Falling Skies has definitely become one of the finest genre series on TV, and Doug Jones as Volm ally Cochise has been a welcome addition to the cast in Season 3. TheTelevixen.com’s intern Emily Reynolds was lucky enough to take part in the Falling Skies press room at San Diego Comic-Con last weekend, where Jones shared a bit about playing Cochise and teased that we’ll learn more about his character in tonight’s episode, “Journey to Xibalba”.
Jones shared, “You’ll see more of Cochise in episodes 9 and 10 for sure … [and] you’ll learn more about [my character]. In Episode 9, Cochise is probably like the lowest he’s ever been in his life. I can’t tell you a lie, but it’s going to be quite a ride for him. And the humans he’s interacting with and learning from – that’s a surprise. He didn’t know that he was going to be learning anything from them. He thinks, ‘I’m more superior, I’m more intelligent and stronger, I’ve got technology – what do I need? I’m here to help.’ It turns out [Cochise] was here to learn as well. You’ll see that happen in Episode 9 ad it’s probably one of my favorite moments.”
Colin Cunningham shared the table with Jones and talked a bit about playing a character like Cochise, particularly how taxing it can be on an actor when prosthetics and masks come into play, and even costumes that require fans or oxygen tanks to prevent the actor from overheating. Doug Jones chimed in with this: “On the flip side of that, when you’re wearing a mask that completely alters your appearance, and you can play fantasy characters that you can’t do with your own face, it does broaden your spectrum of what you can play, and it also creates a little bit of a safety barrier between you and the camera. It’s like, ‘I can do anything I want right now, it’s not my face!’ When I guest on another show or do anything with my own face, I feel naked. I feel like I’ve walked out of the house in a Speedo.”
Jones did add that Tom’s “flashback” episode was a nice break from playing Cochise since he didn’t have to get into the elaborate costume and prosthetics.
“We saved that episode to the very last to shoot so my last hurrah [of the season] was wearing that corduroy jacket and sharing witty banter in the teachers’ lounge.”
“Journey to Xibalba” airs tonight at 10/9c on TNT and on Sunday August 4th at 9ET/6PT on Super Channel in Canada.
