Michael Trevino Panel at the Chicago Convention
Michael Trevino
What would you do if you were a hybrid for a day [in real life]?
Vamp-speed to various women. – But I wouldn’t do anything [to them]!! – Just kind of [makes gestures with eyes] tease.
Do you do most of your own stunts?
Yeah a lot of them. I mean, when it’s the transformation scenes, I’m the one crawling around on the floor and getting cut and bruised up [because of the ground – being outside]. It helps make it truthful, but sometimes it hurts.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve done on set?
Recently, I had to shoot a transformation scene and we were behind schedule. We usually take our time with those scenes, but [since we were behind] the director wanted to do a series – which means to just go again and again and again – and we hit around the third or so time where he’s like “Again!” and I’m very upset and I got angry and started cursing at him and we’re doing this back and forth. But I got it done. It motivated me, but it was hard. I’d like to see the reel of that. I mean, at the end people were asking me “are you okay, man?” and I was like “yeah I’m fine,” but it was very intense.
Do you think TVD will or should ever be a movie?
I don’t know… maybe a made for TV [movie], not in theaters. Maybe me and Matt [Davis] will shoot a parody for Funny or Die [the website], we talked about it before and just never did it. [Audience yells out “Do it!”] Okay we’ll do it!! (laughs)
What’s your favorite type of music?
I have strange taste. My favorite band is The Doors. I also like to listen to rap and hip-hop and house music. Dub step is getting pretty big now, it’s great; I’ve always loved it. I grew up listening to house music – at all hours of the day – I’d listen to house music.
How has TVD affected you?
Matthew Davis Panel at the Chicago Convention
If the TVD cast was stranded on a deserted island, who would survive and who wouldn’t make it?
Paul and Ian would be the first to go. Zach and I would survive.
What 3 words describe you?
Random… Thoughtful… Umm… [Audience member yelled “Indecisive!”] (laughs) Yeah, indecisive.
How difficult is it to play a psycho?
Not very. Pretty easy actually. My mom called me up and told me that I play a psycho very well. [audience laughs] It’s a lot of fun. It’s not that hard. You can just enjoy it and it’s basically just stopping the pretense.
What is your guilty pleasure?
(laughs) “I don’t think I can say that in front of all these women. Next question.”
You were great in Urban Legends. Were there any of the legends that you believed in?
(laughs) I don’t remember many of them… the babysitters getting phone calls from “Upstairs” was cool. I forgot I was even in that movie.
How is it different between shooting TV and shooting Film?
The speed. TV is quick. You shoot 8-10 pages in a day. In film, you’ll shoot about 1 page a day…. It is a blessing and a curse for creative development…. Unfortunately, the actors – I think – get short-ended because you are rushing through moments. You have to be on-point right away. Film gives you more time to really explore. But TV has been a blessing. I’m looking forward to doing some films.
What is your favorite movie quote?
Shit, I’m so bad at this. [Steven] McQueen is so good with stuff like this. Uhh “I think we need a bigger boat.”
How do you get into character?
That’s a long and complicated answer. Character work involves understanding the archetype of your character; what your character represents. You creatively physicalize who you believe to be the body of the character: create a link to the root; lines and behavior and circumstance. It’s about channeling these archetypes.
When I had a chance to play Klaus… they had envisioned a sort of Jim Morrison costume originally for the decade dance. So, it was like trying to embody Jim Morrison — in a the form of a crazy, maniacal vampire.
What was it like acting opposite Reese Witherspoon [in Legally Blonde]?
