Kevin joins the cast of "Grey's Anatomy" as Army Surgeon Owen Hunt

(Special Thanks to Member Valerie for her "Grey's" Video Recaps)

 

Check out BuddyTv's Audio Interview with Kevin!  20 Nov. 2008.

http://www.buddytv.com/articles/greys-anatomy/exclusive-interview-kevin-mcki-24613.aspx

Episode 5.09

 

Mitovich, Matt. "Grey's Anatomy's Kevin McKidd: Love and War Haunt Hunt."  20 Nov. 2008.  www.TVGuide.com   

Call him the Comeback McKidd. After seeing his unsung turn in last season's underappreciated Journeyman get cut short, Scotsman Kevin McKidd got snatched up by no less than one of TV's hottest shows, ABC's Grey's Anatomy. As Dr. Owen Hunt, a now shell-shocked Iraq war veteran, McKidd has in short order rocked Cristina Yang's world and demonstrated to McDreamy and McSteamy that there's a new McSheriff in town — and you have a feeling he's just getting started. McKidd shared with TVGuide.com a look at what's ahead for Hunt, as well as reflected on time-tripping newsman Dan Vasser's truncated journey.

TVGuide.com: Congratulations on being quickly promoted to a series regular on Grey's.
Kevin McKidd: Oh, thank you very much. I'm very pleased and excited.

TVGuide.com: Was it originally presented to you that Owen would be introduced in the season premiere, disappear for a bit, and then return a rather different man?
McKidd: Yes, that was always intended, to let some time pass and reintroduce him with a new slant on things.

TVGuide.com: It showed us who he can be — and then ripped that away from us.
McKidd: Yes, that was who he really is in the premiere, but now we're seeing what can happen to a good man, a good soldier and good surgeon [because of war].

TVGuide.com: Is it post-traumatic stress disorder per se that he is suffering from?
McKidd: Throughout this season, that's one of the questions he will be asking. To answer it, he'll seek some help from the people around him.

TVGuide.com: He's wondering what might it take for him to return to his former self.
McKidd: Exactly. What's exciting about telling this story with this character is that it's quite brave of ABC and [Grey's creator] Shonda [Rhimes], on a prime-time network TV show, to address a tough subject, and one that people don't necessarily want to hear about.  But so far the writing room is handling it beautifully. They're not banging people over the head with it but exploring it in a sensitive and interesting way.

TVGuide.com: Do you feel like you hit the leading lady lottery with Sandra Oh? She's one of the good ones, you know.
McKidd: I can't talk kindly enough about her. From the first time I met her, I thought she was great. Everybody on the cast is fantastic, but I feel very blessed that I get to work with such a good actress. She's in her fifth year, and she's still very committed to the work. There's no real "recipe" — you can't say, "If we put this person with that person in this movie or TV series it will work" -- but so far with Sandra and I, something is gelling.

TVGuide.com: Might Owen and Cristina's spontaneous, intermittent kisses evolve into something more, physical or emotional?
McKidd: Well, at the end of the day this is Grey's Anatomy. [Laughs] I think you can bet good money on it.

TVGuide.com: Do you see Owen forming any specific relationships with other characters? Things started off prickly with Derek and Mark, but they seem headed toward a place of professional respect.
McKidd: He and Cristina have a very long journey, and he realizes that whatever this thing between them is, it's affecting his work, his sleep, everything. So he reaches out for help, and that will connect him with people like Derek and Mark. It's not just the typical formula of guys butting heads. There is that story to tell, but also the more interesting story of professional men connecting at an adult level.

TVGuide.com: The Grey's set had that recent brouhaha when Brooke Smith (Dr. Erica Hahn) was released from the show. Had any cast mate proactively pulled you aside and said, "Things can get a little crazy here"?
McKidd: [Laughs] No, nobody took me aside. I know it all seems all very dramatic, but it doesn't feel dramatic there at work.

TVGuide.com: But the show does tend to be a lightning rod for controversy.
McKidd: Right, right. I guess that's a blessing and a curse, depending on how you see it.

TVGuide.com: Was it pure coincidence that you found yourself again working with Patrick Dempsey, with whom you had just done the film Made of Honor? Or had he put a bug in Shonda's ear to check you out?
McKidd: It's funny — my first day on set, I said to Patrick, "Listen, did you have anything to do with this?" He was like, "Absolutely not."

