Exclusive Q&A: Erik Jensen

Erik Jensen, who plays Doctor Jules Braun in Virtuality, is a notable talent in the entertainment world having worked as an actor on around 50 projects since the early 1990’s.

In addition to his work as a performer, Erik co-wrote the multi-award-winning, critically acclaimed play "The Exonerated", which ran Off-Broadway in New York city for nearly 2 years and starred Richard Dreyfuss, Susan Sarandon, Aidan Quinn, and Delroy Lindo.

Jensen has recently finished writing and editing his first graphic novel, “The Reconcilers.” Legendary “Batman” artist Neal Adams is serving as executive editor on the project and is lending his talents by designing the cover. Adams has also been actively collaborating with Jensen on character designs and scripting. This sci-fi “Cowboys in Space” epic is slated to debut at “Big Apple Con” in October 2009.

His current project “Virtuality” premieres tonight (June 26, 8/7c on FOX) and Erik was kind enough to take some time out today to answer some questions (while on the run from Cylons, apparently).

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John: Thanks for taking some time today to talk with me. Your character, Dr. Braun, is described as a navigator and astrophysicist. What kind of research or preparation did you do for this role?

Erik: Nice to talk to you John. Well I spent about 4 days going over NASA's website and related sites researching things like "Project Orion". This stuff on Virtuality is based on real science. A Nuclear pulse propulsion drive is the most likely way to achieve near light speeds available to us if we were actually to take up a mission to save the world. This stuff is quite cool.

I've already read a ton of science fiction and am a big BSG fan so I know the genre... I hired private detectives to trail Ritchie Coster (Jimmy Johnson on the show) who I am convinced is too talented not to be a well rendered hologram hooked up to Ron Moore's brain. The Detectives I hired ended up having an "accident" involving a B.S.G. Viper, Katee Sackhoff and a very heavy klieg light. They were easier to get info from when they were 6 feet tall but now that they've been squished to 1 and a half feet...well.... they tend to mumble. I'm dropping the investigation.

So I read as many books on NASA history and traditions as I could dig up. The University Braun is from Cal Tech's Jet propulsion lab has a tradition of eating good luck peanuts before a launch... so Ritchie and I tried to stick that in there but it ended up on the cutting room floor. The digital wastebasket. We still did it though. Little things like that can sometimes take you a lot farther than memorizing some physics equation or something.

I also watched a LOT of late 60's and 1970's sci fi. Solaris, Close Encounters, 2001, Jaws, stuff like that. Mike Taylor and I talked a lot about Richard Dreyfuss films. Richard was in a play I wrote called "The Exonerated". There are aspects of the characters that Richard plays that worked their way into Michael's writing and I studied the most self contained, haunted moments that Richard is so deft at playing. Not to do an impression. I was watching technique. I was watching how he handled certain moments technically. When you wanna paint you gotta study the Masters....


John: Would you travel in space yourself, given the chance?

Erik: Oh man yes. I was born July 20th. That's the anniversary of Armstrong setting foot on the moon. I actually own a mid 70's Jack Kirby original drawing from a Fantastic Four Comic of the moon landing. Great stuff. I love it. I'd volunteer for a mission like the one in Virtuality in a minute.

I'd like to travel in foldspace too though. I think that's how they did it in Dune.


John: According to the character bio for Jules Braun on Facebook, he experienced a person tragedy during a traffic accident that, also, was responsible for character Jimmy Johnson being in a wheel chair. Is this connection explored on screen in any way?

Erik: Nope. Ritchie and I talked extensively about what each of us knew and didn't know about the event. We are old old friends so we are comfortable talking about scenes before we do them and equally comfortable hiding little things from each other that will pop out. Sort of psychic surprises. He's really good. He's not a total bastard at all. I'm quite angry at you for saying that about him. Oh...you didn't say that? Who was it who said... I'd be careful though. Moore has Cylons. They will find you.


John: From what I've seen and read so far, Braun comes across as being a rather calm or cool character but with so much baggage, is this just a facade?

Yes. Omar Metwally (the ships doctor on Virtuality) once told me after I was kicking myself for blowing some scene or other. I hadn't messed anything up. I was just being an idiot. Omar pulled me aside and said "You don't have anything to worry about man. You have a circus going on behind your eyes." So Omar taught me that all that contained turmoil was better left contained. If we go to series I'm sure Ron and Michael will find some way to set the lions tigers bears and trapeze artists free. I might get to throw a lot of chairs etc....

