411′s Al Norton sits down for an exclusive interview with Luke Goss to talk about his new Syfy original movie Annihilation Earth, the upcoming Tekken movie, MTV Movie nominations, and pop stardom.
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While he may have started his career as a pop star, with over a dozen hits in England, and then become known in musical theater, Luke Goss’ recent work in movies like Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, Deep Winter, Bone Dry, the soon to be released Tekken, and an episode of Fringe have him making his mark in science-fiction and action. He stars in the original Syfy movie Annihilation Earth this Saturday night at 9 pm.

 

Al Norton: I have to be honest, I had a lot of fun looking at your resume; I don’t often talk to people who have done movies, TV, musical theater, had pop chart success and also written a book.

 

Luke Goss: (Laughing) I know, I just keep coming up with ideas. I have an idea and I find it really hard not to try and execute it.

 

Al Norton: What is your answer if someone asks you what you do for a living?

 

Luke Goss: It depends on geography, I guess, and the time you ask me (laughing). It all has to do with time and place. I have to be honest with you, of all the things I’ve done in my life, acting is without a doubt the passion of my life. You have to find a home, I guess, and all that stuff was a pursuit of something that makes you get up in the morning. It’s intimidating and it stays intimidating.

 

With music and writing you’re kind of your own boss in that way but with film it’s kind of scary sometimes. You think, “shit, I’ve got to pull this one out of the bag again.”

 

Al Norton: How old were you when you decided acting was the thing you wanted to do most?

 

Luke Goss: I left my band when I was 23 and so I guess I was about 25. I’d been asked to do this show by a theater director in London. I asked her why she wanted me to do it and she had her answers and it wasn’t just to do with box office and putting bums into seats, because at that point I was pretty well known in that country. She told me she just thought I was right for the role, which was a musical adaptation of Ed Wood’s Plan 9 From Outer Space, which was really funny as an adult kind of spoof thing.

 

I pulled it off but more importantly I had such great support from my cast at that time. Playing the lead role in a show was my debut and there was so much civility and so much camaraderie, like anything to do with acting, it was such a team play. If you’re the lead in a movie or a play you’re not the full center of attention, you’re just one on many links. That really appealed to me, as opposed to music where you’re the catalyst and everyone is just sitting around waiting and watching you.

 

Al Norton: The reason I ask is because I wonder what your reaction would have been as a 25 year old if someone had told you in 2009 you’d be getting a strong reputation in science fiction and action movies.

 

Luke Goss: I’d have had no bloody clue. Absolutely none. I feel really lucky because the reinvention of anything or anyone in this business is tough anyway, and I’m still in awe of it all. I’m still working hard because I’m still not exactly where I want to be.

 

In the UK there is a different mindset to evolution in the entertainment business; sure, there are a lot of ceilings, but what I learned quite young is that you can tap your finger and that ceiling is really just an eggshell. People buy into it like it’s a major obstacle. In the UK there is more encouragement to try new things, to doing more.

 

Al Norton: Were you a big science-fiction guy growing up?

 

Luke Goss: Sure. 2010, Close Encounters, all those films made me think; I was always like, “shit, what is all this really about?” As far as graphic novels, I was baptized by Guillermo del Toro. Once it gets under your skin you become, well, I say “stylish geek” to cut myself some slack but in reality I am just a bloody geek.

 

I love genre, I love the fantasy, I love graphic novels. Even the action figures now; when you get a couple from your characters, that doesn’t hurt at all.

 

Al Norton: Tell me about Annihilation Earth.

 

Luke Goss: It’s pretty cool actually. I really like the story when I read it. At that time I was really freaking out about the colliders and all of the experiments over in Europe. I was thinking, “bloody hell, I don’t want to get eaten up by a monstrous black hole if they get it wrong.” The story was topical and that’s when Syfy approached about doing the project.

 

Nick Lyon is a cool director and was known more for independent film and we sat down and talked in Europe and we decided to try and making something that was feature film quality. Syfy has been very supportive throughout. The effects are good and the story is driven by the story, it’s not just bells and whistles. I was really affected by the end of it. The ending of it, which I can’t say, was why I did it. I wouldn’t have expected it, especially for TV, and I wouldn’t have done it if it were a different ending.

 

Al Norton: At this point are you pretty relaxed in front of a green screen?