TVGuide.com: After a slow start last year, Journeyman was just hitting its stride when the writers strike came. Were it not for that interruption, might the show have been saved?
McKidd: I don't know. On the one hand, what could have happened to us is what just happened to My Own Worst Enemy — because of the impeding strike, there wasn't anything in the works to replace us, so maybe we would have gone earlier? But with absolutely zero promotional monies spent, we actually started to kick up toward Episode 6 or 7 of the [first] 13.

TVGuide.com: Yeah, that's when the critics and fans really started warming to the show.
McKidd: But we might not have gotten that chance, had there not been a strike. It's so random — like in Journeyman, one small event can knock everything else out of whack.

TVGuide.com: Do you know any small secret from the show's mythology that never had a chance to be revealed?
McKidd: You think that each episode was just a procedural story with somebody that Dan helped. But all of these people had been specifically chosen by whatever power was at play to be knocked into their correct paths so they can all be at a certain place in their life when Dan's son, Zach, is revealed to have his own certain power. Each one of these people needed to be in a certain place, in government or research or whatever, to come back and help the boy achieve something of global significance. I thought that was very interesting.

"Exclusive Interview: Kevin McKidd from 'Grey's Anatomy'."  19 Nov. 2008.  http://www.eonline.com

Forget McDreamy. Forget McSteamy. There is a new doctor in town - Seattle Grace’s newest Head of Trauma is all you need! I had the opportunity to spend some time with Major Owen Hunt himself - Kevin McKidd, and if he wasn’t already the reason I was tuning into GREY’S this season, he would be now (the only drawback to his character is the fact that he has to hide his amazing accent)! Read on to hear about why he loves this character, why you should too, and what he thinks his “Mc” nickname should be!

What originally interested you about the character of Owen Hunt?

When I first heard the idea of bringing a trauma surgeon to GREY’S ANATOMY, I thought it was a really interesting one. For many reasons, I think it’s important to tell that story, about what’s going on. And care given to people in war zones, like Afghanistan and Iraq. I think it’s a story that hasn’t really been told, especially on a primetime TV drama. I think it’s a brave thing of ABC and GREY’S ANATOMY to do, to introduce someone who could have just been just a normal surgeon, but they decided to go the extra mile and explore this. And I just like the idea of this guy who is kind of self sufficient and he knows his own mind, and doesn’t want to get involved with other people. He just wants to get through his business, but he’s also not fully together right now because of what’s happened, he’s been through traumatic things in Iraq. And also, the level of trauma you see when you’re there as a surgeon, you see more trauma with one tour in Iraq than any trauma surgeon would see in a whole career. I just thought it was a really interesting character to explore, you know?

How do you prepare for a character like that?

I do a lot of reading, watch a lot of documentaries. One especially called BAGHDAD ER, it basically follows a group of surgeons working at a hospital in Baghdad. I spoke with an army liaison officer who works with people suffering from Post Traumatic Stress right now. He helps them get their lives back. There are a lot of very interesting autobiographies and biographical material written by sergeants either who are still there or who come back and recount the day to day life and what’s it like. So I’m kind of still reading them, I’ve compiled them on my bedside table. I’m doing as much as I can I feel, to hopefully represent this group of people who are doing great work. This war is still going on, so it’s important to try and get some sense of what it’s like.

What’s it like coming into an ensemble cast like this? How is it adjusting?

You know, on this show, it’s really great, everyone was really welcoming, very sweet to me, and I’m very thankful for that, because they didn’t have to be. And they were and very gracious. I was nervous starting, to be honest with you. Every other job that I’ve done, and I’ve been working in this business for a while now, it’s always been day one, when everybody’s new. So to come in, it’s like entering somebody else’s party. I feel really lucky that they were so nice.

It’s funny. My brother isn’t a big fan of GREY’S ANATOMY but he watches it with us on Thursdays, but the minute your character came on the screen, he just looked at everybody and said “I love this guy!”

Oh really?

Yeah, and he is interested in the show now. What has other fan reaction been like?
It’s interesting. Hopefully, what people are responding to, is that he’s not just being a bad ass for being a bad ass’ sake. He’s not wondering around and just shooting his mouth off. He’s looking at each case and each scenario and each situation, using his wits very quickly. That’s what you do in Iraq, you have to make very quick decisions, and the trauma is much more extreme. He’s bringing that very clear cut, back to basics viewpoint into the hospital, which I think causes problems, but also is very valid. People are enjoying that, and I’m enjoying playing it.

