A familiar face from such diverse '90s fare as the neo-noir film The Last Seduction, the David E. Kelley series Chicago Hope and the inspirational movie-of-the-week Rise and Walk, actor Peter Berg is now deservedly better known for his writing, directing and producing. His most recent projects may include the star-powered feature films The Kingdom and Hancock, but it's his adaptation of an acclaimed sports book into both a movie and a TV series called Friday Night Lights that solidified both his distinct visual style and his uncanny ability to draw amazing performances out of underappreciated actors.
Those qualities may be most appreciated by today's audiences, but they were first on display almost a decade ago in ABC's Wonderland, a series that marked Berg's debut as a creator, but unfortunately also epitomized the phrase "brilliant but cancelled." Now all eight completed episodes are finally airing, on DirecTV's The 101 Network at 10 PM ET each Wednesday, which gave us an opportunity to talk to Berg about his groundbreaking early work, the future of FNL, his upcoming science-fiction projects, the true origin of Lyla Garrity and much more.
TWoP: Watching the first two episodes of Wonderland again for the first time since they originally aired, it's incredible how uncompromising your depiction of the realities of mental illness was. What originally motivated you to tackle such a difficult subject?
PB: It started for me when I was a kid. My mother volunteered at a psychiatric hospital in White Plains, New York, and she would come home with these stories of things she'd seen and patients she had developed relationships with, and she was completely mesmerized by the whole environment of a psychiatric hospital -- in a good way. And she really loved the patients, she loved the doctors, and really loved the experience of -- she was a suburban housewife -- leaving this sort of middle-class suburban home and going into this mental hospital, and that had a big lasting impression on me. So that's what I thought about, and I started doing my research at the Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital in New York City, and I think kind of felt the same kind of passion for it that my mother did, and just spent about six months pretty much living at that hospital. Got to know lots of patients, lots of doctors and it was very inspiring me for when I sat down to write the script.TWoP: Why was it so important for you that this show see the light of day again in 2009 on DirecTV? Obviously, it was the first show that you created so I'm sure there was a personal element to it, but was there something about this topic that that felt people still need to know about in this day and age?
PB: Well, I think it's two things: One, it never sat well with me that the show was canceled so unceremoniously. Because a new regime came in right when it was time to release the show, the woman at ABC who developed the show, Jamie Tarses, was let go right when it was time to be released and scheduled, and a new crew came in and they put us up opposite ER in the height of its power and we were beaten pretty severely -- and it was pretty clear that that was the intention. And that was frustrating to me because so many people did so much great work. We'd shot eight episodes; the crew had worked really hard; we were shooting it at a working mental hospital in Long Island and it was rough shooting and the actors were using psychiatric patient rooms as their dressing rooms; and it was very unglamorous. It was a real labor of love and it was frustrating to me that all that work had just been dumped.So that was a part of it, and then I just feel like since then -- it was ten-odd years ago -- we've become so much more acceptable of mental illness and familiar with it, and I think we as a culture are probably more ready to absorb something like Wonderland. I think it's a bit less outrageous. Maybe the first episode is still pretty extreme, but the future episodes that deal with eating disorders and bipolar issues and kids that can't be controlled by parents, things like that, I think do feel more timely in the sense that we're more willing to discuss it, and certainly the subjects don't feel as taboo as they did back then.
TWoP: You were up against ER and you had co-starred on Chicago Hope for several years. Did these more conventional medical dramas motivate you in any way to push the envelope with Wonderland?
PB: I don't recall really being motivated to try and outdo ER or Chicago Hope. I think that I got an appreciation from being on Chicago Hope as to how much audiences do connect with medical shows, and I really enjoyed being a part of [that] and realized there is so much inherent drama around a hospital -- that it makes for strong television if it's done well. And I did think that maybe the psychiatric component would be a new way in.TWoP: Wonderland was the first example of your knack for bringing out the best in actors that audiences might not have previously appreciated - people like Ted Levine and Michelle Forbes. And then later on Friday Night Lights, you complete transformed how we think of Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton. How are you able to look at an actor and know that they have this potential within them when few others have seen it before?
PB: Well I don't know, that's a good question.... I think the key for me is that every time I've done good work -- or at least work that I'm proud of -- it's been because I've done a lot of research and I've taken my time and I'm very familiar with the subject material as a writer, and that then translates to a confidence as a director that I'm able to have, and that confidence translates to me being able to communicate and empower actors more clearly.I think almost any actor's probably capable of really good work (or not) depending on the material and how comfortable they are in the role. I think Mickey Rourke is the most recent example of that. I mean, Mickey's struggled for the last 15 years to find good work, and suddenly Darren Aronofsky puts him in a role... You go and watch that film and you say, "My god, there's no one else that could have possibly played that role." It's so good. And I think for Mickey, it was the right role at the right time with a director who really knew his material and knew what he wanted to do, and I think that's the key to getting good work out of actors.
TWoP: Is the fact that you were an actor for the first phase of your career help you relate to actors more than a director who might not have that background?
