"Grey's Anatomy" Season 6
For clips featuring Kevin in his role as Owen Hunt please visit the following youtube and zoopy accounts:
Geniusmentis, KMKfanatic, RogueGreys, COforever1
The actor Owen Hunt in "Grey's Anatomy" returns for season 6 for AlloCiné, as well as "Rome", series that made him famous ...
by Jean-Maxime Renault
June 12, 2010
source: Allocine.com
translated from French by google translator
AlloCiné Series: We saw you play the guitar in "Grey's Anatomy" singing in the web series "Seattle Grace On Call". When is a musical career?
Kevin McKidd : I love music but I love my job as an actor more. The music relaxes me. I would dream of being part of a group, however, or working on a musical even though I'm not a big fan as a spectator. The Seattle Grace: On Call producers have managed to convince me to sing but it's not really my thing to do in front of an audience. It went very well in all cases. As a musical career ... you should never say never!
Were you watching "Grey's Anatomy" before playing in the series?
Kevin McKidd : Not really. I had heard much. I have seen an episode or two but not more. I knew it was a series very well written, with engaging characters and complex.
You have arr ived in season 5. Was it easy for you to integrate to the cast?
Kevin McKidd : I was very lucky. Everybody welcomed me warmly, including Sandra Oh, who helped me to integrate myself and left me time to get my bearings. She is a very generous girl. Patrick Dempsey has also been strong. We knew since we had already shot a movie together a few months earlier (Made of Honour ). It was pretty scary at first because I had never been part of a series as popular. It took me time to adapt but all went well.
When you were asked to become a regular in the series, have you accepted without hesitation?
Kevin McKidd : Yes, without hesitation! I would have been crazy to refuse. The series was such a success! I was very lucky.
Are you satisfied with the development of Owen, especially in season 6?
Kevin McKidd : Yes, I liked that the writers make him so dark, if disturbed. In a series like Grey's Anatomy characters that are happy are irrelevant. Owen should be very interesting! I look forward to seeing what he reserves for next year ...
There was a special episode interspersed with flashbacks to the time when Owen and Teddy were in Iraq. Why was it important to attend?
Kevin McKidd : I think the writers wanted to highlight this tragic period in the life of Owen, who has shaped who he is today. Especially Owen is someone very mysterious, which does not reveal itself easily. There are many things he hides. It was also an opportunity to show these people who are willing to put their lives in danger in heroic manner, whether soldiers or doctors.
What piece of his personality would you like the writers show more?
Kevin McKidd : I think that Owen is someone much funnier than he seems. He has experienced difficult things lately which probably prevent him of practicing black humor, but I'm sure it will change. I want to see the lighter, happier.
Owen is automatically associated with Cristina, what characters would you like him to interact more with?
Kevin McKidd : I have a preference for the character of Sara Ramirez (Callie). They assessed from the beginning and had some interactions but I want their relationship of friendship to be a little more developed. Also, the writers have begun to emphasize the relationship that binds Owen to Derek and Mark. Basically, he represented a danger to them and then they got to know him.
Sarah Drew and Jesse Williams became regular in season seven. Don’t you find that Seattle Grace is already full to bursting?
Kevin McKidd : Not really. According to the episodes, some characters are more highlighted than others and it turns. I'm not afraid of that. And then there are those who have died in the finale of season 6 so ... (Laughs). They are two great additions to the cast anyway. They bring new energy and it is important to renew interest. It does not worry me.
The season finale was just very shocking. How was the shooting?
Kevin McKidd : It was very intense, especially since it took a lot of time to shoot it because it was an episode of two hours. We all went out and sounded exhausted. All these deaths, these gunshots ... it was hard. We are very proud of the result. The actor who played the gunman was great and felt badly towards his character. It has affected him. He was worried; he had some responsibility to provide such a character. It gave weight to its interpretation. And then when he was hired, he did not know he was going to end like that, to kill everyone in the hospital! It was an excellent end of season.
In reading the script, were you afraid to be spent too?
Kevin McKidd : yes, everyone was worried. There was electricity in the air. Any character could be spent. And Owen had actually been shot. At this point, I started thinking about my children, and the cost of their schools ... (Laughs) And then after reading the 20 pages of script I was reassured. His injuries are not fatal. After that, I think the actors whose characters were killed have been warned in advance so nobody had a bad surprise.
Do you already know what will happen to Owen in season 7, a few clues?
Kevin McKidd : No, not yet. But I think it will be interesting because what happened at the hospital will always remind him of war trauma. Everyone will find themselves in the same position as him finally. What role will he have in all this? Is he going to be the one to whom others will confide? Is he going to stay in his corner?
Shonda Rhimes series are very unique. How would you define her style?
Kevin McKidd : She writes with her guts. I should certainly not say it but the episode has long since passed ... In the finale of season 5, it was expected that Cristina gets pregnant. It was written. We would then have raised the child in season 6. And Shonda Rhimes came to us and saying she had a dream and a little voice told him that this was not the right time. Then she changed at the last moment. That's her style: she believes in her characters, they live in his head, they love them deeply. And then she writes very well. Especially the dialogues. I spot immediately in a script she wrote.
Have you heard of the movie "Rome", adapted from the series? Kevin McKidd : The film will not happen this year but next year, in all likelihood. This summer more precisely. The money needed for its production is largely harvested. The script is ready. The desire is there. Fingers crossed!
Will all other players be back?
Kevin McKidd : All those whose characters are not dead will return, yes. Everyone was eager to participate in the film, hoping that the schedules of each other can be reconciled, which will perhaps not be easy. "
June 12, 2010
source: Allocine.com
translated from French by google translator
AlloCiné Series: We saw you play the guitar in "Grey's Anatomy" singing in the web series "Seattle Grace On Call". When is a musical career?
Kevin McKidd : I love music but I love my job as an actor more. The music relaxes me. I would dream of being part of a group, however, or working on a musical even though I'm not a big fan as a spectator. The Seattle Grace: On Call producers have managed to convince me to sing but it's not really my thing to do in front of an audience. It went very well in all cases. As a musical career ... you should never say never!
Were you watching "Grey's Anatomy" before playing in the series?
Kevin McKidd : Not really. I had heard much. I have seen an episode or two but not more. I knew it was a series very well written, with engaging characters and complex.
You have arr ived in season 5. Was it easy for you to integrate to the cast?
Kevin McKidd : I was very lucky. Everybody welcomed me warmly, including Sandra Oh, who helped me to integrate myself and left me time to get my bearings. She is a very generous girl. Patrick Dempsey has also been strong. We knew since we had already shot a movie together a few months earlier (Made of Honour ). It was pretty scary at first because I had never been part of a series as popular. It took me time to adapt but all went well.
When you were asked to become a regular in the series, have you accepted without hesitation?
Kevin McKidd : Yes, without hesitation! I would have been crazy to refuse. The series was such a success! I was very lucky.
Are you satisfied with the development of Owen, especially in season 6?
Kevin McKidd : Yes, I liked that the writers make him so dark, if disturbed. In a series like Grey's Anatomy characters that are happy are irrelevant. Owen should be very interesting! I look forward to seeing what he reserves for next year ...
There was a special episode interspersed with flashbacks to the time when Owen and Teddy were in Iraq. Why was it important to attend?
Kevin McKidd : I think the writers wanted to highlight this tragic period in the life of Owen, who has shaped who he is today. Especially Owen is someone very mysterious, which does not reveal itself easily. There are many things he hides. It was also an opportunity to show these people who are willing to put their lives in danger in heroic manner, whether soldiers or doctors.
What piece of his personality would you like the writers show more?
Kevin McKidd : I think that Owen is someone much funnier than he seems. He has experienced difficult things lately which probably prevent him of practicing black humor, but I'm sure it will change. I want to see the lighter, happier.
Owen is automatically associated with Cristina, what characters would you like him to interact more with?
Kevin McKidd : I have a preference for the character of Sara Ramirez (Callie). They assessed from the beginning and had some interactions but I want their relationship of friendship to be a little more developed. Also, the writers have begun to emphasize the relationship that binds Owen to Derek and Mark. Basically, he represented a danger to them and then they got to know him.
Sarah Drew and Jesse Williams became regular in season seven. Don’t you find that Seattle Grace is already full to bursting?
Kevin McKidd : Not really. According to the episodes, some characters are more highlighted than others and it turns. I'm not afraid of that. And then there are those who have died in the finale of season 6 so ... (Laughs). They are two great additions to the cast anyway. They bring new energy and it is important to renew interest. It does not worry me.
The season finale was just very shocking. How was the shooting?
Kevin McKidd : It was very intense, especially since it took a lot of time to shoot it because it was an episode of two hours. We all went out and sounded exhausted. All these deaths, these gunshots ... it was hard. We are very proud of the result. The actor who played the gunman was great and felt badly towards his character. It has affected him. He was worried; he had some responsibility to provide such a character. It gave weight to its interpretation. And then when he was hired, he did not know he was going to end like that, to kill everyone in the hospital! It was an excellent end of season.
In reading the script, were you afraid to be spent too?
Kevin McKidd : yes, everyone was worried. There was electricity in the air. Any character could be spent. And Owen had actually been shot. At this point, I started thinking about my children, and the cost of their schools ... (Laughs) And then after reading the 20 pages of script I was reassured. His injuries are not fatal. After that, I think the actors whose characters were killed have been warned in advance so nobody had a bad surprise.
Do you already know what will happen to Owen in season 7, a few clues?
Kevin McKidd : No, not yet. But I think it will be interesting because what happened at the hospital will always remind him of war trauma. Everyone will find themselves in the same position as him finally. What role will he have in all this? Is he going to be the one to whom others will confide? Is he going to stay in his corner?
Shonda Rhimes series are very unique. How would you define her style?
Kevin McKidd : She writes with her guts. I should certainly not say it but the episode has long since passed ... In the finale of season 5, it was expected that Cristina gets pregnant. It was written. We would then have raised the child in season 6. And Shonda Rhimes came to us and saying she had a dream and a little voice told him that this was not the right time. Then she changed at the last moment. That's her style: she believes in her characters, they live in his head, they love them deeply. And then she writes very well. Especially the dialogues. I spot immediately in a script she wrote.
Have you heard of the movie "Rome", adapted from the series? Kevin McKidd : The film will not happen this year but next year, in all likelihood. This summer more precisely. The money needed for its production is largely harvested. The script is ready. The desire is there. Fingers crossed!
Will all other players be back?
Kevin McKidd : All those whose characters are not dead will return, yes. Everyone was eager to participate in the film, hoping that the schedules of each other can be reconciled, which will perhaps not be easy. "
Kevin McKidd: "it is best for an actor to do some things unconsciously"
August 7, 2010
Source: elperiodico.com
Kevin McKidd (Elgin, Scotland, 1973) was to become an engineer at the University of Edinburgh, but left to concentrate in the theatre.
He has participated on the big screen in films such as Trainspotting, and the Kingdom of heaven, and in tv you could have seen him in Roma and Journeyman. Now he is part of the staff at Seattle Grace, in Grey's Anatomy (in Spain showing on Cuatro and Fox), where he plays Dr Owen. Marked by a traumatic past, the surgeon tries to rebuild his life.
-What is, in your opinion, the success of 'Grey's Anatomy'?
-Above all, the same group of writers, that during seven years has maintained the irony and humour, while creating life and death situations.
-How is the character that you played, Dr. Owen?
-I think it is a very interesting character. While it has a somewhat dark dimension, and not much is known of his past, is very homest and not greedy.
-It is attractive for you to play him ?
-Yes, because he is a person of few words, but passionate with their patients. Other characters are more concerned about their own careers and their promotion in the hospital.
- Will the rest of the season reveal more about him?
-Of course. This is the good thing about a television series, that slowly is excavating in the personality of the characters.
- Do you like to see yourself on television?
-No. I am a bit superstitious and very critical. The best thing for an actor is to do things a bit unconsciously, without thinking very much what it is doing.
-Has been difficult to modify your Scottish accent for the series?
-It is difficult: I had to work hard to change it so my character doesn't sound weird. One of the best specialist in the area, that has also worked with Russell Crowe, has helped me.
- Do you no longer live in Scotland?
-No. I live in Los Angeles with my wife and my children, but I miss some things from my land, such as humor, the country side and my family, but for the children, with the sun and the beach, California is a paradise.
- how long will you stay in the show?
-I have contract for three years.
************************************
Source: elperiodico.com
Kevin McKidd (Elgin, Scotland, 1973) was to become an engineer at the University of Edinburgh, but left to concentrate in the theatre.
He has participated on the big screen in films such as Trainspotting, and the Kingdom of heaven, and in tv you could have seen him in Roma and Journeyman. Now he is part of the staff at Seattle Grace, in Grey's Anatomy (in Spain showing on Cuatro and Fox), where he plays Dr Owen. Marked by a traumatic past, the surgeon tries to rebuild his life.
-What is, in your opinion, the success of 'Grey's Anatomy'?
-Above all, the same group of writers, that during seven years has maintained the irony and humour, while creating life and death situations.
-How is the character that you played, Dr. Owen?
-I think it is a very interesting character. While it has a somewhat dark dimension, and not much is known of his past, is very homest and not greedy.
-It is attractive for you to play him ?
-Yes, because he is a person of few words, but passionate with their patients. Other characters are more concerned about their own careers and their promotion in the hospital.
- Will the rest of the season reveal more about him?
-Of course. This is the good thing about a television series, that slowly is excavating in the personality of the characters.
- Do you like to see yourself on television?
-No. I am a bit superstitious and very critical. The best thing for an actor is to do things a bit unconsciously, without thinking very much what it is doing.
-Has been difficult to modify your Scottish accent for the series?
-It is difficult: I had to work hard to change it so my character doesn't sound weird. One of the best specialist in the area, that has also worked with Russell Crowe, has helped me.
- Do you no longer live in Scotland?
-No. I live in Los Angeles with my wife and my children, but I miss some things from my land, such as humor, the country side and my family, but for the children, with the sun and the beach, California is a paradise.
- how long will you stay in the show?
-I have contract for three years.
************************************
Kevin McKidd tells us about Dr. Hunt of Grey's Anatomy
July 13, 2010
by Antonio Cuomo
Source: movieplayer.it
We met the Scottish actor at the Roma Fiction Fest 2010, where he presented the season finale of Grey's Anatomy, the ABC series in which he plays Dr. Owen Hunt, deepening the most moving/exciting and fun moments of this experience and remembering his past on the set of Trainspotting.
He is one of the most recent arrivals to the rich cast of Grey's Anatomy, but Kevin McKidd is certainly not the last: one only need look at his filmography to note how varied and career his career has been to date. Scottish by birth, it is precisely from the United Kingdom that the actor took his first steps in acting, from the set of the phenomenon that was Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting, appearing in the following years in television and film productions, both English and American, and even finding the time to lend his voice to some video games in recent years such as Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, in which he played the captain "Soap" MacTavish.
From Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven and Hannibal Lecter, to the recent role of Poseidon in Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, via the directorial debut of Neil Marshall, the horror movie Dog Soldiers, his appearances on the big screen are not few, while on TV, before becoming Dr Owen Hunt in Grey’s Anatomy in 2008, he had the role of Lucius Vorenus in Rome and the protagonist in that unfortunate series Journeyman, defeated by ratings and in part by the writers' strike.
In our meeting we recalled the experience with Boyle on Trainspotting, the difficulties at the beginning and his passion for music, but we couldn’t explore the experience on the set of Seattle Grace Hospital, from the most exciting moments to the most fun, without looking to the future of his character.
How will the relationship between Owen and Cristina evolve?
Kevin McKidd: In reality I don’t know, the writers don’t tell us anything, therefore I can only try to imagine. It’s about a very strange couple and I think that they will continue to put each other to the test, teasing each other’s limits, but they will also become more honest with each other. I can’t wait to see what comes next and I hope that the two will come to understand each other more deeply.
You arrived in Grey's Anatomy in the fifth season, becoming part of a tight knit group and of actors and characters. How was it, either for you or for your character to become part of this family?
Kevin McKidd: In my opinion, the character was very well written, it was all on paper, and this also makes life easier on the director. So I didn’t have to do anything other than perform my scenes. I was a bit nervous, because it is a series that had already been running for a long time and I was worried about having to become integrated, so I limited myself to just being myself, without forcing the pre-existing group dynamics, that in these situations have to be respected. Everyone was very kind to me, I think I'm lucky to have found a work environment like this, because everyone accepted the new character and all the cast accepted me as an actor.
What is the most moving moment that has been filmed in Grey's Anatomy?
Kevin McKidd: There's a scene in an episode of the fifth season in which I relive surgery while I shower drunk. While I’m there, Cristina arrives and hears my story of how I saved the life of this soldier who was hit by an explosion and how he wrote me a letter thanking me after a few months and then took his own life because of his trauma (note: episode 5x12 Sympathy for the Devil ). It's a scene that affected me alot, that showed where my character came from. Then there is a scene in season six in which I try to save the life of my best friend, who is suffering a lot and losing a lot of blood, and I am the only thing that stands between him and the relief of death, and he's suffering so much that he begs me to let him go. When the friend dies, my character feels responsible even though he was asking him to let him die. I think those are the two most moving moments.
Can you tell us something particular about life on the set and the atmosphere among you actors of the series?
Kevin McKidd: Something stupid or funny is always happening on set, we make many jokes . I remember a funny anecdote that is related to CSI Miami and the torment of David Caruso’s glasses. We were shooting the finale with Rob Corn, who loves jokes: for each character he found a frame in which to recite the last line and then take off their glasses before leaving the scene. Then we put all these scenes together to create a nice behind the scenes just for us. We do a lot of things like that.
Does your character have a “Mc” nickname yet?
Kevin McKidd: No, not that I know of. What about as far as you know?
You’ve worked on series’ for network television as well as for cable television, like Rome. How does the work differ between the two sectors?
Kevin McKidd: For example, in Rome we had more time to shoot an episode. When you work for cable television, you have fifteen days to shoot an episode, while in a network environment you only have eight days, so it's much faster, you’re always on tenterhooks, everything is more intense, but at the same time it’s nice to not have downtime waiting for the scene to be set up, to always be ready. As for the work itself, I don’t find huge differences between theater, film or a series, to me as an actor the creative process is the same.
Is it difficult to learn the medical jargon?
Kevin McKidd: This is the hardest part! Learning all those technical terms, but fortunately my character does not have a lot of dialogue of this kind. On the other hand, there’s Chyler Leigh, poor thing, who always has speeches full of these crazy things and the only way to recite them is to memorise them as though they are a refrain, a riddle, because for us they don’t mean anything, it’s like having to learn times tables (multiplication).
You’ve worked in England, spent two years in Italy to film Rome and are now in Los Angeles.
Does the continual shifting around create problems for you and your family?
Kevin McKidd: Yeah, it’s certainly not a simple job from this point of view, because it is always in motion. In fact the best thing with Grey's Anatomy is that for the first time I have a home to which to return, even if it is in Los Angeles. In the evening I go home to my children and this lasts for ten months of the year and the fact that I moved to Los Angeles gave me a lot more time with my family than I ever had. It’s a blessing, something for which I am very grateful.
Have you ever thought of becoming a doctor?
Kevin McKidd: To tell the truth, many years ago I had a girlfriend who was studying to become a nurse and she was aiming to marry a doctor, so she tried to make me give up my acting career and enroll in medicine. I even tried, but as soon as I started studying I realized it was a really stupid idea. So, yes, I tried once ... because of a girl!
Tells us something about the experience with Danny Boyle on the set of Trainspotting
Kevin McKidd: It was a fantastic experience! Danny Boyle has this incredible energy that infects you and makes you stand up, ready to keep working. He has an overwhelming passion for film that gets under your skin. It was a lot of fun for me because it was my first film and I was very inexperienced, I knew nothing about how things happen on a set, of how to be in front of the camera, to stay on your mark, learn the different types of lenses and Danny helped me build and improve my quality as an actor. We all felt that there was something special about that set, there was a kind of chemistry that is created when you are making a good movie or a good TV series and if this formula could be patented we would all make fantastic shows, but it’s not like that. Sometimes you feel it immediately, and sometimes it’s shaky ... Danny has this innate ability to create this chemistry, it happens often, and in the case of Trainspotting we could feel we were doing something special.
You weren’t present when the photo for the poster of Trainspotting was taken.
Do you regret having missed this opportunity?
Kevin McKidd: For the most part, I don’t regret anything in my past work, even in cases where I have refused a part in films that have become hits. I think if you begin to regret something, you go crazy. At the time of Trainspotting, I knew I wasn’t ready and even if the movie became a success, I was an immature boy of twenty. I knew I needed to learn much more, whether about myself or the profession. Perhaps if I had pursued the Hollywood dream, I would have been burned, so I'm happy that my career had a slower start.
Is it true that after Trainspotting you worked as a bartender?
Kevin McKidd: Yes, that's absolutely true. I was also a worker and have other small jobs at the beginning of my career. Because I was just another young actor, as there are many around; I got lucky a couple of years, but I knew that things shouldn’t have been easy. People find it hard to believe, they think that having been in Trainspotting my career was already launched, but it is not so simple, you need a lot of luck.
If you hadn’t become an actor, what would you have liked to do?
Kevin McKidd: A musician, for sure. A singer and guitarist. As a young man, I was in a band called Plan 9, like a tribute to the films of Ed Wood, and I must say we weren’t all bad for being sixteen year olds. Music is definitely my grand passion, so I wanted to work in that area.
July 13, 2010
by Antonio Cuomo
Source: movieplayer.it
We met the Scottish actor at the Roma Fiction Fest 2010, where he presented the season finale of Grey's Anatomy, the ABC series in which he plays Dr. Owen Hunt, deepening the most moving/exciting and fun moments of this experience and remembering his past on the set of Trainspotting.
He is one of the most recent arrivals to the rich cast of Grey's Anatomy, but Kevin McKidd is certainly not the last: one only need look at his filmography to note how varied and career his career has been to date. Scottish by birth, it is precisely from the United Kingdom that the actor took his first steps in acting, from the set of the phenomenon that was Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting, appearing in the following years in television and film productions, both English and American, and even finding the time to lend his voice to some video games in recent years such as Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, in which he played the captain "Soap" MacTavish.
From Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven and Hannibal Lecter, to the recent role of Poseidon in Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, via the directorial debut of Neil Marshall, the horror movie Dog Soldiers, his appearances on the big screen are not few, while on TV, before becoming Dr Owen Hunt in Grey’s Anatomy in 2008, he had the role of Lucius Vorenus in Rome and the protagonist in that unfortunate series Journeyman, defeated by ratings and in part by the writers' strike.
In our meeting we recalled the experience with Boyle on Trainspotting, the difficulties at the beginning and his passion for music, but we couldn’t explore the experience on the set of Seattle Grace Hospital, from the most exciting moments to the most fun, without looking to the future of his character.
How will the relationship between Owen and Cristina evolve?
Kevin McKidd: In reality I don’t know, the writers don’t tell us anything, therefore I can only try to imagine. It’s about a very strange couple and I think that they will continue to put each other to the test, teasing each other’s limits, but they will also become more honest with each other. I can’t wait to see what comes next and I hope that the two will come to understand each other more deeply.
You arrived in Grey's Anatomy in the fifth season, becoming part of a tight knit group and of actors and characters. How was it, either for you or for your character to become part of this family?
Kevin McKidd: In my opinion, the character was very well written, it was all on paper, and this also makes life easier on the director. So I didn’t have to do anything other than perform my scenes. I was a bit nervous, because it is a series that had already been running for a long time and I was worried about having to become integrated, so I limited myself to just being myself, without forcing the pre-existing group dynamics, that in these situations have to be respected. Everyone was very kind to me, I think I'm lucky to have found a work environment like this, because everyone accepted the new character and all the cast accepted me as an actor.
What is the most moving moment that has been filmed in Grey's Anatomy?
Kevin McKidd: There's a scene in an episode of the fifth season in which I relive surgery while I shower drunk. While I’m there, Cristina arrives and hears my story of how I saved the life of this soldier who was hit by an explosion and how he wrote me a letter thanking me after a few months and then took his own life because of his trauma (note: episode 5x12 Sympathy for the Devil ). It's a scene that affected me alot, that showed where my character came from. Then there is a scene in season six in which I try to save the life of my best friend, who is suffering a lot and losing a lot of blood, and I am the only thing that stands between him and the relief of death, and he's suffering so much that he begs me to let him go. When the friend dies, my character feels responsible even though he was asking him to let him die. I think those are the two most moving moments.
Can you tell us something particular about life on the set and the atmosphere among you actors of the series?
Kevin McKidd: Something stupid or funny is always happening on set, we make many jokes . I remember a funny anecdote that is related to CSI Miami and the torment of David Caruso’s glasses. We were shooting the finale with Rob Corn, who loves jokes: for each character he found a frame in which to recite the last line and then take off their glasses before leaving the scene. Then we put all these scenes together to create a nice behind the scenes just for us. We do a lot of things like that.
Does your character have a “Mc” nickname yet?
Kevin McKidd: No, not that I know of. What about as far as you know?
You’ve worked on series’ for network television as well as for cable television, like Rome. How does the work differ between the two sectors?
Kevin McKidd: For example, in Rome we had more time to shoot an episode. When you work for cable television, you have fifteen days to shoot an episode, while in a network environment you only have eight days, so it's much faster, you’re always on tenterhooks, everything is more intense, but at the same time it’s nice to not have downtime waiting for the scene to be set up, to always be ready. As for the work itself, I don’t find huge differences between theater, film or a series, to me as an actor the creative process is the same.
Is it difficult to learn the medical jargon?
Kevin McKidd: This is the hardest part! Learning all those technical terms, but fortunately my character does not have a lot of dialogue of this kind. On the other hand, there’s Chyler Leigh, poor thing, who always has speeches full of these crazy things and the only way to recite them is to memorise them as though they are a refrain, a riddle, because for us they don’t mean anything, it’s like having to learn times tables (multiplication).
You’ve worked in England, spent two years in Italy to film Rome and are now in Los Angeles.
Does the continual shifting around create problems for you and your family?
Kevin McKidd: Yeah, it’s certainly not a simple job from this point of view, because it is always in motion. In fact the best thing with Grey's Anatomy is that for the first time I have a home to which to return, even if it is in Los Angeles. In the evening I go home to my children and this lasts for ten months of the year and the fact that I moved to Los Angeles gave me a lot more time with my family than I ever had. It’s a blessing, something for which I am very grateful.
Have you ever thought of becoming a doctor?
Kevin McKidd: To tell the truth, many years ago I had a girlfriend who was studying to become a nurse and she was aiming to marry a doctor, so she tried to make me give up my acting career and enroll in medicine. I even tried, but as soon as I started studying I realized it was a really stupid idea. So, yes, I tried once ... because of a girl!
Tells us something about the experience with Danny Boyle on the set of Trainspotting
Kevin McKidd: It was a fantastic experience! Danny Boyle has this incredible energy that infects you and makes you stand up, ready to keep working. He has an overwhelming passion for film that gets under your skin. It was a lot of fun for me because it was my first film and I was very inexperienced, I knew nothing about how things happen on a set, of how to be in front of the camera, to stay on your mark, learn the different types of lenses and Danny helped me build and improve my quality as an actor. We all felt that there was something special about that set, there was a kind of chemistry that is created when you are making a good movie or a good TV series and if this formula could be patented we would all make fantastic shows, but it’s not like that. Sometimes you feel it immediately, and sometimes it’s shaky ... Danny has this innate ability to create this chemistry, it happens often, and in the case of Trainspotting we could feel we were doing something special.
You weren’t present when the photo for the poster of Trainspotting was taken.
Do you regret having missed this opportunity?
Kevin McKidd: For the most part, I don’t regret anything in my past work, even in cases where I have refused a part in films that have become hits. I think if you begin to regret something, you go crazy. At the time of Trainspotting, I knew I wasn’t ready and even if the movie became a success, I was an immature boy of twenty. I knew I needed to learn much more, whether about myself or the profession. Perhaps if I had pursued the Hollywood dream, I would have been burned, so I'm happy that my career had a slower start.
Is it true that after Trainspotting you worked as a bartender?
Kevin McKidd: Yes, that's absolutely true. I was also a worker and have other small jobs at the beginning of my career. Because I was just another young actor, as there are many around; I got lucky a couple of years, but I knew that things shouldn’t have been easy. People find it hard to believe, they think that having been in Trainspotting my career was already launched, but it is not so simple, you need a lot of luck.
If you hadn’t become an actor, what would you have liked to do?
Kevin McKidd: A musician, for sure. A singer and guitarist. As a young man, I was in a band called Plan 9, like a tribute to the films of Ed Wood, and I must say we weren’t all bad for being sixteen year olds. Music is definitely my grand passion, so I wanted to work in that area.
That Triangle in Grey's Anatomy: Kevin McKidd speaks about Dr. Hunt
July 6, 2010
Source: TGCOM
The thing that excites him the most is the love triangle that his character, surgeon Owen Hunt of "Grey's Anatomy", is part of. For the Scottish actor Kevin McKidd, being one of the main actors of one of the most popular TV series' in the world, "it's fun" also and especially for that "liaison" with colleagues Cristina (Sandra Oh) and Teddy (Kim Raver).
''It's curious, I don't know how men in Italy behave, but the Scots generally don’t waste much time thinking, "should I be with this girl or with the other?" They decide and say to the girl "Hey you, let's go" - the actor, guest at RomaFictionFest, explains smiling - "but I understand that the public finds it captivating.''
He'd like to have a good chat with his character, a surgeon who arrived at "Seattle Grace" (where the event is set) after a traumatic experience serving on the front lines in Iraq: "I'd tell him to be more of a man". The actor, who worked on the series "Rome", is a great lover of the city (''I lived here two and a half years and I miss it every day''), he explains that he prepared himself for the role in "Grey's Anatomy" with a trauma surgeon who served in Iraq.
What do you think the secret of the series is? "The fact that there are excellent writers, able to keep the quality so high, after many seasons''. The seventh season, will start in the USA in September. ''The greatest difficulty -he says- was joining a cast that had worked together for so long, but everyone welcomed me very well".
And the fact that he had already shot a movie with Patrick Dempsey (one of the historical leaders of the series) helped. "He guaranteed that I was a good guy'', he jokes.
Source: TGCOM
The thing that excites him the most is the love triangle that his character, surgeon Owen Hunt of "Grey's Anatomy", is part of. For the Scottish actor Kevin McKidd, being one of the main actors of one of the most popular TV series' in the world, "it's fun" also and especially for that "liaison" with colleagues Cristina (Sandra Oh) and Teddy (Kim Raver).
''It's curious, I don't know how men in Italy behave, but the Scots generally don’t waste much time thinking, "should I be with this girl or with the other?" They decide and say to the girl "Hey you, let's go" - the actor, guest at RomaFictionFest, explains smiling - "but I understand that the public finds it captivating.''
He'd like to have a good chat with his character, a surgeon who arrived at "Seattle Grace" (where the event is set) after a traumatic experience serving on the front lines in Iraq: "I'd tell him to be more of a man". The actor, who worked on the series "Rome", is a great lover of the city (''I lived here two and a half years and I miss it every day''), he explains that he prepared himself for the role in "Grey's Anatomy" with a trauma surgeon who served in Iraq.
What do you think the secret of the series is? "The fact that there are excellent writers, able to keep the quality so high, after many seasons''. The seventh season, will start in the USA in September. ''The greatest difficulty -he says- was joining a cast that had worked together for so long, but everyone welcomed me very well".
And the fact that he had already shot a movie with Patrick Dempsey (one of the historical leaders of the series) helped. "He guaranteed that I was a good guy'', he jokes.
Grey’s Anatomy: Kevin McKidd ‘people are passionate about Owen and Cristina'
by Lisa McGarry
July 5, 2010
source: Primetimerealitytv
Kevin McKidd has admitted that he loves the passion with which fans of the show follow his characters on screen romance.
In an interview with Metro, McKidd said that viewers are very much behind Owen’s relationship with Cristina. “It’s all about relationships with Grey’s Anatomy and people are fans of certain relationships,” he said. “There’s a very strong fanbase for the relationship between my character Owen and Cristina, played by Sandra Oh. It’s interesting to see the passion people have for it.”
On the show’s continued success McKidd added:
“It’s still one of the top dramas in America and doesn’t show any signs of losing popularity. It’s nice to know your job isn’t going anywhere for a little while.”
July 5, 2010
source: Primetimerealitytv
Kevin McKidd has admitted that he loves the passion with which fans of the show follow his characters on screen romance.
In an interview with Metro, McKidd said that viewers are very much behind Owen’s relationship with Cristina. “It’s all about relationships with Grey’s Anatomy and people are fans of certain relationships,” he said. “There’s a very strong fanbase for the relationship between my character Owen and Cristina, played by Sandra Oh. It’s interesting to see the passion people have for it.”
On the show’s continued success McKidd added:
“It’s still one of the top dramas in America and doesn’t show any signs of losing popularity. It’s nice to know your job isn’t going anywhere for a little while.”
Grey's Anatomy - Kevin Mckidd - I love Dr Hunt because of his honesty
June 29, 2010
Source: Televisionando
Translated from the original Italian by an online translator and Betiina and Kaz, two of our forum moderators.
Kevin McKidd’s number one passion remains the theatre, but the actor who lends his face to Dr Owen Hunt in Grey's Anatomy emphasises that, as things stand, "television is the best stage" for those who dedicate themselves to his craft. The Scottish actor (born in Elgin in 1973) plays this doctor with red hair and very introverted and unconventional by nature in the sixth season of the series released in Spain by Fox and since a few weeks ago also by Cuatro. The new twists and turns in the plot relate to the merger between Seattle Grace and Mercy West.
Thanks to these tensions between the two teams and the usual personal conflicts between the protagonists the series is back to its former glory: "Unlike other series’ of this type, the characters of Grey's Anatomy are very well written by the scriptwriters and are more important than the week's medical case," stresses the actor who joined the cast during the last season playing a trauma surgeon veteran from the war in Iraq. He really likes the character of Owen Hunt "because he is direct, honest, and extremely ambitious", plus the challenge of interpreting a character with a turbulent past who will run back to therapy while continuing his conflicted relationship with Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh).
Since he put aside his engineering studies in Edinburgh to devote himself to acting, McKidd has participated in numerous theatre productions, TV films, series’ and movies. Feature films like Trainspotting, where he played Tommy, Hannibal Rising and Made of Honor (where he worked alongside the star of Grey's Anatomy Patrick Dempsey) span a career of fifteen years, but it was with television that McKidd was cemented as a star. "Television allows you to spend more time on a character and develop it in a better way", this is how he judges his works for the small screen amongst which is the role of legionnaire Lucius Vorenus in Rome. Even if he wants to go back to the theatre with a musical, for now he is enjoying the increased popularity due to Grey's Anatomy with new proposals for the big screen. He has been living in the States for 3 years with his wife and two children, at the moment he is on set with Uma Thurman and Pierce Brosnan and is about to see the USA release of Bunraku (where he shared the screen with Demi Moore, Josh Hartnett and Woody Harrelson) and the thriller Catwalk.
A reversed career in comparison to that of other great actors, especially actresses, who are forced to seek refuge exclusively in tv, with a scarcity of film offers : "Unfortunately in movies you must be 21 years old if you're a woman. Actors, however, get better roles once they age ".
Source: Televisionando
Translated from the original Italian by an online translator and Betiina and Kaz, two of our forum moderators.
Kevin McKidd’s number one passion remains the theatre, but the actor who lends his face to Dr Owen Hunt in Grey's Anatomy emphasises that, as things stand, "television is the best stage" for those who dedicate themselves to his craft. The Scottish actor (born in Elgin in 1973) plays this doctor with red hair and very introverted and unconventional by nature in the sixth season of the series released in Spain by Fox and since a few weeks ago also by Cuatro. The new twists and turns in the plot relate to the merger between Seattle Grace and Mercy West.
Thanks to these tensions between the two teams and the usual personal conflicts between the protagonists the series is back to its former glory: "Unlike other series’ of this type, the characters of Grey's Anatomy are very well written by the scriptwriters and are more important than the week's medical case," stresses the actor who joined the cast during the last season playing a trauma surgeon veteran from the war in Iraq. He really likes the character of Owen Hunt "because he is direct, honest, and extremely ambitious", plus the challenge of interpreting a character with a turbulent past who will run back to therapy while continuing his conflicted relationship with Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh).
Since he put aside his engineering studies in Edinburgh to devote himself to acting, McKidd has participated in numerous theatre productions, TV films, series’ and movies. Feature films like Trainspotting, where he played Tommy, Hannibal Rising and Made of Honor (where he worked alongside the star of Grey's Anatomy Patrick Dempsey) span a career of fifteen years, but it was with television that McKidd was cemented as a star. "Television allows you to spend more time on a character and develop it in a better way", this is how he judges his works for the small screen amongst which is the role of legionnaire Lucius Vorenus in Rome. Even if he wants to go back to the theatre with a musical, for now he is enjoying the increased popularity due to Grey's Anatomy with new proposals for the big screen. He has been living in the States for 3 years with his wife and two children, at the moment he is on set with Uma Thurman and Pierce Brosnan and is about to see the USA release of Bunraku (where he shared the screen with Demi Moore, Josh Hartnett and Woody Harrelson) and the thriller Catwalk.
A reversed career in comparison to that of other great actors, especially actresses, who are forced to seek refuge exclusively in tv, with a scarcity of film offers : "Unfortunately in movies you must be 21 years old if you're a woman. Actors, however, get better roles once they age ".
Will Cristina and Owen Break Up? Grey's Anatomy's Kevin McKidd Weighs In
ABC/ERIC MCCANDLESS
By Kristen Dos Santos
April 29, 2010
Source: Eonline
ABC/ERIC MCCANDLESS Note to all you die-hard fans concerned over the fate of Cristina and Owen: Kevin McKidd is right there with you.
"I feel angst about it because I feel that my job description is to be Cristina Yang's guy," the sexy Scotsman (who just made People's Most Beautiful list) admits, while hinting that a "surprising" payoff may be on the way.
Hear that? Surprising!
What will happen with Cristina (Sandra Oh) and Owen (McKidd) is the most frequently asked Q of any TV show this season, and since Grey's returns tonight, here's my exclusive chat with Kevin about that very matter, plus Rome movie scoop and more...
[Note: Some of this interview took part on the set of Grey's Anatomy a few weeks back (as evidenced by the video below), and then we also talked yesterday, right as Kevin was wrapping up this season of Grey's and flying off to London to shoot a film called The Great Ghost Rescue with Jason Isaacs.]
First of all, thanks for still talking to me now that you're all big and fancy on People's Most Beautiful list. Congratulations!
[Laughs.] Thank you. I was shocked by that! I guess I'm changing the goal post of what is considered to be beautiful. I found out a couple weeks ago and it's cool.
As you wrap up this season of Grey's, what can you tell the fans about Owen and Cristina?
Well, people are worried about Owen and Cristina breaking up, right? The thing that people have to remember is that even if they do, it might create situations where Cristina and Owen act together even more. People have been going, "Why haven't we seen more of you guys together?" But in a way, [a breakup] should make people less anxious. The feeling I get is that people in the writing room are really invested in [the Owen and Cristina] relationship, whether they are in a relationship or not. In a broken-up relationship there can be more interesting stories to tell.
Looking back on this season, are you happy with Owen's journey?
Owen is messed up all the time, let's face it. [Laughs.] But even though he was so messed up last season, he got a lot of things right and this season, he's got a lot of things wrong. He didn't pick up the hints from Cristina, wasn't able to read her mind early in the season. He tried to fix it like guys do--they find if there's a problem with the woman they love, they try and do some big thing to fix it--and that big thing on Owen's part was to bring Teddy [Kim Raver] in. That's caused huge tension for them in the relationship. This is probably his season for screwing up. Even though I think he's done a lot of it with the best of intentions.
Is there any chance he can redeem himself?
There is a chance. There's a definite chance for that.
Can you understand why this season has been hard on the fans of Owen and Cristina?
Completely. There's a separation between me and Owen, and I as the actor was employed initially to come into this show to be Cristina's love interest. And what's interesting is there's an ongoing discussion about "Is that what Owen's going to continue to be or not?" That's where there uncertainty has come from this season. I feel angst about it because I feel that my job description is to be Cristina Yang's guy and if I'm not delivering on that, I'm not doing my job properly. What's interesting is that a lot of that heated debate between myself and the writers and in between the writers has created a situation that hopefully by the season's end is going to pay off in quite a surprising way.
Does it feel nice that the fans care so deeply about Cristina and Owen?
I'm really excited by that, obviously, because I love working with Sandra Oh. You don't very often find a partnership. I've been lucky, I did a show called Rome with Ray Stevenson, and Ray and I found that really special bond and chemistry. I found it with him and I feel like I found it with Sandra. We feel as though something clicked, and it feels like it makes sense and it matters. I'm really proud of the fact that people are passionate about it. Hopefully that means we're doing our job well. There's something about Owen and Cristina that I find passionate and I think they're interesting. They're kind of mixed up as a couple, but I like that.
Franco Biciocchi/HBO Rome was amazing. What's the status of the movie?
There's just no chance of doing it this hiatus, so the tentative plan is to try and get it done next summer, in between seasons seven and eight of Grey's. Everybody in the cast whose character still lives--they've all verbally said yes, we're absolutely up to doing it. There's still that intent. Part of the money is there, I think about 50 percent of the financing is there. We're almost there.
In your two best-known roles so far, on Rome and Grey's Anatomy, you've played characters who have anger management issues. And yet you seem like the sweetest, most charming man in real life...What gives?
I inherited my dad's temper, which is not a bad temper because my dad is very Celtic. He'll flare up about some stupid little thing for about two seconds, then it's like nothing ever happened. I'm definitely not a violent man, the Rome guy. And I'm not the way Owen sometimes can be. I've definitely got the Celtic fire, maybe that's why I'm able to play those roles, because I've got Celtic blood in my veins. It drives my wife crazy.
I know you can't say much at all about what happens with Owen in the season finale, or the outcome of the love triangle, but can you tell us whether you spend more screen time with Sandra (Cristina) or Kim (Teddy) in the two-hour season ender?
Hmmm…In all honesty, I'd say over the two hours it's 50/50. It's more Teddy in the first hour, and more Cristina in the second hour.
April 29, 2010
Source: Eonline
ABC/ERIC MCCANDLESS Note to all you die-hard fans concerned over the fate of Cristina and Owen: Kevin McKidd is right there with you.
"I feel angst about it because I feel that my job description is to be Cristina Yang's guy," the sexy Scotsman (who just made People's Most Beautiful list) admits, while hinting that a "surprising" payoff may be on the way.
Hear that? Surprising!
What will happen with Cristina (Sandra Oh) and Owen (McKidd) is the most frequently asked Q of any TV show this season, and since Grey's returns tonight, here's my exclusive chat with Kevin about that very matter, plus Rome movie scoop and more...
[Note: Some of this interview took part on the set of Grey's Anatomy a few weeks back (as evidenced by the video below), and then we also talked yesterday, right as Kevin was wrapping up this season of Grey's and flying off to London to shoot a film called The Great Ghost Rescue with Jason Isaacs.]
First of all, thanks for still talking to me now that you're all big and fancy on People's Most Beautiful list. Congratulations!
[Laughs.] Thank you. I was shocked by that! I guess I'm changing the goal post of what is considered to be beautiful. I found out a couple weeks ago and it's cool.
As you wrap up this season of Grey's, what can you tell the fans about Owen and Cristina?
Well, people are worried about Owen and Cristina breaking up, right? The thing that people have to remember is that even if they do, it might create situations where Cristina and Owen act together even more. People have been going, "Why haven't we seen more of you guys together?" But in a way, [a breakup] should make people less anxious. The feeling I get is that people in the writing room are really invested in [the Owen and Cristina] relationship, whether they are in a relationship or not. In a broken-up relationship there can be more interesting stories to tell.