 

Luke Goss: I’ve worked with things that are not there in terms of a three dimensional aspect and I’ve done things where the background wasn’t there, either. That part is easier because when you’re acting you’re not depending on what’s behind you. The hard part is when you’re trying to pretend you’re holding something that you’re not really holding.

 

Theater is a good beginning for that. I’ve done about 1500 shows on stage and there you don’t have anything, you have to imagine it’s all there. At this point that stuff doesn’t affect me at all. I mean, when you walk on to a del Toro set, that’s different because that’s like being a kid with toys, sweets, and chocolate fountains.

 

Working now, if you don’t know how to work with those green screen elements, one should probably learn quickly because it’s inevitable.

 

Al Norton: I would think it makes watching the finished product more fun because you are literally seeing it for the first time.

 

Luke Goss: Exactly. Sometimes with movies of certain budgets you think you’ll be able to see all of what you’re pretending, and other times you don’t really know what they will come up with. I think they did a great job with Annihilation Earth; I bought it, I believed it.

 

Al Norton: What’s going on with Tekken? Is there a release date? Is it going straight to DVD?

 

Luke Goss: I heard a rumor about straight to DVD and I know for a fact that someone’s misleading someone. It’s definitely going to be a theatrical release. It was always made for theaters and was not made in any way, shape, or form for the DVD market. I mean, of course it will come out on DVD after the theaters.

 

It’s cool. The one thing about Tekken is that the story is truly funded by the game. Mortal Combat and Tekken are the two granddaddies of those games. I saw Street Fighter last year and I’ve got to be honest with you, it was a pile of pants. It was terrible. What did that have to do with the game? With Tekken they said, “we’ve got to incorporate the game into a feature film”, not just watching some UFC dudes kicking the crap out of each other for two hours. It’s more leaning towards the sensibilities of Blade Runner, that kind of color. It’s got a lot more in common with Blade Runner than it does with one of the non-masterpieces of film history, DOA, which was just bloody terrifying in how bad it was.

 

I think the fans will be happy. I watched a screening of it and it’s cool as shit.

 

Al Norton: What’s your training regimen like to stay in this kind of shape?

 

Luke Goss: Oh dear. The hardest thing is I can’t eat In-And-Out Burgers much. I’m really miserable about that. I love fast food. Growing up as a kid on the road, both with the band and then with the shows, fast food becomes a really good friend.

 

I train every day. I go through stages depending on what I am working on but I do it no matter what to stop myself from getting fat and that way when I do have to step it up I can. I’ve got a movie I’m doing soon where I am going to have to get in ridiculous shape. Magdalena next year I am going to have to be in outrageous shape. It’s two training sessions a day, very low carbs, low fat, a lot of meat, craploads of vegetables, and unbelievable amounts of water. I probably do about three hours of training a day. When I was doing Hellboy it was five hours a day. I got an eight-pack on that set. Some people think I am a martial artist but I’m not, I just hate being doubled. When I do roles I always make sure I get time to train written into the contract so I can do it.

 

Al Norton: Wouldn’t you consider yourself a martial artist at this point?

 

Luke Goss: I guess if there was a belt out there for me it certainly wouldn’t be a white belt. 10 weeks for Blade, 5-6 hours a day. 9 weeks on Hellboy, and a few others. There is some movie belt out there for me, I’m sure (laughing). I’m a Hollywood Black Belt.

 

Al Norton: You got a couple of MTV Movie Award nominations for Hellboy 2.

 

Luke Goss: That was kind of cool. I moved into my house and had been there literally 15 minutes when I got this text message saying “congratulations on the nominations” and I was like, “what nominations?” I had no idea. Someone had seen it on MTV News or something and assumed I knew. I thought it was a bloody good way to move into a new house.

 

I liked it because it was totally voted for by the fans. At that point my insecurities took a bit of a hit; I realized I must have at least a couple of fans out there.

 

Al Norton: You think there is any way someone could come up with an action – musical?

 

Luke Goss: On film? If Baz Luhrmann were directing it, since he really knows what he’s doing, and it was massive and kind of kitsch, yeah, I could see that. That’s a bloody good idea. I was about to say “no” and then I realized I liked it. It would have to be like the very best six seconds of Sin City, but for the whole movie, and it would have to have Lincoln Park doing the music. If that’s the case, I’m in.

 

Don’t miss Annihilation Earth, Saturday at 9 pm on Syfy