PB: I think so. I think that directors who have never experienced acting or have never acted themselves probably get a bit more intimidated by the process than someone who has spent a lot of time in front of the cameras. You develop a sort of shorthand in learning how to read an actor and figure out what they need, and generally I feel pretty good about knowing how to give them what they need, and I think that comes from time spent acting.TWoP: Speaking of actors, another person who's done really great work for you is Jason Bateman. I think he stole every scene he was in in both The Kingdom and Hancock. Are you interested in working with him on a third project at some point?
PB: Definitely. I love Jason, and one of the fun things about being able to work in this business is finding people that not only you respect professionally, but you really like. Jason and I are good friends, and our families are quite friendly, and to be able to go back and revisit with old friends and make movies and television shows with people that you've worked with, and to have that shorthand and comfort level, is something I'm very appreciative of.TWoP: In Wonderland, Michelle Cox's character is named Lyla Garrity and, of course, that's also Minka Kelly's character in Friday Night Lights. Was there a real Lyla Garrity in your life?
PB: When I was a kid growing up in Chappaqua, New York, my dentist Dr. Garrity, his dental practice was in the basement of his house, and he had a daughter named Lyla Garrity, who -- and this was when I was maybe 10 -- was the first crush that I ever had. I was madly obsessed with his daughter, and every time I'd see her she'd kind of walk by the dental chair and I'd have my mouth open with all the gear in there, you know, like as big of a loser as I could be, and I never talked to her. I just have all the images of seeing her, and she'd come in and talk to her dad, and I was always the loser with hoses in my mouth. And I never got a chance to speak to her, so I think I've paid my homage to her continually by naming characters Lyla Garrity.TWoP: Have you ever heard from her?
PB: No, 'cause I don't want to, you know? It's like I have my image of her in my mind and I want to preserve that.TWoP: In terms of your directing style, you have an almost documentary look, or a breaking-news type of feel, look, even when you're dealing with something sci-fi like Hancock. How would you describe it?
PB: I like a looser, more organic style, and that generally equates to handheld cameras. I've certainly heard from people that love it, and I've heard from people that can't handle it and say it's too busy and too dizzying for them, and, you know, I hear that. I guess if I was to define my style, it would be kind of loose and natural. I tend to not like very orchestrated, controlled shots that take a long time to set up, and that's [partly] a response to all the time I spent acting for directors that would spend hours and hours setting up shots and then give us a few takes -- and then they'd move on because they spent all their time with the equipment. I'm more kind of actor-oriented than I am equipment-oriented.TWoP: And you love the overlapping dialogue and having multiple conversations in the foreground and background, which is very natural also very Robert Altman-esque. Was he an influence?
PB: Big fan of Robert Altman, yeah, for sure.TWoP: Who else influenced you?
PB: On that side, that sort of naturalistic side -- John Cassavetes, Woody Allen, Robert Altman. But then, from a technical side -- Ridley Scott, Jim Cameron, Tony Scott, Michael Mann, obviously [Berg was in Mann's Collateral]. Directors that were kind of able to do both: find the look and a visual style, use effects, but really still manage to keep this grounded to the characters.TWoP: As you were building a career as a working actor, was directing and producing always the ultimate goal?
PB: Yes. I was directing movies in high school -- I took a Super-8 filmmaking class. And then in college I continued on -- there was a video production class at our school. I moved to L.A. with the intention of going to film school and just got sidetracked and started doing some plays, and so I started acting and I was doing it when I was young and it was fun, but my goal was always to move into the other side.TWoP: And you've also written or co-written the majority of your directing-producing projects. How important is to you to have that soup-to-nuts creative control?
PB: It's very important to me, and I think it just ties back to what I said earlier -- just understanding the material. And for me, a part of understanding the material is a) the research, and b) actually, if not writing the original script, at least taking a pass at it so that I can internalize it and kind of make it my own. Otherwise I feel like I'm a little bit lost.TWoP: Friday Night Lights is one of those shows that's beloved by practically everyone who's ever seen it, and acclaimed by almost every critic, yet has struggled in the ratings throughout its existence. Is it possible for you to remain proud of the work without feeling dispirited that more people haven't caught on to it
PB: I don't know... I wouldn't say I'm dispirited... I'm only dispirited if it prevents us from getting picked up, you know? In other words, I'm happy that we have generated enough numbers through Nielsen ratings and TiVo and now sites like Hulu to keep the show coming back, and I get enough love off of the show when I'm traveling around the country to know that people are watching it. I love the show, and at this point I'm as much a cheerleader as anyone. Jason Katims is running the show, and we talk regularly, but it's his creative vision at this point. And I'm a huge fan of what he's doing, and I'm not sure that if our ratings were much higher we'd be able to be doing the same kind of work. So I'm pleased with the show, and I think that's the most important thing.TWoP: And you've also said recently that you think the show could have a future beyond this third season, which already aired on DirecTV and is now airing on NBC.