Looking back on this season, are you happy with Owen's journey?
Owen is messed up all the time, let's face it. [Laughs.] But even though he was so messed up last season, he got a lot of things right and this season, he's got a lot of things wrong. He didn't pick up the hints from Cristina, wasn't able to read her mind early in the season. He tried to fix it like guys do--they find if there's a problem with the woman they love, they try and do some big thing to fix it--and that big thing on Owen's part was to bring Teddy [Kim Raver] in. That's caused huge tension for them in the relationship. This is probably his season for screwing up. Even though I think he's done a lot of it with the best of intentions.
Is there any chance he can redeem himself?
There is a chance. There's a definite chance for that.
Can you understand why this season has been hard on the fans of Owen and Cristina?
Completely. There's a separation between me and Owen, and I as the actor was employed initially to come into this show to be Cristina's love interest. And what's interesting is there's an ongoing discussion about "Is that what Owen's going to continue to be or not?" That's where there uncertainty has come from this season. I feel angst about it because I feel that my job description is to be Cristina Yang's guy and if I'm not delivering on that, I'm not doing my job properly. What's interesting is that a lot of that heated debate between myself and the writers and in between the writers has created a situation that hopefully by the season's end is going to pay off in quite a surprising way.
Does it feel nice that the fans care so deeply about Cristina and Owen?
I'm really excited by that, obviously, because I love working with Sandra Oh. You don't very often find a partnership. I've been lucky, I did a show called Rome with Ray Stevenson, and Ray and I found that really special bond and chemistry. I found it with him and I feel like I found it with Sandra. We feel as though something clicked, and it feels like it makes sense and it matters. I'm really proud of the fact that people are passionate about it. Hopefully that means we're doing our job well. There's something about Owen and Cristina that I find passionate and I think they're interesting. They're kind of mixed up as a couple, but I like that.
Franco Biciocchi/HBO Rome was amazing. What's the status of the movie?
There's just no chance of doing it this hiatus, so the tentative plan is to try and get it done next summer, in between seasons seven and eight of Grey's. Everybody in the cast whose character still lives--they've all verbally said yes, we're absolutely up to doing it. There's still that intent. Part of the money is there, I think about 50 percent of the financing is there. We're almost there.
In your two best-known roles so far, on Rome and Grey's Anatomy, you've played characters who have anger management issues. And yet you seem like the sweetest, most charming man in real life...What gives?
I inherited my dad's temper, which is not a bad temper because my dad is very Celtic. He'll flare up about some stupid little thing for about two seconds, then it's like nothing ever happened. I'm definitely not a violent man, the Rome guy. And I'm not the way Owen sometimes can be. I've definitely got the Celtic fire, maybe that's why I'm able to play those roles, because I've got Celtic blood in my veins. It drives my wife crazy.
I know you can't say much at all about what happens with Owen in the season finale, or the outcome of the love triangle, but can you tell us whether you spend more screen time with Sandra (Cristina) or Kim (Teddy) in the two-hour season ender?
Hmmm…In all honesty, I'd say over the two hours it's 50/50. It's more Teddy in the first hour, and more Cristina in the second hour.
‘Grey’s Anatomy’ star: Season finale is high-octane
Grey’s Anatomy fans have developed a pretty high-tolerance for drama on the show, but the season finale this year may be a cocktail of a different color. We already know the season’s end will be “mind-blowing,” and now we might know why.
On The Red Carpet caught up with actor Kevin McKidd, who plays Dr. Owen Hunt on the show, at a recent Prism event in Los Angeles. He told us the upcoming drama is bigger than the bedroom.
“It’s pretty intense, and kind of action-packed. Which is unusual for Grey’s, because it’s kind of a relationship drama. But suddenly it gets kind of fuel-injected, it’s a pretty high-octane end to the season.”
source: ontheredcarpet.com
Interview for Portugese television. Kevin outlines the growth of Owen Hunt from seasons five to six.
'Grey's Anatomy' Fan Columnist: Owen Hunt and PTSD- A Lightning Rod for Controversy
image courtesy of ABC
April 8, 2010
by Janalen Riccinto Samson
source: BuddyTV
For the better part of two seasons Grey's Anatomy has been telling an important and socially relevant story: Owen Hunt's battle with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The storyline has garnered much critical acclaim and both GA and Kevin McKidd have been nominated for 2010 PRISM Awards (which honor accurate depictions of substance abuse and mental health issues in the entertainment industry).
Veterans and their loved ones (including many wives) have expressed their gratitude to GA for shining a spotlight on PTSD and for telling a difficult story well. Despite this, there is a small but vocal minority of fans that views Owen Hunt's behavior towards his girlfriend, Cristina Yang, as abusive. The views that follow are a combination of my observations, research and conversations with mental health professionals. I, however, believe Owen's actions are not abusive and are, instead, unintentional manifestations of the extreme trauma and psychological wounds he received as a result of serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq during a time of war.
The introduction of Major Owen Hunt in the season five premiere was memorable. This brash, opinionated military trauma surgeon managed to make a medical splash while simultaneously sweeping Cristina Yang off of her feet. Still, after a passionate kiss with Cristina, Owen went back to Iraq to finish his tour of duty.
Just three episodes later, Owen resurfaced a very changed man. He was thin and gaunt with sad, haunted eyes and a tense, tightly-wound demeanor. We found out that his entire unit had been killed in an RPG ambush and that Owen had been honorably discharged.
Many of Owen's PTSD symptoms were slowly revealed. Burying himself in work, he was hypersensitive and emotionally fragile. He had a complete breakdown in Cristina's shower. He suffered from panic attacks and fitful, restless sleep. It is crucially important, however, that Owen NEVER hurt Cristina physically when he was awake and aware of his actions.
But when unaware of his actions, he could be quite violent. After he choked Cristina while having a night terror, he was horrified that he had hurt her and insisted that they should stop seeing each other. Cristina refused, saying that she knew her own limits. When she found her limit and realized she was afraid for her own safety, they broke up, despite their love for each other. They were both devastated and Owen immediately got physical (a brain scan) and mental (therapy) help, having hit rock bottom. After several more episodes of tortured separation, Owen and Cristina found their way back to each other in the season finale.
Putting the spotlight on Owen Hunt As season six opens, we find both Owen and Cristina in therapy with Dr. Wyatt. Owen continues to show deep concern for Cristina. He is afraid of hurting her again and doesn't want to burden her, admitting to her that if they proceed as a couple "my problems will become your problems". They do move forward together and Owen is doing a lot better. The story for the first part of the season even shifted away from PTSD and focused on the hospital merger and Cristina's professional frustrations. But PTSD is an insidious condition which can be triggered at any time, sometimes without warning.
It's significant that the catalyst for Owen's flare up seems to be the arrival of friend and colleague, Teddy Altman, who served with him in Iraq. Under the best of circumstances this would be problematic as Teddy's mere presence is a daily reminder of the worst period of Owen's life. It's more complicated than that, though, because Teddy admits to having romantic feelings for Owen and engages in a passive-aggressive pursuit of him, despite the fact that he's told her he's in love with Cristina. Teddy is also Owen's primary competition for Cristina's "affections" as Dr. Yang grapples between love and career.
I'm a big believer that Teddy is the main trigger for this latest bout of PTSD. A medical case in "Suicide is Painless" takes Owen's flare up to new heights as he is overwhelmed by memories of Iraq and proceeds to close up and shut down emotionally. I believe he is trying to protect Cristina while trying to come to grips with this latest PTSD cycle. I also believe he is in a surface-level denial of sorts because on a deeper level he's terrified of what may be happening to him ... again.
That brings me to Owen's (completely unacceptable) behavior in "Sympathy for the Parents". He lashes out at Cristina in the OR (believing falsely that she'd ignored his directives and had been insubordinate) and can't let it go despite both Dr. Altman and Dr. Torres both coming to Cristina's defense. Afterwards, he leaves quickly realizing, I believe, that he's behaved like a real jerk. That night he makes dinner for Cristina as an apology of sorts and is his normal, rational self. Then the sausages burn. Owen's frustration and anger all rise to the surface as he slams the pan into the sink.
It is critically important to note that Owen's feelings are directed at the pan and not at Cristina and that he throws the pan into the sink, not at her. He, like many of us, has temporarily lost his temper while under extreme stress. It's not a pattern of behavior but rather a momentarily lapse. His usual way of communicating with Cristina is respectful and loving. He apologizes to Cristina at once and is stricken to realize that she's afraid of him.
I believe Cristina's "flinch" is an instinctive reaction rather than a belief that Owen will attack her in some way. Her fear is not so much Owen himself but rather that the PTSD is accelerating again. To his credit Owen realizes in this moment that he must return at once to therapy and he holds back, only touching Cristina when she reaches out to him first. I see this as a hopeful gesture and a sign that they will fight the PTSD together as a couple.
To me, this story is not one of abuse, but rather about the healing and redemption of a man undone by the horrors of war. I look forward to seeing what happens next and sincerely hope that the message ultimately sent is that veterans and the people they love can learn to manage PTSD and go on to build good lives and strong, healthy relationships.
by Janalen Riccinto Samson
source: BuddyTV
For the better part of two seasons Grey's Anatomy has been telling an important and socially relevant story: Owen Hunt's battle with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The storyline has garnered much critical acclaim and both GA and Kevin McKidd have been nominated for 2010 PRISM Awards (which honor accurate depictions of substance abuse and mental health issues in the entertainment industry).
Veterans and their loved ones (including many wives) have expressed their gratitude to GA for shining a spotlight on PTSD and for telling a difficult story well. Despite this, there is a small but vocal minority of fans that views Owen Hunt's behavior towards his girlfriend, Cristina Yang, as abusive. The views that follow are a combination of my observations, research and conversations with mental health professionals. I, however, believe Owen's actions are not abusive and are, instead, unintentional manifestations of the extreme trauma and psychological wounds he received as a result of serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq during a time of war.
The introduction of Major Owen Hunt in the season five premiere was memorable. This brash, opinionated military trauma surgeon managed to make a medical splash while simultaneously sweeping Cristina Yang off of her feet. Still, after a passionate kiss with Cristina, Owen went back to Iraq to finish his tour of duty.
Just three episodes later, Owen resurfaced a very changed man. He was thin and gaunt with sad, haunted eyes and a tense, tightly-wound demeanor. We found out that his entire unit had been killed in an RPG ambush and that Owen had been honorably discharged.
Many of Owen's PTSD symptoms were slowly revealed. Burying himself in work, he was hypersensitive and emotionally fragile. He had a complete breakdown in Cristina's shower. He suffered from panic attacks and fitful, restless sleep. It is crucially important, however, that Owen NEVER hurt Cristina physically when he was awake and aware of his actions.
But when unaware of his actions, he could be quite violent. After he choked Cristina while having a night terror, he was horrified that he had hurt her and insisted that they should stop seeing each other. Cristina refused, saying that she knew her own limits. When she found her limit and realized she was afraid for her own safety, they broke up, despite their love for each other. They were both devastated and Owen immediately got physical (a brain scan) and mental (therapy) help, having hit rock bottom. After several more episodes of tortured separation, Owen and Cristina found their way back to each other in the season finale.
Putting the spotlight on Owen Hunt As season six opens, we find both Owen and Cristina in therapy with Dr. Wyatt. Owen continues to show deep concern for Cristina. He is afraid of hurting her again and doesn't want to burden her, admitting to her that if they proceed as a couple "my problems will become your problems". They do move forward together and Owen is doing a lot better. The story for the first part of the season even shifted away from PTSD and focused on the hospital merger and Cristina's professional frustrations. But PTSD is an insidious condition which can be triggered at any time, sometimes without warning.
It's significant that the catalyst for Owen's flare up seems to be the arrival of friend and colleague, Teddy Altman, who served with him in Iraq. Under the best of circumstances this would be problematic as Teddy's mere presence is a daily reminder of the worst period of Owen's life. It's more complicated than that, though, because Teddy admits to having romantic feelings for Owen and engages in a passive-aggressive pursuit of him, despite the fact that he's told her he's in love with Cristina. Teddy is also Owen's primary competition for Cristina's "affections" as Dr. Yang grapples between love and career.
I'm a big believer that Teddy is the main trigger for this latest bout of PTSD. A medical case in "Suicide is Painless" takes Owen's flare up to new heights as he is overwhelmed by memories of Iraq and proceeds to close up and shut down emotionally. I believe he is trying to protect Cristina while trying to come to grips with this latest PTSD cycle. I also believe he is in a surface-level denial of sorts because on a deeper level he's terrified of what may be happening to him ... again.
That brings me to Owen's (completely unacceptable) behavior in "Sympathy for the Parents". He lashes out at Cristina in the OR (believing falsely that she'd ignored his directives and had been insubordinate) and can't let it go despite both Dr. Altman and Dr. Torres both coming to Cristina's defense. Afterwards, he leaves quickly realizing, I believe, that he's behaved like a real jerk. That night he makes dinner for Cristina as an apology of sorts and is his normal, rational self. Then the sausages burn. Owen's frustration and anger all rise to the surface as he slams the pan into the sink.
It is critically important to note that Owen's feelings are directed at the pan and not at Cristina and that he throws the pan into the sink, not at her. He, like many of us, has temporarily lost his temper while under extreme stress. It's not a pattern of behavior but rather a momentarily lapse. His usual way of communicating with Cristina is respectful and loving. He apologizes to Cristina at once and is stricken to realize that she's afraid of him.
I believe Cristina's "flinch" is an instinctive reaction rather than a belief that Owen will attack her in some way. Her fear is not so much Owen himself but rather that the PTSD is accelerating again. To his credit Owen realizes in this moment that he must return at once to therapy and he holds back, only touching Cristina when she reaches out to him first. I see this as a hopeful gesture and a sign that they will fight the PTSD together as a couple.
To me, this story is not one of abuse, but rather about the healing and redemption of a man undone by the horrors of war. I look forward to seeing what happens next and sincerely hope that the message ultimately sent is that veterans and the people they love can learn to manage PTSD and go on to build good lives and strong, healthy relationships.
Thanks to Geniusmentis for the clip. Original courtesy of Eonline
Radio interviews dated March 25, 2010.
Kevin promotes Grey's Anatomy episode 6x18 "Suicide is Painless", and speculates on the remainder of season six. Catch his southern accent at the end of the Memphis interview!
Kevin promotes Grey's Anatomy episode 6x18 "Suicide is Painless", and speculates on the remainder of season six. Catch his southern accent at the end of the Memphis interview!
'Grey's' scoop: 'Heated debates' raging about
Owen-Cristina-Teddy triangle
by Michael Ausiello
March 23, 2010
source: EW.com
Grey’s Anatomy is doing the time warp again this Thursday with an episode that flashes back to Owen and Teddy’s stint as Army medics in Iraq. The intense hour promises to shed light on the duo’s pre-Seattle Grace relationship as well as the origin of Owen’s post-traumatic stress disorder. The guy at the center of all the drama, Kevin McKidd, took a few minutes out of his day to preview his big ep and reveal why Owen and Cristina’s main obstacle will “never go away.”
How much do we learn about Teddy and Owen in this episode?
Kevin McKidd: The episode’s more about Owen being triggered by something that’s happening at Seattle Grace, and it brings all these [emotions] back to the point that he feels like he’s almost back there. That’s what brings us to the flashbacks. But it definitely shows the audience what kind of friendship [Owen and Teddy] had and the tough [conditions] they worked in. It also explains one of the reasons why Owen has PTSD. It shows an incident, a very traumatic incident, that happened out in the desert that Owen is still healing from. That’s sort of the journey in the episode.
What is the trigger?
McKidd: It’s a medical thing. It’s a very interesting medical thing.
What is the fallout, if any, from these flashbacks for Cristina and Owen?
McKidd: I think what’s really interesting is that it sheds more light on Owen and Cristina’s day-to-day life as a couple and what sort of pressures they have to deal with. The churning up of this flashback definitely explains to the audience why they’re so intense as a couple. It shows the pressure that Owen’s living under and also the pressure Cristina has to deal with having a partner who has this pressure cooker inside his mind… You start to see some habits forming that maybe aren’t quite so healthy. And also, one of the main symptoms of PTSD is emotional detachment… not wanting to feel emotions so you numb your emotions and therefore become distant to the people that you’re closest to and in love with.
Rumor has it Teddy’s going to hook up with Mark. What impact will that have on the Cristina-Owen-Teddy triangle?
McKidd: I don’t know. It is very nebulous at the moment in the writer’s room. I think it’s a very complicated situation. They created this very complicated construct of a triangle that is more complicated than most triangles. All I’ll say is that there have been a lot of heated debates and differences of opinion about where this is headed and what this is going to be. Whatever it’s going to be, it’s going to be very revelatory before long. To me, it feels like the complication hasn’t disappeared.
But is it safe to say Owen and Cristina’s main obstacle will center on his PTSD?
McKidd: I think that definitely will come into play. And I’m really excited about that because I think that’s a very adult problem. I think many people and many wives and loved ones of veterans are dealing with, ”Where am I in this? I know this person has a problem, but what am I getting out of this? Where is my life now? And even when there is love, when there’s a problem like this, is that enough?” That’s a really interesting story, and that’s definitely the same for Cristina and Owen. It’s a thing that’s not going away. Like Dr. Wyatt said in the season premiere, it can get better, it’s a thing that can be handled and managed, but it’s something that never really goes away.
March 23, 2010
source: EW.com
Grey’s Anatomy is doing the time warp again this Thursday with an episode that flashes back to Owen and Teddy’s stint as Army medics in Iraq. The intense hour promises to shed light on the duo’s pre-Seattle Grace relationship as well as the origin of Owen’s post-traumatic stress disorder. The guy at the center of all the drama, Kevin McKidd, took a few minutes out of his day to preview his big ep and reveal why Owen and Cristina’s main obstacle will “never go away.”
How much do we learn about Teddy and Owen in this episode?
Kevin McKidd: The episode’s more about Owen being triggered by something that’s happening at Seattle Grace, and it brings all these [emotions] back to the point that he feels like he’s almost back there. That’s what brings us to the flashbacks. But it definitely shows the audience what kind of friendship [Owen and Teddy] had and the tough [conditions] they worked in. It also explains one of the reasons why Owen has PTSD. It shows an incident, a very traumatic incident, that happened out in the desert that Owen is still healing from. That’s sort of the journey in the episode.
What is the trigger?
McKidd: It’s a medical thing. It’s a very interesting medical thing.
What is the fallout, if any, from these flashbacks for Cristina and Owen?
McKidd: I think what’s really interesting is that it sheds more light on Owen and Cristina’s day-to-day life as a couple and what sort of pressures they have to deal with. The churning up of this flashback definitely explains to the audience why they’re so intense as a couple. It shows the pressure that Owen’s living under and also the pressure Cristina has to deal with having a partner who has this pressure cooker inside his mind… You start to see some habits forming that maybe aren’t quite so healthy. And also, one of the main symptoms of PTSD is emotional detachment… not wanting to feel emotions so you numb your emotions and therefore become distant to the people that you’re closest to and in love with.
Rumor has it Teddy’s going to hook up with Mark. What impact will that have on the Cristina-Owen-Teddy triangle?
McKidd: I don’t know. It is very nebulous at the moment in the writer’s room. I think it’s a very complicated situation. They created this very complicated construct of a triangle that is more complicated than most triangles. All I’ll say is that there have been a lot of heated debates and differences of opinion about where this is headed and what this is going to be. Whatever it’s going to be, it’s going to be very revelatory before long. To me, it feels like the complication hasn’t disappeared.
But is it safe to say Owen and Cristina’s main obstacle will center on his PTSD?
McKidd: I think that definitely will come into play. And I’m really excited about that because I think that’s a very adult problem. I think many people and many wives and loved ones of veterans are dealing with, ”Where am I in this? I know this person has a problem, but what am I getting out of this? Where is my life now? And even when there is love, when there’s a problem like this, is that enough?” That’s a really interesting story, and that’s definitely the same for Cristina and Owen. It’s a thing that’s not going away. Like Dr. Wyatt said in the season premiere, it can get better, it’s a thing that can be handled and managed, but it’s something that never really goes away.
Kevin discusses whether his Grey's Anatomy character Owen Hunt will ask Cristina Yang to marry him by the end of season six
Thanks to Geniusmentis for the clip. Original soucre PeopleTV
Thanks to Geniusmentis for the clip. Original soucre PeopleTV
'Grey's Anatomy' News Roundup: Owen Back to Iraq, Mark and Lexie's Fate, and More
February 24, 2010
By Glenn Diaz
source: BuddyTV
No, not really; just in flashbacks.
If you think Owen's (Kevin McKidd) PTSD episodes that nearly choked the life out of his relationship with Cristina (Sandra Oh) are over, think again. As a follow-up to flashback-heavy "Time Warp" on Grey's Anatomy, the ABC medical series is traveling not just in time but overseas, as an upcoming March/April episode will take us to the frontlines of the Iraq War.
Fancast is reporting that the same episode will also revive the hitherto dead triangle between Owen, Cristina, and Teddy (Kim Raver). As Teddy's advances on Owen were negatively received by a lot of Grey's Anatomy viewers, the episode will hopefully shed some long overdue insight into what exactly Owen and Teddy went through as Army doctors.
Maybe some perspective into the matter will bring more people to Team Teddy? OK, maybe not. Nevertheless, the March/April installment will no doubt bring "more revelations" from Owen's past, said Hunt. Thanks to therapy, Owen had been able to address his PTSD, but Teddy being in Seattle Grace might bring back some unwanted memories. Already, Grey's Anatomy is casting five other young military types, one female, four male, for the intense scenes.
In other Grey's Anatomy news, no respite for fans of the as-of-now doomed Mark (Eric Dane) and Lexie (Chyler Leigh) tandem, as there seems to be no reconciliation in sight for the two, at least for the mean time. In fact, when Grey's returns March 4, a female doctor will catch the attention of McSteamy. This is hardly surprising, as he even tried to hit on Blond!Lexie.
By Glenn Diaz
source: BuddyTV
No, not really; just in flashbacks.
