Mutant X Interviews: Forbes March ('03 Mutant X.com)

Pic from Comics Continuum

Mutant X Official Site 2003: Forbes March

Q & A with Forbes March: Forbes March as Jesse Kilmartin

You know and love him as Jesse Kilmartin, Mutant X's resident computer genius. Now Forbes March takes time out from filming to answer a few questions from the loyal fans of Mutant X!

Q: What has been your greatest experience or favorite moment working on Mutant X? - From Maggie, Jason R., Meme, Summer, Jesse B., Galena V., Robert W.

Forbes: Probably my favorite moment was the shooting of the teaser for the first episode. The team all fights a battle in an alley way and we all had great stunts to perform. We'd all just completed our intensive wire training camp and it was exciting and new and fun. I thought it was a really great way to introduce the show.

Q: Plenty of your fans have always thought of Jesse as the "young Adam", or Adam-in-the-making". Adam's mysterious disappearance may have caused the team the lack of direction, but has pushed the character of Jesse to the front, and we've noticed a sense of maturity in Jesse this season. Are you playing up to this maturity? How are Jesse and Adam alike, and how are they different from each other? - From Villanelle

Forbes: Well, I think at this point in the story, nobody really knows who Adam is or what he stands for, but Jesse definitely thought that what Adam seemed to stand for resonated. Jesse found a father figure and hero in Adam and tried hard to emulate him. I think Jesse felt a strong responsibility to step-up and try to fill Adam's place when Adam disappeared and then when Jesse realized that Adam may have misrepresented himself, I think the anger and resentment only fired his drive to fight the cause he felt strongly about to begin with.

Q: We all know that your character Jesse likes to eat everything and anything. In real life are you the same? - From Lee

Forbes: Yes, but only when I'm not working. When I work, I will go days without eating. I just forget. I'm a little obsessive some times. There's a really great fellow who works on set and his job is to make sure I don't wander off between scenes and to make sure I don't stray off on my way back to set. He noticed once that I hadn't eaten in a few days and now he keeps on top of reminding me to eat. He's a great guy and I give him a hard time! Note to self--send Brian a year-end gift!

Q: How much of yourself do you put into your characters, and how do you make them seem real? - From ClearKiss, Melissa, Nancy L., Angela

Forbes: Your question suggests that I have been successful in making them real... THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU... oh yeah... TTHHAANNK YYOU! Ok, I'm back to pretending I'm confident and cool again... right.

Well, it's a bit of the chicken and the egg. Although I studied with some pretty hard-core "method actor" teachers, I don't have any hard and fast rule as to how I approach a character. Sometimes I imagine I'm talking to someone from my past, imagine a past experience or even imagine a smell that means something to me. Sometimes I drive my fellow cast mates nuts by trying to create the same relationship with them off camera that I need to have on camera. Sometimes I just feed off them. And often I have no idea how I "FOOLED THEM AGAIN"!

Q: Will Jesse's kiss ever stop killing the woman he loves? Or is he destined to be Mr. Kiss of Death? - From frickangel

Forbes: Hey, I take that one personally! They die because there's nothing left to live for once they've kissed Jesse. Kissing Jesse is as good as it gets. Game over.

Alright, seriously, you're right! The writers really get a kick out of hurting Jesse's feelings. Or body for that matter (have you noticed how often Jesse gets hurt this year?). Must have something to do with that "every-man" thing Jesse has goin' on.

Q: Do you do all your own stunts? - From Rachael, Ellie MutantX_1fan

Forbes: I do as many as I am legally allowed and can reasonably accomplish. I'm proud to do my own stunts and I think the audience believes the story more when they see the actors in the action, but at the same time I have to keep my ego in check and step aside sometimes. If I got hurt on set, it could cost production alot... 'Ya know, that responsibility thing!

Q: What is your favorite episode? Why? - From Victoria, Apricot, Kaisha500, Becca, Veronica, Apricot_kay, Cheyenne Rickers, Christina

Forbes: I really had a great time shooting Wasteland. Alot of Jesse's personality and back story was revealed and the actress playing my girlfriend was very talented. I had alot of fun and it was very rewarding. It's fun to be in the spotlight and really have to carry the story. I was very proud that they gave [me/Jesse] a chance to do that.

Q: What was the craziest thing you ever did as a kid? And why? - From Laura

Forbes: I climbed out of my fourth-grade class window, shimmied down the wall and ran away. I hate structure, find authority difficult and didn't like school. I got in alot of trouble for that, but I remember seeing a sense of understanding in my parents eyes' I think that understanding helped me get through those difficult years.

Q: What do you think of your character's development over the course of the last three seasons? What would you like to see happen to him? - From Raebball8, Tanyashaye, Petitecat, Julian, Charles, Amanda, Neena, Natasha, tigereyes320, G.S.H, JohnS, Kristin H., Chris, Orange_Pekoe, Mia, vega, Stephen C., K.L., Shannon S., Daisy

Forbes: Jesse has really changed alot from season one through season three. He started off as a very naïve, young boy. He grew into a responsible, caring and more serious man. I'd like the writers to continue along the path they have been following with him. I think the whole every-man with a strong back-bone is right for him. I also think that the whole, slightly self-righteous thing he has going on is a good set up. I mean it would be very easy for Jesse to go in the wrong direction because he's so "in his head". I'd like Jesse to sway to "the dark side" for an episode or two.