What is coming up for your character?oh-cy

Obviously, he and Cristina fall more and more for each other. It’s not an easy road for them, and he messes up, because he’s conflicted. He doesn’t want to, he says in the speech that we’ve already seen, he doesn’t want be with anyone, he doesn’t want to infringe on anyone. He just lost all of his friends in one attack in Iraq before he was discharged. He is a very different man than what you saw in the season premiere. I really like that challenge. In the season premiere, you see what kind of man he really is, and then suddenly you see him a few weeks later, and something terrible has happened to him. He’s trying to get his life again, trying to get back on an even keel and he feels the way to do that is to keep his distance from everybody. So I think you’re going to see, throughout the season, him struggle with that, and try and find an answer to that, and reach out for help to the doctors around him, even though he doesn’t want to ask, he eventually does. He and Cristina, I think, they help each other. There’s a lot of healing going on between them. I see him as a kind of a real connection this character, but it’s not going to be easy.

Why should people keep tuning in?

Because I’m in it? [laughs] I haven’t seen the show for the last 2 seasons, but I feel as thought it’s a very well written show, it’s a very fun show, it’s got great balance between drama, heartfelt drama, and creative elements. It’s funny, and it’s sad you know? It makes you laugh one minute and you cry the next. I think the characters are all very well written and drawn, and passionate and interesting, and focused people who are trying to do some good in the world. The way the world is right now, I think a lot of people can use a bit of that.

What is your Mc name, like McSteamy and McDreamy - what should you be called?

Well I’m McKidd! [laughs] [editor's note: I imagine he said that with a Scotsman wink or something equally as charming]

Is there anything else you’d like to say to fans who are reading and watching?

I feel very lucky to be on the show, and I thank people that are responding positively to it. I feel very glad that people seem to be receiving it. The casting is a bit of a risk, because he isn’t this instantly likeable guy who can turn up and crack a few wisecracks. He’s a bit more tricky to get ahead of him, and I thank people for sticking with it and be willing to try and find some empathy with a guy who isn’t that accessible. It’s hard to do.

We loved ROME, we loved JOURNEYMAN, we were all so sad to see that go. I’m so glad you’re back on TV on a weekly basis!
Oh thank you, I am too!

Don’t miss your weekly dose of Kevin McKidd as Owen Hunt on ABC’s GREY’S ANATOMY. Thursday’s all new episode is called “In The Midnight Hour.” Meredith, Cristina, and Bailey come to Lexie and Sadie’s rescue when a routine surgery goes horribly wrong, as Owen and Derek treat a man seriously injured while sleepwalking and Mark comforts the sleepwalker’s distraught daughter.


 

"Paging Dr. McArmy! Kevin McKidd Dishes on 'Grey's."  http://www.buzzsugar.com

This week, I got to spend a few minutes of phone time with Grey's Anatomy's newest regular cast member, Kevin McKidd. His Dr. Owen Hunt — er, that's McArmy to me — is bringing brooding back to Seattle Grace as a war veteran who's seen some dark times in the field. Now, the trauma specialist is deploying some of his unorthodox methods in the Grey's OR — and also prompting the normally reserved Cristina (Sandra Oh) to open up a bit. McKidd chatted with me about why he took the job, what it's really like on set, and what's in store for Hunt and Cristina. Here are highlights:

What initially appealed to you about Owen Hunt?
I liked the fact that he's very direct, he's very focused on his work, he's got a lot of baggage going on, he's trying to be very professional and not get involved with people at the hospital, but he's failing at that each day, because he keeps looking across and seeing Cristina. I'm drawn to the character because he has very noble ideas, I think, about medicine, but he's been though a lot recently and he's struggling with his own emotions. I think it's interesting to watch a highly intelligent surgeon not really have a full grip on himself because of what he's been through.

I think a lot of fans of the show, myself included, would say they're happy to see Cristina finally getting some action. Without giving too much away, will there be more of that?
I think you can put good money on that. I think those two have a deep connection going on between them. They aren't sure where it's coming from . . . We're watching the falling in love of two people who normally wouldn't give credence to that. It's fun and exciting. It's a very kind of touching and heartfelt journey.

Lots more from McKidd, so read more.

The latest kiss between Hunt and Cristina was very passionate, but also almost violent. Will we see more of the darker side of him?
You have to remember, all of his colleagues were lost in an ambush attack, and he's the only one who walked out alive. . . It's illogical, but I think it's [a fear that] if he gets close to someone he will lose them. It's a psychological problem that he needs to get over and get help with . . . He's a really good man, he's not violent, but he's certainly struggling with the fear — it's almost a fear of getting too close to anyone right now. He desperately wants to be intimate but he doesn't feel he should be.