PB: Yeah, I always felt that way. I mean, I think that for the first time it's as much our decision as it is their decision, if that makes sense to you.TWoP: Meaning that you guys might choose to possibly end the show when it makes sense creatively, as opposed to letting it strictly be a business decision?
PB: Right, that's right. This show's ended on a pretty good note, and that's not to say we couldn't bring it back and that we wouldn't love to bring it back, but I think it's got to make sense for everyone, you know? Last season these guys were working really hard and making every penny count and really being held to a level of fiscal vigilance that is not typical for an hour drama.TWoP: Considering the way the TV landscape has changed over the years since Wonderland came out, do you foresee more and more quality work like Wonderland or Friday Night Lights ending up on cable, whether it's basic cable or premium cable, as opposed to network?
PB: I definitely foresee things changing. I just shot an ad campaign for Hulu and got to meet the folks that run that company, and I think that's clearly the way of the future. "Must-see" television is a thing of the past in terms of people watching television when the network dictates. People are gonna watch it how they want to watch it, and when they want to watch it and where they want to watch it. That's number one: television on-demand -- where, when and how. And I think we'll see more private sponsorship. I think we're actually going to return to the old days of television, when shows were sponsored by single products, and that those shows will then have multiple distribution and streaming outlets.TWoP: And as an artist, are you cool with somebody saying something like, "Hey, we'll fund this show for you if you put our car in it"?
PB: Of course. We did it with Chevy, we did it with Applebee's, we did it with Under Armour in Friday Night Lights. We were way out in front of that. We approached them, and did so gladly because we were able to then incorporate all those products into the show. Tyra works at an Applebee's; Buddy Garrity runs a car dealership; obviously the athletes wear Under Armour -- it was a natural. It was a win-win for everybody: it gave our show added authenticity, and we were able to incorporate the products into a show in a way that didn't feel as though we were pandering. It felt very organic, and I loved it.TWoP: Last week you were busy with Virtuality, a science-fiction TV pilot you're directing for Fox, which was co-created by Ron Moore, one of the masterminds behind Battlestar Galactica. What can you tell us about it?
PB: We're just finishing up, doing a little more editing. I'm gonna shoot a new scene in New York this week, and it's a really interesting show. Ron Moore and Michael Taylor wrote the original script, and as you might expect if you're fans of those guys, which I definitely am, it's complicated and original and it'll be very unique and, at times, brilliant and, at times, a bit dense. So we're trying to clean up the density and focus on what's brilliant about it, but we should know what the network's gonna do with it in about three weeks.TWoP: Some of your work has a very passionate following on the Internet. What do you think of the give and take between creators and fans that we're seeing more and more of now? Do you value that kind of feedback, or do you just want to be left alone to do what you do?
PB: I think I used to be more reactive to it when I first realized it was going on -- both reactive to the positive and the negative. And sometimes I would actually be reactive to the point where I would make adjustments just based on it. Other times I would just feel good when someone wrote something nice and feel horrible when someone wrote something not so nice. And at this point there's just so much of it that it tends to not have the impact that it used to. Every once in a while I'll read something and I'll really -- you know, it's interesting, because I still think that some of the great television critics and film critics still get it right. And for all the talk about how the Internet and bloggers are going to destroy legitimate criticism, I'm generally more inclined to read critics that I like. I'm a huge fan of, for example, Bill Simmons on ESPN, who's been a good critic of mine for a long time in terms of telling me what he likes and doesn't like -- Bill's someone that I respect. David Denby at the New Yorker is someone that I respect.... You know, my mother I still listen to. [Laughs]TWoP: Finally, I have to ask about one of my favorite sci-fi books, Frank Herbert's Dune. Are you still attached to direct a new feature film based on it?
PB: Yes, we're gonna have a script in at the end of this month. Josh Zetumer's writing the script -- I just had dinner with him last night. I fully intend to do it. It's another example of where I'm aware that there's -- I don't think rabid is a strong enough word -- fanbase for the film, and I understand that some people support me directing it and some don't. All I can tell you is that I was as much a fan of the book as anyone, and I'm really looking forward to getting that script in.TWoP: At this early stage, do you have any thoughts on how your take will differ from the David Lynch, Alan Smithee and Sci Fi Channel versions?
PB: I think starting with tone. To me, the book had a tone that was, for lack of a better word, more muscular. It was a little dirtier, it was scarier, it was rougher, it was more intense, and I think that Lynch's film and the Sci Fi miniseries took a tack that was different. It wasn't any of those things as I remember the book being. There were so many different aspects of Herbert and his personality.... I will focus on -- again, for lack of a better word -- a rougher, more muscular version of Herbert's work. A more muscular interpretation.TWoP: And I wonder if your version would be more naturalistic, more character-based, than the space operas that those other folks tried to make.
PB: I think so, but that doesn't mean that it will be smaller. You know, there's a scope to Dune, and certainly a Shakespearian quality to that family, that I don't pretend to ignore.