02/04/04:

Underground Online conducted an interview with Adrian Paul which you can read below.

According to a contest he won in high school, Adrian Paul is one of the most handsome men in the world. That's cool. If we were like that we would want to live forever. Get it? Live forever? Just like an immortal...? Sheesh, tough crowd.

Paul played Duncan MacLeod on the television series Highlander for six years, and like many genre television shows it's now hitting DVD in season box sets. Most recently, Anchor Bay has released the third year, and that's when the show really began to take off.

UGO: What's going on?

Adrian Paul: I'm just looking at the site. You've got Timeline on it. I was up for Timeline.

UGO: I would imagine it was one of the sword swinging roles.

AP: I guess.

UGO: The third season of Highlander just came out on DVD. It was a hit by then.

AP: The third season was the real turning point. Season two was the evolution of what Highlander was about and three had some real solid stories. It evolved even better through season four and five. Six was down a little bit compared to the other seasons but it was still fun.

UGO: What was your favorite episode of three?

AP: One of my favorite quickenings ever and one of the most dangerous was "The Revolutionary." I was standing on this metal container that exploded. I didn't expect there to be explosions behind me but there was. It was fun and I think we went more into flashbacks in three and that was fun.

UGO: By now have you forgotten how to use a sword?

AP: No I didn't just pick it up doing Highlander. I've done marital arts for 14 years and I keep doing that with different weapons. Weapons are what I do in my spare time. Its part of my discipline.

UGO: Do you practice on a wooden dummy?

AP: I basically do a lot of form work. Whether it's a lance or spear. I've also done cutting techniques with a kitana through a company that makes the swords. Rattan is wetted then rolled and then you cut through it. Basically it's the non-violent way the Japanese figured out to test what their swords can do on the human body. They used to test it on poor people now they do it on wetted wicker mats.

UGO: Did you see Kill Bill?

AP: Yes I did. I thought it was a lot of fun. Tarantino is awesome.

UGO: Do you follow Asian philosophies in your life?

AP: Some. I have a lot Asian influence in what I do and in my house. I guess I'm drawn to a more calming aesthetic. I have my prayer mats and my Asian/Indian furniture as well as contemporary. It's my Gemini side.

UGO: Are you into the stars and horoscopes?

AP: Well I don't read my horoscope and go "Today's my day!" there may be some karma that has a better day than others but you make the decision as to what you do with that karma.

UGO: Is Highlander going to be coming back in any form?

AP: I keep hearing about another film. But nothing has been solidified. I heard Dimension Films is talking with Davis-Panzer Productions about another script but I haven't read anything.

UGO: Did you have a good time on the last film?

AP: Oh yeah I had a great time. It was grueling because we kept having to change location after we had done a lot of choreography. We were originally going to shoot in Romania. Then the lead bad guy got sick so we had to move to London so we had to re-choreograph half the fights. Then those didn't get done so we had to move on to Luxembourg. We kept going backwards and forwards which made it tough.

UGO: What do you do in your spare time?

AP: I actually am trying to produce some stuff. In my real spare time my friends and I like to play table tennis, volleyball, golf and soccer. I'm on two different teams and I play twice a week. I have an acting coach as well which is business and pleasure. Plus I do a lot of traveling which I like.

UGO: Are we going to see Bend It Like Paul?

AP: Yes, the next show on the WB [laughs]. Its always fun to do but I'm having a tough time scoring. I usually score six a game but I've gone dry lately.

UGO: Do people still mistake you for Lorenzo Lamas?

AP: Not as much now. They have mentioned it once for twice though. It's very interesting how people approach you. They either say, are you such and such. That's fine. But when they say, you look like that guy. If I say I am that guy then they don't believe me. They also say, you look like that guy but you're not him. How do I reply to that?

UGO: I read in your dancing days you were quite the disco dancer.

AP: Yes I used to yeah. I still like going dancing but they don't disco anymore. I used to do a lot of locking and popping as well. I used to be in a dance trio that went across Europe. It wasn't doing the John Travolta thing.

UGO: Do they send you copies of the Highlander DVDs?

AP: Yes but I had to ask them for it. When season three came out I thought they did such a good job. My surround system went PING! I was pleased with that.

UGO: What happened with Susan's Plan? I liked that movie.

AP: I don't know. It was a fun little movie but I think it was slow for some people. It's played a lot on cable. That's what happens sometimes. You make them and someone says it will work better in a different market.

UGO: What are you working on?

AP: I did two smaller movies this year. I did one called Moscow Heat which was a Russian production with Michael York and Richard Tyson. We shot in Russia and that's a very different experience. I did a movie for Lion's Gate called Nemesis Game. I'm supposed to going to Ireland to do a movie with Gabriel Byrne and Richard Attenborough. It's called Snow Prince.

UGO: Are you sticking with movies now?

AP: Well I'm doing some TV miniseries and some other things. What I like is doing a project then walking away to the next. To create a character and just live with it for a bit not for five or six years.

UGO: I heard a rumor you were almost in Troy.

AP: Oh, I wish I had been. I wanted to. That was one of the movies I wanted to be in. I read the script and loved it.

UGO: Do you audition for a lot of big stuff?

AP: No I don't. Sometimes the Highlander stigma is there because I'm in the middle range. I'm not big huge box office and I'm not a novice. Sometimes people don't know what to do with me. Maybe that will change.

UGO: What superpower would you like to have?

AP: I think the ability to move time. Maybe move at the speed of light and change time.

UGO: What's your favorite movie franchise out of Lord of the Rings, The Matrix and Star Wars?

AP: Lord of the Rings. I love it.

Adrian's Official Website: http://www.adrianpaul.net

Adrian's Snail Mail:
Adrian Paul
16027 Ventura BLVD #206
Encino, CA 91436

PEACE-APFC
12439 Magnolia BLVD #159
N. Hollywood, CA 91607

or

PEACE-APFC
PO Box 519
Bromley BR2 9WX England

Adrian's Email: peaceapfc@aol.com