In Step with JASON BEHR

by James Brady, Oct 15, 2000

A year ago, one of the big hits at the upstart WB network was the premiere of an hour-long series called "Roswell." What at first seemed like just another teen romance turned out to be more complicated and nuanced than that. The show was built around the premise that a spaceship really did crash in Roswell, N.M., in 1947, as some believe. And inside were pods from which aliens emerged years later, growing up to look like normal (if extraordinarily handsome) American high school kids.

Now they're back for a second season on Monday nights. Jason Behr – a 26-year-old from Minneapolis who plays Max Evans – usually is described as the "brooding" alien on the show. Apparently he is also something of a heartthrob among teenage girls, and he proved to be an articulate spokesman for "Roswell."

"What we did the first season was develop the situation and introduce the characters," said Behr (pronounced 'bear'). "Now we've assembled a new writing staff and are going in a different direction, more sci-fi. Any show has to constantly change to keep it fresh."

Will the cast change? "There are new characters acting as catalysts," said Jason. "but the existing characters are exhibiting new facets. For example, Max last year learned of his responsibilities as a human. This year, he'll explore his responsibilities as an alien. We have a lot of freedom with the show's context, because aliens have a 'sense-memory recall.' There'll also be a few flashbacks."

Was he a big sci-fi fan as a kid? "Everyone my age grew up with 'Star Wars, E.T., Star Trek,' " Jason said. "But I also read sci-fi books. I spent a lot of time traveling in a van [his family moved frequently, and his parents later separated]. I didn't spend much time indoors. I rolled around in the dirt, but at the same time I was reading 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings.' "

Before "Roswell," Jason did guest spots on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Dawson's Creek," and "7th Heaven." He also had the starring role in an ABC series called "Push" that swiftly vanished. Is "Roswell" likely to endure? "The WB renewed all its series for 13 weeks [about half a season]," Jason said. "But we're confident we'll get a full season."

I was curious what he thought of "3rd Rock from the Sun," another successful series, though a comedy, featuring aliens from space. "I really liked it and used to watch," he said "but when you're doing a n hour show, it's tough to watch a lot of TV."

Brady's Bits

Straight out of high school, Jason Behr flew to L.A., where he now lives, intent on breaking into acting. "I'd acted in commercials around Minneapolis," Jason said, "and when I was near graduation, a light went on: Acting was something I had to do, not just wanted to do. I was accepted at USC, but then I was caught in a 'Catch-22.' My mom made too much money for me to qualify for a loan but not enough to pay for college. Then a skateboarding buddy calls me out of the blue and says he lost his roommate, and do I want to move to LA? So, with $300 in my pocket, I get on a plane. The night I arrive, it's dark and raining, and I'm disoriented. Then I get in the house and turn on the news. There's a murder, a mudslide, and there are fires in Malibu. I said, 'What the hell did I get myself into?' But now I appreciate LA." Jason has three brothers and one sister. "She's 11 going on 30," he said, "and she's like a weed. She must've grown a foot this year."

Personal:

Born Dec. 30, 1973, in Minneapolis.

Films:

Include "Pleasantville," 1998; "Rites of Passage," 1999.

Television:

Includes "Step by Step," 1994; "Sherman Oaks," 1995; "Alien Nation: Millennium," 1996; "JAG," 1997; "Profiler," 1997; "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," 1997; "7th Heaven," 1997; "Cracker," 1997; "Push," 1998; "Dawson's Creek," 1998-99; "Roswell," 1999-