DEADWOOD'S DEVIL
HBO sits down with Ian McShane
HBO:
What did you think when you first got a hold of the pilot script?
IAN MCSHANE:
I was in England, and my agent said that there was this script for American TV, and how would I like to videotape an audition. And I said, 'Jesus Christ! I think I've reached a stage better than that at my age.' And he said, 'Well, it's HBO, it's David Milch and it's Walter Hill.' And I said, 'Where do you want me to show up?' So I did my tape, and two days later I was in Hollywood, and three weeks later I was on a ranch in California with a big f**king mustache.
HBO:
You shot the pilot out at Gene Autry's ranch?
IAN MCSHANE:
Yeah. Autry'd be spinning in his f**king grave if he knew what we were shooting out at his ranch!
HBO:
Is it true what they say about playing the villain?
IAN MCSHANE:
Well, they say the devil gets the best tunes, yeah. I did the musical version of The Witches of Eastwick two or three years ago, playing Daryl Van Horne. So I think it was a nice build-up to Al Swearengen.
HBO:
The real devil...
IAN MCSHANE:
The real devil, yeah. Mr. Swearengen, as Mr. Milch writes him and I try to do him, is a complex, incredible human being, a pioneer. Extraordinary. He's just one of the forces of nature.
HBO:
A lot of people have described working with Milch, and his process of reworking the script after watching the actors. Did you find it unnerving to work with a script that was constantly evolving?
IAN MCSHANE:
No, I found it totally exciting personally. He's a true producer-creator; he sees a certain way. The actors love it because you've got that immediacy going on, it's sort of part of the action.
HBO:
The costumes are authentic wool, the streets are mud, and you're in Southern California in July. Would you call the set conditions grueling?
IAN MCSHANE:
It was hot, but, you know, it somehow gets you into it. The first few days out there, I think it got up to 125 degrees on the sound stage. They had this air conditioner, I think it was the first one invented. [Laughing] The one cube of ice. It was steaming, but somehow it sort of concentrated you, you know everybody was so up for the job. Everybody was soaked, and, you know, it's quite an intense show in a way. But it's also a lot of fun to do.
HBO:
Did you go through a cowboy phase as a kid?
IAN MCSHANE:
Oh yeah, my dad was a professional soccer play for Manchester United, and when they toured America back in '51, he brought me a little Roy Rogers suit. I've still got the pair of guns from it.
You know, I actually preferred the Indians, but they weren't selling Indian outfits then.
HBO:
So it's almost time to return to production for season two.
IAN MCSHANE:
We got word last week, so the old mustache is growing back in shape again.
HBO:
How does it feel, heading back in for another round?
IAN MCSHANE:
You know something, it's great. I can't wait to get back there-- it's very thrilling.
If you're an actor and you enjoy what you do, it's a hell of a job. In season two, you should really be feeling the confidence of season one, and you also want it to be better than the first season. So everybody's up for it in a different way.
And you don't know what Milch has got up his sleeve. He's a hard man to give a compliment to, you know? You say, 'David, if I wasn't in this show, I'd be watching it.' And the reply is: 'Wait 'til you see what storylines I got for you next year.' [Laughing].
I was half kidding here. I did not think he would become mayor by nominating himself. That was pretty comical if you ask me. 