You already have the "Mc" in McKidd, obviously, but have you gotten an official Grey's Mc-name yet?
I don't know when that happens. [Laughs] I know that Shonda is calling me Heathcliff at the moment.

With the sudden departure of Brooke Smith, Grey's has gotten a bit of gossip about being a troubled workplace. Can you set the record straight on that? What's your experience like on set?
One of the things I try not to do is listen to the gossip. The way I find my working environment and the life on the show is very positive and fun. I think sometimes people like to push things up just to get a headline. I think that's what's happening here.
You worked with Patrick Dempsey in Made of Honor. Is it different working with him now on the show?His character's much more serious in Grey's than it was in Made of Honor. He's much more intense as Dr. Shepherd. . . I was kind of nervous starting the show, and it was nice to have someone I'd worked with in the recent past.

Will we ever get to hear you use your native Scottish accent in a show on this side of the pond?
Maybe when people start sending letters to the network to make it happen! I'd love to do that — it would make my work easier. But I actually really enjoy [doing an accent]. One of the reasons I became an actor was that I was a very shy kid, and when I put a character on and an accent, I felt freer. . . In Made of Honor, I used my own accent for the first time [in a long time] and I felt sort of naked.
 

Kinon, Cristina. "Kevin McKidd Transplanted to 'Grey's Anatomy'" 13 Nov. 2008. http://www.NYDailyNews.com

Coming off the disappointing cancellation of NBC's "Journeyman" after one season and HBO's "Rome" after only two, Kevin McKidd has been added as a series regular to one of TV's top dramas, ABC's "Grey's Anatomy."

"I am excited to have Kevin McKidd joining us for the season," "Grey's" creator Shonda Rhimes said Wednesday. "He's been a delight to collaborate with and brings incredible passion, talent and creativity to his work. Plus, he's already got the 'Mc' built in to his name so we had to keep him."

McKidd, who started off the season as a guest star, will continue on as Maj. Owen Hunt, an Army surgeon who recently returned from Iraq, the lone survivor of his unit. As the new head of trauma at Seattle Grace, his on-the-fly method of medicine clashes with the hospital's by-the-book style.

"He's pretty uncompromising but also willing to learn," said McKidd. "There are a lot of contradictions in his character, but that's what makes him interesting to play."

McKidd said that he was disappointed when "Journeyman" wasn't renewed after the writers strike, but that becoming part of "Grey's" big ensemble cast has been a welcome respite from the breakneck pace of being the star of a show.

To prepare for the role of Hunt, McKidd met with an Iraq veteran who works with others who suffer from post-traumatic stress, and has picked up several books and biographies on the subject.

"This is an ongoing war and it's only right that I don't do some generalized approximation of the character," McKidd said. "Whether the reading comes into the scenes or not, its important that I read these testaments about what's out there."

As for Owen's relationship with Sandra Oh's character, Dr. Cristina Yang, McKidd promises there's much more in store for the pair, though things will likely get "complicated."

McKidd's addition to the cast comes on the heels of Brooke Smith's sudden departure after last week's episode and while McKidd is "honored" and "flattered" with his new position, he does wish his character would have had the chance to clash with Smith's Dr. Erica Hahn.

"I just started the show when she [was let go] so I was very much out of the loop but I felt sad because she's obviously a great actress and I felt Owen and her character could have really clashed in an interesting way," said McKidd. "I'm sad that that opportunity couldn't come."

 
West, Steve. "'Grey's Anatomy's Kevin McKidd" 19 Nov. 2008. http://www.cinemablend.com

Kevin McKidd showed up as Dr. Owen Hunt on Grey’s Anatomy with a straightforward approach to trauma treatment. He may have saved Cristina from an icicle, but he has no interest in getting involved with the drama that permeates Seattle Grace. I had the chance to take a few minutes and talk to the new doctor practicing at the most dramatic hospital in the world. McKidd, who is probably most known to people my age as Tommy from Trainspotting, now takes on the role of an Army Major. He’s not sure what the future holds for Dr. Hunt at Seattle Grace, but as of last week McKidd was made a series regular so we should be seeing lots more of him. McKidd was on his way home from filming Bunraku and got the call that Grey’s creator Shonda Rhimes wanted to meet with him. As it happens that was the same day as McKidd’s son’s birthday, an event he wouldn’t want to miss. With all the drama on the show you’d think behind the scenes would always be crazy, but sometimes things work out in a normal fashion. ”They were very understanding, thankfully, and waited until the next day.“ No jumping through hoops, and no “seriously.”

