Carin Baer/FOXToday's E! Online Dollhouse-fest starts off with the fantastic Enver Gjokaj dialing in from his native Albania to answer our burning questions about his role as Victor on Fox's Dollhouse, which, of course, returns tonight at 9 p.m. on Fox.
Have you fantasized about certain assignments you'd like to see Victor take, just for fun as an actor?
Yes. I would like to shoot a rocket launcher into a busload of bad guys from a moving car. I've informed Joss of that, but still no word back so I can only assume he's looking for a way to fit it into future episodes.
Is there anything you can tease about Victor's background, before he was a doll?
We know he has a military background and that something bad happened. Joss and I have talked briefly about that, but nothing is official.
What have you learned from working with Joss Whedon and Eliza Dushku?
Wow, so much. What really stands out to me is their professionalism. It's been a rocky road finding this show, but never once did any tension or frustration trickle onto set. I don't know how he does it but Joss creates a truly creative atmosphere. And Eliza basically has to live on set, but I never once saw her tired or cranky or complaining. Couldn't ask for better people to work with.
Do you have any sense of what it is that attracts Victor so strongly to Sierra?
Hmm...Pheromones? I'm not sure, but we know it's something deeper, more instinctual than liking her personality, because we don't really have those as dolls. I personally think Joss is asking, "What if there is such a thing as true love?" Something more than a pat psychological answer. What if two souls are attracted to each other even in the absence of memory? It's a great question.
Are Victor and Echo friends at this point?
Again, I think friends implies going out for drinks and talking about movies they like. Joss has written that it's like a herd mentality—that it's less social interaction than it is flocking. I'm not sure. In my mind, there is an implicit trust.
How do you feel when you're playing Victor in his "doll" state?
Well, we get information from the script, but there's still a ton of space for interpretation when it comes to the dolls. I've approached Victor like a child. Children haven't learned to slouch and act cool and put up all these social smoke screens. They're fascinating to watch exactly because they are such an open book. Their emotions, discoveries, their struggles are on full display. If there is something I'm shooting for with Victor it's that. If I could be even a fraction as fascinating to watch as my nephew I would be very happy.
As an Active yourself, what do you think makes Alpha so scary? What's the most worrisome about that kind of bad guy?
Well, I really don't want to spoil anything. But this technology makes it possible to give someone so much more power than one person should have. When has that not led to bad behavior?
Is there any way Ms. DeWitt's/Miss Lonelyheart's fling with Victor isn't gross sexual misconduct?
To be honest, I don't spend a lot of time thinking about the ramifications of the show, because Victor isn't. It certainly is both of those things, but I'll leave it to fans to parse the ramifications of Adelle and Roger's relationship. One of the creepiest things about the show is that the people are being used and they don't even know it. Or they won't. So I don't.
Which Victor scene or episode or moment do you love the most or makes you proudest?
I've got to say I was proudest of the "Roger" stuff, but not necessarily because I thought that character turned out the best. None of Victor's personalities were easy, but "Roger" was terrifying. The character was a challenge on every level. I needed an RP accent, to seem older, to be likable but powerful, to basically be the male version of Adelle DeWitt. And to make things worse I had to do it opposite Olivia Williams, who is most definitely the real deal. I mean she's an actor with an intimidating sense of gravitas. It had to be everything or we wouldn't believe the character or Adelle's need for him. I get the script no earlier than a couple days before shoot, so we're talking about all this in a couple days. "Roger" was like a backflip; either you make it or you land on your face. So I went for it. I won't say whether or not I think I made it, but I went for it and I'm pretty proud of myself for that. Ultimately, it's roles like this you learn the most from, the characters that terrify you to step into.
So, who's your favorite doll: Victor, Sierra, Echo, November or Mike? Post in the comments!
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