalo, Officer 808 for your efforts!

Anderson: How was the reaction to the show in Australia?

Alex: I’ve only been back once since the show started. But my mum loves it.

Alex in response to a question about his acting technique:

Alex: There are so many different interpretations, roles, scenes, that’s what makes casting so important. Sometimes we’re only given two hours [for a scene]. It’s like a cold instinct, a muscle. I just do it.

Alex: Sometimes you’ll want to get the whole script, and you’ll never get the whole script. [Getting the script] is helpful to me. The more info I have, the more opportunity I have.

Alex on doing stunt work, in particular fight scenes:

Alex: When Steve [Boyum] says that “Alex has more input than any other actor” what he’s really saying is that I have a big mouth. [Alex thanked Steve for his compliment.] A lot of my life has been dedicated to martial arts and fighting techniques. I want to keep physical. I think growing up in Australia, as a young working class kid, I was fascinated by other cultures. I found Japanese martial arts. It was so grounded and so whole, and so wonderfully rich in culture, tradition and respect, I fell in love with it. The discipline that I got is part of the driving force of my life… It’s something that gets me out of bed when I’m tired, and pushes me when I’m hurt.

Alex mentioned that he is learning jujitsu, and that the night prior, his instructor put him in a sleeper hold and didn’t realize it until he woke up from it. Aww, poor guy.

Alex: Steve is a Captain America type, stoic, military trained. As opposed to Danny who’s loose and fast, a smart ass, [Scott] can have a lot of fun with that character. Not with McGarrett, he’s very by the book. I get to express who he is physically.

Grace (with a question from the audience): “Alex and Scott, what’s more fun? The stunts and action, or the bromance?”

Alex: Okay… since I’ve been officially been given permission to speak for his Royal Highness [Scott], he definitely would say the bromance, ’cause he’s so into me. As for me, I like him. It’s kind of one and the same, the bromance and the stunts… it’s pretty tricky. We talk a lot of about stunts but the bromance is what really stood out in the pilot script. The first cargument that we had… it’s so natural, we just enjoyed each other. We sort of go for it as actors, it’s safe to go for each other’s throats, cause when they call cut, it’s all good. I like my bromance.

Lauren  (with a question from the audience): “You have a great Australian accent. You also sound like an authentic American and your Hawaiian words are also excellent.” Oh, over! I didn’t read the back [she flipped the card over]. “Why are you so handsome? I love you.” Hah, no! “How are you able to master the accents and speak the Hawaiian words like an absolute local?”

Alex: Who is the question from?

Someone: Scott Caan.

At this point the crowd was in stitches.

Alex: My mastery of the Australian accent started from… birth [he gave a sly smile]. As an Aussie actor, you kind of have to learn the American accent. The pidgin is tricky, from the beginning I had a lot of very – ”helpful” – locals coming up and volunteering their advice. I had this one woman come up to me in Haleiwa and said, “Yo…it’s brah, not bro.” I said, “Ok, brah.” “No, not me, you idiot,” she said and walked away. I made it a point to learn quickly after that.

Read the full posts at Five-0 Undercover: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3