Now that he’s on the show there must be a splash made. Hey, I don’t watch every episode but I get the rundown constantly. I know how these Mc____ doctors like to show up wearing steamy towels or something similar. We wouldn’t want our new doc to show up and not have any dramatic troubles. As a trauma surgeon in Baghdad Owen has seen a lot, and lost even more. It’s something that informs the character for McKidd, how a man is affected by such a sense of loss. ”They’re [trauma units] sort of the first line of defense in keeping the soldiers alive while you get back to the hospital…he brings a lot of that back with him. Not just the experience, but the emotional toll it’s taken on him as a man.”

The trauma he brings back from Iraq also makes Dr. Hunt a blunt and straightforward doctor. He famously had the interns cut into live pigs, an event that McKidd says there are no plans to match in the near future. Kevin does say that those ”left of field” and shocking events will continue, but not anywhere near the pig event. Owen also doesn’t have any interest in the dramatic happenings between the staff members, but some things might be beyond his control. ”The thing about Owen is he’s trying to not be interested and not connect with anyone. He wants to do his shift and go home.“ But then he sees Cristina across the room, and as McKidd describes it the moment is almost like love at first sight. ”If he gets close to someone then he’s going to lose them like he did with [his fellow soldiers].”

If you’re a fan of the show you must be wondering if Owen has a Mc___ name yet from Shonda or the writers. As of now there are joke ideas, but nothing has floated to the top as a good choice. ”Shonda calls me Heathcliffe.” McKidd wouldn’t tell what was being passed around behind the scenes, but McBadAss or McBlunt Instrument would be good choices. Right? As for how Dr. Hunt became so blunt after the RPG ambush we haven’t seen anything on that yet. Now that McKidd is a series regular there’s a chance we will get that story in detail through flashback, but there are currently no plans to pursue that storyline in such a detailed way.

For those who were perhaps offended by some of Dr. Hunt’s actions McKidd doesn’t see him as an out of touch and crazy person. ”He has an impulsiveness. He wasn’t quite as impulsive before he went to Iraq, but I think that makes him much more animalistic in a way.” It’ll be interesting to see how the writers approach a character who is so troubled by his traumatic past, but is still a damn good surgeon. It’s one thing to just do crazy things because you have issues, but quite another to be in such a raw emotional state all the time that you want to do your job with precision and avoid any new attachments.

 

"Meet 'Grey's Anatomy's Hot New ER Doc!" 19 Nov. 2008.  http://www.etonline.com

"Grey's Anatomy" has introduced a hot new doc in the ER -- and ET has the 411!

Kevin McKidd is no stranger to television. He starred in HBO's toga drama, "Rome," and played a time traveler in NBC's short-lived "Journeyman." But this season he is scrubbing in to "Grey's Anatomy" as a former military doctor who has been hired to head Seattle Grace's ER.

ET: You had worked with Patrick Dempsey in 'Made of Honor.' Did he have anything to do with you getting the role?

Kevin McKidd: On the first day, I started on "Grey'"'s because I assumed Patrick had said, "Yeah, use Kev," but he had no idea I was on the show until I turned up in scrubs. That was funny!

ET: What is going to be your Mc Nickname?

Kevin McKidd: There are several kicking around.

ET: How about McHottie?

Kevin McKidd: That is one I have heard. But there are several kicking around.

ET: Is there going to be a romance with Cristina (Sandra Oh)?

Kevin McKidd: I think you can bet on that. Even though he is struggling with [the idea of] becoming close to someone, there is an undeniable connection between those two. There is chemistry between them and a definite attraction that will play out this season. Hopefully, it will befun to watch because it is so intense.
ET: Nobody seems to stay faithful on this show, so who else would Owen like to hook up with?

Kevin McKidd: (Laughs) He only has eyes for Cristina at the moment.

ET: What can you tell us about this week's episode [airing Thursday at 9 p.m. on ABC].

Kevin McKidd: The story in this episode is really interesting because it is about a guy who has very vivid nightmares and his daughter is not sleeping either. She is suffering from severe exhaustion because he constantly gets up. Eventually he throws himself out of his bedroom window because he thinks he is being chased by demons. It is a very touching story this week.

