Sam Huntington is the star of Syfy’s new hit show “Being Human”. Based on the British series of the same title, Sam stars as Josh who happens to be a werewolf living with a vampire (Sam Witwer) and a ghost (Meaghan Rath). Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Sam about working on the show and playing a werewolf.
Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how you got involved with playing Josh in “Being Human”?
Sam Huntington: It was a really traditional audition process. I got to read the first two scripts and I fell in love with the character and the project from there. I went in almost a dozen times for this show. It was an extensive audition process. After that, I was mixed and matched with Sam (Witwer) and Meaghan (Rath) and we all fell instantly in love.
MG: Since the BBC series already had a built in audience, did you feel nervous to live up to the original?
SH: No [laughs]. Not at all actually. I was unaware of the original show when I first auditioned. So going into it I had zero pressure. Beyond that, people have asked this to me a bunch and my answer is I think if I worry about that then I am worrying about the wrong thing. I think I am always worried I am not going to live up to my own expectations. I am honestly trying to make the show the best possible. I can’t worry about that kind of stuff.
MG:Tell us about the process that you go through for the werewolf transformation?
SH: It is pretty crazy. The makeup process is all in about eight hours depending on what we are putting on, on any given day. It is badass and looks really cool, even though it is long hours in the chair often times really early mornings or really late at night. It is definitely hardcore. We have really amazing designers and artists working
on it. Basically, we have three or four different stages of the makeup, in varying degrees of severity. CG takes you through the in between stages and subsequently from the most hardcore stage we get in makeup to the full wolf. The final wolf will be CG and I am still waiting to see that myself. It will be in the episode airing on March 7th. I am really pupped up to see it.
MG:How do you feel that you have the most physical role of any the main cast?
SH: It is fun but also extraordinarily hard. I worked my ass off this year on this show but at the end of the day it is worth it. I love the show and I love the end product. I really do believe in the show. It is one thing if you are working you ass off and are kind of miserable with the product [laughs]. It makes it a lot easier when you know what you are doing is great.
MG:How has it been to work with Sam Witwer and Meaghan Rath?
SH: Amazing. We are literally so close…like siblings now. It is truly bizarre how fast we got as tight as we are. We just got back from a week long vacation in Hawaii together, because we love each other so much [laughs]. So it is a big love fest [laughs] and it kind made it even more so because we have such tremendous mutual respect for each other. We really trust each other as performers and almost know what to expect from each other. For me, looking at them, I know they are going to make great choices and do great work.
MG:What has been your favorite episode to work on this season?
SH: Episode seven for me so far, I haven’t seen eleven through thirteen in finished state yet. Actually though I also haven’t seen eight through ten even close to finished either, so it would be a really hard choice. I do believe 
though that they are getting better and better each episode.
MG:Can you give us a sneak of what is the come in the rest of season one?
SH: I will say, if you are a fan of the original show…don’t think that we are going to follow their exact plot line. We are going in different directions and will keep doing so. It becomes it own beast. That is why I like episode seven so much because that is where it goes on it own and comes alive and continues that trend.
MG:Do you have anything else planned after shooting season one?
SH: Well I have been finishing up a writing project that I have been working on for a long time. I will probably write another script hopefully before we go off to shoot season two. Which I am hoping we will find out about pretty soon as well. I have been looking for the right thing to fill this little void as far as acting in between the show. There is not much because anything that is casting now will probably conflict with “Being Human” if it gets picked up for a second season. Right now though, I am just enjoying my family, I have a year and a half old son. I just spending as much time as I can with them, since I may not see them as much as I like if/when the show gets picked up again.
