Sci Fi Channel On-Line Chat
March 29, 2001

Copyright 2001 The Sci Fi Channel. Used with permission.

Nigel Bennett of Lexx and Forever Knight

Moderator: <cricket1> to <Moderator>: Ask him what his first impressions of the character Prince where?

NigelB: I liked him because he didn't say a word for 20 pages - like a child quietly exploring. He was curious and open and that was appealing

Moderator: <ideath> to <Moderator>: I have heard that you will be in the US for some filming. If this is true, can you tell us where and when?

NigelB: There may be some filming for Lexx in the US, but I don't know when or where.

Moderator: <MeLuSiNe-> to <Moderator>: Will Prince be a big part of season 4 like he was in season 3?

NigelB: Yes he is. He's not as central, but he certainly plays a large part. The 4th season is even wierder and wackier than 3.

Moderator: (Question not noted)

NigelB: The best was the box of oatmeal thust in my face instead of a cross. I used to do ads for oatmeal I don't think there was a bad one

Moderator: <HumanVintage> to <Moderator>: The dialogue on Forever Knight, particularly that of Lucien LaCroix, was surprisingly intelligent, and always interesting. To what extent was Lucius your character, and how much was taken verbatim from the writers?

NigelB: No a lot was taken verbatim. The writers wrote for the character we created. I knew exactly how he sounded and could soundbut the writers loved the character and enjoyed writing for him. I was challenege for them.

Bouncer: - were they all written ahead of time?

Moderator: <Lucifyra> to <Moderator>: Does Nigel plan to come over here to the UK to promote 'His Father's Son'?

NigelB: I would love to. His Father's Son is the second of the three novels I co-author.The book is due out any moment nowand the comments are very good. It's a stronger book than the first but I haven't been invited.

Moderator: <Midnight> to <Moderator>: I have been a huge fan of yours for quite some time.. and find your web site very interesting... do you ever get time to read your guest book?

NigelB: I confess...I've never had the nerve to read it. I do log on to visit the links.I should read the guest book, but I'm a coward.

Moderator: <KRin> to <Moderator>: I would like to ask Nigel why he started the Motion Picture Industry Charitable Alliance rather than fronting an existing charity?

NigelB: We started really as a way to get rid of my wardrobe from FK. When that first year was so successful we decided to go on. We choose two charities a year and we can change charities every year and do right by them. There are so many groups that need the help. It really feels good and by the way, it happens again in October!

Moderator: <Mirazh> to <Moderator>: How did you get involved with Lexx? Was it something you always wanted to be in or was there some other reason?

NigelB: I was approached by the producers. I'd worked with them on a film called Paint Cans. They wanted a new character and they thought I'd be right for the part. It seemed like a good idea at the time...and it was.

Moderator: <Lucifyra> to <Moderator>: Has he had his eyebrows bleached to play Prince again this time?

NigelB: Yes. It's not quite as obvious as it was last time. But yes, they're bleached again.

Moderator: <cricket1> to <Moderator>: What is the most challenging role you've had in your career?

NigelB: That's tough. There have been so many that were tough in different way. The most satisfying was a film called Different, with Lynn Redgrave. It was very gratifying.

Moderator: <VampUK> to <Moderator>: Was the episode Francesca you first attempt at directing. I liked it by the way.

NigelB: It was my first attempt at directing for television. And I was quite pleased with it. Thanks.

Moderator: <AnglimFCPrez> to <Moderator>: Dear Nigel, I got to see you at Syndicon in Baltimore and you were great with everyone. I was wondering if the sci-fi genre' picked you or you picked it since so much of your work has been in it.

NigelB: I think that it picked me. I never had any great desire or interest in Sci Fi. FK certainly started it all, and the genre hasn't let me go. I've enjoyed it - A good ride so far. Oh, and I think I'm going to be doing a con in Pittsburgh at some point.

Moderator: <Calico-Kitten> to <Moderator>: Hello, Nigel. Another Lexx question. What exactly was Prince shouting as he plummeted to the little blue planet presumed to be Earth? It has been a big topic at alt.tv.lexx newsgroup of the meaning. It sounded like Prince was saying, "Oh, pain. Oh, joy." repeatedly. Why?

