Sam Witwer plays the voice of The Son in three episodes of Star Wars: Clone Wars on the Cartoon Network. I got a chance to do a little Q+A with this scrumptous hunk of love. He happens to also be in two other of my favorite shows - Dexter and Battlestar Galactica! Not to mention I see his "likeness" on my 50 inch TV screen every time I attempt to conquer The Force Unleashed game.
Sweet Sam took some time out of his busy schedule to talk about Clone Wars, his in depth knowledge of the X-wing and his budding singing career.
LW - You’re the voice of The Son in the Mortis Trilogy on The Clone Wars! How is it working with such a talented group of actors, oh and the awesome Dave Filoni?
SW - Well, first let me say that I had a nerd stroke upon discovering that I would be playing the Dark Side of the Force for three episodes. What possessed Dave Filoni to hire me is unknown at this time. However, we had a lot of fun. There's something wonderful about being in a room full of people who all really want to be there. Dave Filoni brings an intelligence and craft and above all else passion to his role as show runner. I don't think we knew, as fans, how lucky we were to have him do this show for us. I'm not sure there was a better fit out there.
He's one of us. A true fan. I asked him on my first day, "Hey, are you concerned that my character might sound too much like Starkiller?" Dave answered, "Well, you're the dark side of the force, so it makes sense to hear a little of him in there." ... which then got me thinking, hmm... perhaps we should hear ALL dark side characters in there? Maybe just a touch? So at appropriate moments I thought it might be fun to hear a little Darth Vader, Darth Maul, and of course the Emperor. So I started performing it that way and Dave caught on real quick and from there we really pushed that idea to its tasteful (I hope) limits.
I also found the voice cast to be a real pleasure. Oh, and very friendly. I admire the hell out of good voice actors. It's an extreme skill set that I possess only in very small measure by comparison.
LW - Your Clone Wars character, The Son, is really a personification of the dark side. Can you talk about The Son’s intentions in this trilogy? What’s his main driving force?
SW - Well, we're talking about the motivations of the dark side of the Force. That's heavy stuff. Basically, it's like this: The theme we're dealing with is balance. The issue is that the Force is out of balance, but everyone has a different perspective as to what that means. The Son believes that if the dark side had more influence, if the universe were ruled by more destructive radical urges, then we'd all be better off. He's only partly right. You can't have the light without the dark. They define each other. The Jedi, for example, the champions of peace and justice and representatives of the living, good, creative side of the Force ... they are not entirely without the dark side. They couldn't take up arms to defend the innocent if they didn't have a spark of the dark side within.
However, The Son promotes the extreme dark edge of the spectrum. To this end, he wishes to get his hands on Anakin Skywalker, the chosen one, the one who is prophesied to bring balance to the Force. If he can corrupt Anakin then he can dictate what that balance will be. A universe ruled by the dark side with just enough light out there to create something for the dark side to corrupt and destroy. Hey, you asked. And yes, they pay me to go into this level of detail.
LW - And how did you land your kickass role in LucasArts The Force Unleashed and TFU2?
SW - Luck. Plain and simple. When Force Unleashed was in the concept phase for story with Hayden Blackman and George Lucas and company, a very talented artist named Amy Beth Christenson was hammering out hundreds of amazing concept paintings of who and what "Darth Vader's Apprentice" could be. Finally, they settled on one and unveiled it at a big company meeting. My friend David Collins and his immediate boss Darragh O'Farrell looked at the painting and looked at each other and said, "Whoa. That's Sam Witwer." Amy Beth Christenson, without knowing me, had painted me.
Fast forward to a rigorous audition process where they had me perform these audition scenes for 45 minutes straight... absolutely exhausting! I guess between my Star Wars knowledge (I'm a huge fan) and the fact that I looked exactly like their character - I was hired.
Darragh went on to direct it, and David Collins, an extremely talented actor as well as the lead audio on TFU, played Proxy.
The result is that I got to hang out with my friends and we got to, with George's blessing, make our own Star Wars. It was extremely rewarding.
LW - I hear you are quite the Star Wars fan with a black belt in Star Wars knowledge. Well done! Can you share with us some tidbits, maybe something the average fan wouldn’t necessarily know?
SW - Oh boy ... um ... well, the Imperials had the edge with the TIE/ln starfighter (standard TIE fighter). Could fly rings around the rebel's old Y-Wings and obsolete Z-95 Headhunters. The Rebels were hurting for a space superiority starfighter. Well, as you probably know, the Incom staff defected to the rebellion bringing the T-65 prototypes with them. The Rebellion started building them and suddenly the T-65 X-wing fighter was born. With the X-wing's rugged design, fire-linked quad laser cannons, proton torpedoes and shields, the TIE/lns didn't stand much of a chance. Not in equal numbers in any case, which is why Sienar Fleet Systems started developing the TIE interceptor – a FAST fighter with a bent wing design taken from Lord Darth Vader's TIE Advanced starfighter that he flew in the Battle of Yavin.
Pretty much the fastest fighter out there until the Rebels came out with the A-Wing.
Oh, should be noted that the X-Wings, along with most rebel fighters, were equipped with hyperdrives for long range strike missions. The Empire's mass produced TIE Fighters were almost always launched from larger ships like the Imperator-Class Star Destroyers.
Believe it or not, I have a girlfriend.
LW - I see from playing TFU that you really know how to handle your lightsaber. What’s your favorite way to kill a Stormtrooper? Force grip? I myself am having some difficulties getting a handle on my controllers. Do you think sometime maybe you could show me the ways?
SW - I'm a grip ‘em and toss ‘em kinda guy. There's fun to be found in tossing a Stormtrooper straight up in the air and seeing if you can kill his buddies before gravity brings him crashing back down to the ground.
I'm sure we could work out a training program, but look ... the guy who trained me was Darth Vader so don't expect me to not be a jerk.
LW - So Sam, I’m not gonna lie, you look like you could take down a band of Clones and Navy Seals with one glance. How do you stay so fit?
SW - I jog. I teach Krav Maga. I do steroids. Two out of the three are untrue. Oh, oddly enough, I read online that I DO indeed do steroids. I thought that was awesome!
LW - I know you’re also the lead singer in your band The Crashtones. Any plans on doing some live gigs in the near future?
SW - Unfortunately, there is just no way to know. The Crashtones members all have industry jobs. For example, Glenn Howerton is from Always Sunny in Philadelphia. When we have down time we play out. Problem is, we have NOT had downtime. I have not. I, shamefully, have 20 half finished songs sitting on my hard drive. I need to finish them. I promise, though, that when I do and I release a 2nd Crashtones album ... well... you're all gonna be sorry I did.
It's weird stuff, to be sure.
Oh, go hit www.cdbaby.com and take a listen.
Oh, and watch Being Human! Totally unrelated plug!
LW - Oh Dear Sam, for you? Anything....
Post note: As you all know, I like to end my Q+A with a Princess Leia buns pic but Sadly Sam was unavailable.
Catch Sam in all his glory in Star Wars: Clone Wars, airing Fridays at 8:30 ET/PT on The Cartoon Network, and watch this special clip from the show!
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Woodsy's World of Star Wars: New Clone Wars Episode "Altar of Mortis"
Star Wars Celebration V Coverage: The Force Unleashed II
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