If you think Owen's (Kevin McKidd) PTSD episodes that nearly choked the life out of his relationship with Cristina (Sandra Oh) are over, think again. As a follow-up to flashback-heavy "Time Warp" on Grey's Anatomy, the ABC medical series is traveling not just in time but overseas, as an upcoming March/April episode will take us to the frontlines of the Iraq War.
Fancast is reporting that the same episode will also revive the hitherto dead triangle between Owen, Cristina, and Teddy (Kim Raver). As Teddy's advances on Owen were negatively received by a lot of Grey's Anatomy viewers, the episode will hopefully shed some long overdue insight into what exactly Owen and Teddy went through as Army doctors.
Maybe some perspective into the matter will bring more people to Team Teddy? OK, maybe not. Nevertheless, the March/April installment will no doubt bring "more revelations" from Owen's past, said Hunt. Thanks to therapy, Owen had been able to address his PTSD, but Teddy being in Seattle Grace might bring back some unwanted memories. Already, Grey's Anatomy is casting five other young military types, one female, four male, for the intense scenes.
In other Grey's Anatomy news, no respite for fans of the as-of-now doomed Mark (Eric Dane) and Lexie (Chyler Leigh) tandem, as there seems to be no reconciliation in sight for the two, at least for the mean time. In fact, when Grey's returns March 4, a female doctor will catch the attention of McSteamy. This is hardly surprising, as he even tried to hit on Blond!Lexie.
Grey's Anatomy Love Triangle Heats Up
by Michelle Ward
February 22, 2010
source: TV Guide Magazine
If you thought the passionate love triangle between Owen (Kevin McKidd), Cristina (Sandra Oh) and Teddy (Kim Raver) was intense get ready to see what’s about to ignite on Grey's Anatomy.
“I think as the season draws to a close it’s going to get pretty intense and much more complicated then it already is,” Kevin McKidd told TV Guide Magazine at the 8th Annual World Poker Tour Invitational at the Commerce Casino of his character’s love life. “And also I think things come up with Owen beyond Cristina and Teddy. Stuff comes up about his past that he has to deal with so that gets really interesting and complicates even more his situation with the two women.”
So if McKidd had his way who would he choose for the brash doctor? “I always imagined that Owen and Cristina would always be together as me being a fan of the show and beyond playing the character I’ve always kind of pictured them together and having this tempestuous relationship.”
Maybe it was because he was there to support Grey’s Anatomy cast mate and expectant father, Eric Dane whose charity of choice, Chrysalis benefitted from the evening’s poker winnings, but McKidd also had babies on the brain. “I’ve always thought it would be cool to see (Owen and Christina) have a baby together down the line.”
Shonda Rimes, take note.
by Michelle Ward
February 22, 2010
source: TV Guide Magazine
If you thought the passionate love triangle between Owen (Kevin McKidd), Cristina (Sandra Oh) and Teddy (Kim Raver) was intense get ready to see what’s about to ignite on Grey's Anatomy.
“I think as the season draws to a close it’s going to get pretty intense and much more complicated then it already is,” Kevin McKidd told TV Guide Magazine at the 8th Annual World Poker Tour Invitational at the Commerce Casino of his character’s love life. “And also I think things come up with Owen beyond Cristina and Teddy. Stuff comes up about his past that he has to deal with so that gets really interesting and complicates even more his situation with the two women.”
So if McKidd had his way who would he choose for the brash doctor? “I always imagined that Owen and Cristina would always be together as me being a fan of the show and beyond playing the character I’ve always kind of pictured them together and having this tempestuous relationship.”
Maybe it was because he was there to support Grey’s Anatomy cast mate and expectant father, Eric Dane whose charity of choice, Chrysalis benefitted from the evening’s poker winnings, but McKidd also had babies on the brain. “I’ve always thought it would be cool to see (Owen and Christina) have a baby together down the line.”
Shonda Rimes, take note.
Kevin McKidd Kisses Sandra Oh and Tells
aol popeater interview. Kevin talks about Grey's Anatomy and his affinity for accents.
Part One can be found here
The Dominion Post (NZ) Courtesy of Sandra Oh News
RTE Guide-an interview with Sandra Oh and Kevin McKidd
wallpaper designed by angelamermaid,
Grey's Anatomy, Living,
source: RTE Guide (Ireland)
Jan 31, 2010
It's the neonatal ward at the Seattle Grace Hospital set at Prospect Studios, just east of Hollywood. And Sandra Oh is cold. "Yeah, sorry, this is Stage 5. It's always freezing," says the Grey's Anatomy star, who's dressed in a long, chocolate-coloured ribbed jumper, with a long grey scarf wrapped around her neck for further insulation.
Sitting beside Oh is her Grey's co-star, Scottish actor Kevin McKidd, who plays Owen Hunt, the love interest of her character, Cristina Yang. He's a little less wrapped up, but still looks snug in a grey, zipped sweater. "I miss the change of the weather," he insists. "This right now is great, and it's such a relief because right now in England, it's the dead of winter, and I miss that."
And while the indoor temperature of the studio may be a little bit on the nippy side (well, for sundrenched LA), it's nothing in comparison with the cold winds of change blowing around the corridors on Grey's Anatomy. The staff there are facing the realities of the economic downturn as Seattle Grace merges with Mercy West hospital, plus there's the coming-to-terms with the loss of George O'Malley.
"Well, of course, the very beginning, the first couple of episodes, is really about the death of George and how each of us is going through grief in that way," explains Sandra Oh. "And it affects each of us differently, especially the five, you know - the five interns . . . It's really more examined in the beginning, and then we move on with other crises, like, you know, the hospital mergers."
The latter also means that there will be new characters coming to the fore on the show, which Sandra Oh admits will mean less screen time for some of the show's key characters. "We have some wonderful new guest stars who are coming and drifting in and out. And that has a lot to do with the hospital merger. Because there is a chunk of time where we actually don't have two of our main actors.
"You know, this is the time where actually both Katherine [Heigl] and Ellen [Pompeo] aren't here. And also, TR Knight is no longer here. So there's a core group of people who are no longer here, and there's some new people coming in and coming out, and we'll see what happens with their characters. So that's quite different with our show. I think they're trying to figure out a different structure."
One storyline that won't be changing too soon is the ongoing relationship between Cristina and Owen, which began last season when Kevin McKidd arrived as trauma surgeon Owen Hunt, while also coping with the turbulent after effects of having served in Iraq, where he witnessed unspeakable horrors.
Sandra Oh smiles at the thought of Owen and Cristina having a constructive relationship this season. "Don't we hope? I think there's going to be ups and downs. But I'm really pleased with the fact that, you know, at the beginning of it, it seemed that they're settling into a much more solid relationship."
McKidd's similarly satisfied: "I think what's interesting about these guys now they're actually having to deal with reality. I mean, in a relationship that isn't in a fraught place.
"And in a way that brings a whole new set of challenges because they really have to go, okay, you know, we're no longer in fight or flight mode and now we've actually gotta really go right and look at each other and I think the great thing that they've always had is a real level of kind of brutal honesty, emotional openness with each other. And now they're back in the workplace more and there's a whole new set of pressures that comes in and affects their relationship."
"Uh-huh," Oh adds. "Well said, Kevin."
McKidd, of course, is just one of the many British actors who have recently made it on to prime time TV shows in the United States. There's Joseph Fiennes, Dominick Monaghan and Jack Davenport on FlashForward; Damian Lewis in Band of Brothers and Life; and the biggest success of them all, Hugh Laurie, an international superstar on House.
When asked how bringing his wife and young family to LA, and the cultural and social impact that must have, the 36-year-old Scot admits, "Nothing is seamless, I've noticed, in life." But getting a regular gig in Grey's Anatomy certainly helps. "I think it's easier when you know that you've kind of landed somewhere. As an actor, I think it's a hard business anyway because you never know - usually you never know what's happening. And you never really know what's happening on this show either, but you do more so [than on others]. You get that sense that you can kind of land somewhere and kind of unpack your suitcase for a while."
There's no denying that Grey's has hit a chord with millions of viewers around the world and - after House - is probably the most popular medical drama on the planet. That success can be put down to the show's emotional rollercoaster ride and the on-going, and often complex, relationships amongst the main characters.
While considerering the reasons for Grey's Anatomy's success is "complicated", Sandra Oh concedes that fortune played a major role. "I think it is, like, luck, luck, luck, luck, luck. You've been on some great shows with good cast, good writers, all that combination." And sometimes it works; sometime it doesn't.
"I think, like, now, like in the sixth season and people have come and people have gone at this point - you know what I mean? I really think, more and more, that it was like lightning in a bottle. Because we've all done stuff. I think, like, we've all done stuff, and good stuff, and it doesn't continue on. What is it? I don't know."
While being as baffled as anyone else by the quandries and curveballs that life throws at us, Oh is certain of one thing: being well looked after when or if she ever takes ill in the future.
"Well, I will say one of the many great things about being on this show is that I have full confidence that I'm going to have great healthcare wherever I go for the next - I don't know. I think for the rest of my life because I bet you 15-year-olds who are then going to take care of me [are saying]: 'I remember watching you. I'm going to take good care of you.'"
Now, there's a healthcare plan with a difference!
source: RTE Guide (Ireland)
Jan 31, 2010
It's the neonatal ward at the Seattle Grace Hospital set at Prospect Studios, just east of Hollywood. And Sandra Oh is cold. "Yeah, sorry, this is Stage 5. It's always freezing," says the Grey's Anatomy star, who's dressed in a long, chocolate-coloured ribbed jumper, with a long grey scarf wrapped around her neck for further insulation.
Sitting beside Oh is her Grey's co-star, Scottish actor Kevin McKidd, who plays Owen Hunt, the love interest of her character, Cristina Yang. He's a little less wrapped up, but still looks snug in a grey, zipped sweater. "I miss the change of the weather," he insists. "This right now is great, and it's such a relief because right now in England, it's the dead of winter, and I miss that."
And while the indoor temperature of the studio may be a little bit on the nippy side (well, for sundrenched LA), it's nothing in comparison with the cold winds of change blowing around the corridors on Grey's Anatomy. The staff there are facing the realities of the economic downturn as Seattle Grace merges with Mercy West hospital, plus there's the coming-to-terms with the loss of George O'Malley.
"Well, of course, the very beginning, the first couple of episodes, is really about the death of George and how each of us is going through grief in that way," explains Sandra Oh. "And it affects each of us differently, especially the five, you know - the five interns . . . It's really more examined in the beginning, and then we move on with other crises, like, you know, the hospital mergers."
The latter also means that there will be new characters coming to the fore on the show, which Sandra Oh admits will mean less screen time for some of the show's key characters. "We have some wonderful new guest stars who are coming and drifting in and out. And that has a lot to do with the hospital merger. Because there is a chunk of time where we actually don't have two of our main actors.
"You know, this is the time where actually both Katherine [Heigl] and Ellen [Pompeo] aren't here. And also, TR Knight is no longer here. So there's a core group of people who are no longer here, and there's some new people coming in and coming out, and we'll see what happens with their characters. So that's quite different with our show. I think they're trying to figure out a different structure."
One storyline that won't be changing too soon is the ongoing relationship between Cristina and Owen, which began last season when Kevin McKidd arrived as trauma surgeon Owen Hunt, while also coping with the turbulent after effects of having served in Iraq, where he witnessed unspeakable horrors.
Sandra Oh smiles at the thought of Owen and Cristina having a constructive relationship this season. "Don't we hope? I think there's going to be ups and downs. But I'm really pleased with the fact that, you know, at the beginning of it, it seemed that they're settling into a much more solid relationship."
McKidd's similarly satisfied: "I think what's interesting about these guys now they're actually having to deal with reality. I mean, in a relationship that isn't in a fraught place.
"And in a way that brings a whole new set of challenges because they really have to go, okay, you know, we're no longer in fight or flight mode and now we've actually gotta really go right and look at each other and I think the great thing that they've always had is a real level of kind of brutal honesty, emotional openness with each other. And now they're back in the workplace more and there's a whole new set of pressures that comes in and affects their relationship."
"Uh-huh," Oh adds. "Well said, Kevin."
McKidd, of course, is just one of the many British actors who have recently made it on to prime time TV shows in the United States. There's Joseph Fiennes, Dominick Monaghan and Jack Davenport on FlashForward; Damian Lewis in Band of Brothers and Life; and the biggest success of them all, Hugh Laurie, an international superstar on House.
When asked how bringing his wife and young family to LA, and the cultural and social impact that must have, the 36-year-old Scot admits, "Nothing is seamless, I've noticed, in life." But getting a regular gig in Grey's Anatomy certainly helps. "I think it's easier when you know that you've kind of landed somewhere. As an actor, I think it's a hard business anyway because you never know - usually you never know what's happening. And you never really know what's happening on this show either, but you do more so [than on others]. You get that sense that you can kind of land somewhere and kind of unpack your suitcase for a while."
There's no denying that Grey's has hit a chord with millions of viewers around the world and - after House - is probably the most popular medical drama on the planet. That success can be put down to the show's emotional rollercoaster ride and the on-going, and often complex, relationships amongst the main characters.
While considerering the reasons for Grey's Anatomy's success is "complicated", Sandra Oh concedes that fortune played a major role. "I think it is, like, luck, luck, luck, luck, luck. You've been on some great shows with good cast, good writers, all that combination." And sometimes it works; sometime it doesn't.
"I think, like, now, like in the sixth season and people have come and people have gone at this point - you know what I mean? I really think, more and more, that it was like lightning in a bottle. Because we've all done stuff. I think, like, we've all done stuff, and good stuff, and it doesn't continue on. What is it? I don't know."
While being as baffled as anyone else by the quandries and curveballs that life throws at us, Oh is certain of one thing: being well looked after when or if she ever takes ill in the future.
"Well, I will say one of the many great things about being on this show is that I have full confidence that I'm going to have great healthcare wherever I go for the next - I don't know. I think for the rest of my life because I bet you 15-year-olds who are then going to take care of me [are saying]: 'I remember watching you. I'm going to take good care of you.'"
Now, there's a healthcare plan with a difference!
A behind the scenes clip of Kevin talking about the making of Seattle Grace on Call webisode #6
Credit: Geniusmentis Source: ABC
NOW ABC Kevin and Kim Raver
More with Kevin and Kim on the development of their characters and the complexity of medical jargon and techniques
KGO the View of the Bay
Kevin and Kim Raver discuss the developments of their characters in Grey's Anatomy episode 6x11 "Blink" and what the future may hold. They also discuss some of the technical aspects of working on a medical series.
Grey's Exclusive: Kevin McKidd Discusses Cristina's Surprising Offer
January 15, 2010
by Natalie Abrams
The crossover between Cristina's personal and professional life took a sudden twist in Thursday's new episode of Grey's Anatomy. As if life at the hospital wasn't awkward enough after Teddy (Kim Raver) confessed her undying love for Owen (Kevin McKidd), now Cristina (Sandra Oh) has decided to offer Owen to Teddy. TVGuide.com spoke to McKidd about the offer, how this will affect Cristina and Owen's relationship and what's next for the triangle.
TVGuide.com: For those who may have missed tonight's jaw-dropping closing to Grey's Anatomy, let's talk about the offer, or bomb, Cristina drops.
Kevin McKidd: It gets complicated. Teddy realizes she can't be around him because she loves him, but Cristina needs Teddy because she's the best mentor she's ever had and is exactly what Cristina has been crying out for. It becomes this big moment of Cristina blurting out to Teddy that she can have Owen if she'll stay. She just needs to stay and she can have her boyfriend.
TVGuide.com: How does Owen feel about this offer?
McKidd: Owen's not too happy about that because he suddenly feels like a baseball card. There's a lot of fallout to do with that and there's a lot of complication and exploration of their relationship. It's really interesting. It becomes very intense because of that.
TVGuide.com: How is he handling being between two women?
McKidd: Bless his heart, listen, if it was my life, I would've never have got some lady that I had any kind of past with, however great fit she was as a surgeon, to come work at the hospital. Owen doesn't make the best decisions sometimes. He's kind of hot-headed sometimes. I think he's regretting it on a certain level, because it's very complicated. He really loves Cristina. There's been a lot of talk about, "Is he conflicted between the two?" I don't think he is, but I think he has a deep connection with Teddy. He's finding it very tough and it's choppy waters to navigate.
TVGuide.com: But he really does love Cristina?
McKidd: Of course, yeah. He's not a bad guy and I don't think he's flakey in that respect. I don't think he's flip-flopping between two women, but he realizes that Cristina really needs Teddy and Teddy really, obviously, still has some feelings for him. He has feelings for her because they've been through so much together and living in a war zone. It's almost like people who climb Mount Everest, they know more about each other than the person's wife, you know what I mean? There's an intense knowledge of each other that Teddy and Owen have that he and Cristina don't have. That's what makes it an interesting triangle.
TVGuide.com: Will Teddy take Cristina up on that offer?
McKidd: At the moment, it's still hanging out there. When Owen's found out what the deal is, you don't know what he's going to do. You expect him to go, "OK, fine, if that's the way you want it, then good luck to you," but he doesn't, he does the opposite. He actually goes, "I'm not going to let you do this, I'm going to be the strong one in this situation. That's a bad decision you just made and I'm really ... hurt about it and I'm not going to let you throw me away, so we're going to work through this." She regrets it and doesn't regret it at the same time. She finds it is something that was obviously in her subconscious that came out, and she has to address whether she meant it. It becomes a very key thing in their relationship. They have to really look at each other. This season, they've kind of been deflecting the truth, avoiding dealing with things between them, and this really brings everything to a head.
source: TV Guide
by Natalie Abrams
The crossover between Cristina's personal and professional life took a sudden twist in Thursday's new episode of Grey's Anatomy. As if life at the hospital wasn't awkward enough after Teddy (Kim Raver) confessed her undying love for Owen (Kevin McKidd), now Cristina (Sandra Oh) has decided to offer Owen to Teddy. TVGuide.com spoke to McKidd about the offer, how this will affect Cristina and Owen's relationship and what's next for the triangle.
TVGuide.com: For those who may have missed tonight's jaw-dropping closing to Grey's Anatomy, let's talk about the offer, or bomb, Cristina drops.
Kevin McKidd: It gets complicated. Teddy realizes she can't be around him because she loves him, but Cristina needs Teddy because she's the best mentor she's ever had and is exactly what Cristina has been crying out for. It becomes this big moment of Cristina blurting out to Teddy that she can have Owen if she'll stay. She just needs to stay and she can have her boyfriend.
TVGuide.com: How does Owen feel about this offer?
McKidd: Owen's not too happy about that because he suddenly feels like a baseball card. There's a lot of fallout to do with that and there's a lot of complication and exploration of their relationship. It's really interesting. It becomes very intense because of that.
TVGuide.com: How is he handling being between two women?
McKidd: Bless his heart, listen, if it was my life, I would've never have got some lady that I had any kind of past with, however great fit she was as a surgeon, to come work at the hospital. Owen doesn't make the best decisions sometimes. He's kind of hot-headed sometimes. I think he's regretting it on a certain level, because it's very complicated. He really loves Cristina. There's been a lot of talk about, "Is he conflicted between the two?" I don't think he is, but I think he has a deep connection with Teddy. He's finding it very tough and it's choppy waters to navigate.
TVGuide.com: But he really does love Cristina?
McKidd: Of course, yeah. He's not a bad guy and I don't think he's flakey in that respect. I don't think he's flip-flopping between two women, but he realizes that Cristina really needs Teddy and Teddy really, obviously, still has some feelings for him. He has feelings for her because they've been through so much together and living in a war zone. It's almost like people who climb Mount Everest, they know more about each other than the person's wife, you know what I mean? There's an intense knowledge of each other that Teddy and Owen have that he and Cristina don't have. That's what makes it an interesting triangle.
TVGuide.com: Will Teddy take Cristina up on that offer?
McKidd: At the moment, it's still hanging out there. When Owen's found out what the deal is, you don't know what he's going to do. You expect him to go, "OK, fine, if that's the way you want it, then good luck to you," but he doesn't, he does the opposite. He actually goes, "I'm not going to let you do this, I'm going to be the strong one in this situation. That's a bad decision you just made and I'm really ... hurt about it and I'm not going to let you throw me away, so we're going to work through this." She regrets it and doesn't regret it at the same time. She finds it is something that was obviously in her subconscious that came out, and she has to address whether she meant it. It becomes a very key thing in their relationship. They have to really look at each other. This season, they've kind of been deflecting the truth, avoiding dealing with things between them, and this really brings everything to a head.
source: TV Guide
KSPR closeup with Kevin and Kim Raver
Grey's Anatomy Stars Speak to KSPR By Michelle Sherwood
Story Created: Jan 13, 2010 at 10:57 PM CST
Actors Kevin McKidd and Kim Raver (Dr. McArmy and Desert Storm Barbie) talk to KSPR's Christine Daues about being the new and old newbies on the ABC hit show Grey's Anatomy. The two talk about their on-screen love triangle, McKidd's Scottish accent, and what it's like to be the newbies on the Grey's Anatomy set.
Kevin McKidd: “Explosive” Times Ahead On ‘Grey’s’
by Matt Webb Mitovich
Jan 13th, 2010
When last we tuned into ABC’s ‘Grey’s Anatomy‘ (Thursday at 9/8c), Owen had affirmed (and then some!) his love for Cristina after prescribing for Teddy a cold shower. Is this triangle over before it even started? That great Scot, Kevin McKidd, shared with us a detailed diagnosis of what is in Hunt’s heart and the possibly problematic “connection” that can’t ever be taken away.
What’s Owen up to during the January 14th ‘Grey’s’/'Private Practice’ crossover episode?
He’s kind of flagging up, I think. He puts some of Teddy’s decision-making into question, because he’s not sure what’s motivating her right now. In the last episode… he made it very clear to her where the line in the sand was. He’s worried and concerned that she’s now operating in a way that could do more damage because… she has conflicting emotions. That adds lot of heat to things between him and Cristina.
Teddy isn’t going to undermine Cristina professionally, is she?
