Actors Christian Slater & Rami Malek Talk ‘Mr. Robot: Season One’ DVD [INTERVIEW]
By Jorge Solis (j.solis@mstarsnews.com) | Jan 04, 2016 03:00 PM EST
Before Season 2 premieres on USA Network, Universal Studios Home Entertainment is bringing the critically acclaimed Mr. Robot: Season One onto DVD and Blu-Ray. In an exclusive interview with MStars News, Christian Slater and Rami Malek discuss the most-talked about moments from first season.
During our first season recap, Elliot (Malek) finds himself in hacker territory against Evil Corp with “Fsociety.” Elliot finds himself siding with a mysterious man named Mr. Robot (Slater). As Evil Corp sinks its seductive claws on Elliot’s best friend, Angela (Portia Doubleday), Fsociety has a way of hurting E Corp. But in order to put their plans into motion, Elliot has to become more than just a cyber-vigilante. Struggling with his own paranoia and delusions, Elliot wants to know what the connection is between him, Mr. Robot, and Darlene (Carly Chaikin). But will the truth bring about the digital revolution that FSociety has been fighting for?
Before Mr. Robot: Season One arrives on Blu-Ray and DVD on January 12, 2016, Slater and Malek discuss working on the USA drama since the pilot, highlight their favorite moments from the freshmen season, and filming on-location in the streets of New York.
MStars News: After being on Archer, Breaking In, and The Forgotten, tell me how this experience on Mr. Robot felt different from the other TV shows?
Christian Slater: We started with the pilot, at the South by Southwest film festival. Immediately, I thought that’s unique in itself. It’s a television show screening at film festival. That was very unusual. Then winning the Audience Award there was…I went wow okay! I know I like the show. Do people actually really like it? It’s always surprising! It is!
MS: With the pilot picked up, and the show being renewed for a second season, was this kind of success expected when you read for the project?
Rami Malek: We knew we had something really good in our hands. We just wanted to do good service it deserved. But no one could have imagined it come to this.
MS: Tell me about shooting the pilot.
RM: It speaks to what you [Christian Slater] were saying. We’re making something very special here. Shooting with Niels Arden Oplev, who directed the pilot.
CS: I was such a fan of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo!
RM: Yeah!
CS: That movie! I just loved it! I think Niels did such a great job! It was fantastic!
RM: It was run and gun. Shooting in Times Square! I’ll never get to do this again. And here we are in the finale.
MS: My favorite part of the show is the intensity you two bring to your characters. Tell me about building the chemistry between Elliot and Mr. Robot.
RM: They are possibly the easiest, most fluid scenes for me with you. I don’t know what it is. I could say it has a lot to do with pedigree.
CS: Well, we show up prepared. We show up and we’re good to go.
RM: And ready to enjoy ourselves in-between takes.
CS: That’s true! Exactly! We’re professional. We take it seriously. But we try not to take ourselves too seriously while we’re in the midst of it. I’m smacking him around. He tossed me out windows. And in-between takes…
RM: You okay? You okay? [Laughs]
CS: We’re hugging each other.
RM: You wanna go harder? Sure!
CS: Hit me harder! [Laughs] There are those moments, when you’re an actor, you relish those opportunities, you have something.
RM. When I see him on the list, and we’re working on the same day, I know we’re going to have fun.
MS: With the Golden Globes coming up on January 10, 2016, I have to discuss my favorite scene in the season finale. Your “Kingdom of Bullsh*t” speech was off-the-wall!
CS: I know right!
MS: Do you have any behind-the-scenes trivia from that scene?
CS: When I read it, well I was excited! First of all, I’m a New Yorker. So the idea of doing a scene in Times Square was thrilling! But this wasn’t any scene! This was very unique! I thought it was beautifully written speech.
MS: What were your thoughts when you read the dialogue?
CS: I was excited and then very nervous about it! I know he [Malek] had already shot a scene in Time Square and we talked about being there; the crowd, the lights, and the crazy. You have people milling about with a camera. It’s absolute insane! That all made me nervous.
MS: How did you prepare for the scene?
CS: I ended up going to Times Square everyday and night, prior to shooting that scene. Maybe 5 or 6 days prior. I had the Bluetooth headphone, just like any other douchebag in the city, pretending I was talking to somebody! [Laughs]
I was rehearsing that scene in the middle of Times Square. Somehow I managed to get away with it. So I’m grateful!
MS: Elliot takes a beating from Mr. Robot in the same scene as well.
RM: It’s an iconic moment. When you [Slater] pick me up and throw me against the…
CS: The American Flag…
RM: The Marine core recruiting flag. It’s very militaristic. There’s something very familial in that moment; very fatherly.
I was just telling Christian. He did that speech. It was just so good! He was far away from me. There was so many people surrounding him. When the camera wasn’t on me, I would sneak back and watch him on the monitors. It was iconic!
MS: Is Mr. Robot an extension of Hard Harry?
CS: I’ve heard that reference. In a very remote way, in a charming way I suppose. The technology I had to work with in Pump Up The Volume was a ham radio. We were dealing with taking down a school-board. Now we’re dealing with greater issues. There’s better technology! I mean there are elements. I think it’s just a grander, more in-depth scene. There was a lot heart in that particular project. There’s definitely a lot of heart and soul in this.
Mr. Robot: Season One arrives in stores on Blu-Ray and DVD on January 12, 2016.