NigelB: That's exactly what he was saying, on the other way around. Oh joy Oh pain.

Moderator: <DeeinVA> to <Moderator>: Good evening, Nigel. Will you have time for more theater this summer?

NigelB: I'm hoping to... I'm just working on things at the moment in Nova Scotia. Nothing is definite yet.

Moderator: Gwenn> to <Moderator>: Since you write vampire stories, I was wondering why you never attempted to write for the Forever Knight series.

NigelB: Oh I did.I wrote a script which was rejected. I started writing it at the end of season two, but with cast changes it didn't fit in Season 3.

Moderator: <VampUK> to <Moderator>: Will you still be in Nova Scotia in August, and if so will you be going to Ger in his one man show around that time

NigelB: July and August is our hiatus from Lexx, so if the theater works happens I'll probably turn up there.

Moderator: <Princess> to <Moderator>: Another Lexx question - How many different outfits for Prince are there exactly? Will they be for sale after Lexx finishes season 4?

NigelB: There were three outfits last season: Dark blue heavy, dark blue silk in South Africa and a powder blue outfit.

Moderator: <Lucifyra> to <Moderator>: How often does he have to bleach his hair for Prince?

NigelB: About every ten to fourteen days. And you can actually see little tiny roots after four days. Incredible.

Moderator: <Lindy> to <Moderator>: How long did the make up take for The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne episode you did? (Good show btw)

NigelB: That took about an hour and a quarter every day. They used an airbrush and they airbrushed me with paint.

Moderator: <Lucifyra> to <Moderator>: Why did he wear more make-up to play LaCroix in the third season?

NigelB: I didn't think that I did. But lots of people have said that I did. I had the same makeup person, so that's not itbut it was always very extreme if you think about it - like a demonic clown

Moderator: MeLuSiNe-> to <Moderator>: What was our most memorable moment of filming Lexx?

NigelB: On the beach in Namibia there was a day when we were trying to hold up a green screen and it took four men to hold it against the wind. Namibia is unlike anything I have seen before. The desert is so immense. The ocean is so huge...and there is nothing between there and South America. We saw so many kinds of animals. What a place to work.

Moderator: <nUuRTH> to <Moderator>: We've heard about how you initially felt about the character "Prince," but is there any aspect of him in particular that you came to enjoy, as the series progressed?

NigelB: I think I kind of enjoyed everything about him from the startlike my character in FK he has tremendous powerand great freedom comes with that kind of power. I like that about him.

Moderator: <Marrah> to <Moderator>: I loved Keeper of the King, and have been a fan of yours for quite a while - you play the best "bad guys" yet make them so attractive. I wanted to know how much of your personality come out in "Keeper"?

NigelB: Quite a lot, I think. I think in a way writing is more personal than acting. There's a lot of me in His Father's Son as well - you can't avoid it. A lot of Richard's fears are mine. I don't like to fly either.

Moderator: <Janet> to <Moderator>: Both Prince and LaCroix are very sensory and tactile. Is that something that was planned by the writers or something you brought to it?

NigelB: Certainly with Prince I brought it to the role from the first episode I saw that he would smell everything, sniff people. That worked well with his obsession with water since he comes from a dry planet. These are the kind of moments that you create on the set with the director.

Moderator: <JO> to <Moderator>: MODERATOR <JO RITA> TO MODERATOR/ WILL NIGEL WRITE ANY MORE BOOKS IN THE FUTURE ABOUT VAMPIRES?

NigelB: Well, the third book will be about the end of the world. We decided to tackle something small and I won't say any more about it than that!

Moderator: <Shallah> to <Moderator>: Despite evil darkness of both the LEXX and FK characters you portrayed--- there seemed to also be a deep lonliness as well-- Care to comment?

NigelB: I think the lonliness comes from eternity. They are immortal. Immortality must be very lonely.

Moderator: <gersgal1> to <Moderator>: Nigel, Who came up with the idea of The Night Crawler on Forever Knight? Did one of the actors? Incidentally, no one could give him the character and flair that you did.

NigelB: The was written into the first episode but the Night Crawler changed with each season. He was a heavy metal DJ in the beginning, then a lonely voice in the darkness later.

Moderator: <nUuRTH> to <Moderator>: If , now this is an if question, could choose to play the part of any character, from film, theater, or so on, who do you think you would most enjoying playing as? That is, if you could ever decide...