In a way it’s more complicated than that, more subconscious – which is kind of a good thing and a bad thing. Owen, meanwhile, is trying to be the guardian, keeping everyone in a safe place. Owen’s big thing is… the patients should always come first, and on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ that isn’t always the case. [Chuckles] His main concern is that all this messy personal stuff is getting in the way of the patients’ care.
Owen and Cristina don’t seem to be finding lasting happiness as quickly as their fans would like.
[Laughs] Is that the feedback you get? That’s interesting. I’ve said this before: If you’re a fan of a relationship or a character, or if you’re part of the creation of that, your desire is for the character to be content and happy and sort of skipping through the fields. Alas, that just does not make for good drama. That gets old really, really fast. So I understand [the fans'] frustration, but in a way that’s what TV is all about – conflict and struggle. I feel bad for Cristina and Owen, that they haven’t had many moments of contentment and happiness, but again, we want that in our real lives. We don’t necessarily want that in our TV shows.
Were you as pleasantly surprised as I was that in that private, behind-closed-doors moment with Teddy, Owen didn’t pull her into some impetuous, soap opera-like embrace?
I was. There’s a rogue element to Owen that I love – and we’re going to see more of that as we go through this season, with him in the ER – and when it comes to certain things in his life, he’s not the perfect guy. He’s very hotheaded and passionate, and sometimes a head-on approach isn’t the best approach, especially in relationships. So yes, I was pleased he [pushed Teddy away]. In the read-through, everybody was going, “Oh, here we go,” and then, “Ohhhhh.” That’s when TV works, when a character turns a corner and does something you don’t expect. Owen’s a very moral guy, even though he gets things wrong and misconstrues stuff. On certain things he won’t cross a line.
But Cristina is not without her own flaws. One of their hiccups this season was due to her ambition, when she stole a surgery. Will that part of her create more problems?
That juxtaposition of life choices might come up again in a more complex and interesting way, yes. Two scenes that were very telling came in the season premiere, with Dr. Wyatt. After Cristina rattles off a list of all the things she knows about Owen, she says, “We talk all the time,” and Owen gives a withering look to his therapist. There’s definitely a communication issue, and that’s going to be addressed further through this whole Teddy thing.
There’s nothing Cristina could do that would push Owen into Teddy’s arms, is there?
At the moment I don’t think so. You never know, but I don’t think so. I really think his love for her is true. But I’ve done a lot of reading about people who have climbed Mt. Everest, and these guys who climb together know more about each other as a raw human being than their spouses do. They’ve seen each other at heir worst, their most stripped-down point. Similarly, Teddy and Owen have been through war together and know each other at a very raw level. That connection can’t be taken away.
Outside of the romance, what is your favorite ‘Grey’s’ relationship to play?
You saw Derek and Owen start to connect last year, when he helped Owen at his darkest point. Derek’s go through his own stuff now, and Owen is go to be quietly listening. He’s not taking sides or anything, but…. Derek feels like he’s in a vacuum at the moment with all this stuff going on with the Chief. So I’m enjoying playing that stuff.
Tell me about your role in the ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief’ (hitting theaters February 12).
I play Poseidon, the god of the sea. It’s a not a huge role, but I am Percy Jackson’s father. It’s a crazy fantasy/kids/action film that Christopher Columbus directed. I get to play an almost Obi-Wan Kenobi character.
What kind of costume do they have you in?
Well, there are two: There’s the period god costume with the breastplates and leather….
… and trident.
That’s right! And at the end of the movie, I’m walking around Manhattan as “civilian” Poseidon. That’s much more of a pea coat, fisherman-type look.
You voiced a character in the blockbuster videogame ‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.’ Might you be in No. 3?
I don’t know. That game, in its first five days it made $550 million, which is bigger than any other piece of entertainment in history.
And they probably paid you, what, $500?
[Laughs] A little more – but not much! It was just a voiceover gig and I didn’t think much about it, but now it’s the biggest thing since sliced bread. Just goes to show this crazy business were in.
source: Fancast
Jan 13th, 2010
When last we tuned into ABC’s ‘Grey’s Anatomy‘ (Thursday at 9/8c), Owen had affirmed (and then some!) his love for Cristina after prescribing for Teddy a cold shower. Is this triangle over before it even started? That great Scot, Kevin McKidd, shared with us a detailed diagnosis of what is in Hunt’s heart and the possibly problematic “connection” that can’t ever be taken away.
What’s Owen up to during the January 14th ‘Grey’s’/'Private Practice’ crossover episode?
He’s kind of flagging up, I think. He puts some of Teddy’s decision-making into question, because he’s not sure what’s motivating her right now. In the last episode… he made it very clear to her where the line in the sand was. He’s worried and concerned that she’s now operating in a way that could do more damage because… she has conflicting emotions. That adds lot of heat to things between him and Cristina.
Teddy isn’t going to undermine Cristina professionally, is she?
In a way it’s more complicated than that, more subconscious – which is kind of a good thing and a bad thing. Owen, meanwhile, is trying to be the guardian, keeping everyone in a safe place. Owen’s big thing is… the patients should always come first, and on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ that isn’t always the case. [Chuckles] His main concern is that all this messy personal stuff is getting in the way of the patients’ care.
Owen and Cristina don’t seem to be finding lasting happiness as quickly as their fans would like.
[Laughs] Is that the feedback you get? That’s interesting. I’ve said this before: If you’re a fan of a relationship or a character, or if you’re part of the creation of that, your desire is for the character to be content and happy and sort of skipping through the fields. Alas, that just does not make for good drama. That gets old really, really fast. So I understand [the fans'] frustration, but in a way that’s what TV is all about – conflict and struggle. I feel bad for Cristina and Owen, that they haven’t had many moments of contentment and happiness, but again, we want that in our real lives. We don’t necessarily want that in our TV shows.
Were you as pleasantly surprised as I was that in that private, behind-closed-doors moment with Teddy, Owen didn’t pull her into some impetuous, soap opera-like embrace?
I was. There’s a rogue element to Owen that I love – and we’re going to see more of that as we go through this season, with him in the ER – and when it comes to certain things in his life, he’s not the perfect guy. He’s very hotheaded and passionate, and sometimes a head-on approach isn’t the best approach, especially in relationships. So yes, I was pleased he [pushed Teddy away]. In the read-through, everybody was going, “Oh, here we go,” and then, “Ohhhhh.” That’s when TV works, when a character turns a corner and does something you don’t expect. Owen’s a very moral guy, even though he gets things wrong and misconstrues stuff. On certain things he won’t cross a line.
But Cristina is not without her own flaws. One of their hiccups this season was due to her ambition, when she stole a surgery. Will that part of her create more problems?
That juxtaposition of life choices might come up again in a more complex and interesting way, yes. Two scenes that were very telling came in the season premiere, with Dr. Wyatt. After Cristina rattles off a list of all the things she knows about Owen, she says, “We talk all the time,” and Owen gives a withering look to his therapist. There’s definitely a communication issue, and that’s going to be addressed further through this whole Teddy thing.
There’s nothing Cristina could do that would push Owen into Teddy’s arms, is there?
At the moment I don’t think so. You never know, but I don’t think so. I really think his love for her is true. But I’ve done a lot of reading about people who have climbed Mt. Everest, and these guys who climb together know more about each other as a raw human being than their spouses do. They’ve seen each other at heir worst, their most stripped-down point. Similarly, Teddy and Owen have been through war together and know each other at a very raw level. That connection can’t be taken away.
Outside of the romance, what is your favorite ‘Grey’s’ relationship to play?
You saw Derek and Owen start to connect last year, when he helped Owen at his darkest point. Derek’s go through his own stuff now, and Owen is go to be quietly listening. He’s not taking sides or anything, but…. Derek feels like he’s in a vacuum at the moment with all this stuff going on with the Chief. So I’m enjoying playing that stuff.
Tell me about your role in the ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief’ (hitting theaters February 12).
I play Poseidon, the god of the sea. It’s a not a huge role, but I am Percy Jackson’s father. It’s a crazy fantasy/kids/action film that Christopher Columbus directed. I get to play an almost Obi-Wan Kenobi character.
What kind of costume do they have you in?
Well, there are two: There’s the period god costume with the breastplates and leather….
… and trident.
That’s right! And at the end of the movie, I’m walking around Manhattan as “civilian” Poseidon. That’s much more of a pea coat, fisherman-type look.
You voiced a character in the blockbuster videogame ‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.’ Might you be in No. 3?
I don’t know. That game, in its first five days it made $550 million, which is bigger than any other piece of entertainment in history.
And they probably paid you, what, $500?
[Laughs] A little more – but not much! It was just a voiceover gig and I didn’t think much about it, but now it’s the biggest thing since sliced bread. Just goes to show this crazy business were in.
source: Fancast
'Grey’s’ Star Spills Secrets Behind the Big Kiss
by Matt Webb Mitovich
Dec 18th, 2009
Fans of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’s‘ Owen/Cristina romance surely have watched, re-watched and re-re-watched the couple’s big kiss from the last episode, “Holidaze.” As such, you may think you know everything there is to know about that scorching smooch.
Think again.
I spoke with Kevin McKidd just before he jetted home to Scotland for the holidays, and he shed light on how the pivotal scene was meant to play out as well as shared insight into why Owen kissed Cristina so ardently.
First, the how. The way the episode was edited together, it appears that Owen took a day – from New Year’s Eve until the following afternoon – to process his intense run-in with Teddy and then ultimately demonstrate his feelings for Cristina.
McKidd, though, says that in the original script Cristina and Owen had their confrontation “the very next moment after he had his conversation with Teddy. He actually walked out of that scene with Teddy and into the scene with Cristina.”
Upon seeing the show’s final edit – in which the scenes were intercut with a “New Year’s Day” title card – McKidd says even he had to exclaim, “Oh, no. They made it the next day!”
Worth the “wait” though, right?
Now as for the why of the lip lock… well, that’s simply how the sometimes stoic Dr. Hunt operates.
“The thing about Owen,” McKidd says, “is that words get the better of him sometimes. But the pain he felt for putting her into that position [of not knowing] was too much for him. So in that moment he wanted to try, in a noble way, to communicate how much he really loves her. And the only way he could do that was by kissing her in that way.”
Sure enough, the bold buss assuaged any concerns Yang had about Hunt and how he might feel about her versus Teddy. “There was no ambiguity,” McKidd says. “He very directly tried to make her feel secure and on safe ground again.”
Is Dr. Altman done making waves for Hunt and Yang? Perhaps not just yet. When ‘Grey’s’ returns with new episodes on January 14, Teddy’s behavior in the wake of Owen rebuff will give people pause.
“He made it very clear where the line in the sand was, so he’s worried now that she’s operating in a way that could do some damage” – figuratively and literally, McKidd says.
Will Teddy’s behavior include trying to undermine Cristina in the workplace? All parties involved may wish it were so simple. Instead, what she does “is more complicated and subconscious,” McKidd teases, “which is a good thing and a bad thing.”
source: Fancast
Dec 18th, 2009
Fans of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’s‘ Owen/Cristina romance surely have watched, re-watched and re-re-watched the couple’s big kiss from the last episode, “Holidaze.” As such, you may think you know everything there is to know about that scorching smooch.
Think again.
I spoke with Kevin McKidd just before he jetted home to Scotland for the holidays, and he shed light on how the pivotal scene was meant to play out as well as shared insight into why Owen kissed Cristina so ardently.
First, the how. The way the episode was edited together, it appears that Owen took a day – from New Year’s Eve until the following afternoon – to process his intense run-in with Teddy and then ultimately demonstrate his feelings for Cristina.
McKidd, though, says that in the original script Cristina and Owen had their confrontation “the very next moment after he had his conversation with Teddy. He actually walked out of that scene with Teddy and into the scene with Cristina.”
Upon seeing the show’s final edit – in which the scenes were intercut with a “New Year’s Day” title card – McKidd says even he had to exclaim, “Oh, no. They made it the next day!”
Worth the “wait” though, right?
Now as for the why of the lip lock… well, that’s simply how the sometimes stoic Dr. Hunt operates.
“The thing about Owen,” McKidd says, “is that words get the better of him sometimes. But the pain he felt for putting her into that position [of not knowing] was too much for him. So in that moment he wanted to try, in a noble way, to communicate how much he really loves her. And the only way he could do that was by kissing her in that way.”
Sure enough, the bold buss assuaged any concerns Yang had about Hunt and how he might feel about her versus Teddy. “There was no ambiguity,” McKidd says. “He very directly tried to make her feel secure and on safe ground again.”
Is Dr. Altman done making waves for Hunt and Yang? Perhaps not just yet. When ‘Grey’s’ returns with new episodes on January 14, Teddy’s behavior in the wake of Owen rebuff will give people pause.
“He made it very clear where the line in the sand was, so he’s worried now that she’s operating in a way that could do some damage” – figuratively and literally, McKidd says.
Will Teddy’s behavior include trying to undermine Cristina in the workplace? All parties involved may wish it were so simple. Instead, what she does “is more complicated and subconscious,” McKidd teases, “which is a good thing and a bad thing.”
source: Fancast
Kevin, Jessica Capshaw and James Pickens Jr. in an extended scene from GA 6x10
"Baby it's Cold Outside"
"Baby it's Cold Outside"
Grey’s exclusive: Kevin on Kim
Joel D Amos
credit: sheknows.com
**********
Grey’s Anatomy star Kevin McKidd has the most unmistakable Scottish accent. As an appreciator of all things UK, immediately SheKnows was impressed. Of course, McKidd’s gift for acting only grows our appreciation further. Since joining Grey’s Anatomy in 2008, McKidd has become a part of the smash show’s newest and hottest love triangle.
Considering this is Grey’s Anatomy, the show built on an Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey and Kate Walsh love triangle, the potential for an amour conflict involving McKidd’s Owen Hunt Sandra Oh and Grey’s newcomer Kim Raver of Lipstick Jungle and 24 -- is exciting to say the least.
McKidd phoned SheKnows after a busy day on the Grey’s Anatomy set to take us inside one of television’s biggest hits.
Kevin McKidd exclusive
SheKnows: How are things going for you personally on the Grey’s Anatomy set?
Kevin McKidd: I’m enjoying it. It’s funny. For my character, so far this season, it’s been a very war oriented season. Last year, right off the bat, he had some pretty intense personal stuff going on dealing with post traumatic stress disorder and reintegrating himself back into civilian life. The first half of this season, it seems he’s settling into the hospital more and now with the introduction of Kim Raver’s character, someone he’s spent years working together in Iraq, things get very interesting from this point on, this season, I don’t know, but I would guess is going to be much more explosive. There will be a lot more intensity and complication.
SheKnows: Besides joining a hit show and a great cast, you mentioned the challenges your character had coming back from war in Iraq. Was that one of the appealing aspects of you tackling this character?
Kevin McKidd: Absolutely. When I met Shonda Rhimes and she described this character at the beginning of season five, I just felt that it was a very important story to tell. You don’t get chances as an actor to through character to help spread education and inform people what is going on right now. I felt it was very important to be involved in that and I felt very honored. I still feel very honored to be a part of that.
SheKnows: Owen’s a bit of a mystery too…
Kevin McKidd: He’s got a lot of paradoxes. On one hand, he’s very honorable and wants to do things with the correct protocol. He’s been Army trained after all. The whole point about being in the army is that you follow protocol so when you’re in these intense situations, you can operate well. And yet, he’s a very impassioned and impulsive, sometimes hot headed man. He’s a red-blooded man. There’s this really interesting dichotomy that I get to play as an actor. In a strange way, in his personal life, he’s much more all over the place than he is professionally. In his personal life, that’s a whole other deal.
Raver’s rivets grey's anatomy
SheKnows: You mentioned Kim (Raver) joining things, what has it been like on the Grey’s Anatomy set with the addition of Ms Raver?
Kevin McKidd: It’s been great. She’s such a great actor. I’m very, very blessed for the entire season five, I got to work with Sandra Oh, who I love. I am so blessed that she is my acting partner. I look forward to that continuing. And then, Kim comes in, and Sandra and I are kind of nervous, because it’s someone that both she and I have to work with in a very in-depth way. She’s fantastic. She’s a “dyed-in-the-wool,” professionally trained actress with a deep talent and a real passion for her character. I think the three of us are really enjoying working together.
SheKnows: And the casting people at Grey’s Anatomy just nail it again, time after time.
Kevin McKidd: They do, yeah. They really do, it’s funny, I did some meetings and all the actresses that came in were fantastic. They wanted to see, they liked something where they felt potential. I met with a few actresses and they were great. But, when Kim came in, it felt like it was the right fit. You can tell right off the bat.
Owen’s awkward entry
SheKnows: Lastly, you came in on Grey’s Anatomy during season five. Now, Grey’s Anatomy is a full-blown phenomenon. What it was it like to come in as somebody who is new to the cast?
Kevin McKidd: My character did not come in easily. Most characters get to come in and do something kind of cute and smile. They’re endearing and people grow to like them. (Laughs) With my character, I show up, I stab somebody in the throat with a pen. I show up again and go back to Iraq. Then, I sedate and stab a whole lot of pigs that are on operating tables and tell these interns to save them and ignore the girl I kissed in the previous episode.
SheKnows: (Laughs.)
Kevin McKidd: I was nervous (laughs). I told them, “You know. This is a real gamble.” When Owen Hunt arrives and joins the hospital initially he was just a guest star. This is my character’s first action joining the show? People are really going to get this guy or I’m going to be out on my ear.
We both laugh.
Kevin McKidd: It worked. It seems to have worked. It was controversial at the time. But, then again, Grey’s Anatomy writers know how to hit ball out of the park each time.
Grey's Anatomy Love Triangle: "The Characters Can't Be Happy All the Time"
Thu., Nov. 19, 2009 5:00 AM PST
by Jennifer Godwin
source: E Online
Here's the bad news: Kim Raver's Teddy Altman is definitely a complication for Grey's Anatomy's most beloved twosome of the moment: Kevin McKidd's Owen Hunt and Sandra Oh's Cristina Yang. As Kevin McKidd correctly pointed out when we spoke earlier this week, "For a TV show to work, the characters can't be happy all the time." (Bah humbug!)
Now, here's the good news: McKidd and costar Oh are both total Crowen shippers who want to see their characters together as much or more than we do. McKidd testifies, "I want the best for him. I want him to be happy. I want him to be in love. I want him to be all these things, and so does Sandra [for her character]." And you've got to believe that all that love for love will win out in the end, right?
Kevin McKidd explained to us why he and Sandra are so in sync, both on- and offscreen, and what this triangle means for the show. Plus, McKidd revealed a worrisome suspicion that Owen's old nemesis might be back sooner rather than later...
The awesome McKidd made us very happy when we enticed him to talk about his press-shy and universally acknowledged as brilliant costar Sandra Oh.
McKidd told us, "I love her to bits. I think we both come from the same place as far as wanting the work to feel rooted and real and true. She's very protective over her character, understandably. As am I. One of the problems and the downsides of working on a long-term character is that you, the actor, become very protective over the character. I want the best for him. I want him to be happy. I want him to be in love. I want him to be all these things, and so does Sandra. But we both know that for a TV show to work, the characters can't be happy all the time. That's the whole point, so there's this weird thing going on, which is I think Sandra and I both right now are finding it hard because we're so kind of in love with the characters, and so kind of invested in Owen and Cristina being together. Suddenly there's this potential for danger. I [think we are] quite anxious ourselves for our characters' happiness. I think again, that adds to the chemistry of it all."
And that chemistry will indeed be tested in the coming weeks, and we aren't the only ones who are anxious about it. McKidd says, "People are hopefully going to be very, very torn and very involved and kind of sucked into it. I think it's a very interesting story we're telling...Stuff happens that you do not expect. Because you know when things like this happen in life, it can change your perception on a dime. And I think the intensity of that is going to be a really interesting player." Oh well, if we Grey's fans are going to be saddled with "intensity" rather than rainbows and unicorns, at least we'll be enduring it in the company of Oh and McKidd, two of the greatest "intense" actors currently working on TV.
And when the intensity gets to be too much, we'll just have to take our cues from the actors. McKidd says that when the anxiety gets to be too much, "At the end of the day we kind of have to laugh about it. We know it's just a joke. I think. [Laughs.] We spend a lot of time talking about these two people. We were really good friends, Sandra and I. We spend a lot of time worrying about—it's worry. It's almost like parents worrying over their children." (We know!)
Romance notwithstanding, other elements of Owen's world remain unsettled: "I don't think the PTSD thing is over for Owen. I think we're going to see more of that. The thing about posttraumatic stress disorder is that you can learn to manage in your life, but you can never fully get rid of it. I think that is going to come back to haunt him. I would hope, I don't know, but I would hope that we're going to see and deal with it in a very different way than he did last year. He was in denial about this thing that he had last year, and now he knows fully that he has this thing, and that is part of the process. I want to see that. I want to see him deal with it again but in a much more reformed way, because that is the true journey of posttraumatic stress disorder."
source: http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b154414_greys_anatomy_love_triangle_the.html
by Jennifer Godwin
source: E Online
Here's the bad news: Kim Raver's Teddy Altman is definitely a complication for Grey's Anatomy's most beloved twosome of the moment: Kevin McKidd's Owen Hunt and Sandra Oh's Cristina Yang. As Kevin McKidd correctly pointed out when we spoke earlier this week, "For a TV show to work, the characters can't be happy all the time." (Bah humbug!)
Now, here's the good news: McKidd and costar Oh are both total Crowen shippers who want to see their characters together as much or more than we do. McKidd testifies, "I want the best for him. I want him to be happy. I want him to be in love. I want him to be all these things, and so does Sandra [for her character]." And you've got to believe that all that love for love will win out in the end, right?
Kevin McKidd explained to us why he and Sandra are so in sync, both on- and offscreen, and what this triangle means for the show. Plus, McKidd revealed a worrisome suspicion that Owen's old nemesis might be back sooner rather than later...
The awesome McKidd made us very happy when we enticed him to talk about his press-shy and universally acknowledged as brilliant costar Sandra Oh.
