Interview with Christopher Larkin

September 29, 2015 | Christopher Larkin plays the role of Monty Green on the post apocalyptic The CW show "The 100". He also released his first solo album "The News Today" under the pseudonym Carry Hatchet. In our interview he talks about how his life changed since he landed the role on "The 100" and how the bandname Carry Hatchet came about.

Foto: Christopher Larkin - Copyright: James DePietro
Christopher Larkin
© James DePietro
Note: © myFanbase 2015 - The interview is exclusive to myFanbase and may not be published on other websites or the like.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.

German translation of the interview.

How much has your life changed since you were cast for the role of Monty Green on "The 100"?

For starters, I no longer need to work a day job. I know this sounds trivial, but this is a huge luxury in this industry. I left my job as a busboy to shoot the pilot of "The 100." Before that, I was a doorman / concierge in New York City taking on random theater gigs whenever I could. The financial stability that this series has provided me has by far been the biggest change in my day-to-day existence.

Richard Harmon told us in an interview that from the cast you are most like your character. Would you agree with him there, and which of your co-stars do you think is most like their character?

I'm not sure whether to be offended or flattered by Richard's comment, so I suppose my answer in return is Richard Harmon. Murphy is highly sarcastic. You're never certain whether he's saying something in earnest or just to get a rise out of you. I'm similar to Monty in several ways, but he's far more tech-savvy that I'll ever be. This guy just murdered everyone in Mount Weather by hacking into their system. I still have a flip phone.

You've already shown several faces of Monty, being a good friend, having hallucinations, success, hope... What do you like most about your character and what different sides would you like to play?

Monty is the greatest friend that you could ever hope for on the ground. There's zero doubt about that. But he's loyal to a fault. He's so concerned about the well-being of other people that he often forgets to think about himself. It would be nice to see him take more control over his own destiny / wants / needs / etc.

Foto: Christopher Larkin, The 100 - Copyright: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Christopher Larkin, The 100
© Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Most of your scenes so far have been with Devon Bostick. Which other cast members would you like to interact more with?

Yes, 97% of my scenes thus far have been with Devon. I've barely exchanged a single word with any of the other cast members, so it'd be nice to interact with any / all of them.

Monty plays an important part in radiating Level 5. In what way will this have an impact on him and his friendship with Jasper?

The decision to irradiate Level 5 will haunt Clarke, Bellamy and Monty for as long as the series continues. How could it not? It was a wartime decision, but it's still an unacceptable crime against humanity. In terms of Jasper, I don't see how their friendship can ever be the same. It will take far more than forgiveness to move beyond Maya's death.

Not every scene you shoot makes it to the final cut. Has there been a scene you did that you loved but didn't make it to the final cut?

To be honest, I don't have all that many scenes. Monty often provides information that helps move the story forward, so he generally avoids the cutting room floor. There was one battle scene in episode #2.12 where I lost my voice from all the endless screaming. They edited around my footage entirely, which was a bit disappointing. But I've been lucky for the most part.

You are also a musician and in September "The News Today" will be released. Could you please tell us a little bit about your music and the making of the album?

I've been wanting to release a solo album ever since I started playing / writing 13 years ago. I've never been happy with the clean, polished sound of a studio, so I decided to create a full-length LP entirely off my laptop. The band is Carry Hatchet. The album is called "The News Today". It was recorded / mixed on GarageBand, and will be released on September 29th. It's a ten-track acoustic album revolving around the concept of death. Not the cheeriest subject matter, but it's always on my mind.

What's the story behind the pseudonym Carry Hatchet?

I was watching a Ken Burns documentary on the 18th Amendment (i.e. Prohibition). He dedicated an entire segment to a woman named Carry Nation, who used to go around Kansas smashing up saloons with a hatchet. She made such a splash that the newspaper headlines started billing her as Carry Hatchet. I've got nothing against alcohol but the second I heard those two words together, I knew that I'd found a name for the band.

How do you develop your songs? What part comes first, music or lyrics?

Music always comes first. I have a lot of trouble working the other way around. This is probably because I couldn't write a decent lyric until about 2 years ago. The guitar always sets the stage for everything else.

In #2.06 Fog of War we got to hear the song "Confession" from your Band d'Artagnan. How did it happen and how did it feel to have your music on the show?

That was all thanks to our show creator, Jason Rothenberg. He heard that my band was releasing an EP and asked to give it a listen. I sent over "Confession" as a sample and the next thing I knew, it was on the show. I never could've imagined placing one of our songs anywhere, let alone on "The 100." I now have another reason to be indebted to that man.

You said in an interview that going to Ireland is number one on your bucket list. Would you tell us three more things that are currently on this list?

1. Take a break from acting.
2. Move somewhere that takes me completely out of my element.
3. Interact with the community. Meet people I never could've dreamed of meeting. Experience things I never would've dared to try.

Foto: Christopher Larkin - Copyright: James DePietro
Christopher Larkin
© James DePietro

Conventions and social media are a great way to interact with the fans. What kind of experiences have you made so far? And what does "I. Am. Avgeropoulos." in your Twitteraccount mean?

I just wrapped up my first convention a couple weeks ago. "Dragon Con" in Atlanta, GA was easily one of the highlights of my time on this show. The amount of love and support we received as a cast was unbelievable. Those conventions are all about giving back to the fans. I'd love to do another if the opportunity presents itself.

In terms of my Twitter bio, Marie and I separately mapped our gene pools back during season one. Believe it or not, we discovered that we're both related to an ancient Greek poet by the name of Sappho. It was one hell of a discovery and living proof that I am, in fact, an Avgeropoulos.

Since myFanbase is an online magazine about tv shows and music, we would like to know what your favorite shows and musicians are?

Music: There will always be time made for Elliott Smith. Nick Drake. The Who. The Beatles.

TV: There will always be time made for "The Twilight Zone" (Original). "Black Mirror". "Louie". The first 3 seasons of "Lost". The first 2 seasons of "Orphan Black". And most recently, the first season of "Mr. Robot".

Thank you for making time for us, Chris, we wish you all the best with your projects!

Charleen Winter - myFanbase

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