This interview was printed in The Zocalo, an online Babylon 5 newsletter. <*><*><*><*><*> Pay No Attention To That Man Behind The Curtain By Chuck Becker (Necromancer@pol.org) <*><*><*><*><*> I am the great and powerful Oz!!! Remember that line from the Wizard Of Oz??? Well in this case it's the great and powerful Kosh. This week we get to be Toto and pull the man out from behind the curtain. I got a chance to chat with the man behind the helmet or underneath it as it were. Jeffrey Willerth. He gives us a glimpse inside the Kosh suit and behind the scenes on Babylon 5. I just want to say thanks to Jeffrey for taking the time to chat with us and without further ado..... Heeeeeeerrrrree's Kosh!!! C.B. How did you get the part? Audition?? J.W. I down right begged for the part. I had reason to believe the spot might become available. With a little tactical planning and some Vorlon technology, I was in the right place at the right time to ask the right person the right question. That got me the chance to try on the helmet, which happens to be very small and very inflexible. Needless to say, the glass slipper fit. C.B. What is your background? J.W. I have a degree in Broadcast Management and started in radio as a disk jockey. I spent several years in media relations for the motorsport industry. I'm more of a behind the camera kinda guy, but remain comfortable in the spotlight. Mostly lived on the east coast, and came to California about seven years ago. C.B. Did you know what you were auditioning for? J.W. You bet! It was my only real chance at a role on a TV series. I didn't (and don't) see myself as an actor destined for greatness. Kosh will be my best gig ever. Usually, when I see something I want, I do get it. C.B. How much background did Joe give you for the character? J.W. You think Kosh IS cryptic??? Perhaps he does it to me on purpose, but he really lets me go with it. Only request was to be smooth and glide along. After my first few episodes, (the silence was killing me) I asked him if I was doing anything wrong. "You'd know if we saw anything wrong"! There have been a few times when I wasn't sure if I was interpreting the script correctly (the ol' what you do now affects the future stuff), and JMS has provided a solid direction. C.B. Do you operate all the parts of the suit? Iris on the helmet? Helmet? Lights/translator? J.W. I get to operate the translator (voice) lights. One of the excellent folks from Optic Nerve will operate those nipple thingies as well as the iris. We often discuss with the director how the scene will play and how we collectively portray Kosh. C.B. Kosh never seems to walk; he seems to glide. How is Kosh's gliding walk done? J.W. It is actually quite simple. As if on a tight rope, I walk by placing one foot in front of the other. This minimizes the weight transfer from right leg to left leg. Try it! Then try it with electrical wires, batteries and servos dangling from your body. And go ahead and strap 35 lbs of fibreglass and composites to your collar bone. Then try it inside a sauna. Now let's switch off the lights and basically stop breathing. Turning is fun. I twist my legs toward my final direction, but face another way. Then rotate on my heels till it stops feeling good and hope that I don't hit anything. I really can't see anything. C.B. Is it unbearably hot inside there? J.W. Funny thing is, while I'm all inside, I just get into it and try to do the job at hand. It's only when they pull the helmet off me, I see the looks of horror and pity from the crew! Ten people offer me a drink of water, all at once. After I climb out, and start to walk around is when I realize my underwear is soaked with sweat. Oh, THIS is Hollywood! C.B. What is it like being in the Kosh suit? J.W. If I wrote 1,000 words to answer this question, it still wouldn't be accurate. It is a very, very different experience. I'd like to think it helps me get into character. It's not like Kosh is anyone I've ever met before, I don't have many role models to work with here! The suit, Kosh and I become one. (whoa!) C.B. How do you sync up the audio? Do you listen to tape of Ardwright while you act the scene or do you run the lines and then dub Ardwright in after? J.W. I get the first crack at the dialog. I act the scene with the other actors both on and off camera. Ardwight and the folks from our post production facilities do the voice you hear. C.B. How long does it take to suit up? J.W. Unlike most all the other aliens on B5 who need hours of work, I can be in and out of the suit in about five minutes. However, once I'm in, I like to stay there until I'm done for the day. C.B. Can you give us a description of the character Kosh? J.W. This is not meant to be a "cheesy" answer, but I'm am not qualified to describe Kosh. My interpretations have been that Kosh knows more than we can fathom, and has endless patience. The younger races are something like pet goldfish in a bowl, as Kosh looks in on us for awhile. But, this is really a JMS question. C.B. Do you find yourself starting to talk like Kosh? ;->{) J.W. "yes" C.B. What is you favorite Kosh line? J.W. Jeez, that's not fair. Kosh has so few lines, but says so much each time. Perhaps some of the favorites would be, of course: "If you go to Z'ha'Dum, you will die" - "One moment of perfect beauty" - "Sheridan... learn!" - and the entire dialog from Interludes and Examinations. C.B. What is the hardest part of your job? J.W. The hours. I choose to live an hour away from work, which means I tack on two hours of driving to a long day of filming. C.B. Kosh is at least 6'5. How tall are you with suit on and how tall are you? J.W. Well, I'm only 6' tall. The suit really is where the size comes from. It sure is a top-heavy costume! C.B. The scene with Sheridan in Interludes and Examinations was great. How was that to act and how did you do it? Give us the whole story, timing, motivation, did it feel great to get in Sheridan's face in anger? J.W. That day was 1/19/96. One of my most memorable days. It was just Bruce and me all day, yelling at each other. We really yelled, insulted, pushed each other around. We shot all the scenes over and over and over and over....Jesus Trevino worked us into a frenzy and (the whole thing was shot out of sequence) we got tired and delirious, as if we had been fighting all day. It really comes through in Bruce's excellent performance. JMS made the script work. John Flinn III, John Smith, JW and the crew did a great job of lighting the place. I was blown away when I saw the show air, with all the effects and Christopher Franke's magical touch. I'm proud to just have been a small part of the entire effort. Oh yes, and it WAS fun to have permission to get into Bruce's face. An opportunity that probably won't happen again. He's bigger than me! C.B. Hate to ask this but I must..... any funny bloopers or gaffs we could know about? J.W. Koshster the Rodster has hit a few walls, kicked a few lights and bumped his bumps a few times. Perhaps the funniest time was during the filming of "Fall of Night" #222. In the garden, I was answering some interview questions and mentioned I thought Kosh looked like a toilet seat with a shower curtain attached. The crew took this to heart and adorned me with one of those sanitary paper seat covers in public restrooms. Then came the rolls of toilet paper, and facial tissues...etc. Unable to reach any of my ornaments, I must have looked like the poster boy for bathroom hygiene! C.B. Do you get to use the suit on Halloween? ;->{) J.W. Wouldn't that be cool!?!? Kosh, like a true Vorlon, slips out of his Optic Nerve lock up, does his scene, and slips back in quickly. Don't expect any trick or treating soon. And beware of imitations! JMS hinted we might do a convention sometime. I mean, we ALL have to come out of the closet, right? C.B. Jeffrey, if you can think of anything to add, please do. J.W. Well, not really a question asked: being a professional schmoozer, I just want thank the producers, B5 crew, cast and my Optic Kosh mates, for making this a part of my life. It is more fun than a human should have. Mostly thanks to all the viewers that watch... and watch so closely. We couldn't do it without you. Boy, was this interview a blast to do. You'll notice I didn't ask anything about upcoming episodes. I was chomping at the bit to do so but I promised I wouldn't. I want to thank Jeffrey Willerth for taking the time and for giving more than one word answers. Yes?????? I also want to thank the staff for all their help in pulling this whole interview together. If you have questions or comments write to me at Necromancer@pol.org or the LTTS section of the N.L. 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