For more information and to subscribe visit http://www.titanmagazines.com/supernatural
Supernatural Magazine launches Facebook page!
Supernatural Magazine http://www.facebook.com/pages/Supernatural-Magazine/71062445518
After roles including the tough but principled cop Howard ‘Bunny’ Colvin in the critically acclaimed HBO drama The Wire, and prison kingpin Lechero in Prison Break, actor Robert Wisdom proved the perfect choice to play vengeful angel Uriel on Supernatural. Willing to smite entire towns to achieve his ends, Uriel fought fire with fire. The Official Supernatural Magazine caught up with him halfway through the filming of season four to find out more…
The Official Supernatural Magazine: Your character Lechero died on Prison Break, and as the angel Uriel on Supernatural, you’re technically deceased. Has death become you?
Robert Wisdom: [Laughs] Let’s just say Lechero didn’t know his real destiny, but Uriel is definitely an avenging angel.
How well-versed were you with the Supernatural universe before diving in this season?
I really wasn’t. My girlfriend’s first cousin, who is around 14 years old, is absolutely in love with the show. The demographic was slightly different from other things I’ve done, but I’m learning about the series. Actually, being on set and [being] privy to the scripts – it’s a really great series.
A lot of Supernatural roles are shrouded in secrecy. Did you have a strange audition process?
Actually, there wasn’t an audition process. There was an offer made, so somehow they envisioned me fitting this character. In a sense, it’s been like some of the other great projects I’ve been on where you have no idea what’s going to happen with the characters. I just heard “angel,” and we all assume that’s someone with wings, dressed in white, and wearing a gown. Then [the character] comes in and [he’s] this heavy-duty guy who wants to smite everybody. It really kind of flipped my pages, so I had to do some rethinking. The story is there and the character is totally fleshed out, so I appreciate them seeing me as someone who could fill this role. It’s a real honor.
Misha Collins, who plays Castiel, turned to the Book of Revelation to research angels. Did anything inform your performance of Uriel?
Yes, I actually read the Book of Enoch, and then I just went through a lot of different angel lore. Uriel is actually one of the top angels, so I looked at the quality this angel had biblically. It lists him as everything from an avenging angel to an angel of compassion, so I figured I could work with that. However, the Book of Enoch is pretty scary. There’s some pretty powerful, visionary stuff, and you see a lot of angels we really don’t associate with angelic life.
What were your thoughts on the way Uriel was introduced, because it certainly wasn’t with a bang?
I just had trust. No actor wants to have his back to [the main characters] during a scene, but with every passing line, Uriel’s gravity just grew. Finally, when he turns, it’s game on! I thought that was theatrically very powerful, because from that moment of meeting the two boys, it’s very clear what our relationship is going to be and what my mission is. It was a very sharp way to set the character up.
Of course, Uriel is no Castiel. How do they approach things differently?
Castiel is a man of reason, and he’s very controlled in an entirely different way. Uriel simply wants to take everything out. I know what my power is, I’m ready to use it and get on with it. I don’t suffer fools. Castiel has a lot more under his deadpan ways. On the surface, he’s much more compassionate, but my compassion comes after I lay everyone down and see who survives [laughs].
Subtlety hasn’t been one of Uriel’s strong points.
No, he’s not a very subtle guy [laughs].
Read the full interview in issue 10 of The Official Supernatural Magazine on newsstands now.
Supernatural Tune in Thursdays 9/8c on The CW
Supernatural Magazine launches Facebook page!
Supernatural Magazine http://www.facebook.com/pages/Supernatural-Magazine/71062445518
SUPERNATURAL MAGAZINE ISSUE 10 On-Sale May 25th! For more information and to subscribe visit http://www.titanmagazines.com/supernatural