John: What was the most challenging or rewarding aspect of being involved in this particular production?

Erik: Rewarding? Ron Moore. Michael Taylor. Peter Berg. My castmate/friends. Period.
Challenging? Ritchie Coster. That guy is a Cylon.


John: Reviewers are often quick to make comparisons between different sci fi projects. In your opinion, what sets Virtuality apart from other sci fi shows/movies?

Erik: It's not about rubber monsters, ray guns, and outer space. All good science fiction is about INNER space. The things that go bump in US. That's what drew me to the script. That and the catering. Man did they feed us good! No seriously if you think of any great film of the genre, Skywalker isn't looking for adventure...he's looking for his father. How do you "look" for adventure anyway? Try going up to some stranger on a train and asking them what terrifies them the most and they'll say "the dark", "heights", whatever. Those are just symptoms. Ask them what terrifies them about THEM? They will move to the other car. Virtuality has THAT kind of slow creeping terror in it. And humor. It's not afraid to laugh at itself. Why has NO ONE commented on the fact that our Commanders last name "Pike" is the name of the 1st Star Trek captain? Why!? I want to know!


John: There hasn't been a lot of on air promotion for Virtuality but there's quite a bit of buzz about it online. It seems like fans have really gotten behind it. What are your thoughts on such sizable interest and support when the show hasn't even aired yet?

Erik: I'm as big a fan of Ron Moore as anyone out there. I'm a big big fan of the genre. I'm really just happy to be here. The reviews have been ridiculously good. Post a link to the Time Magazine review. Amazing. I'm a firm believer that the people lead the leaders. If enough people watch it, want it, and agitate for it, FOX will be convinced. It's Ron Moore for Gods sake! I mean Ron doesn't walk on water... but he does shoot rays from his eyes. I've seen it! Oop...and here come the Cylons. I better be quick. NEXT QUESTION!


John: Quite a few years back, you took took a rather interesting journey across America with your wife, Jessica Blank, and dog, Zooey, that resulted in the award winning show The Exonerated. Can you talk a little about this moving project and how it came about?

Erik: Well if people want the full story about us making the play and film "The Exonerated", they can buy our biography about the journey called "Living Justice" from Simon and Schuster. The paperbacks are available on Amazon. Zooey the dog hasn't written a book yet but we're trying to get her a deal.

Writing things that are important to me keeps me sane. Its the other half of acting in things that are important to me. The Exonerated deals with 6 people who were wrongly convicted and sentenced to death for crimes they didn't commit. Making sure that this doesn't happen any more is something I can get behind. And the only way to affect change is to tell a story. So Jessica and I created a play based on those interviews and told a story. It was really well received. A lot of academy award winning actors played the roles in those 2 years. Susan Sarandon, Delroy Lindo, Dreyfuss, Bob Balaban. It was amazing. Ran off-broadway for 2 years. Japan. London. Europe. Mexico. Wow. The thing I'm proudest of is an award we got from Amnesty International. I'm not an award guy. But that one really made my day.

I'm currently writing a graphic novel that legendary comic artist Neal Adams is doing the cover for. It's called The Reconcilers and if people want to get on our list as to when we'll do Comic-Con etc. they can email me at thereconcilers@aol.com . Its a cowboys in space thing. I'm very excited about it. Should be out in March.


John: Final question; where might viewers see you appearing next?

Erik: Well I did like 37 weeks of theater this year as I was in contract on Virtuality. They hold you for a period of time til they decide your fate. So I got permission to do short term things like plays so I could keep my head straight. Got to play Lenny Bruce, got to do a really good play at the Public Theater here in New York. My wife and I wrote a movie that Jon Bon Jovi bought (Almost Home) and we are in the process of attaching a director. We could be in production within the year. I think the DVD for a baseball miniseries "The Bronx is Burning" just came out. I'm really happy with that one. So if people have a buck 99 to spend on e-bay and a few hours off... I'm always busy. If enough people get loud about "Virtuality" though I wouldn't mind strapping in for another liftoff with Ritchie and the cast. I just can't shake the idea that Ritchie is a hologram though. He's too good! AAAAGH! Cylons.....(the phone cuts dead)


Thanks very much for making yourself available for this, it's greatly appreciated Erik! I hope your appearance in Virtuality brings you a lot of positive feedback. ... if you survived the Cylon attack.