Exclusive interview with Hank Harris

November 4, 2016 | Hank Harris has a huge repertoire of experiences as a performer. Fans of ABC's "Once Upon a Time" will immediately recognize him as Dr. Jekyll. In our interview he talks about his time on set of "Once Upon a Time", and also a little bit about his past and future plans.

Foto: Hank Harris
Hank Harris

How did you get into acting and do you remember your very first role?

I started acting professionally when I was in high school in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This was the mid 90s when things were just starting to shoot in Albuquerque. My first job was a live-action video game where the actors had to interact with the camera. It was a first person choose-your-own-adventure game for girls that took place in a high school. I was one of the nerds.

You have been playing Dr. Jekyll on "Once Upon a Time" since the final episodes of season 5. Had you been following the show before you got cast in it?

I hadn't been following the show when I was cast, although I was a great admirer of many of the actors on it. My next-door neighbor directed a few earlier episodes and I was interested in the concept.

The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story was quite a surprise. Were you informed ahead of time, that they were planning to resolve this chapter?

The Jekyll/Hyde conclusion was a total surprise to me. Even reading the script I was caught off guard. It was sudden, but I feel, a fitting resolution to their shared story.

How do you feel about leaving the set of "Once Upon a Time" and were you surprised about Dr. Jekylls past?

Of course, leaving the set was bittersweet. There was so much at play with the prisoner vs. imprisoned aspects built into this version of the characters that I was interested in exploring, and the twist only brought greater dimension to their relationship. It would have been fun to find out more. Yes, I was surprised about our origin, but it made so much sense.

If you had the choice, would you stick to playing Dr. Jekyll or would you prefer being Mr. Hyde?

No, I wouldn't switch. Sam's Mr. Hyde is just too good, and I think we ended up finding a good balance, each of us playing our own side of the same coin. Plus, Jekyll has his own darkness, as it turns out.

How are things going behind the scenes of "Once Upon a Time"? What would people not know about the show?

Behind the scenes is a blast. It's a fun show to make and everyone has fun doing it. One thing people might not know is that Rumpelstiltskin's makeup gets on everything. Every time he grabs someone or interacts with an object, they swoop in and clean it between takes. They also have an incredible props department. There are so many important magical objects on the show, and so much care and craftsmanship is put into them. A lot of my scenes involved flasks and beakers and whatnot so I can also assure you, they have a very large dry-ice budget.

In "Sign of the Times" you played one of the characters and you also wrote the script. Is writing a hobby of yours?

Writing is an incredibly hard and time-consuming thing to do. It takes real discipline. The more acting I do, the less writing I do, then you throw in kids, and now I sound like I'm making excuses. I've written a few spec TV pilots, but have not sold anything yet. So I'm a working actor, wannabe writer… for now.

Foto: Hank Harris
Hank Harris

From 1999 to 2001 you played the role of Emory Dick in "Popular". What was a like being in this show? Did you enjoy playing this recurring role?

"Popular" was a great experience. Emory Dick remains one of my favorite roles, and was the first time I got to play a dork with dignity. That show was unique in that it was Ryan Murphy's first foray into TV and was a real proving ground for the rich characters and attention to tone that make his shows so good. I was very bummed when it got cancelled, it was a big family.

Over the years you worked in many TV shows. Do you have a favorite among your guest roles? Or a favorite show you would like to appear in?

I was lucky enough to be part of the Star Trek universe on "Enterprise", even if I was only a human, on Earth, pre-First Contact. Returning to that franchise would be a dream come true.

As a dad, would you love for your kids to become actors, too?

As a dad, I want my girls to be happy and confident, so I would prefer they follow in their mother's footsteps and go into architecture, or really anything else with more structure and rigor. Acting, despite the amount of attention it can get you, is a fragile place to build your self worth. Personally, I'm an emotional wreck.

Do you have new projects you can talk about? Maybe just the tiniest, vaguest little hint about how working on "Twin Peaks" was like for you?

I just wrapped on a new film by Eli Craig, which is a horror/comedy, but I can't say more. Regarding "Twin Peaks", the level of secrecy that permeated every aspect of the shoot was like nothing I'd every seen. I saw only the pages that pertained to my part, so I am effectively as excited to see it as anyone else. I can say that David Lynch was an incredibly giving and supportive director and collaborator. Simultaneously one of the creepiest and most life-affirming sets I've ever been on.

Since myFanbase is an online magazine about TV shows, we would like to know what your favorite shows are?

My favorite current show is "The Night Of""The Night Of", favorite Netflix-binge is "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine".

Thank you so much for making time for us, Hank, we wish you all the best!

Marie Florschütz - myFanbase

Note: © myFanbase 2016 - The interview is exclusive to myFanbase and may not be published on other websites or the like. You may share the first two questions (up to 180 words) if you link back to this site. Translations other than English and German may be posted with full credit including the link to this site.

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