Last week, I got to speak one on one with Nick Eversman, who plays Michael Winstone on ABC’s freshman drama, Missing. He took time out of his day to talk with me about the show, his castmates, and what else he has going on. Check it out!
Jenny: What was the process you went through to get this role?
Nick: You know, it’s pretty crazy. I did audition. What had happened was I went in for it in February. I had long hair, and I went in and read, and they basically said, “You did well, but you’re not exactly what we’re looking for.” I kind of looked more like a California surfer dude at the time. Two months later – it was early, early May – I got a phone call saying that I had an audition for Missing. I said, “Wait a second, isn’t this the one I went in on?” and they said, “Yeah, but they’re having a hard time casting the son, so go in. It’s gonna be a quick turnaround.”
Read more after the jump.
This was on a Thursday, I got the phone call and I was going in the next day, and they said they’d probably be flying me out on Tuesday if I got it. So I went in, and it just so happened that I had cut my hair and looked respectable. I went in and did my thing, and then went back and did a read on Monday with the producers, except…it was sent to them, ’cause they were already in Prague. I mean, Ashley was already in Prague. So was everybody involved in the production. So I was kind of just left on Monday just waiting. I went in at eleven in the morning. Generally speaking, if you don’t hear from them right away, you didn’t get it. Three o’clock came around, and I was like, “Ah well, I mean, if they’re turning around really fast, then I probably didn’t get it.” Called my manager and was just like “Hey, I’m guessing I didn’t get it.” And he goes, “Now hold on. You did better than you thought you did. Give it a minute.” Then six o’clock rolled around, so I called him and I’m like, “Dude, come on. There’s no way they’re still looking at me.” And he’s like, “They are looking at your footage as we speak, right now. We’ll hear in the next five minutes.” And five minutes later, I got a call from him and my two agents, and people were just screaming at the top of their lungs – and that’s generally a good sign. So yeah, I went out to Target and bought some luggage and…you know, flew to Prague for five months the next morning. Kind of crazy.
Jenny: Nothing like last minute!
Nick: Yeah, exactly. It was almost like being kidnapped…in the best possible way.
Jenny: Good practice for the role, then.
Nick: Exactly. I just took it all to heart. They said, “ABC’s kidnapping you, so just go with it.”
Jenny: Is all of it shot in the US or some out of country?
Nick: It’s all out of country. I can’t think of one thing that could have even been shot here in the U.S. All of the scenes, even indoors and everything, we did film at a studio out there for just, you know, the inside scenes or something like that. But for the most part, it was all on location. Like the castle that you see me in is actually a castle in Czech Republic.
Jenny: That must have REALLY sucked… (Yes, I was being sarcastic! 😉 )
Nick: It was horrible. I mean, my God, everything was just gorgeous, you know. The locations, they play their own characters. When you can go to a place and really film there and not have to do green screen, that just adds to the quality of the show. It helps you as an actor, too. It was fantastic to actually be able to film in Prague, and in Croatia, and in all these other places. It was wonderful.
Jenny: Ashley has gotten to shoot in a lot more locations than you did. Did you get to go out at all? You were kind of stuck in one spot for a long time, I’m guessing.
Nick: Yeah, I don’t move around a ton… I’m still mad at the writers for not putting me in Dubrovnik [a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea] or anyplace like that…any place that gorgeous…a paradise. I mean, don’t get me wrong… The castle was fantastic, but it’s, you know…it’s kind of a little cold and drafty. But you know, I was still able to get around and see the sights. In some of the episodes coming up, you see a few separate locations that I was…around. You know, I wasn’t necessarily shooting at them, but they took me along this time. It was pretty cool.
Jenny: What’s been your favorite episode or scene to shoot so far?
Nick: Ooh, that’s really difficult. I definitely have a favorite. The problem is I’m not sure I can say anything—
Jenny: It hasn’t aired yet?
