by Edward Gross
READ PT. 1 OF THIS INTERVIEW HERE!
In the concluding part of our interview with Valley, he turns his attention to the show’s stuntwork. It’s obvious that the actor is having the time of his life. Check out Human Target tonight (and every Monday) on Fox.
MEDIA GEEK: In watching the show, I’m often wondering how many of the stunts you insist on doing and how much of it they’ll allow you to do.
MARK VALLEY: It’s worked out pretty well. We’ve got good riggers and stunt people, so by letting me do stunts it doesn’t me that they’re shoving me off of a cliff. It’s all pretty safe.. well, except for a couple of things [laughs]. On one hand, I like to do as many of the stunts that I can because, in kind of a selfish way, it makes it a little bit easier for me to play Chance, having really experienced some sort of facsimile of the thrill that he is experiencing. That’s probably why I like to do it. Also, if I’m able to engage myself physically in the job as well, it’s that much more rewarding. I like to keep moving on the set. It’s not like I’ve been turning down a bunch of film offers by any means, but I really like television. Especially this show, because we’re always moving and always shooting something or moving on to something else, so you have to trust your first instincts and stay engaged. It’s a real vigorous production.
MEDIA GEEK: So what are your war wounds, I’m wondering?
MARK VALLEY: Well, I got kicked in the face by the stunt girl, but that was more of a wound to my ego than my lips, even though I was bleeding a little bit. I found out from the other stunt people that a stunt person never complains, they just kind of quietly walk off the set as though they’re walking into the woods to lick their wounds like a dog. But I’ve been hanging in it pretty well. I had a really good trainer in Los Angeles, who kind of prepared me with a variety of exercises to keep my general core strength up. I haven’t had any problems with my back or anything like that.
MEDIA GEEK: Of the six episodes you’ve shot so far, what has been the highlight?
MARK VALLEY: Oh, wow! A couple of scenes in Spanish was a lot of fun, because it takes place in a South American country and Chance is helping out this beautiful revolutionary he knew before. He has to go back and work his way in. Then of course driving the jeep through an army camp, which turned out to be one of the comedy milestones I think I’ve reached in my career. Then there was flying down an elevator shaft. There’s a scientist held captive by this defense contractor inside this huge building. We had to make our way out of it, and one of the things we had to do was slide down an elevator shaft attached to a cable in a kind of makeshift little harness. THAT was exciting, because I was actually flying down an elevator shaft, firing blanks at an imaginary enemy down below. That was really a thrill!
MEDIA GEEK: In a role like this, you kind of get to be a little kid again, don’t you?
MARK VALLEY: Oh my god, yeah! I just have to pinch myself sometimes. I really, really get to be a kid again and run around and do these things, and then be the tough guy you always wanted to be. While not taking any of it really that seriously. That’s been fantastic.
MEDIA GEEK: How would you describe this show for someone who is unfamiliar with HUMAN TARGET?
MARK VALLEY: First of all, clear the slate of expectations, because it’s not something you’ve seen on television for a while. It’s not a movie and it’s not a TV show, but it has elements of both. It’s a one-hour drama about an unorthodox security company that protects people who are marked for death by someone. Based on a DC Comic, I play Christopher Chance, Chi McBride is Winston and Jackie Earle Haley is Guerrero. Together we help figure out a way and a plan to insinuate ourselves into the client’s life, to appear vulnerable, draw out the threat, identify it and eliminate it by whatever means necessary. And you know what? We don’t do any more violence, action, explosions or fight scenes than is absolutely necessary to accomplish the task at hand [laughs]. It just happens that there’s a lot of them.