ET: Did you have any second thoughts in the episode where you had to stab the pigs?

Kevin McKidd: That is a very controversial technique that is being used at the moment. It was brave of ABC to attack that issue. I was, "Wow, if people react badly to this, I could be looking for a new job next week." The story was written so well and both points of view were put across intelligently, so I think most people who watched it understood what they were trying to do, which was talk about this. It is a moral issue about animals being use in trauma surgery training.

ET: Is it easier to wear scrubs than a toga?

Kevin McKidd: It definitely is. When you wear a toga, you sit and cross your legs and everybody can see your underpants and it is really embarrassing because men aren't used to wearing skirts. I am much more comfortable in scrubs. It is like walking around in your pajamas all day. This is the most comfortable I have been on a set.

Scenes from 5.08

It's Official! ABC Official Media Release

KEVIN McKIDD JOINS THE CAST OF ABC'S "GREY'S ANATOMY" : 13 Nov 2008
Actor Kevin McKidd ("Rome," "Journeyman") has joined the cast of ABC's popular drama "Grey's Anatomy." McKidd first appeared as Major Owen Hunt in this season's premiere episode of "Grey's Anatomy," titled "Dream a Little Dream of Me." Hunt has joined the staff of Seattle Grace Hospital as the head of trauma surgery, after serving as a top military field surgeon in Iraq.

An established star of film, television and theatre, the Scottish actor has made a name for himself playing such varied roles as a doomed drug addict in "Trainspotting," a brooding Caesar-era soldier in HBO's "Rome" and a time-traveling journalist in last year's NBC drama, "Journeyman." McKidd recently co-starred alongside his "Grey's Anatomy" co-star, Patrick Dempsey, and Michelle Monaghan in the 2008 film romantic comedy, "Made of Honor."

McKidd has wrapped production on "Bunraku," starring alongside Josh Harnett, Demi Moore, Woody Harrelson and Ron Perlman. In the drama he plays a virulent criminal who terrorizes a town. Other film credits include "Hannibal Rising," "Kingdom of Heaven," "De-Lovely" and "Sixteen Years of Alcohol," for which he was nominated for Best Actor at the British Independent Film Awards.

Born and raised in Scotland, McKidd was a member of the Moray Youth Theatre. He became involved in the Bedlam Theatre Company while he was a student at the University of Edinburgh, and it was there that he decided to pursue acting full-time, landing his first leading role in the Wild Cat Theatre Company-produced stage play, "The Silver Darlings," for which he won the Gulliver Award.

McKidd currently resides in Los Angeles with his family.

"Grey's Anatomy" stars Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey, Patrick Dempsey as Derek Shepherd, Sandra Oh as Cristina Yang, Katherine Heigl as Isobel "Izzie" Stevens, Justin Chambers as Alex Karev, T.R. Knight as George O'Malley, Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, James Pickens, Jr. as Richard Webber, Sara Ramirez as Callie Torres, Eric Dane as Mark Sloan, Chyler Leigh as Lexie Grey and Kevin McKidd as Owen Hunt.

"Grey's Anatomy" was created and is executive produced by Shonda Rhimes ("Introducing Dorothy Dandridge"). Betsy Beers ("Casanova"), Mark Gordon ("Saving Private Ryan"), Krista Vernoff ("Law & Order"), Rob Corn ("Chicago Hope"), Mark Wilding ("Jake: 2.0") and Allan Heinberg ("The O.C.") are executive producers. "Grey's Anatomy" is an ABC Studios production.

Episode 5.07 & 5.06

ABCMediaNet Soundbites from the "Grey's" cast about Kevin/"Owen Hunt" (Sept-Nov 2008): http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/showpage/showpage.aspx?type=asset&global_id=sb18612&typecode=sb&scope=E&css=default_display_gray.css&leftcol=radio

Murphy, Sam & Jodi Radio Interview for "Grey's Anatomy," part 1  (November 2008): http://www.murphysamandjodi.com/assets/other/online%20show/006750410.mp3

Murphy, Sam & Jodi Radio Interview for "Grey's Anatomy," part 2  (November 2008):                             http://www.murphysamandjodi.com/assets/other/onlineshow-archive/Kevin_Mckidd_2.mp3

Carter, Kelley. "Meet McKidd: New Dreamboat Doc on "Grey's Anatomy."  USA Today.  06 November 2008.

(Courtesy Members Karmic)

Could there be another McDreamy or McSteamy in the making?