Nick: I’ll just say it’s… Well, anytime I’m working with the character Oksana, or Tereza Voriskova is her name. She’s an actress from Prague. Anytime I’m working with her is one of my favorite scenes. She’s just…she’s fantastic to work with. We had a blast working together on set, and as you can kind of tell, we’re developing some sort of friendship or relationship. I mean, granted, given the fact that she got her butt kicked because I was sort of…joking around, I’m kind of indebted to her. No, she’s great. She’s very professional, and she’s always very “present” as an actress. She’s always there listening, so anytime I was working with her was great. There’s a few scenes coming up in the next few episodes especially with her that are fantastic, and they’re my favorite.
Jenny: Will Michael continue to take a more active role in his escape-slash-rescue? We saw him attempt to walk off from the mansion or compound or whatever that gigantic place he’s at right now, and they shot at him. He tried to get out of an underground passageway. Will he continue trying to escape, even after Oksana was beaten and brought into his room because of it?
Nick: Well, I mean, I think he’s realized by now that he is important. It doesn’t really look like they’re gonna hurt him. So there is still something in his mind of “Is it.. Is my freedom worth the cost of somebody else’s life?” And that’s the question, because Michael is not…he is not a mean guy. He’s not a soulless…or a heartless individual. You know, he cares about the fact this girl is sticking her neck out for him in a few ways. She’s telling him things that maybe she shouldn’t be saying, and now she’s paying the price for it. So I think there’s still gonna be some desire to get away because now, not only is he thinking “I’ve got to get away,” but “she’s gotta get away, too. We can’t continue to be [in captivity] like this.” But that being said, he’s definitely going to be a little bit more cautious about it and think his actions through a little bit more…not be so bold as to taunt that guy…Coffee Man is what we call him.
Jenny: That would be a great role, wouldn’t it? You just have to sit there and enjoy the scenery and drink your coffee.
Nick: [Laughing] Pretty much, yeah. It was kind of funny… That’s one of the things that he and I joked about a little bit. We have a few scenes together and every one in a while, and we’d always be like, “Yay! Coffee Man says a few words!”
Jenny: Finally, I wanted to ask about you as an actor. Do you have any upcoming projects you can share with us?
Nick: Sure! Well, when I came back, I was able to do a voiceover for a Disney film, which I believe the word has gotten out now… I’m doing Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3, which is… I’ve never played a miniature pinscher dog before, so that was quite the acting challenge. You know…I went to Petco a lot and studied and watched Westminster Dog Shows and kind of studied their actions and everything like that. [Laughs] So I’ve got that one…that one I believe is coming out in September. There’s also a film that I did, actually prior to Missing, called Deep Dark Canyon, an independent film that’s really cool. It’s the story of two brothers who… One of them kills the town mayor in a hunting accident – the older one does – and then my character ends up taking the fall for it, only to find out they’re still going to try me as an adult, because you know, I wasn’t an adult. It’s an old…It’s a small town type vibe. Everybody knows everybody. Shot and killed the mayor, and everybody’s out for blood. And then we end up going on the run with the help of my brother, who breaks me out of jail. There’s that, and then I did a short film I’m hoping to get into the festival circuit. It’s called Happy Download Day.
Aside from that, I’ve got a show that I do weekly, or bi-weekly. Something like that, that’s kind of like a variety show, where I do some singing and playing guitar, along with a slew of other people in Los Angeles, called NoHo Rockin Arts. I’m constantly doing that. I’m constantly out there working as much as I can.
Jenny: Cool! Where can people go and see you doing that?
Nick: We have shows weekly at Universal Bar and Grill in Los Angeles, just right next to Universal Studios. We kind of travel around, so the best thing to do would be to follow us on Facebook or Twitter. [He also said they’ve been going for two years now and just had their 100th show not long ago.] It’s a lot of fun. It’s kind of like a big variety show for the modern age. We’ve got dance and music and comedy and all that, and we kind of just throw it all together into one.
Thanks so much to Nick for taking the time to chat with me! Be sure and catch new episodes of Missing on ABC on Thursdays at 8/7c. Chat with Nick on Twitter: @modano1509. Tell him Jenny from TV Is My Pacifier said hello!