McKidd told us, "I love her to bits. I think we both come from the same place as far as wanting the work to feel rooted and real and true. She's very protective over her character, understandably. As am I. One of the problems and the downsides of working on a long-term character is that you, the actor, become very protective over the character. I want the best for him. I want him to be happy. I want him to be in love. I want him to be all these things, and so does Sandra. But we both know that for a TV show to work, the characters can't be happy all the time. That's the whole point, so there's this weird thing going on, which is I think Sandra and I both right now are finding it hard because we're so kind of in love with the characters, and so kind of invested in Owen and Cristina being together. Suddenly there's this potential for danger. I [think we are] quite anxious ourselves for our characters' happiness. I think again, that adds to the chemistry of it all."
And that chemistry will indeed be tested in the coming weeks, and we aren't the only ones who are anxious about it. McKidd says, "People are hopefully going to be very, very torn and very involved and kind of sucked into it. I think it's a very interesting story we're telling...Stuff happens that you do not expect. Because you know when things like this happen in life, it can change your perception on a dime. And I think the intensity of that is going to be a really interesting player." Oh well, if we Grey's fans are going to be saddled with "intensity" rather than rainbows and unicorns, at least we'll be enduring it in the company of Oh and McKidd, two of the greatest "intense" actors currently working on TV.
And when the intensity gets to be too much, we'll just have to take our cues from the actors. McKidd says that when the anxiety gets to be too much, "At the end of the day we kind of have to laugh about it. We know it's just a joke. I think. [Laughs.] We spend a lot of time talking about these two people. We were really good friends, Sandra and I. We spend a lot of time worrying about—it's worry. It's almost like parents worrying over their children." (We know!)
Romance notwithstanding, other elements of Owen's world remain unsettled: "I don't think the PTSD thing is over for Owen. I think we're going to see more of that. The thing about posttraumatic stress disorder is that you can learn to manage in your life, but you can never fully get rid of it. I think that is going to come back to haunt him. I would hope, I don't know, but I would hope that we're going to see and deal with it in a very different way than he did last year. He was in denial about this thing that he had last year, and now he knows fully that he has this thing, and that is part of the process. I want to see that. I want to see him deal with it again but in a much more reformed way, because that is the true journey of posttraumatic stress disorder."
source: http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b154414_greys_anatomy_love_triangle_the.html
seaon six cast photo shoot
Kevin McKidd on good news and bad news for Cristina and Owen fans
By Jennifer Armstrong
Grey’s Anatomy fans — particularly those who love the relationship between Cristina (Sandra Oh) and Owen (Kevin McKidd) as much as I do — got a little queasy last week with the arrival of Kim Raver’s Dr. Teddy Altman. While, of course, we watch the show for the drama, it’s hard not to feel protective of a couple that’s overcome so much — his post-traumatic stress disorder from serving in combat, her general prickliness. So it’s hard to take kindly to a pretty, talented doctor type who shows up out of nowhere, then becomes Cristina’s mentor only to also confess her festering-since-their-military-days feelings for Owen. If it’s any consolation, McKidd feels our pain: “Sandra and I, when this [storyline] was pitched to us, we became very angst-ridden about it,” he says. “We love working together, and I think that adds to the dynamic on screen.” The triangulation continues to unfold on tonight’s episode — here’s what McKidd had to say about what Cristina-Owen fans can expect from the hour and in the near future
Teddy really could be the “cardio god” Cristina’s been desperately seeking. “The fun of this whole situation is that Teddy really is a fantastic cardiothoracic surgeon. If she hadn’t joined the Army, she would’ve been one of the cardio gods. So she’s a perfect fit for Cristina. I think that is going to make things way more complicated.”
Get ready for a three-way … emotional connection. “Teddy and Owen have this incredible bond from having served together, and Owen and Cristina are in love. Now Teddy’s starting to see what a great surgeon Cristina is going to be. So it’s a really interesting three-way, intense … I wouldn’t say love affair, but respect for each other.”
No need to fret for Cristina and Owen’s future — just yet. “The story of Owen and Cristina is a very important story. It’s about two people struggling to keep their love alive and their passion alive in the face of this mental illness, post traumatic stress disorder. I think that’s one of the reasons why people are so passionate about it. I don’t think the love that Owen and Cristina have for each other is going to go away.”
Things will heat up tonight. “You really start to see the bond between Cristina and Teddy build. But Teddy told Owen this thing last week [when she confessed her romantic feelings], and that becomes the elephant in the room.”
There won’t likely be any more kissy-face between Cristina and hot new doctor Jackson (Jesse Williams) — at least not if McKidd has anything to say about it. “Owen doesn’t know anything about their kiss. At the moment I’m not hearing that it’s going to come up again. But if Owen did find out about it, I feel like it would be an ugly scene.”
Teddy really could be the “cardio god” Cristina’s been desperately seeking. “The fun of this whole situation is that Teddy really is a fantastic cardiothoracic surgeon. If she hadn’t joined the Army, she would’ve been one of the cardio gods. So she’s a perfect fit for Cristina. I think that is going to make things way more complicated.”
Get ready for a three-way … emotional connection. “Teddy and Owen have this incredible bond from having served together, and Owen and Cristina are in love. Now Teddy’s starting to see what a great surgeon Cristina is going to be. So it’s a really interesting three-way, intense … I wouldn’t say love affair, but respect for each other.”
No need to fret for Cristina and Owen’s future — just yet. “The story of Owen and Cristina is a very important story. It’s about two people struggling to keep their love alive and their passion alive in the face of this mental illness, post traumatic stress disorder. I think that’s one of the reasons why people are so passionate about it. I don’t think the love that Owen and Cristina have for each other is going to go away.”
Things will heat up tonight. “You really start to see the bond between Cristina and Teddy build. But Teddy told Owen this thing last week [when she confessed her romantic feelings], and that becomes the elephant in the room.”
There won’t likely be any more kissy-face between Cristina and hot new doctor Jackson (Jesse Williams) — at least not if McKidd has anything to say about it. “Owen doesn’t know anything about their kiss. At the moment I’m not hearing that it’s going to come up again. But if Owen did find out about it, I feel like it would be an ugly scene.”
Kevin McKidd Dishes on Owen, Cristina and the Addition of Teddy on 'Grey's Anatomy'
Jacki Garfinkel ON Nov 19, 2009
Grey’s Anatomy fans — particularly those who love the relationship between Cristina (Sandra Oh) and Owen (Kevin McKidd) as much as I do — got a little queasy last week with the arrival of Kim Raver’s Dr. Teddy Altman. While, of course, we watch the show for the drama, it’s hard not to feel protective of a couple that’s overcome so much — his post-traumatic stress disorder from serving in combat, her general prickliness. So it’s hard to take kindly to a pretty, talented doctor type who shows up out of nowhere, then becomes Cristina’s mentor only to also confess her festering-since-their-military-days feelings for Owen. If it’s any consolation, McKidd feels our pain: “Sandra and I, when this [storyline] was pitched to us, we became very angst-ridden about it,” he says. “We love working together, and I think that adds to the dynamic on screen.” The triangulation continues to unfold on tonight’s episode — here’s what McKidd had to say about what Cristina-Owen fans can expect from the hour and in the near future
Teddy really could be the “cardio god” Cristina’s been desperately seeking. “The fun of this whole situation is that Teddy really is a fantastic cardiothoracic surgeon. If she hadn’t joined the Army, she would’ve been one of the cardio gods. So she’s a perfect fit for Cristina. I think that is going to make things way more complicated.”
Get ready for a three-way … emotional connection. “Teddy and Owen have this incredible bond from having served together, and Owen and Cristina are in love. Now Teddy’s starting to see what a great surgeon Cristina is going to be. So it’s a really interesting three-way, intense … I wouldn’t say love affair, but respect for each other.”
No need to fret for Cristina and Owen’s future — just yet. “The story of Owen and Cristina is a very important story. It’s about two people struggling to keep their love alive and their passion alive in the face of this mental illness, post traumatic stress disorder. I think that’s one of the reasons why people are so passionate about it. I don’t think the love that Owen and Cristina have for each other is going to go away.”
Things will heat up tonight. “You really start to see the bond between Cristina and Teddy build. But Teddy told Owen this thing last week [when she confessed her romantic feelings], and that becomes the elephant in the room.”
There won’t likely be any more kissy-face between Cristina and hot new doctor Jackson (Jesse Williams) — at least not if McKidd has anything to say about it. “Owen doesn’t know anything about their kiss. At the moment I’m not hearing that it’s going to come up again. But if Owen did find out about it, I feel like it would be an ugly scene.”
Teddy really could be the “cardio god” Cristina’s been desperately seeking. “The fun of this whole situation is that Teddy really is a fantastic cardiothoracic surgeon. If she hadn’t joined the Army, she would’ve been one of the cardio gods. So she’s a perfect fit for Cristina. I think that is going to make things way more complicated.”
Get ready for a three-way … emotional connection. “Teddy and Owen have this incredible bond from having served together, and Owen and Cristina are in love. Now Teddy’s starting to see what a great surgeon Cristina is going to be. So it’s a really interesting three-way, intense … I wouldn’t say love affair, but respect for each other.”
No need to fret for Cristina and Owen’s future — just yet. “The story of Owen and Cristina is a very important story. It’s about two people struggling to keep their love alive and their passion alive in the face of this mental illness, post traumatic stress disorder. I think that’s one of the reasons why people are so passionate about it. I don’t think the love that Owen and Cristina have for each other is going to go away.”
Things will heat up tonight. “You really start to see the bond between Cristina and Teddy build. But Teddy told Owen this thing last week [when she confessed her romantic feelings], and that becomes the elephant in the room.”
There won’t likely be any more kissy-face between Cristina and hot new doctor Jackson (Jesse Williams) — at least not if McKidd has anything to say about it. “Owen doesn’t know anything about their kiss. At the moment I’m not hearing that it’s going to come up again. But if Owen did find out about it, I feel like it would be an ugly scene.”
MCKIDD PROUD OF WAR VETERAN STORYLINE GREY'S ANATOMY
star KEVIN MCKIDD is proud to have landed a role as a traumatised military medic on the hit TV drama - because the storyline has resonated with real-life war veterans.
The Scottish actor plays Dr. Owen Hunt, a former U.S. Army trauma surgeon who served in war-torn Iraq.
He admits he has been bombarded with fan mail from veterans of the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, who are pleased to see the difficult subject of post-war trauma dealt with on primetime TV.
MCKidd says, "We have had a lot of letters from people who are grateful that a show of this size and reach is dealing with a subject like this. What's going on over there (in Iraq and Afghanistan) is very controversial politically, but we've been trying to tell the human story out there. We're telling the story of these brave men and women and what it is to come back, pick up your life and move forward with that experience of a war zone. There's been a lot of positive feedback from veterans. They are delighted we are casting light on a subject that not many people are talking about."
And MCKidd is "proud and pleased" that he is able to make a small contribution, adding: "It's great to know that people are not just watching, but taking something from it."
The Scottish actor plays Dr. Owen Hunt, a former U.S. Army trauma surgeon who served in war-torn Iraq.
He admits he has been bombarded with fan mail from veterans of the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, who are pleased to see the difficult subject of post-war trauma dealt with on primetime TV.
MCKidd says, "We have had a lot of letters from people who are grateful that a show of this size and reach is dealing with a subject like this. What's going on over there (in Iraq and Afghanistan) is very controversial politically, but we've been trying to tell the human story out there. We're telling the story of these brave men and women and what it is to come back, pick up your life and move forward with that experience of a war zone. There's been a lot of positive feedback from veterans. They are delighted we are casting light on a subject that not many people are talking about."
And MCKidd is "proud and pleased" that he is able to make a small contribution, adding: "It's great to know that people are not just watching, but taking something from it."
Soldat pe toate fronturile
(Romanian article)
November 30, 2009
Kevin McKidd, Lucius Vorenus in the celebrated HBO series "Rome" and now in the role of Dr. Owen Hunt, in season 5 of "Gray's Anatomy", broadcast on TVR 1.
For 31 episodes, the team at Seattle Grace Hospital and joined an unconventional character who can handle any means
extreme situations. This is the main culprit Owen Hunt a doctor recently returned from the front in Iraq. He hit his colleagues, like his radical methods, and behavior toward others.
Kevin McKidd received encouraging reviews, for his portrait of Lucius Vorenus in the HBO series "Rome." As he says McKidd, famous serial has many possibilities to be adapted for the screen: "There is a full scenario very good ,I have not seen, but certainly I will be part of the project.
From the Polytechnic to the theater
Kevin McKidd was born on August 9, 1973; childhood marked by deprivation and spent in Elgin, Scotland. Wanted to become an actor from the days when he played in school plays. His father was a plumber and her mother, a secretary in a factory of lemonade. Who wish that their child should not suffer financial constraints, parents advised him to get a job "safe" - engineering. As a listener, Kevin attended courses at the University of Edinburgh, but his talent and artistic sense prevailed. McKidd theater has attended the College of Queen Margareth.
Plump fun
Kevin tells with great humor about how the theater got the table: "The first time I got on stage was during a game at school. Everyone was laughing, or because I was fat, or because I was funny. I am not so sure. In any case, was sensational and I realized that was what I wanted to do.
The Scottish man was widely publicized through television roles. Debuted in the series "Father Ted", in which he played Father Deegan (1996). Then came the role of Tommy in "Trainspotting", which managed to be the only actor who has appeared on the distribution of poster presentations, as he went on vacation and missed the shoot.
In 2004, went into the skin of the third husband of Queen Mary of Scotland, the BBC miniserialul "Gunpowder, Teason & Plot", expressed in Romania. With him, this was a team
Romanian actors, including Adrian Fox, Carmen Ungureanu Dan jail.
MEMORANDUM
Family first
With so many projects, Kevin McKidd has come to fight for every minute spent with the family. Married in 1999, with Jane Parker, father of two sons: Joseph (9 years) and Jona (8 years). One thing happened when the original was requested a meeting with Shonda Rhimes, executive producer of "Grey's Anatomy.
The plaintiff requested that the debate be rescheduled. The application was accompanied by the following reasoning: "Very rarely I am in the same country with my son when it's his birthday."
Thanks to Marcy for finding the article and Geniusmentis for translating
Credit: http://www.evz.ro/articole/detalii-articol/877420/SERIAL-Soldat-pe-toate-fronturile/
Kevin McKidd, Lucius Vorenus in the celebrated HBO series "Rome" and now in the role of Dr. Owen Hunt, in season 5 of "Gray's Anatomy", broadcast on TVR 1.
For 31 episodes, the team at Seattle Grace Hospital and joined an unconventional character who can handle any means
extreme situations. This is the main culprit Owen Hunt a doctor recently returned from the front in Iraq. He hit his colleagues, like his radical methods, and behavior toward others.
Kevin McKidd received encouraging reviews, for his portrait of Lucius Vorenus in the HBO series "Rome." As he says McKidd, famous serial has many possibilities to be adapted for the screen: "There is a full scenario very good ,I have not seen, but certainly I will be part of the project.
From the Polytechnic to the theater
Kevin McKidd was born on August 9, 1973; childhood marked by deprivation and spent in Elgin, Scotland. Wanted to become an actor from the days when he played in school plays. His father was a plumber and her mother, a secretary in a factory of lemonade. Who wish that their child should not suffer financial constraints, parents advised him to get a job "safe" - engineering. As a listener, Kevin attended courses at the University of Edinburgh, but his talent and artistic sense prevailed. McKidd theater has attended the College of Queen Margareth.
Plump fun
Kevin tells with great humor about how the theater got the table: "The first time I got on stage was during a game at school. Everyone was laughing, or because I was fat, or because I was funny. I am not so sure. In any case, was sensational and I realized that was what I wanted to do.
The Scottish man was widely publicized through television roles. Debuted in the series "Father Ted", in which he played Father Deegan (1996). Then came the role of Tommy in "Trainspotting", which managed to be the only actor who has appeared on the distribution of poster presentations, as he went on vacation and missed the shoot.
In 2004, went into the skin of the third husband of Queen Mary of Scotland, the BBC miniserialul "Gunpowder, Teason & Plot", expressed in Romania. With him, this was a team
Romanian actors, including Adrian Fox, Carmen Ungureanu Dan jail.
MEMORANDUM
Family first
With so many projects, Kevin McKidd has come to fight for every minute spent with the family. Married in 1999, with Jane Parker, father of two sons: Joseph (9 years) and Jona (8 years). One thing happened when the original was requested a meeting with Shonda Rhimes, executive producer of "Grey's Anatomy.
The plaintiff requested that the debate be rescheduled. The application was accompanied by the following reasoning: "Very rarely I am in the same country with my son when it's his birthday."
Thanks to Marcy for finding the article and Geniusmentis for translating
Credit: http://www.evz.ro/articole/detalii-articol/877420/SERIAL-Soldat-pe-toate-fronturile/
Kevin McKidd: I don't let my kids watch my gory TV roles
Nov 22 2009 Alan Carson, Sunday Mail
source: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/2009/11/22/kevin-mckidd-i-don-t-let-my-kids-watch-my-gory-tv-roles-86908-21841303/
KEVIN McKIDD refuses to let his kids watch his roles in violent dramas.
The Scots star and wife Jane have banned son Joseph, nine, and daughter Iona, seven, from watching the blood and gore of Rome and Grey's Anatomy.
But Kevin, 36, is thrilled two new movie roles will finally give the youngsters a chance to see him on the big screen.
He said: "I'm about to do a voice for a big Pixar movie, Bear and the Bow. I can't wait, my kids can go to the premiere.
"Also, Percy Jackson and the Olympians comes out in February. My son has now read all five Percy Jackson books because I'm in it."
Nov 22 2009 Alan Carson, Sunday Mail
source: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/2009/11/22/kevin-mckidd-i-don-t-let-my-kids-watch-my-gory-tv-roles-86908-21841303/
KEVIN McKIDD refuses to let his kids watch his roles in violent dramas.
The Scots star and wife Jane have banned son Joseph, nine, and daughter Iona, seven, from watching the blood and gore of Rome and Grey's Anatomy.
But Kevin, 36, is thrilled two new movie roles will finally give the youngsters a chance to see him on the big screen.
He said: "I'm about to do a voice for a big Pixar movie, Bear and the Bow. I can't wait, my kids can go to the premiere.
"Also, Percy Jackson and the Olympians comes out in February. My son has now read all five Percy Jackson books because I'm in it."
Kevin McKidd on 'Grey's Anatomy''s New Love Triangle
Entertainment Tonight, November 19, 2009
soure: http://wonderwall.msn.com
*****
When Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) scrubbed into Seattle Grace Hospital on "Grey's Anatomy" last season, he quickly found himself attracted to Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), but acting on it was another matter. Having just returned from the war in Iraq, he was dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder -- and he tried to strangle her.
Now in therapy, Owen and Cristina are moving on with their relationship, or are they? Owen just invited Dr. Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) into the mix. He thought he was giving Cristina a present by bringing a top-notch heart surgeon to Seattle Grace, but Teddy has romantic feelings for Owen, so is she really going to be a gift for himself? A love triangle can't be too far behind!
Kevin talks to ET about the two women in Owen's life, McNicknames and all the babies on the set.
ET: Do you think Owen really loves Cristina?
Kevin McKidd: Yes, why do you even ask?
ET: He is just back from the war, there could be a lot more involved in it. Last week, he rejected Teddy, but triangles are always nice, so do you think he may have second thoughts?
Kevin McKidd: I don't know if it is second thoughts. He and Teddy were very good friends for a long, long time. I have done a lot of research into war experiences, specifically medics working in Iraq and Afghanistan. And the bond that is created between colleagues working in such an intense environment is huge and very undeniable. I think he and Teddy have a friendship that is more intense than a friendship you would have with somebody you work with in an office. I think that makes him realize that her friendship really matters to him. They have been through hell and back together. She obviously has these feelings. It gets more complicated and more intense, as opposed to him having second thoughts. There is one thing that is not in question and that is that he has committed to Cristina and is in love with Cristina. Although, as we know in TV shows those feelings, promises and truths get tested sometimes.
ET: Right, because Jackson (Jesse Williams) did kiss Cristina.
Kevin McKidd: Owen doesn't know about that. She is not saying anything.
ET: So now he has brought these two important women in his life together. Does he have concerns about that?
Kevin McKidd: Whatever is going to happen, the writers will set it up very well. I think it will get more tense and complicated, but it is not necessarily a negative thing. It is a very interesting thing. And it is something you haven't seen before as it goes to a more traditional love-triangle situation.
ET: There have been several actors taking leaves from the show: Ellen Pompeo had her baby, Patrick Dempsey and Katherine Heigl have movies -- is that good because it lets other people move to the forefront? You do have a lot of new cast members this season.
Kevin McKidd: There have been so many new people coming in. The writers have had to concentrate on establishing those characters, but it hasn't caused difficulty. I don't think it has hurt the show. It gives them potential new stories and new dynamics.
ET: I heard they were going to build a nursery at the set because there are so many babies. Is that true?
Kevin McKidd: I didn't hear that rumor, but I think it is a good idea. My kids could come in and use it, too.
ET: Chyler Leigh and Ellen Pompeo had babies and Katherine Heigl adopted.
Kevin McKidd: There are a lot of babies around. I love babies, but my kids are seven and nine and I remember those sleepless nights. I don't want to go back to that any time soon. It is fun to have lots of babies around. What is great about having children on the set, and I love when my kids come, is at the end of the day, this is show business and it is meant to be fun. Sometimes you can take it all a bit too seriously. I think when there are kids around, it gives everybody a good sense of perspective. Everybody goes, "Wait a minute. Let's see what is important here."
ET: Are they ever going to give you a McNickname?
Kevin McKidd: I don't know. I am not the person to do that. I've got one already, I guess.
ET: McArmy?
Kevin McKidd: I have heard that one. McBada$$ is another one.
ET: "Rome" went two seasons, "Journeyman" went one, how nice is it to be on a show that looks as if it will be around for years?
Kevin McKidd: Great. What I love is that they have given me a character who I think is a very interesting man. We will see a different side of him this year. I think in the second half we are going to see a lot more. He is an intense, dedicated, honorable man, who is conflicted and passionate. He is an interesting mix of those things. I am happy to keep exploring it.
