Sam Witwer

Sam Witwer: (about his role on "Star Wars") It means quite a bit to me. When I was a kid I'd swing imaginary lightsabers around and now I've had the opportunity to get paid for it.

But really, I love Star Wars because that myth is a wonderful tool to teach children a basic morality. For that reason I think it will continue to maintain it's relevance and justify it's existence. So to contribute in a tiny way to that cause feels good.

Sam Witwer: I wouldn't say I enjoy villains as much as I enjoy creating a character that believes that what he's doing is reasonable. Many people make the mistake of having too much fun with villains, I think. My take is that I don't think these villains themselves are having ANY fun. I think it's an unpleasant place to go, psychologically.

The fun is in watching, from an audience perspective.

Sam Witwer: (About his transition back into working after his move to California) I auditioned for nearly a year and didn't book anything. The good news is that apparently the casting directors liked what I was doing so those auditions kept coming. Eventually I booked a 2 line role on a show called JAG and sloooowly the parts got bigger and better. I'm very thankful that I had to appreciate how difficult the business is before I had any kind of success.

Sam Witwer: (About if he's ever done any commercials/print ads) My first job, actually, was a Chicago Bulls commercial. I was a ninja. I walked with a limp for a week afterward and got paid 500 dollars 6 months later. Thanks guys. Thank you to hell.

Sam Witwer: (about if he was in drama in high school) I did some plays in high school. Yes. Never took it that seriously. My parents, however, wanted me to go to College. My grades weren't exactly spectacular so they figured acting might be a necessary back door into some school. They kinda convinced me to audition for several. Problem was, my marks were so poor that only one school took me and that was Juilliard. They're the only school that didn't look at transcripts. Can't say I'm proud of the grades thing.

Sam Witwer: When I was a kid, I was pretty convinced I was gonna be an actor. Later, I grew up a little and switched to a more realistic career goal – Rock star. Then I got swallowed up by this theater school (quite by accident) and boom. Actor.

Sam Witwer: One of my other favorite roles was on Shark, where I got to work with James Woods quite a bit and that was really fun. He was always running around with his iPhone, taking pictures of stuff and sending them to me. He's a real character.

Sam Witwer: In terms of television, I loved working on Battlestar Galactica. I loved Dexter especially because I got to play a role that frankly, I still don't get recognized for today. The character looked very different and acted and spoke very different than how I speak in anything else. I take it as a compliment that I have to explain to people that I played that character. They wanted me to play this squirrelly computer nerd and I thought I'd love to do that because I had been hired to play a lot of big thuggish guys before that. I wanted the chance to show people that yes; I can do something totally different if you wanted me to.

Sam Witwer: I've read some Superman comics, but I was more of a fan of the Richard Donner movies. I was a huge fan of those movies when I was a kid.

Sam Witwer: (on playing darker roles) Playing those roles, it's really tiring but it's a great challenge. I like doing things that intimidate me.

Sam Witwer: (on becoming part of "Smallville") It's really great because as a kid I was a huge Superman fan and [I] watched all the movies with my parents. I'm a big pop culture mythology guy so stories like the Superman mythology and the Star Wars mythology, they're significant and they're important because I think they're great tools for teaching basic moralities, especially to kids. So that's why I am so into them, that's why I feel very lucky to be a part of it.

Sam Witwer: (on being part of Julliard) Everyone else is in a turtle neck, trying to become the wall or something like that, doing all kinds of weird stretching breathing exercises, whereas I'm just a guy in ripped jeans and a t-shirt who shows up and goes - Hey what's going on.

Sam Witwer: By the time I'd got into high school, I'd decided I was going to be a rock star-- I was going be realistic and choose something that was going to have a good chance at succeeding.

Sam Witwer: (on playing Darth Vader's Secret Apprentice in "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed") The character certainly is a dark sider. I guess what I found interesting about him was trying to get into the psychology of someone who raised in torturous conditions. He's not a Jedi. He wasn't raised a Jedi. His growth has been horribly stunted by this awful father figure.

Sam Witwer: (on rumors that Sam plays all the instruments in his band) There are rumors circulating that there isn't really a band behind the Crashtones music. I just think that's ridiculous! You can see pictures with us all together so I don't know where that comes from.

Sam Witwer: (on why he started a band) Actors are blessed and cursed with downtime. If you're an actor and that's your major creative outlet, you cannot express yourself without someone else's permission. Someone has to HIRE you first. When you're waiting around for that call, that can be frustrating or worse.

Sam Witwer: (on dating) First date is generally low key. Coffee shop type stuff. Why? Well, what better way to know how interesting you think someone is than to eliminate exciting first date tactics and ploys. Past that, let's go to London.

Sam Witwer: Shakespeare is awesome. Art is awesome...but why I really got into the business was to have an action figure with a friggin lightsaber!!!

Sam Witwer: (He played Xindi-Sloth in an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise.) I'm affectionately referred to, by my other friends that work on Star Trek, as Sam the Sloth, which totally sucks.

Sam Witwer: (on what turns him on) Confidence and a strong sense of self are a must. All too often females try to sell themselves through the advertisement of their sexuality. That's cool and all, but... can you hang?! Are you "down wit it?"!