Scottish actor Kevin McKidd, 35, plays Owen Hunt, the love interest of Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) on ABC's Grey's Anatomy, and things start to heat up between the two tonight.

"His character is an old-fashioned tortured hero," says series creator Shonda Rhimes. "I call him Heathcliff when we're talking about him in the writers' room.

"This season, all the way around, is our no-holds-barred season. We're not holding anything back. Owen Hunt is definitely apart of that."

We caught up with the actor on a break from taping an upcoming episode.

Q: How did the Grey's offer come together?

A: I was doing a movie off and on for three months (overseas), and it was my son's birthday, and I'm hardly ever in the same country on my son's birthday, so I managed to land back (in L.A.) around 2 p.m. on his birthday. I promised him, "I'm going to be there on your eighth birthday." Then I got a call from my agent, saying, "You have to turn back around because Shonda wants to meet you for this role on Grey's." I was like, "I'd love to meet her, but I can't. Can we do tomorrow?" And they're family-friendly, so they were really understanding.

As soon as I heard the pitch for the character, I was sold on it. It's a different energy and a different viewpoint. I thought it was an important story to tell, especially on a prime-time TV show. To get in there and get your hands dirty and explore what trauma surgery is like in war zones and what it's like to rehabilitate yourself to civilian life … it's not just a new doctor showing up. It's exploring how hard it is to reintegrate yourself back into the real world after being in the war zone for three tours.

Q: One thing that stands out about your character is that he's not just a pretty boy. He's hard-core and the antithesis of the other males on the show.

A: It's not just about the look. I think what becomes attractive about these guys is that there's something about people in the medical profession that there's this strange attraction to them. Every single day they're dealing with life and death. And I think that's the thing that is attractive to people.

I think the thing about Owen that is different is that he kind of doesn't care what anybody thinks of him. He has seen really terrible trauma over and over again.

Q: How's it been on set so far?

A: I was nervous because I've only ever joined a project right at the beginning. I've always been there in the pre-production, helping set the tone. But this machine is rolling. I was slightly nervous, thinking, "Are they going to like me?" But everyone has been super, super cool.

Q: Sandra Oh's character is tough as nails, yet your character seems as if he's going to be the guy to come in and settle her down.

A: That seems to be the dynamic, yes. Between him and her, it's going to get really complex and kind of tense and explosive. He has a cloud hanging over him, and he has something going on that's dark. But I think you're right. He helps to teach her that it's not all about getting one up on everyone else.

Q: Women are rabid about the male doctors on this show. Is your wife prepared to deal with what's going to come?

A: My wife lives in blissful ignorance. She doesn't watch network TV. She's like, "What job are you doing now? Grey's Anatomy? All right, then. Fair enough." I'm probably not prepared, either. Ask me in six months.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/....s-anatomy_N.htm

Rorke, Robert.  "NO KIDDING: SCOTTISH HEARTTHROB ARRIVES IN NICK OF TIME ON 'GREY'S.'" New York Post.  26 Oct. 2008. http://www.nypost.com

Can Kevin McKidd save "Grey's Anatomy"?

The suave, golden-haired Scottish actor from the memorable HBO "Rome" series has been imported to boost the sagging fortunes of the once-mighty ABC medical drama.

McKidd, 35, plays Owen Hunt, an Iraqi War medic who becomes the new head of trauma surgery at Seattle Grace. His arrival, just as "Grey's" tumbles in the ratings against a reinvigorated "CSI," is well-timed. The other male characters on the show - McDreamy (Patrick Dempsey), McSteamy (Eric Dane) and McDopey (T.R. Knight) - have run out of gas. McKidd has to fill the mature masculine slot left vacant when Isaiah Washington was fired from the series.

The actor tried starring on his series last season, but NBC's "Journeyman," about a time-traveling journalist in San Francisco, never caught on with viewers. He found the experience completely exhausting.

"I wouldn't say I was relieved [when the show went off air], but my body went into relief mode," McKidd says. "I'd never worked that hard. What the writing room realized was they were trying to find a [secondary] story line to write about that would let me catch my breath and have a day off. But there was no way I was going to get a day off."

On "Grey's," McKidd will play a pivotal role as Hunt brings unorthodox teaching methods to the hospital, spars with McDreamy and McSteamy and romances Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) while teaching her a valuable lesson.

"Hunt will make her address and refocus her career. Her ambition is about pure vanity," McKidd says. "My character has seen more trauma in Iraq than a civilian surgeon would see in a year. He doesn't go in for chitter-chatter or for people becoming attached to each other."