Q: What drew you to the part, and what keeps you coming back? - From Lynn

Forbes: Jesse offered me a real challenge. He is the sweat, naïve, good-natured fellow, ie. Boring. To make him interesting and charming and three dimensional posed a fun challenge. I love the edict that one must never bore the audience and I've enjoyed trying to find nuances in Jesse that might keep the viewers interested in him. That is what drew me to him and it is what keeps me going. It would be very easy to just slur off the techno-bable that Jesse gets handed, pick-up my paycheck and go home. I refuse.

Q: Does your wife get jealous when you have to kiss other women on the show or have to do sexy scenes with them, like in the episode Wasteland where Jesse reconnects with his ex- fiancé? - From wildlightning

Forbes: My wife answered this one for you..."Depends how sexy the actress is."

My wife is very understanding of what I do. She knows it's not only how I pay the bills, but also a very important part of who I am. I love to entertain and her learning to live with love scenes comes with the territory of living with an actor.

Q: My favorite episode is Nothing to Fear because it deals with fear and I have a panic disorder; you're acting in it was very realistic. How did you approach this episode in terms of acting? - From Victorbrat

Forbes: Fear is an easy thing for me to act. I can imagine being afraid of anything... let me rephrase that: I can easily imagine being afraid of any given thing.

Q: Is it my imagination or, since the disappearance of Adam, you guys have become colder in face of your foes death? - From MARC

Forbes: When people get hurt, they build up defenses. I think we've gotten colder on the outside but more sensitive on the inside. It's all a part of growing-up.

Q: What music do you like? - From Jasmine tea

Forbes: Classic, classic-rock, older country and jazz... pretty white bread, eh?

Q: A question from my middle school drama students: how do you get yourself into your character before a scene? - From songspinner9

Forbes: [FM also used this answer in a previous question] Your question suggests that I have been successful in making them real... THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU... oh yeah... TTHHAANNK YYOU! Ok, I'm back to pretending I'm confident and cool again... right.

Well, it's a bit of the chicken and the egg. Although I studied with some pretty hard-core "method actor" teachers, I don't have any hard and fast rule as to how I approach a character. Sometimes I imagine I'm talking to someone from my past, imagine a past experience or even imagine a smell that means something to me. Sometimes I drive my fellow cast mates nuts by trying to create the same relationship with them off camera that I need to have on camera, sometimes I just feed of them, and often I have no idea how I "FOOLED THEM AGAIN"!

Q: Do you hang out with the other cast members when Mutant X is not in production? How good of friends are you with the other cast members? - From Kelly, Shalimar_fox2, Grace, Alana, Shalgal, Jenny

Forbes: The other cast members aren't friends at all - they are family. I know more about them than I do about perhaps anyone else outside of my real family. I don't really hang out with them because I see enough of them, but not because I don't like them. But I keep in touch with all of them, certainly as much as I keep in touch with my own father.

Q: What do you like to do when you are not on the set filming Mutant X? - From Donna S.

Forbes: One of the things that is really great about working on a TV show is the long holidays we get between seasons. I do all my own work on my house (a family tradition and point of pride), I'm an avid gardener, and I'm very attached to my family. So mostly I step out of my "Actor" mode and try hard to regain my normalcy. On the other hand, the holidays can be a bit too long, and since I really love the [tv] business, I inevitably end up doing some studying, and now I'm starting to do some coaching of other actors. It keeps the wheels turning and stops me from going too stir-crazy.

Q: Would you like to live in a world with mutants, and would you like to be a mutant yourself?
- From Isabelle

Forbes: Isn't the point that we all feel like mutants all the time?

Q: What's your favorite kind of cookie? - From Jessalyn

Forbes: The peak-freen cookies that my Grandmother used to have every Sunday for me, with the red jelly in the middle.

Q: What sports did you play in school? - From Jim

Forbes: I played football, rugby, track & field, wrestled and dabbled in some martial arts.

Q: With all the hours and times you put into each episode, this must be taxing on you and your family. How do you manage to juggle Mutant X life and your family life? - From Kathleen

Forbes: I get long stretches off between seasons and I try to make these times really count. It is hard on them, they aren't from Canada and they give up alot to support me in all this.

Q: Hi Forbes, I met you at ComicCon San Diego 2003, and you gave me advice about playing the piano, and keeping to it. I never really got to thank you for that, so I wanted to thank you very much. My question is: If you could take only one item to a place where you were all alone, what would it be and why? - From Jenny

Forbes: I'm so glad you took heed of my advice! I'm building a music study in my house right now and I've promised myself I'm going to re-learn the piano. Well done, and keep it up. You'll really appreciate it in the long run.

Let's see, deserted island... what would I bring... I guess my wood-tools. I could stay a very long time alone and be completely amused if I could just build things. Churchill used to say that, "Building walls keeps the Black Dogs at bay." I believe he was talking about depression and loneliness.

Q: In your life, who has been the person that you could say has been your inspiration and that has helped you get to where you are today? - From Luis J.

Forbes: I would have to give a very long list of people if I was to be fair, but I would say my father is the one who really taught me to swim against the current and gave me my self-confidence. Self-confidence is the only thing that has gotten me through life; my arrogance has gotten in the way... that's also his fault!

Q: What is your belief or motto in life? - From heartbroken23

Forbes: Try to get your hands on a poem by Kipling called "IF". That poem is my motto. I found a really cool print of it, written in gold leaf and framed in an antique frame. I take it with me to all my jobs. I try to memorize a line a week, and look for times when that line offers guidance.

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