Rogue

In always wonder how much input actors have in the characters they play. Casting directors are famous for looking for a "type." Get me someone like....and then there is a cadre of "character actors" that they choose from, already having an idea about who or what the character will be. But when someone is hired to be an ongoing cast member, are they allowed to stretch from their usual roles, or were they hired to be the joker, the nerd, the Latin lover and so on.

What my question is, are we seeing Wilmer acting like he always does because that is the one note he plays, or did someone decide the want a Wilmer-type character, and he is stuck being a testosterone driven jerk again. My hope is that he will bond with the other male agent, and we won't see the juvenile behavior forever, just an interlude of comic (to someone, not me....) relief.

If you will allow me to attempt to explain.

As an actor, both stage and a small amount of screen, and as a writer, I have sold a few of my writings, (I've earned less than $2000 over my lifetime), I have some experience in this area.

Writers write in multiple forms, novels, short stories, poems, non-fiction, informative, plays, screen plays, TV dramas and comedies, short films, commercial, internet blogs, magazine articles. The opportunities are vast and various.

For those who write fiction even those fields are vast, and the control a writer has on his or her own work will also vary. Someone who has a known name and success can write what they want and forbid an editor from making any major changes to their work. A first time novelist will have five or six people sending reams of notes to "fix" their work.

When a writer writes a story, they create the environment, the plot, the characters, everything. Therefore, the characters do what the writer wants them to do.

On stage, in TV, and even in Film, this is not how it works. While the writer creates the story, the originality depends upon if this is their own work, or if they were hired to write what a producer wants written. (Known as work for hire). In Film and TV, this is the standard.

When I've written and directed what I've written for stage, I convey my idea for the character to each of the actors and help them portray what I've written. I do listen to ideas, and if I think they help tell the story, we go with those ideas.

Established plays by known authors have history, and therefore are usually handled in a traditional manner. However, there are times when a director/producer wishes to experiment with a concept and re-imagines the play, using input from the cast and other creative minds, like the set decorator, lighting designer, etc.

Films are usually run by the director, he or she has the final say as to how the script is written, and how the actors perform. Each director is different and some allow a free flow of ideas, while other stick to strict interpretation, all ranges between are seen.

Donald Bellisario created NCIS. He created the characters, the setting, the theme. He then looked around for whom he thought would be the best actor to fill out his idea for each characters. At first, Don Johnson was considered for the roll of Gibbs, then Scott Bakula. But Bellisario decided to go with Harmon. While vacationing in Australia, Weatherly ran into Bellisario and his family and had dinner with them one night. (this is from an interview I heard just after the show started). Weatherly convinced Bellisario to cast him in the roll of Tony, and since Bellisario even states that Michael embodied the essence of DiNozzo, he went in that direction (if you watch interviews of MW you will see that he is a clown most of the time). People, cast and crew, all comment about how PP doesn't act, she simply is herself when she portrays Abby.

As time goes on in a TV series, each character usually evolves into a version of the actor portraying the character. Thus, PP is Abby. MW is Dinozzo, now Bull, MH is Gibbs.

The show runner comes up with the ideas for each episode and a group of writers, anywhere from 5 to 9, will work on the scripts, usually in teams of two or three, and will switch off partners during the season.

There is always input from higher ups, studio executives, advertisers (they ultimately pay the bills, and money talks), network executives, and so one.

So, who creates the character? The creator of the show. Do the actors have a say in the development of the character? To an extent, yes.

Hope that sheds some light on your inquiry.





It's called a remote control. It has a channel up button, a channel down button, and a power off button. Get familiar with this device, learn to use it.

How can we expect the world to trust in a loving God, when His followers can be so full of hate?

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