Born in Elgin, in the Moray district of Scotland, McKidd describes his childhood as "idyllic." Besides farming and fishing, the rural region was known for its distilleries and that was where McKidd had one of his first jobs, at 17. He built swan-necked copper boilers at the Glenmorangie distillery, paid his way though drama school and developed a taste for whisky. "I definitely know what I like," he says.

Although his Scottish burr is rich and potentially seductive, McKidd, in consultation with the producers on "Grey's," chose not to use it on the show. "They wanted to make it work. I agreed it wouldn't make sense to have an Iraqi army surgeon be Scottish," he says.

And so McKidd joins the growing number of actors from the British Isles who can do a convincing American accent and find their fortune on U.S. television. He says he watched a lot of American movies and worked with a dialect coach to get his right. "Doing an American accent is like doing karaoke," McKidd says. "It's easy to do bad karaoke, but it's hard to do karaoke well."

Asked the British are cornering the market on leading man roles on television, McKidd could only say, "We work pretty hard. Most British actors go through a three-year course that instills a big, strong work ethic. Serve the scene, not thyself."

The actor lives in Los Angeles with his wife Jane, a homemaker, and their two children, Joseph, 8, and Iona, 6, a girl named island off the west coast of Scotland. "My wife and I vowed we wouldn't setle here, but [we like] the sun. People are actually nice to you in shops," he says. "In London, where I lived for the last decade, you walk into shops, it's like you've let off gas. We're definitely enjoying the sojourn."

McKidd thoroughly enjoyed his sojourn on the "Rome" series, where he lived in various apartments in the Eternal City while playing the soldier Lucius Vorenus. "It was a one-of-a-kind experience. Living in Italy, doing the show at Cinecitta, Fellini's studio. Everyone would have loved for it to stick around. It's the business. Can be harsh."

Things will hopefully more smoothly for McKidd on "Grey's Anatomy." He has signed to do the show through December. "If we feel the story has juice, they'll keep me on," he says. "Things are going to progress with Cristina and I think it's going to get intense and complicated. She and Owen are soul mates."

GREY'S ANATOMY

Thursday, 9 p.m., ABC

Episode 1

"Grey's" Season Premiere Promo

*Spoilers* on "Grey's Anatomy" : TV Guide

(Click on Pages to Enlarge Below) 

Ausiello, Michael. "Ask Ausiello: Spoilers on 'Grey's Anatomy....'"  10 Sept. 2008.  http://www.ew.com  

Sept. 10, 2008

This probably won't do anything to quell those Katherine Heigl exit rumors.

Sources confirm to me exclusively that L Word alum Janina Gavankar is joining the cast of Grey's Anatomy as an intern. Meanwhile, relative newcomer Brandon Scott (Cold Case) is also checking into Seattle Grace as a junior McDreamy.

According to my Grey's mole, producers are taking a wait-and-see approach with respect to the size of both roles. As a result, Gavankar and Scott will start off as recurring players. "Nothing's been decided yet," whispers the insider.

News of the new hires comes amidst buzz that Grey's will likely upgrade Kevin McKidd to a full-time series regular before the season is out. As I mentioned in this week's Ask Ausiello, the ex-Journeyman, who debuts in the Sept. 25 season premiere as a former Iraq doc with eyes for Cristina, is winning everyone over on the Grey's set. Let's see if Gavankar and Scott can do the same. (No pressure though!)

Initial reaction? Happy to see Seattle Grace get some (more) new blood? Or is the hospital too crowded as it is? Spill it in the comments!

 

Sept. 9, 2008:

Question: Please tell me Cristina's new love interest on Grey's Anatomy (a.k.a. Kevin McKidd) is here to stay! -- Virginia
Ausiello: His first episode hasn't even aired yet -- how do you know the two of them are any good together? Have you seen a rough cut of the premiere or something? If so, how 'bout you burn me a copy on the DL? In return, I'll share with you some good news: Although McKidd's status is technically still recurring, I'll be shocked if he isn't made a full-time regular by the end of the season. Shonda Rhimes is apparently doing cartwheels over his work thus far. Literally doing cartwheels. My Grey's mole saw her doing one in the parking lot last Thursday.

 

*Spoilers* on "Grey's Anatomy" Premiere. 
(Click on Pages to Enlarge Below)  
http://spoilertv-greysanatomy.blogspot.com/2008/08/latest-tv-guide-scans.html