ET: Can you talk about working with Sandra and Kim?
Kevin McKidd: When I joined the show, I felt so blessed to get Sandra as my acting partner. And I still feel exactly the same way, if not more so. Then Kim comes along and she is a consummate actress. She can really hold her own with Cristina Yang (Oh). She has the chops. I am getting the chance to work with two actresses who are really passionate about their work. I am in a really happy spot right now. Also, it is great that they really like each other, because it could have been tough. It creates an interesting dynamic for this triangle because that translates on the screen.
Entertainment Tonight, November 19, 2009
soure: http://wonderwall.msn.com
*****
When Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) scrubbed into Seattle Grace Hospital on "Grey's Anatomy" last season, he quickly found himself attracted to Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), but acting on it was another matter. Having just returned from the war in Iraq, he was dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder -- and he tried to strangle her.
Now in therapy, Owen and Cristina are moving on with their relationship, or are they? Owen just invited Dr. Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) into the mix. He thought he was giving Cristina a present by bringing a top-notch heart surgeon to Seattle Grace, but Teddy has romantic feelings for Owen, so is she really going to be a gift for himself? A love triangle can't be too far behind!
Kevin talks to ET about the two women in Owen's life, McNicknames and all the babies on the set.
ET: Do you think Owen really loves Cristina?
Kevin McKidd: Yes, why do you even ask?
ET: He is just back from the war, there could be a lot more involved in it. Last week, he rejected Teddy, but triangles are always nice, so do you think he may have second thoughts?
Kevin McKidd: I don't know if it is second thoughts. He and Teddy were very good friends for a long, long time. I have done a lot of research into war experiences, specifically medics working in Iraq and Afghanistan. And the bond that is created between colleagues working in such an intense environment is huge and very undeniable. I think he and Teddy have a friendship that is more intense than a friendship you would have with somebody you work with in an office. I think that makes him realize that her friendship really matters to him. They have been through hell and back together. She obviously has these feelings. It gets more complicated and more intense, as opposed to him having second thoughts. There is one thing that is not in question and that is that he has committed to Cristina and is in love with Cristina. Although, as we know in TV shows those feelings, promises and truths get tested sometimes.
ET: Right, because Jackson (Jesse Williams) did kiss Cristina.
Kevin McKidd: Owen doesn't know about that. She is not saying anything.
ET: So now he has brought these two important women in his life together. Does he have concerns about that?
Kevin McKidd: Whatever is going to happen, the writers will set it up very well. I think it will get more tense and complicated, but it is not necessarily a negative thing. It is a very interesting thing. And it is something you haven't seen before as it goes to a more traditional love-triangle situation.
ET: There have been several actors taking leaves from the show: Ellen Pompeo had her baby, Patrick Dempsey and Katherine Heigl have movies -- is that good because it lets other people move to the forefront? You do have a lot of new cast members this season.
Kevin McKidd: There have been so many new people coming in. The writers have had to concentrate on establishing those characters, but it hasn't caused difficulty. I don't think it has hurt the show. It gives them potential new stories and new dynamics.
ET: I heard they were going to build a nursery at the set because there are so many babies. Is that true?
Kevin McKidd: I didn't hear that rumor, but I think it is a good idea. My kids could come in and use it, too.
ET: Chyler Leigh and Ellen Pompeo had babies and Katherine Heigl adopted.
Kevin McKidd: There are a lot of babies around. I love babies, but my kids are seven and nine and I remember those sleepless nights. I don't want to go back to that any time soon. It is fun to have lots of babies around. What is great about having children on the set, and I love when my kids come, is at the end of the day, this is show business and it is meant to be fun. Sometimes you can take it all a bit too seriously. I think when there are kids around, it gives everybody a good sense of perspective. Everybody goes, "Wait a minute. Let's see what is important here."
ET: Are they ever going to give you a McNickname?
Kevin McKidd: I don't know. I am not the person to do that. I've got one already, I guess.
ET: McArmy?
Kevin McKidd: I have heard that one. McBada$$ is another one.
ET: "Rome" went two seasons, "Journeyman" went one, how nice is it to be on a show that looks as if it will be around for years?
Kevin McKidd: Great. What I love is that they have given me a character who I think is a very interesting man. We will see a different side of him this year. I think in the second half we are going to see a lot more. He is an intense, dedicated, honorable man, who is conflicted and passionate. He is an interesting mix of those things. I am happy to keep exploring it.
ET: Can you talk about working with Sandra and Kim?
Kevin McKidd: When I joined the show, I felt so blessed to get Sandra as my acting partner. And I still feel exactly the same way, if not more so. Then Kim comes along and she is a consummate actress. She can really hold her own with Cristina Yang (Oh). She has the chops. I am getting the chance to work with two actresses who are really passionate about their work. I am in a really happy spot right now. Also, it is great that they really like each other, because it could have been tough. It creates an interesting dynamic for this triangle because that translates on the screen.
Portuguese interview with Kevin and Sandra Oh
Interviewer: May Seah
LOS ANGELES - Sandra Oh came to Seattle Hospital on her motorcycle. "She took off her helmet and hair was everywhere," recalls James Pickens Jr., the Chief. Since then, the actress is always nominated for an Emmy and, in the 3rd year, with the scene of her marriage with almost Burke (Isaiah Washington), she deserved the award. After 5 years of Grey's Anatomy, Kevin McKidd and she lived a novel full of ups and downs, and now Cristina Yang and Owen Hunt will dating threatened by Kim Raver. In a chat with journalists, which the State participated, the actors talked about their characters.
Cristina will have competition now that Kim Raver arrives to undermine the relationship with Owen ...
Sandra: Really? What's coming? What are you saying? Who?
The blonde from 'Lipstick Jungle'...
Sandra: Let's see what she can do. Try separate my man from me? Huh!
What will happen?
Sandra: Kim Raver is here (laughs). Until her arrival, our relationship was going well, no?
McKidd: Yes, the momentum of them last season was dealing with Hunt's syndrome. And now the question is who they are in the relationship. They are at this point, right? It is a more normal relationship, one thing everyday.
Sandra: But it's not 'will we be together?'. We are connected and now someone else is coming ...
You like twists?
Sandra: Unfortunately we do not know what will happen. Obviously a love triangle is taking place. I'm anxious to know what the writers are going to deliver.
Are you Territorialist for Cristina?
Sandra: After six years, I feel exceptionally territorialist. This is a great word. If you are writing or living a character, you transport your mind to it.
McKidd: You become very protective.
How was shooting the first episode of the season with the death of O'Malley?
Sandra: It was strange for our dynamic cast. I would like our characters had to deal with it a little more. However, the series must continue. And the death of George's past and the writers want us to move forward. But I think we will still remember him, because that is what happens. You go somewhere and remember someone from the past and that memory affects you.
After six years, you get to dream about the work or the life of Cristina?
Sandra: Not with her life, but with people on the set. I dream that I'm talking to the writers ...
What is the downside of being in the series, since everyone talks about the camaraderie on the set is huge?
Sandra: We will not tell you that (laughs) ... But I can say something else. Not a complaint but a comment on the direction of the TV. We are one of the last broadcast TV dramas. Limitations and creative freedoms, which are positive but also negative. I think the drama is going today to cable TV. And network TV needs to continue to produce good one-hour dramas to stay in the game, but I know it is cheaper to produce reality shows, you know? Not a complaint, but a concern.
Did you watch the end of 'E.R.'?
Sandra: I was working. But this is a good example of network TV in its heyday, worked. The series has hired almost all the actors in Los Angeles.
How do you evaluate the progress of Cristina Yang in those years?
Sandra: What I like last season, with the presentation of Owen Hunt, do you see the opening of Cristina with the more mature side, with compassion. I like the fact it still ambitious, competitive and hilarious in this direction, but I like the maturity of it.
Do you love your character as to follow him for over 10 years?
Sandra: I think the writers will be able to form a structure that allows rotation. ER had three casts plants at different times.
Part Two of this interview:
How difficult was it to shoot that emotional first episode where George dies?
Sandra Oh: That was really strange and noticeable within our cast dynamic. I personally wish we'd dealt with it a little bit more.
What else is in store for your characters this season?
Sandra: (Kim Raver) better bring her A-game! Try to break me and my man up? But who knows? There are little bits of ups and downs, but mostly it's more of a regular relationship.
Kevin McKidd: Yeah, the thrust for them last year was dealing with this whole syndrome Hunt's dealing with. Now, their life is, 'What are we as a partnership and as a relationship?' The problem has been, in some way, laid to rest. It's much more normal.
Sandra: Yeah, it's not as fraught with, 'Are we going to be together?'
Kevin: And 'Am I going to strangle you?' (Laughs)
Do you have disagreements with the show's writers over your characters?
Eric Dane: Every day. One of my themes is, "I wouldn't say this". And they're like, "Yes, you would. Trust me, Eric, you would say this".
Kevin: I had a 10-page email exchange about what my character had for breakfast last week. It was 10 long paragraphs back and forth, back and forth, about why I shouldn't be having that.
Thanks to sandraohblog
Original credit: estadao.com.br
LOS ANGELES - Sandra Oh came to Seattle Hospital on her motorcycle. "She took off her helmet and hair was everywhere," recalls James Pickens Jr., the Chief. Since then, the actress is always nominated for an Emmy and, in the 3rd year, with the scene of her marriage with almost Burke (Isaiah Washington), she deserved the award. After 5 years of Grey's Anatomy, Kevin McKidd and she lived a novel full of ups and downs, and now Cristina Yang and Owen Hunt will dating threatened by Kim Raver. In a chat with journalists, which the State participated, the actors talked about their characters.
Cristina will have competition now that Kim Raver arrives to undermine the relationship with Owen ...
Sandra: Really? What's coming? What are you saying? Who?
The blonde from 'Lipstick Jungle'...
Sandra: Let's see what she can do. Try separate my man from me? Huh!
What will happen?
Sandra: Kim Raver is here (laughs). Until her arrival, our relationship was going well, no?
McKidd: Yes, the momentum of them last season was dealing with Hunt's syndrome. And now the question is who they are in the relationship. They are at this point, right? It is a more normal relationship, one thing everyday.
Sandra: But it's not 'will we be together?'. We are connected and now someone else is coming ...
You like twists?
Sandra: Unfortunately we do not know what will happen. Obviously a love triangle is taking place. I'm anxious to know what the writers are going to deliver.
Are you Territorialist for Cristina?
Sandra: After six years, I feel exceptionally territorialist. This is a great word. If you are writing or living a character, you transport your mind to it.
McKidd: You become very protective.
How was shooting the first episode of the season with the death of O'Malley?
Sandra: It was strange for our dynamic cast. I would like our characters had to deal with it a little more. However, the series must continue. And the death of George's past and the writers want us to move forward. But I think we will still remember him, because that is what happens. You go somewhere and remember someone from the past and that memory affects you.
After six years, you get to dream about the work or the life of Cristina?
Sandra: Not with her life, but with people on the set. I dream that I'm talking to the writers ...
What is the downside of being in the series, since everyone talks about the camaraderie on the set is huge?
Sandra: We will not tell you that (laughs) ... But I can say something else. Not a complaint but a comment on the direction of the TV. We are one of the last broadcast TV dramas. Limitations and creative freedoms, which are positive but also negative. I think the drama is going today to cable TV. And network TV needs to continue to produce good one-hour dramas to stay in the game, but I know it is cheaper to produce reality shows, you know? Not a complaint, but a concern.
Did you watch the end of 'E.R.'?
Sandra: I was working. But this is a good example of network TV in its heyday, worked. The series has hired almost all the actors in Los Angeles.
How do you evaluate the progress of Cristina Yang in those years?
Sandra: What I like last season, with the presentation of Owen Hunt, do you see the opening of Cristina with the more mature side, with compassion. I like the fact it still ambitious, competitive and hilarious in this direction, but I like the maturity of it.
Do you love your character as to follow him for over 10 years?
Sandra: I think the writers will be able to form a structure that allows rotation. ER had three casts plants at different times.
Part Two of this interview:
How difficult was it to shoot that emotional first episode where George dies?
Sandra Oh: That was really strange and noticeable within our cast dynamic. I personally wish we'd dealt with it a little bit more.
What else is in store for your characters this season?
Sandra: (Kim Raver) better bring her A-game! Try to break me and my man up? But who knows? There are little bits of ups and downs, but mostly it's more of a regular relationship.
Kevin McKidd: Yeah, the thrust for them last year was dealing with this whole syndrome Hunt's dealing with. Now, their life is, 'What are we as a partnership and as a relationship?' The problem has been, in some way, laid to rest. It's much more normal.
Sandra: Yeah, it's not as fraught with, 'Are we going to be together?'
Kevin: And 'Am I going to strangle you?' (Laughs)
Do you have disagreements with the show's writers over your characters?
Eric Dane: Every day. One of my themes is, "I wouldn't say this". And they're like, "Yes, you would. Trust me, Eric, you would say this".
Kevin: I had a 10-page email exchange about what my character had for breakfast last week. It was 10 long paragraphs back and forth, back and forth, about why I shouldn't be having that.
Thanks to sandraohblog
Original credit: estadao.com.br
An Interview with Kevin McKidd (Owen, 'Grey's Anatomy')
By Rachel Thomas, About.com
******************************
November 2009
One of the most difficult aspects of being an actor on a television show that hasn't hit it big in the ratings department is wondering whether or not you'll still have a job at the end of the day. It probably makes life a bit stressful. Now imagine going from a failing series to one of the most successful shows on primetime.
Such is the case with Kevin McKidd. Two years ago, I spoke with the extremely charming actor when he starred on the NBC drama Journeyman, a fantastic series that had the great misfortune of airing during the infamous writers strike. NBC's loss turned out to be ABC's gain as this talented actor landed a role on Grey's Anatomy as Dr. Owen Hunt.
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to chat with Kevin once more about his role on the hit series and what's ahead for his character as a woman from Owen's past arrives at Seattle Grace. Could this be the beginning of the end for Owen and Cristina?
Q: What made you decide to pursue acting?
Kevin: "I think I just fell into it. I was terrible at sports and painfully shy as a kid. I took a part in a school play and suddenly when I had a page with lines that someone else wrote, I found I could express myself through those words. That was the initial spark for me."
Q: If you weren't an actor, what sort of career path would you have followed?
Kevin: "I think I would have been involved with music on some level. I'm very passionate about music, so I think I would be performing at some level. Or, I would have ended up working construction like other members of my family."
Q: You and Patrick Dempsey starred in Made of Honor together, did the film lead to your role on Grey's Anatomy?
Kevin: "I don't think so -- I asked Patrick about this and he said he had no idea I was showing up [on Grey's] until I showed up on the set. I think it was just one of those happy coincidences."
Q: You have some pivotal episodes coming up on Grey's Anatomy, what can you tell us about them?
Kevin: "It's a testing time for Owen and Cristina. They've worked so hard to get where they are and just when they think they're hitting solid ground, stuff happens in TV shows and their faith in each other is going to be tested. I personally hope they're going to pull through it because I think they have a real magic together."
Q: A woman named Teddy (played by Kim Raver) from Owen's past is coming to Seattle Grace -- does Owen bring her in so Cristina will finally have a mentor?
Kevin: "I think Owen felt like Cristina dealt with so much over the last year with his problems and the PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), yet he kind of feels she doesn't need any help because she's so tough, but he realizes she needs help professionally. She's not being given the direction she needs and she's so talented, but what happens to hugely talented people when they flounder is they become distracted. He makes an attempt to try and refocus her and give her all she needs professionally. Ironically, that might be the thing that jeopardizes their love for each other."
Q: Did you do anything special to prepare for this role?
Kevin: "I spoke with experts, people who worked one on one with returning troops, dealing with readjusting to life. There are a lot of memoirs and autobiographies written by surgeons about the time they spent in Iraq I read. I wanted to make sure that what I did was a true representation of what is going on out there."
Q: Do people still ask you about Journeyman?
Kevin: "They do! People really loved that show, which is testament to Kevin Falls and Alex Graves, who created the show. I'm still really proud of that show. I think if it had been in a different environment, a different climate, it would still be on the air."
Q: Do you Twitter?
Kevin: (laughs) "I don't -- but should I?"
Q: Do you have a Facebook page?
Kevin: "I do."
Q: Do you accept fans as friends on Facebook?
Kevin: "No, I don't. I just use it for my pals from Scotland to keep in contact with them."
Q: Anything to say to the fans?
Kevin: "It's always very flattering to know that people are watching and I'm very grateful that people seem to like the characters I've played."
credit: http://tvdramas.about.com/od/greysanatomy/a/kevinmckiddint2.htm
******************************
November 2009
One of the most difficult aspects of being an actor on a television show that hasn't hit it big in the ratings department is wondering whether or not you'll still have a job at the end of the day. It probably makes life a bit stressful. Now imagine going from a failing series to one of the most successful shows on primetime.
Such is the case with Kevin McKidd. Two years ago, I spoke with the extremely charming actor when he starred on the NBC drama Journeyman, a fantastic series that had the great misfortune of airing during the infamous writers strike. NBC's loss turned out to be ABC's gain as this talented actor landed a role on Grey's Anatomy as Dr. Owen Hunt.
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to chat with Kevin once more about his role on the hit series and what's ahead for his character as a woman from Owen's past arrives at Seattle Grace. Could this be the beginning of the end for Owen and Cristina?
Q: What made you decide to pursue acting?
Kevin: "I think I just fell into it. I was terrible at sports and painfully shy as a kid. I took a part in a school play and suddenly when I had a page with lines that someone else wrote, I found I could express myself through those words. That was the initial spark for me."
Q: If you weren't an actor, what sort of career path would you have followed?
Kevin: "I think I would have been involved with music on some level. I'm very passionate about music, so I think I would be performing at some level. Or, I would have ended up working construction like other members of my family."
Q: You and Patrick Dempsey starred in Made of Honor together, did the film lead to your role on Grey's Anatomy?
Kevin: "I don't think so -- I asked Patrick about this and he said he had no idea I was showing up [on Grey's] until I showed up on the set. I think it was just one of those happy coincidences."
Q: You have some pivotal episodes coming up on Grey's Anatomy, what can you tell us about them?
Kevin: "It's a testing time for Owen and Cristina. They've worked so hard to get where they are and just when they think they're hitting solid ground, stuff happens in TV shows and their faith in each other is going to be tested. I personally hope they're going to pull through it because I think they have a real magic together."
Q: A woman named Teddy (played by Kim Raver) from Owen's past is coming to Seattle Grace -- does Owen bring her in so Cristina will finally have a mentor?
Kevin: "I think Owen felt like Cristina dealt with so much over the last year with his problems and the PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), yet he kind of feels she doesn't need any help because she's so tough, but he realizes she needs help professionally. She's not being given the direction she needs and she's so talented, but what happens to hugely talented people when they flounder is they become distracted. He makes an attempt to try and refocus her and give her all she needs professionally. Ironically, that might be the thing that jeopardizes their love for each other."
Q: Did you do anything special to prepare for this role?
Kevin: "I spoke with experts, people who worked one on one with returning troops, dealing with readjusting to life. There are a lot of memoirs and autobiographies written by surgeons about the time they spent in Iraq I read. I wanted to make sure that what I did was a true representation of what is going on out there."
Q: Do people still ask you about Journeyman?
Kevin: "They do! People really loved that show, which is testament to Kevin Falls and Alex Graves, who created the show. I'm still really proud of that show. I think if it had been in a different environment, a different climate, it would still be on the air."
Q: Do you Twitter?
Kevin: (laughs) "I don't -- but should I?"
Q: Do you have a Facebook page?
Kevin: "I do."
Q: Do you accept fans as friends on Facebook?
Kevin: "No, I don't. I just use it for my pals from Scotland to keep in contact with them."
Q: Anything to say to the fans?
Kevin: "It's always very flattering to know that people are watching and I'm very grateful that people seem to like the characters I've played."
credit: http://tvdramas.about.com/od/greysanatomy/a/kevinmckiddint2.htm
Kevin McKidd’s Shocking New Role
Credit: About.com
Grey's Anatomy doctor Kevin McKidd had to rush from the hair-raising unveiling of the world's first billboard to feature lightning, created with electricity and movie magic to promote his 2010 movie "Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief," to a haircut.
"When they flipped the switch, I could feel my hair start to stick up from the static," McKidd, who plays Poseidon in the Fox family film based on a best-selling children's book series, told TV Guide Magazine. "There was a tingle on my head, which is ironic because I have to go to the set after this for a haircut. It's not very glamorous but it needs to be done. I'm getting a little scruffy and I have a big scene tomorrow for the Christmas episode. All I can say is that me and two other people from the cast will be making music and creating something special for the hospital's holiday gathering."
He would not clarify whether his character Owen Hunt would be singing or playing an instrument, but neither option is a skill he claims to be an expert at. "I don't know if I would go as far as to say that I am good, but I will give it my best shot."
One actor he hopes to keep making sweet music with is Sandra Oh. "Personally, I hope Owen and Cristina make it through the season unscathed and together because I love working with Sandra and I felt like we were telling a valid, emotional, truthful story that many people are going through in this country. But there's been so much happening at work with the merger that they have stepped back from the personal side stories. Because they're in a relatively new relationship, the tension is taking its toll. They're misreading each other and have gotten out of sync, but they're going to get back in sync over the next few weeks. Of course, there are also a few things that they're going to butt heads over. [Those] will be a signal for the problems they will have throughout the rest of the season, which they may or may not manage to resolve."
While he hopes the on-screen couple works out the kinks, he's enjoying how much the Seattle Grace/Mercy West merger storyline is keeping everyone on their toes. "I make sure to memorize all my lines so they don't get any ideas about firing Owen," he joked before adding, "One of the things they do so well at Grey's is keep everybody including the audience engaged and hungry. You want contentment in life, not on your favorite TV show. We're a much better show when the drama level is high. The writers allow just enough happiness to balance out the bleak times."