NigelB: I don't know...I get asked this and I alway mean to work on an answer. The type of character, is certainly someone who admits his weakness and tries to come to terms with it. I'm sure there are dozens of such characters.

Moderator: Magus> to <Moderator>: How do you think Prince came to his existense? A God-like being or a highly evolved human, etc??

NigelB: I don't think that even the writers know that. I think he just worked his way to the top of the food chain. The problem is that if anthing kills him, they've lost. I think in one episode he said he didn't know where he came from he just knows what he does.

Moderator: <dark-ravenette> to <Moderator>: I wanted to ask Nigel if he still keeps in touch with the cast from Forever Knight

Moderator: <Lucifyra> to <Moderator>: Did he ever imagine the character of LaCroix would be so popular?

NigelB: I don't really keep in touch. I bump into Ger occassionally, but that's about it. Most of the time when you work on a long term project there is a sense of family while you are working, but it doesn't really last when you move on. I'm sure we would all still be friends if we saw each other.

Moderator: <ideath> to <Moderator>: Your writing is great. Can you tell us what your favorite authors and or titles are?

NigelB: My favorite author is Gabriel Garcia Marquez - Love In The Time of Cholera and One Hundred Years of Solitude. I started writing when I was still a kid. I still have fifty pages of a book I started twenty years ago. I enjoy writing very much - glad you like it.

Moderator: <nUuRTH> to <Moderator>: Its very common for an actor to bring his own personality to a character, but have you ever taken a role that has somehow changed your life in ways that you didn't or couldn't have imagined?

NigelB: Well yes, Forever Knight is a perfect example. It changed all of our lives. It made us successful. I don't think a role has ever changed my beliefs or feelings but every role has to change you to some degree.

Moderator: What was Legends of the Fall like?

NigelB: Working with Brad Pitt was fun and working on a big budget film is quite an experience..there is so much TIME taken.

Moderator: <cricket1> to <Moderator>: Please? just one fun little question! :) did you like those lexxy boots?

NigelB: They were hand made for me here in Halifax. They weren't the most comfortable boots in the world. They're tight. They were interesting.

Moderator: <blonde1228> to <Moderator>: How did you like working with Wesley Snipes?

NigelB: Wesley was great. He's very professional. It was good fun. The mockup of the White House they build in Toronto was amazing.

Moderator: Tag> to <Moderator>: <Tag> Hi, my question for Nigel: Lexx's 3rd Season dealt with religious suject matters (Heaven and Hell, etc.). Are you a religious person? How were you brought up?

NigelB: I am not formally religious at all.I believe that you make your own heaven and hell here and now. I have spiritual beliefs that are important to me. I think we do have a spirit and the spirit goes on.

Moderator: <angelmay> to <Moderator>: What was it like working with the cast and crew of the Lexx Show?

NigelB: I was talking to some of the crew this evening. They are such a wonderful crew. We have amazingly talented people especially the cgi guys - very high quality. The crew on the set works so hard, and they work such long hours. They're the real troopers behind the show.

Moderator: <Lucifyra> to <Moderator>: Has he visited Glastonbury as he seemed to have the directions to the Chalice Well and Tor just right :)

NigelB: Yes I have.I've visited about three time now. It's a magical place. If you climb to the top of Tor on a sunny day there is a feeling of peace, and you can actually feel the power.

Moderator: <Vamp1228> to <Moderator>: What do you do to relax?

NigelB: At the moment I'm putting a bathroom into my cottage. I hunt, and fish, and I play golf. I go for hikes.

Moderator: Lucifyra> to <Moderator>: What do his sons think of the characters he plays?

NigelB: They didn't watch Forever Knight. They've watched LEXX. They think it's kind of weird. I'm never sure if they are proud of me or if it's a burden. I think at least they really know that TV isn't real and that's good.

Moderator: <StormBorn> to <Moderator>: I hear you like to cook--what's your specialty?

NigelB: I have a lot of venison in my freezer so I'm very good at that. I like barbeque - the man's way of cooking - nothing to clean up. I live on a salmon river, so I cook a lot of fish.

Moderator: Our last question. What advice do you have for those who aspire to be actors?