David James Elliott | Fancast Q & A

Q and A with Knights of Bloodsteel’s David James Elliott
April 16, 2009

If you require cold hard evidence that the fantasy genre is enjoying a hearty renaissance, look no further than the surprise success of the small syndicated show that could, Legend of the Seeker. Or, you can look slightly further and find Legend’s satirical alter-ego, Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire, also tearing up the small screen with plenty of dragon slaying, bosom heaving, and dark magic deflecting….with punchlines and rim shots inserted in lieu of the otherwise requisite mystical musical score, naturally.

Landing fortuitously in the middle of Ye Olde Fantasy Genre Revival Faire comes Sci Fi Channel’s Knights of Bloodsteel, starring David James Elliott and Christopher Lloyd. David James Elliott recently fielded inquiries from the press about this upcoming project.

Following are a few quickie Q&A highlights:

What attracted you to the project, or the role of John specifically?

David James Elliott: Well, I grew up a fan of the fantasy genre. I read the Tarzan and Conan the Barbarian books. I always found it to be a fun thing to do - it’s certainly a great departure for me, having not done anything like it on film ever. And the script was really well written. And I was looking for a job; so all those things combined……

How tough and physical a shoot was this for you?

David James Elliott: It was - I loved it every day. I loved showing up every day. It was a pretty physical shoot. We were tramping through the forest and we were all over the province of British Columbia. There was a lot of swordplay and action sequences. But it was good fun. And the cast - we all got along very well, and so it was a nice deal. The crew were great. I just had a really good time and the weather was outstanding, which is certainly not always the case in British Columbia. So the fates smiled on us.

Prepping for the character, and the hair extensions for seven hours…..can you just talk a little bit more about the wardrobe, the costume, and getting into character?

David James Elliott: It was an intense period when I arrived. It was all happening very quickly and we wore leather gear and leather pants. And I had to find my swords, my weapons, my boots because I was really traipsing through some pretty nasty terrain. So I had to find stuff that was - not only looked good but was actually functional.

And then the hair extensions, which I wore for two months - that was a daunting task, believe me. If you’ve ever had them……….they’re nasty. They feel like you have a bunch of raisins pressed into your head. It’s a nightmare to wash. So every day was a little challenging that way. Then I had to walk around in public with this bad head that hadn’t been done by my hair department on the weekends. So I had to endure that, and the beard, and all of that. But, you know, it’s all fun. It’s great fun to really dive into what was such a rich character. I enjoyed the process.

If magic were real, what power would you want to wield in real life?

David James Elliott: The power to win every argument!