"Lightning Thief" gave McKidd a much-needed escape from the bleak realism of the hospital drama during his last hiatus. "Everything on Grey's is based in reality and they go to great lengths to be accurate whereas this job, playing a Greek God, was like playing make believe. It's all fantasy. It was fun to wear a skirt again. I haven't been in one since I finished Rome on HBO. It felt like getting into an old pair of pajamas. It's like riding a bike."
If the film is a hit, McKidd may have many more opportunities to exchange scrubs for togas as there are four more novels in the franchise. "My son is reading them a second time and he's told me which books have a lot for me to do. He can answer any question about the mythology. He did my research for me for this gig. I wish he had as much interest in medical terminology."
Grey's Anatomy doctor Kevin McKidd had to rush from the hair-raising unveiling of the world's first billboard to feature lightning, created with electricity and movie magic to promote his 2010 movie "Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief," to a haircut.
"When they flipped the switch, I could feel my hair start to stick up from the static," McKidd, who plays Poseidon in the Fox family film based on a best-selling children's book series, told TV Guide Magazine. "There was a tingle on my head, which is ironic because I have to go to the set after this for a haircut. It's not very glamorous but it needs to be done. I'm getting a little scruffy and I have a big scene tomorrow for the Christmas episode. All I can say is that me and two other people from the cast will be making music and creating something special for the hospital's holiday gathering."
He would not clarify whether his character Owen Hunt would be singing or playing an instrument, but neither option is a skill he claims to be an expert at. "I don't know if I would go as far as to say that I am good, but I will give it my best shot."
One actor he hopes to keep making sweet music with is Sandra Oh. "Personally, I hope Owen and Cristina make it through the season unscathed and together because I love working with Sandra and I felt like we were telling a valid, emotional, truthful story that many people are going through in this country. But there's been so much happening at work with the merger that they have stepped back from the personal side stories. Because they're in a relatively new relationship, the tension is taking its toll. They're misreading each other and have gotten out of sync, but they're going to get back in sync over the next few weeks. Of course, there are also a few things that they're going to butt heads over. [Those] will be a signal for the problems they will have throughout the rest of the season, which they may or may not manage to resolve."
While he hopes the on-screen couple works out the kinks, he's enjoying how much the Seattle Grace/Mercy West merger storyline is keeping everyone on their toes. "I make sure to memorize all my lines so they don't get any ideas about firing Owen," he joked before adding, "One of the things they do so well at Grey's is keep everybody including the audience engaged and hungry. You want contentment in life, not on your favorite TV show. We're a much better show when the drama level is high. The writers allow just enough happiness to balance out the bleak times."
"Lightning Thief" gave McKidd a much-needed escape from the bleak realism of the hospital drama during his last hiatus. "Everything on Grey's is based in reality and they go to great lengths to be accurate whereas this job, playing a Greek God, was like playing make believe. It's all fantasy. It was fun to wear a skirt again. I haven't been in one since I finished Rome on HBO. It felt like getting into an old pair of pajamas. It's like riding a bike."
If the film is a hit, McKidd may have many more opportunities to exchange scrubs for togas as there are four more novels in the franchise. "My son is reading them a second time and he's told me which books have a lot for me to do. He can answer any question about the mythology. He did my research for me for this gig. I wish he had as much interest in medical terminology."
Grey's Doc Kevin McKidd Lightens Up
By Tracy Phillips
October 8, 2009
Source: Fancast
****************
Kevin McKidd is ready to have some fun.
The intense Scottish actor successfully transitioned into his role as series regular Dr. Owen Hunt last season on ‘Grey’s Anatomy‘ (considering the track record of some actors on this show, you know that can be dicey).
“Last year was nerve-wracking,” McKidd tells me of being the new guy. “I found it really weird because I’ve always been with a show from the start. I feel more relaxed this year, much more at ease.”
It’s a demeanor we can also look forward to seeing in his character as well.
“We get to see the fun side of Owen this season,” McKidd says. “There’s a lot more to him than just his post-traumatic stress disorder…he had a black cloud over him last season, but it will eventually pass.”
That will take the edge off–something McKidd looks forward to–as we get back to the guy we first met in last year’s premiere.
“Owen and Cristina will have fun. Oh yeah, it’s gonna happen…they are capable of it,” McKidd laughs. “As he becomes lighter, more like his old self, he realizes she’s much darker–she pushed a lot of that aside to help him through his ordeal–but when he gets his sh*t together, he’s going to realize she’s got a lot of sh*t she needs to deal with.”
“There will be comedy in that,” McKidd says. “Guys aren’t as good at that, so he’ll have to learn very fast.”
You know what else guys aren’t good at? Fighting bears. Watch tough guy Alex (Justin Chambers) scream like a girl in a preview of Thursday’s episode:
Because there is a perpetual black cloud over Seattle Grace Hospital, however, the power shift between the couple does leave Owen and Cristina’s relationship “vulnerable” McKidd says.
Vulnerable to say…a third party? “Perhaps” is all he’ll say.
But if anyone’s going to swoop in and spoil (or increase?) Owen’s “fun,” the prime suspect has just been revealed: Kim Raver joins the show in a recurring role as the new doc on the block, beginning with the Nov. 12th episode. She’s romanced Jack Bauer (’24′) and roamed the ‘Lipstick Jungle’–but she’s still going to have her work cut out for her when she tangles with Dr. Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh).
Fun times, indeed.
October 8, 2009
Source: Fancast
****************
Kevin McKidd is ready to have some fun.
The intense Scottish actor successfully transitioned into his role as series regular Dr. Owen Hunt last season on ‘Grey’s Anatomy‘ (considering the track record of some actors on this show, you know that can be dicey).
“Last year was nerve-wracking,” McKidd tells me of being the new guy. “I found it really weird because I’ve always been with a show from the start. I feel more relaxed this year, much more at ease.”
It’s a demeanor we can also look forward to seeing in his character as well.
“We get to see the fun side of Owen this season,” McKidd says. “There’s a lot more to him than just his post-traumatic stress disorder…he had a black cloud over him last season, but it will eventually pass.”
That will take the edge off–something McKidd looks forward to–as we get back to the guy we first met in last year’s premiere.
“Owen and Cristina will have fun. Oh yeah, it’s gonna happen…they are capable of it,” McKidd laughs. “As he becomes lighter, more like his old self, he realizes she’s much darker–she pushed a lot of that aside to help him through his ordeal–but when he gets his sh*t together, he’s going to realize she’s got a lot of sh*t she needs to deal with.”
“There will be comedy in that,” McKidd says. “Guys aren’t as good at that, so he’ll have to learn very fast.”
You know what else guys aren’t good at? Fighting bears. Watch tough guy Alex (Justin Chambers) scream like a girl in a preview of Thursday’s episode:
Because there is a perpetual black cloud over Seattle Grace Hospital, however, the power shift between the couple does leave Owen and Cristina’s relationship “vulnerable” McKidd says.
Vulnerable to say…a third party? “Perhaps” is all he’ll say.
But if anyone’s going to swoop in and spoil (or increase?) Owen’s “fun,” the prime suspect has just been revealed: Kim Raver joins the show in a recurring role as the new doc on the block, beginning with the Nov. 12th episode. She’s romanced Jack Bauer (’24′) and roamed the ‘Lipstick Jungle’–but she’s still going to have her work cut out for her when she tangles with Dr. Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh).
Fun times, indeed.
Cohen, Bari Nan. "Man of the House." Good Housekeeping.
October 2009. (Credited ladyvi)
Kevin McKidd
(No kidding: This dad's favorite time of day is story time)
The brogue catches you off guard. Kevin McKidd’s American accent, when he plays Army veteran surgeon Owen Hunt on GREY'S ANATOMY, is so convincing that it’s easy to forget he’s a recent transplant from Britain. But off camera, he’s every bit the lad raised in Elgin, Scotland, though he insists, “I was brought up American TV, and now I get to emulate all the stuff I watched as a kid: I loved T.J. HOOKER, CAGNEY & LACEY.” Owen’s job description affords him another perk: “I get to be in charge. In my life, I feel—and it should be this way, I am NOT complaining—my wife and kids are in charge. I am along for the ride. So it’s fun to play a surgeon whom everyone defers to.” Now that the family—wife Jane Parker, son Joseph, 9, and daughter Iona, 7—and their three dogs have settled into their new digs in Los Angeles, McKidd, 36, says they revel in the “full-on” California life-style. Here, a glimpse at his day-to-day:
My handyman style is....different here than it was when we lived in Britain. I was very DIY there, but I had all my tools. Trying to take my power saw through Immigration would have been tricky. Now I’m building up my tool chest and tackling projects here—like replacing a rotten leg on a bench I bought for the garden.
My worst DIY moment was...when I tried to surprise my wife by refinishing the floor in our bedroom. I bought varnish and tools, ripped out the carpet, and rented this huge industrial sander—which wouldn’t work. After 10 hours, I said to my wife, “I’m sorry but we have to go to the carpet shop. Today.”
The one thing I always do around the house is...clean out the fridge.
The best part of being married is...the companionship when you have had a bad day.
The habit of my wife’s that drives me crazy is...she’s forgetful. We have a pool in our backyard, and every so often you need to top off the water. Well, today she put the hose on, forgot about it, and then left. I came home and the whole pool was overflowing!
The habit I have that drives my wife crazy is...not topping off the pool!
I knew I wanted to marry my wife when...we met at a holiday party when we were both working at theaters in London’s West End. Our eyes met across the room and that was it. I asked her to marry me two and a half weeks later, and about five months after that we got married. It was an intense romantic experience that I would not trade for anything.
Our favourite Saturday plans involve...staying in our pajamas all day. First, we cook pancakes—we never did that in Britain; Joseph likes blueberry and Iona likes chocolate chip—and then we’ll play some music. My son’s got a drum kit and I play the guitar, and we’ll jam.
The one family ritual that I never mess with is...reading stories at bedtime. There’s ALWAYS a story. I didn’t grow up like that. My parents were very loving and nurturing, but in Scotland you didn’t do it. But I’ve bonded with my kids on so many levels through reading—now they sometimes read back to me, which is a total joy. –BARI NAN COHEN
(No kidding: This dad's favorite time of day is story time)
The brogue catches you off guard. Kevin McKidd’s American accent, when he plays Army veteran surgeon Owen Hunt on GREY'S ANATOMY, is so convincing that it’s easy to forget he’s a recent transplant from Britain. But off camera, he’s every bit the lad raised in Elgin, Scotland, though he insists, “I was brought up American TV, and now I get to emulate all the stuff I watched as a kid: I loved T.J. HOOKER, CAGNEY & LACEY.” Owen’s job description affords him another perk: “I get to be in charge. In my life, I feel—and it should be this way, I am NOT complaining—my wife and kids are in charge. I am along for the ride. So it’s fun to play a surgeon whom everyone defers to.” Now that the family—wife Jane Parker, son Joseph, 9, and daughter Iona, 7—and their three dogs have settled into their new digs in Los Angeles, McKidd, 36, says they revel in the “full-on” California life-style. Here, a glimpse at his day-to-day:
My handyman style is....different here than it was when we lived in Britain. I was very DIY there, but I had all my tools. Trying to take my power saw through Immigration would have been tricky. Now I’m building up my tool chest and tackling projects here—like replacing a rotten leg on a bench I bought for the garden.
My worst DIY moment was...when I tried to surprise my wife by refinishing the floor in our bedroom. I bought varnish and tools, ripped out the carpet, and rented this huge industrial sander—which wouldn’t work. After 10 hours, I said to my wife, “I’m sorry but we have to go to the carpet shop. Today.”
The one thing I always do around the house is...clean out the fridge.
The best part of being married is...the companionship when you have had a bad day.
The habit of my wife’s that drives me crazy is...she’s forgetful. We have a pool in our backyard, and every so often you need to top off the water. Well, today she put the hose on, forgot about it, and then left. I came home and the whole pool was overflowing!
The habit I have that drives my wife crazy is...not topping off the pool!
I knew I wanted to marry my wife when...we met at a holiday party when we were both working at theaters in London’s West End. Our eyes met across the room and that was it. I asked her to marry me two and a half weeks later, and about five months after that we got married. It was an intense romantic experience that I would not trade for anything.
Our favourite Saturday plans involve...staying in our pajamas all day. First, we cook pancakes—we never did that in Britain; Joseph likes blueberry and Iona likes chocolate chip—and then we’ll play some music. My son’s got a drum kit and I play the guitar, and we’ll jam.
The one family ritual that I never mess with is...reading stories at bedtime. There’s ALWAYS a story. I didn’t grow up like that. My parents were very loving and nurturing, but in Scotland you didn’t do it. But I’ve bonded with my kids on so many levels through reading—now they sometimes read back to me, which is a total joy. –BARI NAN COHEN
Season 5 DVD in Stores Now!
Check out this Extended Scene:
Glasgow Sunday Mail. 27 September 2009.
I was just days from quitting Hollywood, says Scots star Kevin McKidd
SCOTTISH screen idol Kevin McKidd has told how he almost quit Hollywood - because he was broke.
After starring in the hit BBC series Rome, the 36-year-old uprooted his wife Jane and kids from Britain to a rented home in LA on the strength of a part in a sci-fi series which was cancelled.
The family were preparing to pack up and return home when he was offered a bit part in TV drama Grey's Anatomy.
Kevin auditioned and within six episodes a minor role as Iraq war veteran Dr Owen Hunt had become a permanent fixture in the biggest show on US telly apart from American Idol.
Elgin-born Kevin said: "I'd been in LA for 18 months. But there was no money coming in.
"What were we going to do? The whole town was in shutdown because of the writers' strike. This is a crazy business."
SCOTTISH screen idol Kevin McKidd has told how he almost quit Hollywood - because he was broke.
After starring in the hit BBC series Rome, the 36-year-old uprooted his wife Jane and kids from Britain to a rented home in LA on the strength of a part in a sci-fi series which was cancelled.
The family were preparing to pack up and return home when he was offered a bit part in TV drama Grey's Anatomy.
Kevin auditioned and within six episodes a minor role as Iraq war veteran Dr Owen Hunt had become a permanent fixture in the biggest show on US telly apart from American Idol.
Elgin-born Kevin said: "I'd been in LA for 18 months. But there was no money coming in.
"What were we going to do? The whole town was in shutdown because of the writers' strike. This is a crazy business."
"Kevin McKidd Talks Season 6 with TV Guide." 24 September 2009. (Credited Valerie)
When Kevin McKidd joined Grey’s Anatomy last season as Owen Hunt, he walked onto a set rife with controversy, unhappy actors and major behind-the-scenes drama.
Yet none of that seems to have affected the star, whom we caught up with in Pasadena, California, last August to hear his thoughts on all the Grey’s drama, his dark and twisty character, and Owen’s budding relationship with Cristina (Sandra Oh).
TVGuide.ca: I hope we’re safe in assuming that since we’re having this conversation, the rumours that you were leaving the show were just that — rumours?
Kevin McKidd: Oh, really? Oh wow …
TVG: I guess it was during that brief period where there were so many stories going around – ‘Who’s leaving Grey’s Anatomy?’ I think it was because you had a new project?
KM: I was doing a movie called Percy Jackson, which is a Chris Columbus movie. This is his next franchise movie. It’s about a teenage boy who finds out that his father is Poseidon, the Greek god. He lives in modern-day Manhattan, and finds out the gods live there too. It’s based on a set of books that helps introduce Greek mythology to teenagers.
TVG: It sounds like the show has been pretty accommodating to your film career.
KM: They’ve been great!
TVG: What is it like to be a part of a show that has so much publicity attached to it?
KM: Well, I just like to come in and do my job, put my scrubs on and get it done. I don’t pay attention or read that stuff, so I’m not aware of most of it. I hear some of it and the reality is that when you go to the workplace and work with those actors and the writers, none of that stuff in the media is there. It feels like there are two parallel universes going on.
TVG: Is Owen Hunt going to simmer down a little bit now that he’s in therapy [for post-traumatic stress disorder] and finally saw his mother?
KM: Yeah. I’m hoping — we don’t know yet — that it’s going to be a rough road for him and Cristina still. But he now has taken a big step towards healing himself, and I’d like to see him basically come back to the guy he was in the season première last year, when he was a happy guy and he wasn’t damaged in the way that we’ve seen him.
This season for him will be getting back to that person. So many troops, so many people in the world have suffered from this illness that it’s important to show that you can come out of the other end of it.
TVG: It sounds like you’ve talked to some people who have been through this.
KM: Yeah, yeah, I’ve done a lot of talking. It’s such a relevant topic and issue that I made sure I did my research properly.
TVG: And have you had any response?
KM: I’ve been getting letters, and the writers and staff have been getting letters and emails of thanks, really. Because of the prime-time environment, so many people watch Grey’s Anatomy … and we’re talking about this taboo subject, people kind of brush it under the carpet a lot of the time, so I think it’s really great of the writers to tackle it head-on. There’s been a lot of positive response from communities dealing with it.
TVG: Have you ever personally felt like you were so far gone emotionally from everyone around you?
KM: It wasn’t because of trauma, but I remember when I was a teenager that I kind of severed ties with all the members of my family in the islands and went to the big city to chase the dream. I still regret that … that guilt that I felt. It was probably only for six or seven months that I cut everybody out.
I was 18 or 19 and I needed to grow and become my own person. Then I grew up and realized that must have been pretty awful for my folks. So I tapped into that feeling, but Owen, that’s his only way of managing, to control it and block everyone out – becoming an island.
TVG: It sounds as though you at least get to experiment with some lighter stuff this season.
KM: Yeah, he’s definitely much more joyful. He and Cristina are going to have fun in the sense that the more light he becomes … she’s a complex character. She had a lot of that to one side last season to help Owen move forward. But now all her stuff is going to come out and the shoe’s going to be on the other foot. She’s going to be a lot darker than he thought she was.
TVG: That must be fun, especially having someone like Sandra Oh to bounce off of.
KM: She’s a great actor; I love her to bits. The dynamic between us seems to work pretty well.
TVG: Can you give us any more tidbits on what we can expect this season?
KM: Generally in the hospital, it’s going to be tough for them. There’s a lot of pressure with the economic world right now. We’re in a downturn and some of that is going to come to Seattle Grace. There’s going to be a lot of threat to people’s positions and stuff.
Grey’s Anatomy s6 premiered on Thursday, Sept. 24, 9 p.m. ET, CTV/ABC
Yet none of that seems to have affected the star, whom we caught up with in Pasadena, California, last August to hear his thoughts on all the Grey’s drama, his dark and twisty character, and Owen’s budding relationship with Cristina (Sandra Oh).
TVGuide.ca: I hope we’re safe in assuming that since we’re having this conversation, the rumours that you were leaving the show were just that — rumours?
Kevin McKidd: Oh, really? Oh wow …
TVG: I guess it was during that brief period where there were so many stories going around – ‘Who’s leaving Grey’s Anatomy?’ I think it was because you had a new project?
KM: I was doing a movie called Percy Jackson, which is a Chris Columbus movie. This is his next franchise movie. It’s about a teenage boy who finds out that his father is Poseidon, the Greek god. He lives in modern-day Manhattan, and finds out the gods live there too. It’s based on a set of books that helps introduce Greek mythology to teenagers.
TVG: It sounds like the show has been pretty accommodating to your film career.
KM: They’ve been great!
TVG: What is it like to be a part of a show that has so much publicity attached to it?
KM: Well, I just like to come in and do my job, put my scrubs on and get it done. I don’t pay attention or read that stuff, so I’m not aware of most of it. I hear some of it and the reality is that when you go to the workplace and work with those actors and the writers, none of that stuff in the media is there. It feels like there are two parallel universes going on.
TVG: Is Owen Hunt going to simmer down a little bit now that he’s in therapy [for post-traumatic stress disorder] and finally saw his mother?
KM: Yeah. I’m hoping — we don’t know yet — that it’s going to be a rough road for him and Cristina still. But he now has taken a big step towards healing himself, and I’d like to see him basically come back to the guy he was in the season première last year, when he was a happy guy and he wasn’t damaged in the way that we’ve seen him.
This season for him will be getting back to that person. So many troops, so many people in the world have suffered from this illness that it’s important to show that you can come out of the other end of it.
TVG: It sounds like you’ve talked to some people who have been through this.
KM: Yeah, yeah, I’ve done a lot of talking. It’s such a relevant topic and issue that I made sure I did my research properly.
TVG: And have you had any response?
KM: I’ve been getting letters, and the writers and staff have been getting letters and emails of thanks, really. Because of the prime-time environment, so many people watch Grey’s Anatomy … and we’re talking about this taboo subject, people kind of brush it under the carpet a lot of the time, so I think it’s really great of the writers to tackle it head-on. There’s been a lot of positive response from communities dealing with it.
TVG: Have you ever personally felt like you were so far gone emotionally from everyone around you?
KM: It wasn’t because of trauma, but I remember when I was a teenager that I kind of severed ties with all the members of my family in the islands and went to the big city to chase the dream. I still regret that … that guilt that I felt. It was probably only for six or seven months that I cut everybody out.
I was 18 or 19 and I needed to grow and become my own person. Then I grew up and realized that must have been pretty awful for my folks. So I tapped into that feeling, but Owen, that’s his only way of managing, to control it and block everyone out – becoming an island.
TVG: It sounds as though you at least get to experiment with some lighter stuff this season.
KM: Yeah, he’s definitely much more joyful. He and Cristina are going to have fun in the sense that the more light he becomes … she’s a complex character. She had a lot of that to one side last season to help Owen move forward. But now all her stuff is going to come out and the shoe’s going to be on the other foot. She’s going to be a lot darker than he thought she was.
TVG: That must be fun, especially having someone like Sandra Oh to bounce off of.
KM: She’s a great actor; I love her to bits. The dynamic between us seems to work pretty well.
TVG: Can you give us any more tidbits on what we can expect this season?
KM: Generally in the hospital, it’s going to be tough for them. There’s a lot of pressure with the economic world right now. We’re in a downturn and some of that is going to come to Seattle Grace. There’s going to be a lot of threat to people’s positions and stuff.
Grey’s Anatomy s6 premiered on Thursday, Sept. 24, 9 p.m. ET, CTV/ABC
